Week 8

8 w 6 d

This week flew by!  I think it was due to the excitement of looking forward to the appointment, and work being really busy this week.  In addition, my sister's bridal shower was today, and I had a lot of dessert preparation to do.   

Mom says I have a bump, I still think it's bloat, though my stomach was hard, and I couldn't push it in.  She might be right.  Plus, I've only gained a pound since December, and usually I could go up or down a few pounds and still have a flat stomach.  Who knows.

How far along?: 8 weeks 6 days
How big is baby?: According to What to Expect When You’re Expecting: Started the week as the size of a Raspberry and about to be a Green Olive
Weight gain?: Status quo from last week - total gain of 1 lb

Stretch marks?: No
Maternity clothes?:Not yet.
Sleep?: Still sleeping on my stomach, but now since I drink even more water, when I wake up, I have to get up!  I can't lie in bed or hit the snooze too much because my bladder needs to be emptied!  I still take naps, though it wasn't every day this week.
Best moment this week?: Going to the OB, and AJ being able to see the ultrasound and hear the heartbeat, too!  I also enjoyed sharing the wonderful news with close friends and coworkers.
Worst moment this week?: Friday afternoon - I was extremely exhausted and had to sleep for 2 hours.  I only got out of bed at 8PM to finish prepping for the mini desserts I was making for my sister's shower.  Otherwise, I would have went right to sleep.
Food cravings?: Mexican food - I went on Wednesday after the appointment, and it was delicious.
Symptoms?: Exhaustion/Fatigue!  Though I did go two days this week without a nap, so that is an improvement.
Exercise?: Due to appointments (OB, hair, dermatologist) this week, I wasn't able to get to the gym as much.  I did weights 4 times this week and completed a short walk around the neighborhood - the dogs were tired since they hadn't been walked in a while. 
Gender?: Too early to tell - though my dreams suggest it's a boy
Movement?: Too early
Belly button?: Still in
What I miss?: My energy!
Labor signs?: too early!
What I'm looking forward to?: A relaxing and quiet week.  I have to study more for the Professional Engineering exam, thus I am hoping for an uneventful week.  Oh, and tomorrow the temperature is suppose to reach 69 degrees Fahrenheit which is AWESOME!!!

Can You Pee in a Cup...TWICE?

The first OB appointment was today, which included an ultrasound.  I had read that it can help to have a full bladder when the technician is conducting the ultrasound.  So I drank 32 oz of water in an hour and a half leading up to the appointment.  When the technician put the cold gel and then the ultrasound wand on my belly and pressed to see the baby, I wanted to bust!  But it was all worth it because we were able to see the baby and hear the heartbeat.



8 w 3 d

Based on my LMP, I am 8 weeks and 3 days along; the baby was measured to be on track with my LMP.  In addition, the heartbeat was 175 beats per minute. 

With my lack of symptoms (little bloat and fatigue), I was slightly concerned about what was going on, so it was very reassuring to see and hear the baby.  The next ultrasound isn't until 20 weeks, when we hope to find out the gender!  3 months to go.  Though there will be other appointments before the 20th week.

So after the ultrasound, I have to provide an urine sample...it appears they test to ensure you are pregnant.  Seems like it should be the opposite, but then I wouldn't have the full bladder that is beneficial to the ultrasound when conducting on the outside of the belly.  After the ultrasound, AJ went back to work.  I am so happy I chose a local OBGYN so that my husband could come to the appointments, even when he is on duty.

Afterwards, I met with the doctor.  We discussed my medical history, and he answered any questions I had.  He was very surprised and pleased that I knew so much about pregnancy - especially having a blood type that is Rh-.  He was glad to see I had done my research.  I like the OB very much.  He doesn't believe a pregnant woman needs to live in a bubble, and that most things are okay in moderation.  He wasn't against exercise or me continuing my pre pregnancy routine, as long as I was comfortable when doing so.

Then came the fun part...the pelvic exam.  So we'll skip that part.  Though I will say the doctor and nurse put me at ease - really like the practice so far!

