15 Weeks & Surro GTG

 

 

C & W's Baby in Week 15 of Pregnancy

One way to deal with the havoc of pregnancy hormones: Focus on how much is happening with the baby. She's about the size of an orange this week, her ears have migrated to the sides of her head, and her eyes are moving to the front of her face. Plus, this little smarty-pants can now wiggle her fingers and toes and make breathing movements in preparation for life outside the womb.

Week 15 Pregnancy Tip: Weight Gain

Whether you were barely able to gain an ounce during the first trimester (thanks to all that toilet hugging) or you gained more ounces — and pounds — than you care to admit (courtesy of all those comforting carbs your queasy self was overloading on), it's weight-gain time now. Starting in the second trimester, your baby's getting bigger and bigger — and consequently, you should be too. Make slow and steady your motto and aim for a weekly weight gain of about one pound. But keep in mind that's an average — which means that it's perfectly fine to gain half a pound one week, and a pound and a half the next, as long as you're netting about four pounds a month. If you're weighing in at home, once a week (or once every other week) is plenty; just make sure you do it consistently — at about the same time and under about the same conditions (undressed, right after getting up, for instance). Or leave the weigh-ins to your practitioner at your monthly visits.
Learn more about pregnancy weight gain.

Definitely starting to feel much better.  It was a completely fabulous weekend.  We got up this morning, went down for breakfast and enjoyed our easy going morning.  We didn't have any plans until a lunch at 2pm with some of my surro sisters and some of their husbands.  It had rained quite a bit the night before so it was a little overcast, but comfortably cool.  After breakfast, we headed to the capital.  I've never been and it's been a very long time since DH has been.  We got to walk around and take some pictures.  We just really enjoyed our time this weekend.

Hubby and I in front of the capital.  Thankful for my camera time.  : )

It was a little chilly when we arrived for lunch, as it was outdoors, but luckily I had my sweater in the car.  The weather ended up being really nice, the food was good, but the service definitely left a little to be desired.  It was so nice to see everyone and get to visit with them.  I'm so thankful my DH came with me, even though I'm sure he didn't have the greatest time, as there were only a couple of other husbands and they didn't all sit together.  After we finished our lunch, we headed to the outlet mall we shopped at on Saturday to get a chocolate covered apple from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and then to IKEA for some new glasses.   We then headed home to love on our kiddos before they had to head to bed.  So thankful my Mom was able to keep them for us and know that they were in such good hands.  It was such a great weekend!!

 



The 4 Preggos and we are all pretty close in our pregnancies. 
L-R (Samantha - 9 wks, Christi - 14 weeks, Tia - 15 weeks, Me - 15 weeks)

 

 

 

Happy Anniversary Vacation!!!

DH and I planned a weekend getaway to Austin to celebrate our 9th anniversary.  We haven't had a trip away with just the two of us in a few years.  We decided to drive down Friday, right after work.  We knew it would be a late night, but at least we would get to take it easy today. 

We finally arrived at the hotel last night around 11:30pm.  When we got up this morning, we looked for somewhere to eat breakfast.  We were going to go to Round Rock Donuts, but I really didn't want a ton of sugar for breakfast, so we decided to head to Mimi's Café instead.  We had some great French toast and eggs and then headed to do some shopping.  Hubby needed some new shorts and shoes and there happened to be an outlet right there in Round Rock.  We had a great time shopping and visiting and just spending time with each other with no real schedule.  No kids games, parties or other events to try to get to all day.  Our DD did have a soccer game this afternoon and my Mom did such a great job sending us updates on how the game was going.  After a few hours of shopping, we headed to the hotel that we would be staying at in Austin and got checked in.  We got to our room (a Suite) and it was amazing and we even got a great view of the Capital.  It poured down rain for a good 45 minutes before we left the Outlet Mall and there were still some lingering clouds.

