I'm Pregnant!!!

Saturday, January 29, 2011

I can't believe it...I really can't believe it!  We have been trying for what seems like forever and it was starting to feel like this day would never come!  I'm so excited and so nervous!  Right now I'm 2 days away from 5 weeks and of course I had to find out on a Saturday so that I have to wait until Monday to call my doctor.  I'm pretty certain that she will have me come in right away, even though some doctors make you wait till 8 weeks.  I hope so because I have a million questions to ask! 

Currently, no one knows but me and Greg.  It is KILLING me not to tell everyone, but I really want to wait until I see my doctor (unless I have to wait till 8 weeks) and I want to tell our families in a cute way - not just a phone call.  We won't see Greg's parents until April, so I'm not really sure how we are going to share the good news with them yet.  Knowing me, I probably won't be able to go more than a couple days without telling my family - but I'm really going to try.

I could have taken a test a week ago, but I really didn't want to be disappointed, so I kept putting it off.  The early part of the week I had cramps and kept expecting to start.  By mid-week, still nothing and I was starting to get my hopes up a little bit, but I was still too afraid to take a test.  The end of the week, I had to go to Columbus for work and I was so miserably tired and felt incredibly bloated and uncomfortable all day.  When I got back home, I was too tired to do anything.  Finally, this afternoon, I sent Greg to the store - after I sent him to Denny's :) - to get a test.  Being a week late, I really thought that there was a good chance, but I never thought it would be positive!  It still seems almost surreal or like a weird dream.  

So far, the most prominent symptom has been the bloating.  I feel (and look) much more pregnant than I am and it is very uncomfortable.  I've also been pretty tired, I've had some indigestion and I feel like I have to go to the bathroom all the time.   I haven't had any nausea so far.  I've been craving Mac & Cheese - anything cheesy, really - and fruit.  I also have been craving buffalo sauce, but I always crave that, so it doesn't really count.  I've been insanely thirsty, drinking a ton of water. 

Greg is excited, but I don't think it really seems real to him yet.  I'm sure once we see my doctor and do an ultrasound, it will seem a little more real.  I'm so anxious to see my doctor.  I sure hope it's soon...like Monday!

I have been on BabyCenter.com all day and I went to Barnes & Noble and bought What to Expect When You're Expecting because for some reason, I don't seem to want to learn anything about something until it actually happens.  I did the same thing with the wedding.  I didn't think about one detail of my wedding day until Greg proposed.  Same with this house.  The good news is that I have been taking a prenatal vitamin for months now, so at least I've been getting all of the folic acid and other vitamins I need.  But as far as what to eat, do, not do, etc. during pregnancy - I'm clueless.  I also used the due date calculator on BabyCenter.com and it said October 3rd!  That's so weird!!  And so exciting!!

I want to hit the "Publish" button so bad right now...but it will have to wait till another day. :(

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5 Weeks Pregnant! 1/31/11 - 2/6/11

Monday, January 31, 2011

This is SOOOO much harder than I thought it would be!  We still haven't told anyone!!  I even had to tell a little white lie to my mom (sorry Mom!) because I really want to tell my family in person all together.  We had family game night scheduled for this Wednesday, but I honestly can't wait until then.  I tried moving it up to tonight - but unfortunately there are scheduling conflicts, so we will have to wait until tomorrow.  I swear if the storm makes it too bad to do it tomorrow, I'm not going to be able to wait any longer!!

I also have been discussing upcoming plans to get together with my girlfriends, Katy, Christie & Lynn, today and I so badly wanted to tell them, but I haven't even told my family yet...so I will have to wait a few more days.  I was hoping that I would have my first doctor appointment this week, but the earliest they could get me in was next Thursday (February 10th).  I wanted to send my girlfriends the ultrasound picture, but I don't think I can wait that long.  Can you tell I'm really anxious to tell everybody?!?

My friend, Katy, does such a great job documenting her progression through her pregnancy and I really like the way she does it, so I'm going to copy her (I hope you don't mind, Katy!).

