20 week anatomy scan

Yesterday and today we had doctor appts.  Yesterday was with my OB.  We didn't get a new ultrasound, but she did listen to the heartbeat on the Doppler.  She asked if I could feel the baby yet, and I told her I think I am feeling it, but not sure.  She said that the baby was all over the place and she was having to chase it around to find the heartbeat!  I did feel it move last Friday.  I was sitting on the couch talking to Steve, and I felt 2 swift kicks...to my bladder.  Figures.  Then on Saturday I was laying in bed watching TV, and I felt a twitch, kind of like when you get a muscle twitch.  I put my hand on my belly and felt it again, but haven't felt anything like that since.  I know it's moving around though, because I feel weird rumblings that I never felt before!  Anyway, my OB said everything looks great, and my Downs test and Trisomy test results came back with great results, so it seems that we dodged all of the genetic disease bullets so far!

Then today we had our anatomy scan with the perinatologist.  My mom and Steve's mom came with us, since we thought it'd be neat for them to see the baby moving around.  We got to see all the major organs, and then the dr took measurements of EVERYTHING.  Arm bones, leg bones, position of the feet, organ size, blood flow, fluid going in and out and lots of measurements of the head and heart.  It was really really neat!  Of course, since it was stormy today, we lost power in the middle of the scan.  So even though the machine had a backup power source, the DVD recording that we were supposed to get got cut short.  We have to go back and pick up the DVD since when we left the power was still out.  But the good news is, the baby is measuring exactly on track, and everything looks perfect.  There wasn't one measurement that was abnormal.  We made sure to stay away from the girl/boy parts since we don't want to know the sex.  But the tech said everything there looked ok too!

Apparently we get one more in depth scan in 8 more weeks, so again, that will be fun!  I am officially 20 weeks in 2 days, which means half way!

Here are some pics from the scan today...

Baby looks like he or she is blowing bubbles! You can see head, abdomen, and legs/feet!

Perfect little feet!

19 weeks

How pregnant am I?:  19 weeks

Weight gain so far:  I think I was at 10.5

Belly Button:  No change from a couple of weeks ago

Clothing options:  Maternity all the way, with the exception of a few of my old longer tees and sweaters, and flowy shirts.

Boobs:  No change

Now about the real star of the show:  Baby Nichols is a large mango!  And weighs about 1/2lb!  It's getting so big, I can't wait to see it at our scan next week!  It's arms and legs are in proportion, and bone is forming from the previous cartilage.  Which means the baby is really moving now!  Our baby is also now covered in vernix, the white stuff that you see on babies when they are born.  It's a waxy covering to keep it from getting too pruny in its 9 month bath!

Pregnancy "symptoms":   Nothing to report, so again, that's good!  I feel like I am getting the hang of this!

Cravings:  Still sweets, don't expect that to change!

What I've bought so far:  Nothing new this week

Best moment this week:  Realizing that it is harder to move around and get up from the couch/bed, which means baby is growing!!

What I miss:  Wine, although I have had a few sips here and there.

What I am excited for this week:  Well, since I still haven't felt the baby move, I am looking forward to that!  And to our anatomy scan next week!

18 weeks

I haven't been great about keeping up with this...time just goes by so fast!  Here I am at 18 weeks...

How pregnant am I?:  18 weeks (when this pic was taken)

Weight gain so far:  I think I was up to about 8 or 9 pounds by then.

Belly Button:  No change from a couple of weeks ago

Clothing options:  Pretty much wearing all maternity clothes.  I went shopping and got a bunch of clothes.  Steve almost had a heart attack, but I was out growing everything.  So now I have some cute new options!

Boobs:  No change.

Now about the real star of the show:  Baby Nichols went from an avocado, to an onion (week 17) to a sweet potato.  Last week the baby started putting on baby fat, and also was able to hear.  It's also practicing sucking, swallowing and urinating.  Baby is also developing fingerprints.  This week, the nervous system is developing, and it is becoming really active - kicking, punching, hiccuping.

Pregnancy "symptoms":   Nothing really, which I can't complain about!

Cravings:  Still sweets! 

What I've bought so far:  All the bedding and other items for the nursery that go with it.

Best moment this week:  Feeling good!

What I miss:  Sleeping thru the night without having to get up to use the bathroom.

What I am excited for this week:  To feel the baby move, hopefully it will be this week!  (since it wasn't last!)

16 weeks!

My last post showed the bedding/theme that I want for our nursery, and I have found quite a few of the items on ebay.  I also found a woman who has almost every piece, and she is putting together a group of items for me to buy.  So I should have everything soon!  I received the clock and the mobile the other day, and the cute little lambs on the mobile made me tear up.  Lol.

Today I cleaned out the rest of the nursery, so now we can start figuring out paint colors and furniture.  I think we will probably clean the carpet in there too.  Steve just has to move a few items out, but everything else is done!  I started a few weeks ago and ran out of energy, so I was very happy to get it done today.