 

DH made a pretty early dinner reservation, so we could eat early and have a nice relaxing evening.  Our reservation was at 6:30, so we got to just hang out for a while before we had to get ready for dinner.  Hubby loves Texas de Brazil at home, so I gave in and we went to Fogo de Chao (very similar to Texas de Brazil).  We got dressed for dinner and headed out.  Dinner was good, but we both agreed that Texas de Brazil is better.  Not that there was anything wrong with this place, but the salad bar at Texas de Brazil has a much larger selection and the meats seemed to have a little better flavor than Fogo.  One really sweet thing, was that since it was our anniversary, they gave us dessert on the house.  : )  Crème brulee!!  Our fave!!  DH still makes the BEST crème brulee though.

 

 

 

Such a wonderful weekend!!!  Absolutely love my husband and this time we got to spend together.

 

 



14 Weeks

C & W's Baby in Week 14 of Pregnancy  
Now the size of a clenched fist,  the baby is more fluid-like in his movements, so he’s no longer doing the jerk every time he repositions his arms and legs. Other developments this week include a roof of his own (inside his mouth, that is) as well as intestinal activity: His intestines are producing meconium (which is the waste that will make up his first bowel movement after birth). He is also sporting a downy coating of hair (lanugo) that keeps him nice and warm. Not to worry — I won't give birth to a monkey; baby fat will accumulate over the next few months and take over the function of keeping your baby warm and toasty —allowing most of that hair to shed.

Doppler Success

 

 

So excited tonight since I finally got this little one on the doppler.  It's such a great feeling to hear this little ones HB and definitely a little peace of mind that comes along with it too.  I emailed this to C & W too so they could here it.  

Absolutely wonderful day!!

Such a busy, but completely wonderful day!!!  I was off work and got to sleep in a "little".  About an hour, but hey, I'll take it.  Any extra sleep is great.  Our youngest DS broke his ankle several weeks ago and was originally scheduled for a follow up appointment on the 20th.  I ended up having a colleague off that day, so it would be really hard for me to take him.  I was already off for the day for the two baby appointments, so called to see if I could get his appointment rescheduled.  Luckily, I was able to reschedule for today at 9am.  He's had a boot on for a little over 3 weeks and it was a great appointment and he finally got it off.  The Dr. said it actually healed really well and the bone had fused back together, which rarely happens.  He will have an air cast for another 4-6 weeks when he does any physical activity and has to do some physical therapy too to help prevent re-injury.  After I finished at his appointment, I grabbed him some lunch and took him back to school.  I grabbed a sandwich for myself too, but could only eat half of it.

 

After I ate my sandwich, I headed to the airport to pick up "C".  "W" had to work, so wasn't able to make it, but hoping he will be able to come up for the next one.  I picked her up and we headed to the Perinatologist's office.  It was only about 10 minutes from the airport, so we were there really early.  I knew there would be some paperwork, so it worked out just fine.  We got all the paperwork filled out and got to visit for a while before they called us back.  "C" gave me a gift.  It was so sweet!  She gave me some soaps that look like macaroons and a gift card to Loft.  It was such a thoughtful gift and I'm so grateful.  The interesting thing is that I was looking at their maternity stuff on line last night. 

 

 

 

I think we were both excited, anxious and nervous all at the same time.  It has been 5 weeks since our last ultrasound, so we were both ready to see the baby again.  I was so excited for her to see the baby today because he/she would really look more like a baby.  The nurse called us back and we headed to the room.  I told her about my "retroverted" uterus, so she had me go ahead and undress from the waist down in case they needed to do a vaginal ultrasound to get the measurements they needed.  They had a nice big sheet to put over, so no worries.  The Dr. came in and tried to traditional ultrasound first and it actually worked.  I had my camera, so I recorded the whole thing.  As soon as he started, I watched the screen so intently for that HB flicker or the smallest movement.  I saw the baby kicking and just felt so relieved.  Knowing the baby is good and we are now in the 2nd trimester made me feel so good.  I had been feeling a few flutters for a week or two, but it's so early, I just wanted that reassurance and I'm sure "C" did too.  The baby was kicking and the Dr. pointed out all the parts.....legs, arms, face, eyes, etc.  He tried to see if he could tell the sex, but he said he couldn't really see anything, which he said means it could be a girl or a boy.  ; )  That works out just fine for "C" because she doesn't want to know just yet anyway.  "W" wants to know, so if the Dr. could tell, they were just going to put it in an envelope for them.  I did have to ask him to listen to the HB, which he so nicely obliged.  I recorded that too, so that I could send it to C & W.  Such a great appointment! 