Afterwards, I had to go give blood (9 tubes) and another urine sample!  Thank goodness that I drank all that water.  The nurse conducting the lab samples said she didn't understand why the OB always had his patient give a sample, and then sent them upstairs 30 minutes later.  Most can't go twice.  Most don't drink as much water as I do!

In all, I was at the doctor's office for 2 hours.  Normally, I can't stand being at the doctor's office, but today was definitely an exception.  Well worth every waiting minute. :)

So Many Dreams

I don't recall all of the details of the 3 dreams I do remember, but they were rather intricate and realistic feeling.  In one dream, I was chasing after a major suspect who turned out to be a friend from college who is a practicing lawyer (in my dream, I enjoyed the irony of the situation).  She now lives in Kentucky, and when I finally caught her, she was wearing Kentucky Blue and chanting a team cheer.  It felt like a James Bond movie. 

The second dream was me with our baby.  The baby was a boy, and he could not stop giggling and laughing.  I forgot to feed him until 6 hours after birth, but he was still a happy baby.  The funny thing is, I wasn't prepared for him!  I had girl clothes or clothes that fit a 6 month old baby.  I put him in the larger clothing, and he squealed with delight!  Then, who knows who was watching the baby, my family, AJ, and me went to the grocery store to buy baby food (solids...), clothing, and a crib.  Somehow our car broke down but we had a horse carriage and bicycles.  So we forgot to buy anything, and tried to get home as quickly as possible.  We had to climb a road that was rather steep that turned out to be a bridge made of wood planks - the road is from the city I live in, and I knew once we made it up the hill we could make it safely home.  Dream ends.

In the third dream, I am at my parents house (same for the second dream), playing with the baby boy, sharing a bed with my sister.  I finally remember to feed the baby, and I was feeding him Gerber baby foods to a newborn!  Then it was apple sauce with banana runts, and he made a really sour face when he ate the banana runt.  After he was feed, we just laid down in the bed and went to sleep.  Then my dogs decided it was time to wake me up...so who knows what else would have happened!

The last two dreams make me wonder if my subconscious knows something - you know, like the sex of the baby!  Before getting pregnant, I did have a dream about a baby girl, and she had an absolutely beautiful name that escapes me.  In that dream, I realized that I should not be scared of raising a girl (can you imagine what I would do with a girly girl?!?!).  Dreams are interesting though.  In the two dreams I had last night, I was calling the boy "Will" short for "Willis," which is AJ's first name and a name he would like to include in the name if the baby is a boy.  We'll see in 12 weeks or so if my dreams are true in regards to gender - I swear I won't be a forgetful parent!!

Week 7

7 W 6 D

Wow, time seems to move very slowly!  I know it's due to me looking forward to the first OB appointment, but it's like someone pushed slow motion button on life.

How far along?: 7 weeks 6 days
How big is baby?: According to What to Expect When You’re Expecting: Started the week as the size of a Blueberry and about to be a Raspberry

Weight gain?: Status quo from last week - total gain of 1 lb

Stretch marks?: No
Maternity clothes?:None required
Sleep?: Sleeping is no issue – due to fatigue, I take naps often. :)

Best moment this week?: Saturday - I was able to sleep in.  I woke up at 4AM, like I do during the middle of the week, but went back to sleep until 8AM!

Worst moment this week?: Cramping during the middle of the night early in the week.  It had me worried, and I couldn't sleep.

Food cravings?: A big, fat, and juicy hamburger  - I went to Five Guys!
Symptoms?: FATIGUE! and bloating

Exercise?: I started the week with an hour of cardio, and continued lifting weights through out the week (total of 3 times - 30 minutes each), and finished with swimming an additional 2 hours (split over 3 days).

Gender?: Too early to tell
Movement?: Too early
Belly button?: Still in
What I miss?: Bud Select 55

Labor signs?: too early!
What I'm looking forward to?: Less than a week until the first OB appointment, where they are supposed to do an ultrasound!  Once we get to hear the heartbeat and see the sac, I will be ready to share the news with friends! 

Queen of Naps!