We had a doctor appt on Friday, the 24th, and everything still looks great.  The second my dr placed the doppler on my belly, we heard the heartbeat.  Not like last time when she couldn't find it on that at all.  Then she did an ultrasound to check the length of my cervix, and she said it is perfect, so we don't have to worry about me having a cerclage!  Yay!  We got a few pictures, and one really freaks me out!  Looks like an alien baby!

Baby's head on left, with hand waving hello in the middle

Alien baby.  Head on left again, and that's an eye socket and mouth!

I am getting a real belly now.  16 weeks exactly here.

How pregnant am I?:  16 weeks, 3 days

Weight gain so far:  Well, as of Thursday, when I was 16 weeks, I had still only gained 4 lbs.  Then Friday I was +6 lbs.  Then Saturday I was +7lbs.  I stopped weighing myself after that.  Maybe I will again at 17 weeks, we'll see!

Belly Button:  No change from a couple of weeks ago

Clothing options:  Wearing more and more maternity pants.  It's just more comfortable.  I am having problems with shirts though, because my old ones are too short, but the maternity shirts are way too long.  I might just go back to Nordstroms and buy some regular shirts that are in the longer styles to get me thru the next couple months.

Boobs:  Not sore anymore, and they don't seem so huge.  Guess I've gotten used to them.

Now about the real star of the show:  Baby Nichols went from an orange to an avocado to a turnip.  He or she is growing toenails and is now pumping 25 quarts of blood each day.  Baby is also gaining body fat, soon to be cute chubby hamhock legs like mommy's were.  The coolest thing, is that baby can now hear, so Steve has been talking to it a lot.  Supposedly I should feel it move soon too!  Baby can also detect light, but it's eyelids are still sealed shut.  And it is probably sucking its thumb.

Pregnancy "symptoms":   Nothing really this week.  Last week, I had some GI bug or something, and was having horrible pain/bloating all week long.  Then after about 6 days it disappeared.  My OB doesn't think it had to do with the baby.  I probably just ate something that irritated my intestines.  That was the worst thing so far.  This last week I felt pretty good.  I even got in 2 days of 1 hr walks, which I really need to do more often!

Cravings:  Sweets, which I am now going to cut back on.

What I've bought so far:  More maternity clothes, an UdderCover (only had to pay shipping, got it for free!) and the mobile, clock, a photo frame and window valances, all from the nursery collection that we will have.

Best moment this week:  Having Steve kiss my belly and talk to baby every day.

What I miss:  Still wine.  And being able to sleep on my belly or back.  I always end up on my side and it makes my hips and legs ache.

What I am excited for this week:  To feel the baby move, hopefully it will be this week!

Nursery

I have been trying to find a gender neutral nursery theme that I love for a few months now.  And I just finally found it.  And it is a discontinued line.  But I found ALL of the pieces on Ebay, so I have some work to do.  Steve is going to have a heart attack when he sees how much it will all cost, but I HAVE to have it.  And he even likes it, which is a miracle.  Here it is.

It's called Starlight and it is so cute.  It's blue and green and yellow, and moons and stars and lambs.  I LOVE it!  I have to have it!!

14 Weeks

So I am going to start doing something a little bit different.  I am sorta copying a friend's blog (Karis I hope you don't mind!) because I really enjoy reading her updates.  It'll also help me chronicle this pregnancy better, because I am already forgetting things from the beginning, and that was only like 8 weeks ago!  So by the end, I am sure I'll forget plenty (that is why women go thru this multiple times, right?  Because they forget?! Actually, this is a breeze, I'm not complaining.)

How pregnant am I?:  14 weeks

Weight gain so far:  4.5 lbs.  yeseterday I had only gained 3.5, but as of this morning, another pound appeared.  I am right on track, and quite proud of myself, considering my food choices and lack of exercise. :)

Belly Button:  Believe it or not, I took my piercing out a few weeks ago, because my belly button is already shallower than it was.  It definitely looks different!

Clothing options:  I can still wear almost all of my clothes, especially with the help of the Bella Bands (genius).  But I did receive some clothes from a couple of friends, and I also went out and bought a few things this past weekend.  I wore a cool pair of Old Navy maternity jeans to work yesterday, and they are a bit big (again, love those Bella Bands, they even hold up too-big pants!) but they were soooo cute and comfy.  They will be my new favorite pants in no time.  I also definitely have some shirts/sweaters that I can no longer wear because they are too short in the front.  I could be HUGE by the end of this pregnancy!

Boobs:  Still huge and sore and the subject of many conversations around here.  But luckily, no stretch marks or anything yet!