 









Profile with hand to face.







Profile with kicking legs.

Face - Yes it looks like a skeleton at this point, but you can see the eyes and nose pretty easily.

 

 

After our appointment, we discussed grabbing something to eat, but figured we would just go ahead and drive over to my OB and see if we could get in early there too.  I wasn't really hungry yet after the half sandwich I ate and had a granola bar I could snack on in the car anyway, so that would tide me over.  "C" said she wasn't really hungry either.  The offices were only about a 30 minute drive apart, so we ended up at the OB's office around 2:30.  We had such great conversation in the car on the way there and then when we were waiting to be called back for the appointment.  We talked about nursery themes and if she thought they could hold out on knowing the sex.  I told her I would be happy to hang onto the envelope for them if she didn't think it would stay sealed.  ; )

 

When we arrived the Office Manager was up front training someone and I introduced her to "C".  The other front desk person was there too and I introduced her too.  They are all so nice every time and it doesn't seem like that long since I was there last, but it's been over a year since my postpartum visit.  The entire staff is so friendly and supportive and I hope they made feel "C" as comfortable as I thought they did.  After about 30 minutes, we were called back.  Not too bad.  I weighed first and then had to provide a urine sample, which is done at every appointment.  They check for protein in it to make sure everything is going well.  Weight was good and blood pressure was great too.  114/70.  I absolutely love Dr. B and she was so sweet.  She came in and was so nice to "C" too.  She did a cervical check and asked how everything was going.  She asked me if I had any questions and then asked "C" if she had any questions.  She asked her a couple of questions and then we were all done. 

 

We headed out and when we were a little out the door, I remembered I needed to get my parking ticket validated.  LOL!  I had put it in my purse, so had forgotten about it.  We got to the elevator (which was SO slow) and the first time it came around, it was completely full.  The 2nd time, it only had one person, so we headed down to the car.  It was around 4pm and "C"s flight wasn't until 8:45, so we thought we would go ahead and grab an early dinner since we were both getting hungry at this point.  We decided to eat at La Madeleine.  I hadn't eaten there in forever and neither had "C", so it was a great option. 

 

We got our food and sat down.  It was nice to just relax for a bit.  We continued our conversation and it was so nice to visit with her about so many different things.  We talked about babies, mums, what my kids were up to, their family and tons of other stuff.  We finished eating around 5pm and headed back to the airport.  I couldn't have asked for a better visit and was so glad she was able to come and spend the day with me.  They are going to make such wonderful parents!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to 13 Weeks and the 2nd Trimester

C & W's Baby in Week 13 of Pregnancy
What's up with the baby? Well, besides being as large as a peach now, that big old noggin of hers is now about half the size of her crown-to-rump length (that’s one reason why your little peach looks more like an alien from outer space at this point). By the time she is born, her body will catch up, measuring three-quarters of her total size. What else is going on in there? Tiny bones are beginning to form in her arms and legs, the intestines are beginning to move from the umbilical cord to the abdomen, and the vocal cords are well under construction (the first step toward saying, "I love you, Mommy!"). And because she can move her arms and legs in a jerky fashion, she may be able to get her thumb into her mouth (a habit that may come in handy for self-soothing when she’s a newborn).

What's going on with my body in Week 13

Decreasing fatigue: Now that your body has had a trimester to adjust to pregnancy, you may be starting to feel a little less tired these days. Consider channeling your newfound energy into your workout routine — but don’t overdo it!
I will say that this has gotten a little bit better, but still pretty tired and ready for a nap by the time I get home from work.