Oh how the fatigue has hit me!  I sit down on the couch, and in a few minutes, I am cautiously closing my eyes during commercials and waking up an hour later from napping.  If I decide to curl up with my dogs (miniature dachshunds), whether on the floor, the couch or the bed, I can't help but fall asleep.  On top of 1 hour naps (and sometimes twice as long!), I am still exhausted by 9PM, and crawling in bed and falling asleep by 9:30 PM.

As long as I am moving, I am fine, but as soon as I sit down to relax, eat, or watch tv, it becomes lights out.  I hope the fatigue passes soon, otherwise, I am going to become EXTREMELY unproductive at home.

Nursery Ideas

I absolutely love penguins - I collect stuff penguins, I have gone to a behind the scenes visit at the Columbia zoo, and I have visited numerous penguin exhibits along with watching plenty of penguin movies.
Soooo...over the next few months, I hope to convince AJ that we should do a penguin (or at least arctic) themed nursery. Therefore, I have been searching online for ideas and bedding, which is more difficult than I expected.  However, I did find this on http://www.tot2teenonline.com/, and I do love it.  I feel it's gender neutral and classy, and the paint color isn't bold - it's light and soothing, at least in my opinion!

I also found it available at Toys R Us, guess I will have to comparison shop!

From allposters.com, I found a neat wall deal that might fit in - though a tad more "cartoony" than the arctic babies above.  Guess I will have to keep searching the internet and stores!  But I do like what I have found so far.

I did show AJ the pictures, and he thought the idea was great for a girl, but not a boy!  Then I showed him that Toys R Us lists this nursery theme under boys.  I told we don't need everything shown, and you can arrange things differently to put a different spin on it.  At least he was open to the idea of penguins/arctic nursery!

Death By Broccoli

So I have been trying to eat healthier since finding out I was pregnant.  Lately, I have been adding more raw vegetables, such as broccoli and carrots along with salads.  I ate broccoli several times, in fact every day the first week I found out, without incident.  However, something happened last night.  I am not sure whether it was due to the broccoli being a week old, having too much of it recently, or just a pregnancy reflex, but after  a few bites in, I was gagging on the broccoli.  It wasn't crisp - slightly soft.  So I threw the broccoli out, and I thought that was the end of it.

Well at 2 AM, I had cramping and gas pains that lasted for approximately an hour.  I couldn't sleep, and of course, the cramping had me concerned.  Argh, I think it will be a little while before I consume broccoli again.

Week 6

6 w 6 d

So I decided to grab a survey from another blog and include it in my weekly update.  I will probably start taking belly pictures, too, however, not much is showing.  Sometimes, I'm a little bloated, but that's not a "bump." 

How far along?: 6 weeks 6 days
How big is baby?: According to What to Expect When You’re Expecting: Started the week as the size of a Sweat Pea and about to be a Blueberry
Weight gain?: Maybe 1 lb
Stretch marks?: No
Maternity clothes?:None required
Sleep?: Sleeping is no issue – I just love to sleep since the fatigue is still getting me
Best moment this week?: Good, calm week - nothing sticks out.

Worst moment this week?: SNOW DAYS.  BRRR, it's cold and AJ had to assist with clearing wrecks off the interstate.
Food cravings?: No cravings or aversions.

Symptoms?: Some bloating and fatigue, but it's not bad at all.  Had the heartburn earlier this week, so I bought a big container of Tums.

Exercise?: I continue to work out with weights (not increasing intensity) and doing cardio (swimming and Wii Sports Active 2).  Though I strained my lower back shoveling a path for the dogs on the deck and in the yard, so I took it easy this week.

Gender?: Too early to tell
Movement?: Too early
Belly button?: Still in
What I miss?: An ice cold Diet Pepsi and chocolate cake
Labor signs?: too early!
What I'm looking forward to?: The first OB appointment which is during week 8.  I am looking forward to the ultrasound and having them confirm my pregnancy since I feel relatively normal.

If anyone has suggestions for more survey questions, let me know.  I just borrowed the first one I found on the Internet.