My baby's development at 5 weeks:

• The embryo is growing at a furious pace. At this point, he's about the size of a sesame seed, and he looks more like a tiny tadpole than a human. He's now made up of three layers — the ectoderm, the mesoderm, and the endoderm — which will later form all of his organs and tissues.  The neural tube — from which your baby's brain, spinal cord, nerves, and backbone will sprout — is starting to develop in the top layer, called the ectoderm. This layer will also give rise to his skin, hair, nails, mammary and sweat glands, and tooth enamel.  His heart and circulatory system begin to form in the middle layer, or mesoderm. (This week, in fact, his tiny heart begins to divide into chambers and beat and pump blood.) The mesoderm will also form your baby's muscles, cartilage, bone, and subcutaneous (under skin) tissue.  The third layer, or endoderm, will house his lungs, intestines, and rudimentary urinary system, as well as his thyroid, liver, and pancreas. In the meantime, the primitive placenta and umbilical cord, which deliver nourishment and oxygen to your baby, are already on the job.

I am feeling:

• Pretty good.  Still no nausea and the bloating has subsided a little bit.  I've been going to bed pretty early, trying to get as much sleep as possible.  I haven't touched coffee (or anything caffeinated) since I found out, but I'm really not noticing any difference in how I feel and no headaches - which is good.  Right now I am mostly just thinking about telling family and friends the good news!

I am craving:

• Still Mac & Cheese.  I read all about what I am supposed to be eating everyday and I cannot believe how much food I am supposed to eat.  Greg always tells me that I don't eat enough calories each day, but normally I don't eat anywhere near the amount of food (and the type of food) that I am supposed to be eating now.  The good news is that I have been much more hungry, but I still think it is going to be a challenge to eat everything I am supposed to.  But I'll do it happily!!

I look like:

• Since I just took a picture 2 days ago and I don't think anything has changed, I am going to wait till next week.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011 

I have to wait ANOTHER day to tell my family the good news because of the ice storm that we are getting right now!!  I have kept this HUGE secret for 4 days already!  It's driving me crazy.  And sorry Mom, it's been quite a few little white lies now....

We decided to tell Greg's parents tonight and they were really excited.  Greg very nonchalantly slipped it into the conversation and his mom just paused to let it register.  Then she got really excited and woke Bill up to hear the good news.  It was pretty funny.   


Wednesday, February 2, 2011

I finally got to tell my family!  Everyone came over for "Family game night" and we played an entire game of Trivial Pursuit before we told them.  We strategically put my mom, my dad and Sam on the same team and for the last question, Greg asked, "According to the National Doctors Association, what day will your first grandchild be born?".  My dad and Sam were completely clueless - they were so hung up on the fact that there was no such thing as the "National Doctors Association" that the rest of the question didn't even register.  My mom, however, froze.  She paused for a minute and then said, "October 15th" her eyes watering up a little.  Meanwhile, Dad and Sam are still going on and on about how there's no such thing then they say, "Their birthday!".  My mom turns to both of them and calls them big dopes or something similar and says, "They're PREGNANT!".  When it finally registered, we got lots of hugs and mom cried a little bit and it was really special.  We also got to open our "baby" bottle of sparkling cider from my CT shower last year!

It was a really great night!


Thursday, February 3, 2011

I spilled the beans to the girls!  I have wanted to for days, but I wanted to wait until after we told our family.  I also told Ana today and Greg told Kurt and his nephews that they were going to have a cousin!

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6 Weeks Pregnant! 2/7/11 - 2/13/11

Monday, February 7, 2011

My baby's development at 6 weeks:

• This week's major developments: The nose, mouth, and ears that you'll spend so much time kissing in eight months are beginning to take shape. If you could see into your uterus, you'd find an oversize head and dark spots where your baby's eyes and nostrils are starting to form. His emerging ears are marked by small depressions on the sides of the head, and his arms and legs by protruding buds. His heart is beating about 100 to 160 times a minute — almost twice as fast as yours — and blood is beginning to course through his body. His intestines are developing, and the bud of tissue that will give rise to his lungs has appeared. His pituitary gland is forming, as are the rest of his brain, muscles, and bones. Right now, your baby is a quarter of an inch long, about the size of a lentil.

I am feeling:

• Exhausted.  Completely worn out.  I have absolutely no energy to do anything.  I am still not nauseous, but every day is a struggle just to make it through.  I take naps every chance I get.
  

I am craving: 

• Whatever I see on TV or hear about.  I will see an ad for something and immediately want it, but no one thing in particular.  

I look like: 

• Sorry - no picture this week...
  