Breast tenderness and changes: The aches you’re feeling are largely due to estrogen, progesterone, and the increased fat and blood flow to your breasts. Pick bras with plenty of support to ease your discomfort.
Yep, still totally feeling this one. 

Heartburn or indigestion: During pregnancy, the muscle at the top of the stomach relaxes, allowing digestive acids to rise up into the esophagus — causing a burning in the chest. Reduce the pain by staying away from these heartburn triggers: alcohol, caffeinated drinks, chocolate, mint, citrus, and spicy or fatty foods.
None yet, thank goodness.  Still hoping it stays away!

Occasional faintness or dizziness: Still plagued by dizzy spells? Don’t get up from a sitting or prone position too quickly since this can trigger light-headedness. In the event that you do start to feel faint, immediately lie down or sit with your head between your knees.
Luckily, none since the first episode.  Hoping this one stays away.

OMG, OMG!!!

I am so excited!!  Only 2 more sleeps until I get to see "C" and this little one.  The time has definitely been flying.  I can't believe we're almost out of the first trimester.  Monday will be a very busy and big day.  I was able to reschedule DS's orthopedist appointment for Monday morning at 9am to follow up on his broken ankle.  Truly hoping we can get his boot off.  I'll be picking "C" up at the airport at noon and then we are heading to the Perinatologist right after for the NT scan at 1pm.  We will get see this little one again.  : ) 

At the NT scan, the Dr. could probably take a guess at the sex since we will be over 13 weeks, although, only "W" wants to know right now.  "C" wants it to be a surprise, so we will probably have them put it in a sealed envelope and save it for later (unless they decide to wait until the baby is born).  I'm not evening going to hazard a guess at this point.  So many people have "feelings" about what they're having, but honestly, the only one I got right, was my first.  I've been wrong about all the others, including baby "E", so think I'll just keep this one to myself too.  LOL!

After the NT Scan, we will head over to my OB for our first appointment with her.  I absolutely love my OB.  I just started going to her with my pregnancy with "E", but decided to just stay with the practice.  The only draw back is that it is so far from the house.  I've delivered all my kiddos and baby "E" all at the same hospital, so that will be nice. 

Pretty sure I've felt a little bit of movement from this little one over the last week too.  It's so hard to tell this early, but it's so neat to feel it.  I've tried to find the heartbeat with the Doppler a few times, but I know it's definitely super early (for me at least).  I did pick it up for just a second one night at 166, but couldn't keep it.  I have a retroverted uterus, which means it's tilted to the back and can take longer for things to be pushed up.  I don't think I picked up "E" with the Doppler until around 14 weeks.  I'm anxious to see if they will be able to do a traditional ultrasound or if they will need to do a vaginal ultrasound tomorrow.  They tried traditional with "E", but had to switch to the vaginal because they couldn't get the view they needed with the traditional. 

Hopefully, I'll be able to sleep Sunday night before the big day. 

12 Weeks

 

C & W's Baby in Week 12 of Pregnancy

By now, C & W's baby weighs a full half-ounce and is about the size of a large plum. Most of his systems are in place, though there's still plenty of maturing to do. For one thing, his fetal digestive system is beginning to practice contraction movements necessary for eating, and his bone marrow is busy making white blood cells — weapons against germs once he's out of your safe haven. The pituitary gland (at the base of the brain) has started producing the hormones that'll enable him (or her) to make babies of his (or her) own in a couple of decades or so.

My Body in Week 12 of Pregnancy

If all those changes in your baby sound dizzying, that may just be you dealing with yet another problematic pregnancy symptom: Lots of women experience occasional dizziness and/or feel faint due to progesterone, which causes increased blood flow to your baby by relaxing your own blood vessels. The decrease in blood flow to your body and brain, along with typically lower blood-sugar levels during pregnancy, can set your world a-spinning. Do your part to keep your equilibrium by eating regularly, getting adequate rest, and standing up slowly.