Now about the real star of the show:  This week Baby Nichols will be growing from the size of a lemon to a navel orange.  Hard to believe it is already that big!  But at least that begins to explain my growing tummy.  Apparently he or she is also getting more graceful in its movements, rather than being jumpy and jerky.  I can't feel anything yet though.  Baby Nichols can also squint, frown, grimace, pee, and suck its thumb!  It's also stretching out and straightening up.  And it's body is starting to catch up to its head (last week, the head was half the entire length of the body!).  Finally, baby is growing hair all over its body (not just on its head), which it will eventually lose, but for now it is keeping it warm since it has very little body fat.  

Pregnancy "symptoms":   I am actually feeling pretty good all day, normal even.  But then I crash hard around 9pm, like I ran a marathon all day or something.  I sleep ok, but I end up on my side a lot, which isn't all that comfortable.  But I really can't complain because I am still getting a lot of sleep!  And dare I say it, but I haven't had much of a back ache for a few days now (knock on wood), and that was my biggest complaint last week.  Let's hope that lasts, because back aches suck, especially at work!  Steve would probably say another symptom is me having "pregnancy brain," which he makes fun of me for all the time.  It's getting better, but I still do dumb things everyday that can't be explained by anything else.  Oh, and I also have what I think is round ligament pain, every time I stand up too fast.  Other than that, no labor signs, nothing else of note.

Cravings:  Still want lots of fruit, and baked goods (I actually baked a cake this week, something I never do!)

What I've bought so far:  Maternity clothes, and that's it.  I tried to buy something cute for the baby this past weekend when I was out with my mom, but finding neutral clothing is near impossible!

Best moment this week:  Having a three day weekend, and finally clearing out the "nursery" and combining the guest room with the office.  Now we just have to decide how we want to decorate the nursery so we can begin painting!

What I miss:  Wine.  But I'll live.  And sleeping thru the night (meaning, not getting up to pee 5 times a night)

What I am excited for this week:  No big events planned, but I am looking forward to another weekend with my hubby!

Next up, second trimester!

September 2^nd, 2010 (13w – First day of second trimester!)

Apparently I am not blogging enough.  I can’t believe it’s been 6 weeks.  Today I am officially starting my second trimester.  I am 13 weeks, and the baby is as big as a peach.  Or as long as a shrimp.  Depends on which website I go to.  Either way, baby is getting big!  All major systems are in place, and now it’s just a matter of growing them.  Baby Nichols has fingers, toes, all its organs, and actually looks like a baby now, instead of an alien-like being.  I am thinking of copying my friend Karis’ blog, because she does a weekly update of all symptoms and growth and all that, and it is really neat.

Since I last wrote, we have had 2 more appts with my OB.  Everything has been right on track, and we have gotten to see the baby both times.  At my last appt, we were only going to get to hear the heartbeat, but she couldn’t find one with the Doppler alone, so we ended up getting an ultrasound.  I think baby was just hiding out.  Here's a pic from that visit.

11 weeks, 6 days.  Baby's head is half the length of the body at this point.  And the "floating"  dot in the center is a hand waving hello.

Then last Friday we had our nuchal translucency scan with a perinatologist.  Basically it’s an appt with a specialist, they do bloodwork, and an in depth ultrasound, and check for Downs and a few other birth defects.  Everything came back perfect, so we are in the clear most likely!  We got to see baby much closer up at this one.  Saw fingers, toes, its brain, facial features.  It was really neat.  And baby was jumping around and kinda hiccupping, which was fun.  I can’t wait to start feeling movement!

Next up is an appt with my OB in 3 more weeks, to check the length of my cervix.  I might need a cerclage, but hopefully not!  We’ll see, but I am hoping for the best.  Then at 20 weeks, we have another appt with the perinatologist for a big ultrasound in which the dr checks out all the organs.  Since we are not finding out the sex of Baby Nichols, we’ll have to warn everyone to tell us to look away when they check out those parts!  Even though I am completely convinced it’s a girl.  If they pull a boy out, I might freak out, cuz I just know it’s a girl.  (wow will I eat my words if I am wrong!)  Steve is holding out for a boy though.  He is terrified of a teenage girl and figures if we at least have a boy first, she’ll have another male to keep her in line.  (Haha)

I am posting a new pic from today.  I am busting out of my pants, even though I’ve only gained 3-4 lbs.  I am mostly just bloated, but my pants don’t fit anymore!  I am headed out shopping this weekend cuz I am so uncomfortable at work. 

13 weeks, end of first trimester

I also went to the gym for the first time in months.  I have to keep that up!  It felt great to have some energy and actually want to work out.  I am not being obsessive about what I eat and what I weigh, but I’d like to not gain a ton of weight!  So I have to keep active for as long as I can.

We also are going to finally work on the nursery a bit this weekend.  We were going to last weekend, but instead we took off for Palm Springs for a quick getaway to our favorite resort.  I read an entire book, lay by the pool, and just relaxed.  But this weekend we need to combine the guest room and office, and make room for baby!  We don’t have any furniture yet, but we need to get things cleared out so we can see what we are working with.  I am looking forward to fixing it up and figuring out a theme!