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7 Weeks Pregnant! 2/14/11 - 2/20/11

Monday, February 14, 2011

My baby's development at 7 weeks:

• The big news this week: Hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs -- although they look more like paddles at this point than the tiny, pudgy extremities you're daydreaming about holding and tickling. Technically, your baby is still considered an embryo and has something of a small tail, which is an extension of her tailbone. The tail will disappear within a few weeks, but that's the only thing getting smaller. Your baby has doubled in size since last week and now measures half an inch long, about the size of a blueberry.

I am feeling:

• Pretty crummy.  I'm still incredibly tired and I have started to get some mild to moderate bouts of nausea.  It comes and gos, but it is pretty miserable.  I've also had some really bad indigestion and many emotional ups and downs.
  

I am craving:

• Cheese.  And that's it.  I'm having a much harder time eating this week because even food that I typically love sounds horrible to me.  My appetite has decreased significantly and it has been a real struggle to eat everything I am supposed to. 
  

I look like:

Wednesday, February 16, 2011 

Today was our first ultrasound that I have been anxiously waiting for since I found out I was pregnant.  I got a little reassurance at my first doctor appointment last week, but I have been dying to see the little peanut on the monitor to make sure everything was in the right place and to see the teeny tiny heart beat.  Everything looked great except I have a pretty big cyst on my right ovary which is causing me quite a bit of discomfort.  They said it was completely normal to have a cyst in the first trimester of pregnancy and that it should go away somewhere around the end of this trimester, but she said mine was bigger than normal - so I'm not really sure what that means.  I have another appointment with my doctor in a couple weeks, so I will be asking lots of questions about it.

The family (Mom, Dad, Sam, Grandma & Jason) came over tonight for game night and to see the little blueberry in the ultrasound pictures.  About 30 minutes before everyone arrived, Bubby hurt himself even worse and could hardly walk, which put a huge damper on the night, but we still played games for a while.  At the end of the night, my mom and grandma were the only two left and we were talking about baby and how I was feeling and I was telling them how big my stomach was already (I always have baggy clothes on) and they didn't believe me, so I pulled up my shirt and my grandma's face was priceless!  It was the funniest thing!  She wears her emotions on her sleeve (just like me) and it showed!  She couldn't believe how round my belly was already!

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8 Weeks Pregnant! 2/21/11 - 2/27/11

Monday, February 21, 2011

My baby's development at 8 weeks:

• Your baby is now 5/8 of an inch long, about the size of a kidney bean. New this week: Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from your baby's hands and feet, his eyelids practically cover his eyes, breathing tubes extend from his throat to the branches of his developing lungs, and his "tail" is just about gone. His arms have lengthened, too, and his hands are now flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart. His knee joints have formed, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. In his brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. 

I am feeling:

• Awful.  I am nauseous on and off and I have also had the most horrible indigestion.  It lasts all day long but it is especially bad when I lay down to go to bed at night.  The thought of food - any food - sounds awful.  Getting any food in me at this point is really tough.  I take my iron pill at night, because I eat so much calcium all day long and you aren't supposed to take iron and calcium together, so that means that I can't even take a Tums before bed to help with my horrific indigestion.  I'm still insanely tired all the time with no energy to do anything.  I feel like a big, fat blob. 
  

 I am craving:

• Absolutely nothing.  Eating has become a real challenge because nothing sounds good to me.  Even my go-to food, like buffalo chicken strips, sounds horrible.  If something does spark my interest, it usually dissipates before I can either get it or make it.    
  

 I look like: 

Saturday, February 26, 2011 


Today is the first day in weeks that I haven't felt like death.  I was able to go out for breakfast with my mom, grandma, dad and Greg and could eat my food without any issues.  Afterward, we all went to Babies R' Us to look at all of the baby stuff - mostly the furniture - and since neither Greg or Dad had been in a Babies R' Us before, it was pretty educational.  We are still quite a ways from buying anything, but it's nice to get an idea of the furniture we like and how much everything costs.

Greg and I came back home for a little bit (and I took a little cat nap) but then I was actually feeling good enough to venture out to see a movie.  We had planned to grab a bite to eat after the movie, but we both pooped out.  It was a big day for me since most days I don't even get off the couch once I'm done with work.

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9 Weeks Pregnant! 2/28/11 - 3/6/11

Monday, February 28, 2011

My baby's development at 9 weeks:

• Your new resident is nearly an inch long -- about the size of a grape -- and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form -- as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. 