So fitting that this one mentions dizziness, especially since my last post.  Guess I just have to chalk it up to hormones, because today, everything was back to normal.  I did sleep practically sitting up, so not sure if that had anything to do with it or not.  Hoping this trend continues.

 

 

 

Rough few days

I woke up on Thursday with a super sore left shoulder/neck.  I thought I had just slept crooked.  The odd thing is that it actually got worse as the day went on.  By the afternoon, it was really sore.  I tried to keep stretching it, but it only helped for a few minutes.  When I got home, I massaged it for a few minutes before heading to bed. 

Our youngest son woke up in the middle of the night and we ended up letting him sleep on the couch.  At around 4am, I woke up to check on him and when I bent my head over to see if he was still sleeping, I got dizzy and almost fell over.  I stumbled a couple of steps and then was able to grab the other part of the couch for balance.  Once I stood up, I seemed to be fine getting back to our room.  I went back to bed until time to get up for work.  When I got up, I was a little bit dizzy again, but it was manageable.  I got in the shower and was very careful.  When I tried to wash my hair, I couldn't close my eyes without feeling like I was going to fall over, so it took me a bit longer to get ready.  By the time I finished getting ready, the dizziness was a lot less and almost completely gone by the time I got to work. 

I didn't have anymore dizziness on Friday and my shoulder/neck were better, so I just assumed it was from that.  I did decide to go ahead and schedule a chiropractor appointment to get everything back in line.  I got a recommendation from my doula I used with Baby "E"s birth and she focuses a lot on pregnant women.  They didn't have anything available for Friday or Saturday, so I scheduled it for Monday afternoon.  I thought everything would be fine over the weekend, but boy was I wrong.

I got up this morning because DD had a soccer game at 9am.  Wow, it was a very rough morning.  It took me about an hour just to get out of bed.  When I sat up, I was dizzy right away so I laid back down.  I sat up a little bit at a time and was finally able to get up after about an hour.  I did NOT want to miss her game, so we headed out.  We set up chairs and got ready for the game.  It was super hot AND humid and after about 15 minutes, I had to go sit in the car.  Luckily, I was able to get a spot right in front of the field, so I could see everything and even got some great pictures.  Thankfully, the dizziness got better as the day went on.  Guess we'll see what happens tomorrow.

11 Weeks

  

C & W's Baby in Week 11 of Pregnancy

The baby (now about two inches long) has been pretty busy this week, growing hair follicles, fingernails, and ovaries (if she's a girl). She has distinct human characteristics by now, with hands and feet in front of her body, with ears nearly in their final shape, open nasal passages on the tip of her tiny nose, a tongue and palate in the mouth, and visible nipples. What else makes her look human? Those hands and feet have individual fingers and toes (meaning good-bye to those froglike webbed hands and feet). Hooray!

What's going on with My Body in Week 11 of Pregnancy

Hungry? Good — that's a sign your morning sickness is easing and your appetite is gearing up to help you nourish your body…and baby. But don't go overboard just because you're eating for two: Try to gain efficiently by choosing the most nutritious foods during pregnancy and minimizing the junk. More smart nibbling tactics: Minimize bloating and gas (caused by digestion-slowing progesterone and your growing uterus) by grazing instead of gorging and steering clear of notorious gas producers, such as beans, fried foods, soda, and sweets.

Overall, I'm feeling great.  The nausea has definitely subsided for the most part, although one morning last week, I totally gagged brushing my teeth.  Oh well, all part of the journey, but for the most part, my appetite is coming back.  I still have to eat very small meals and those meals I used to be able to finish, I still can't.  I have started getting kid's meals, which I did at some places already anyway, but now I try to do it everywhere I go.  I eat a lot of smaller meals/snacks throughout the day and that definitely seems to help.  I still haven't really gained any weight even though my belly is growing a little.  There have been a few days that I feel like I've done nothing but eat all day and maybe gain .2 lbs, but then lose it the next day.  Guess this little one is burning lots of calories for me.  : )  hehe  I'll enjoy it while I can.  I can't believe we are almost to the end of the 1st trimester.