Extreme Hunger

I hope the baby was having a growth spurt today because no matter what I ate, I still seemed hungry!

4:20AM - Bowl of whole grain cereal and milk
6:00AM - Serving of pretzels
7:00AM - Serving of Almonds
9:00AM - Banana
10:00AM - Serving of yogurt
11:15AM - Lunch (salad with eggs, cheese, and a side of whole wheat bread)
1:30PM to 3:00PM - 3 clementines
5:00PM - HALF of a Pizza Hut stuffed crust pizza with cheese

I expect to eat an apple around 7PM, and hopefully that will be the last time I eat today.  But geeze...every hour?!  I normally space out the morning snacks every 2.5 hours.  It's good food (except the pizza), so I'm not sure why my appetite was so strong today.  Either way, I might need to pack some more snacks for tomorrow just in case. (By the way, definitely no bump/bloat pic today - stuffed belly:) )

Holy Heartburn, Batman!

I have never experienced heartburn before...until tonight!  Not fun, and definitely not comfortable, though I will say it wasn't extreme.  I would say it was a mild heart burn, but it was definitely a persistent burning sensation in my chest.  Luckily, AJ keeps Rolaids and Tums around the house, so I took one immediately.  Let's hope it goes away soon.

I thought what I ate for dinner was rather mild - cheese quesadilla, black beans, and Spanish rice - though the rice did contain a small amount of peppers.  I love spicy food.  Let's hope this isn't the beginning of a love/hate relationship.

Selling the Harley

Surprisingly, no one in my family has asked me what I was going to do with my Harley now that I am pregnant.  Again, I know it's early in the pregnancy, and anything could happen, but I have decided to go ahead and start selling the Harley. 

I bought the Harley last April, when it didn't appear we were thinking about kids for at least a year!  So I knew I had time to ride and enjoy the motorcycle before having to think about selling it.  When we decided to TTC, I told AJ that I would sell the motorcycle once I found out I was pregnant.  So here I am...selling the Harley!  And while I will miss it, the reason I am selling the Harley is exciting!  So it will be bittersweet.

If anyone reading this knows someone interested in an awesome Harley, here's the listing: 1200 Custom Sportster

I'm also selling a modular full face motorcycle helmet that I thought I would use when it got colder, but then I didn't ride at all, so I just used my half face helmet. Modular Full Face Helmet

Researching Cloth Diapers

I know it's still early in the pregnancy, and I don't plan on buying anything for the baby anytime soon, but I have thought a lot about cloth diapering.  There is an overwhelming amount of information on the Internet, and I'm not sure where to begin!  From another blog I have followed, I found this website very useful: Green Mountain Diapers.

GMD seems to have packages for those new to cloth diapering, and the diapers are ALL COTTON.  I have read a lot about wool, and how it holds smell and often has to be stripped, whereas cotton usually does not.  Cotton does not seem to have this problem, but maybe cotton leaks more??  No idea, I have a lot to learn over the next 8 months.

I also need to convince my husband that cloth diapering is the way to go.  Not only is it good for the environment, but from everything I read, it is much better for the baby.  Cotton is more breathable and there aren't all those chemicals (like petroleum) like there are in disposables.  This isn't to say that we wouldn't need disposables every once in a while, but my plan is to use cloth diapers 95% of the time! 

If anyone has suggestions or other websites with useful information, please share!

Week 5

Thankfully, no terrible symptoms.  Occasionally, I am a little fatigued, but overall, I feel normal.  I have changed my diet - no caffeinated beverages, limiting chocolate and sugar intake, and reducing junk food consumption.  So far, not bad, especially since I haven't had any food aversions or cravings.

I have also continued my exercise routine, though I don't plan on increasing intensity.  I did swim at the end of the week, and it felt great!  I will probably substitute swimming as my only form of cardio along with Wiii Sports Active.

Week 4

This week began with AJ and I finding out that I'm pregnant on December 26th.  Based on the LMP, I would be 4 weeks.

A few days later, we couldn't contain our excitement so we shared the news with our families.

The main symptons I felt were bloating and fatigue.