I am feeling:

• A little better, surprisingly.  Still a little nausea left, but not nearly as often as the last couple weeks.  I'm still having some indigestion, too, but I have changed up my vitamin routine so that I take my iron pill in the afternoon so that I can take Tums before bed, which seems to be helping a little.  I still don't have much energy, but I'm not feeling as lethargic as I have been for the last several weeks.  I am still struggling with my appetite, though - not much sounds good and I'm just not very hungry.  One of my biggest problems right now is stress - Bubby has been regressing a lot lately and it's been really tough.  We have an appointment with the surgeon this week because I'm afraid that he may have re-injured himself and I'm terrified that he will have to have another surgery.  Plus, it is so wearing and awful to see him in pain every single day.  It's truly heartbreaking.    

I am craving:

• Still nothing.  Even though the nausea has been a little better, the thought of food makes me cringe.  I've noticed that it is more-so at night, though.  It seems to get worse as the day progresses.  I always have cereal in the morning, which is always fine, but lunch is a little tougher and by dinner time, absolutely nothing sounds good to me.  Greg goes though every single food in the fridge, the pantry, the restaurants around and I say no to everything.  I just want my appetite back.

I look like:

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

I thought the worst was behind me, but today was really bad.  I felt pretty awful all day long.  :(

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10 Weeks Pregnant! 3/7/11 - 3/13/11

Monday, March 7, 2011

My baby's development at 10 weeks:

• Although he's barely the size of a kumquat -- a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom -- and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby now has completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature. If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

I am feeling:

•  So-so.  I have good days and I have bad days.  I have good mornings and I have bad nights.  I don't know if it is because I am focused so much on Bubby right now or if I have truly turned a corner, but I'm definitely better (nausea-wise) than I have been.  Still experiencing a lot of indigestion, which I have read does not go away with the first trimester like a lot of other symptoms, and I'm still very tired.  Greg and I have been alternating sleeping downstairs with Bubby for the last week because he is in such bad shape and I hardly get any sleep when it is my shift.  It's been a very tough week in regards to stress - but I'm trying to cope the best I can.  I just wish my Bubby would get better. 

I am craving:

•  Nothing.  Oh how I wish my appetite would come back.  I'm still doing good with my cereal every morning, but the rest of the day is tough.  I find that I can stomach carbs a lot better than anything else and meat in general is incredibly unappealing.  Fruit is the one thing that I have enjoyed through this whole pregnancy so far - I eat pears and clementines every day - but I wouldn't call it a craving.   

I look like:

Yes...I am wearing maternity pants.  I cannot stand to have anything around my waist and my mom has already bought me 3 pairs.  



Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Today was my 3-month doctor appointment and it was much faster than my last appointment!  I talked with my doctor about all of the tests they took at my first prenatal appointment - which were all fine - and just went over some general questions that I had.  I asked about the cyst that the ultrasound tech said was "larger than normal" and my doctor pulled it up on the computer and told me that the cyst was a completely normal size.  Apparently, the cyst is very important through most of the first trimester because it produces the progesterone that is important until the placenta is fully developed.  Too much information?  Anyway, long story short is that it is completely fine.

I also talked to her about my appetite - or lack there of - and she made me feel a lot better about not meeting the nutritional guidelines everyday.  She basically described the baby as a super parasite that is going to get what it needs from wherever it needs to get it and she said that it is very common for women to not eat everything they are supposed to eat in the first trimester.  She assured me that I will get my appetite back sometime around the beginning of the second trimester and I cannot wait!

The most exciting part, though, was hearing the heartbeat.  She warned me beforehand that I may not be able to hear it this early, but I was so hoping that I would!  It almost didn't seem real.  It definitely didn't seem like it could be coming from inside my stomach.  The heart rate was 170 beats/minute.  I'm so glad I got to hear it!

I have my screening tests next week and I have my 4-month appointment on April 5th and then I get to schedule the appointment to find out the sex!  I don't think anyone is as excited as my mother to find out what we're having.  I really have absolutely no preference whatsoever, but I am so confident that it is a boy.  It's actually weird how confident I am - I would almost bet money on it.  Greg thinks I'm saying that because he thinks I secretly want a girl, but to be honest, I would love to have a boy.  Only time will tell...