Baby's now the size of an onion. Wait, we were an orange a couple weeks ago; aren't most onions smaller than oranges? Oh well. He weighs about 5 ounces and is about 5 inches long from head to rump. Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. The umbilical cord is growing thicker and stronger.
Sunday, January 2, 2011 ~ Alright you've probably already read this on facebook but I thought it was so funny, I had to post it here, too. Dan stopped at Starbucks and got us both hot chocolate. I'm sitting on the couch enjoying mine and he sits next to me, empty handed. I look at him and say, "Where's your hot... burp" and then start laughing hysterically. I have no control over my body these days but what can I do besides laugh?
New Years Eve night, while enjoying crab legs with Dan, Marty, and Caren, I felt the strongest kick yet. Baby either really loves drawn butter or crab. I felt another very strong kick on the couch this morning. I'm hoping that soon, Dan will be able to feel the little bubs.
I'm also hoping that the past two days are a sign that the growth spurt is over. I haven't been as hungry but things change so quickly that I can't really count on anything to be consistent. In the first 15 weeks I gained a total of 3 pounds (although I gained more than that during my starving week and then lost some). In the last two weeks alone, I've gained another 3 pounds! I'm really going to focus on eating more whole foods and trying to incorporate more vegetables back into my diet. Yesterday I had corn with dinner and was a little queasy afterward so apparently that's still too difficult to digest. I'm still astonished by my absolute disgust at the thought of bell peppers.
Tuesday we have what might be our last ultrasound. I am very excited because it is the fetal anatomy ultrasound; the doctor said the tech will go over the baby's anatomy from head to toe. We will get to see the brain, vital organs, fingers and toes, etc. I'm actually hoping that the baby isn't cooperative when it comes to determining the gender. The first ultrasound tech has me paranoid that somebody might slip up and tell us the gender on accident so I would like it if nobody knows! From what I hear, it will be our last ultrasound unless there are complications. Stay tuned for the video!
I still need to get my blood draw to finalize the chromosomal screeing and have another regular check up a week from Tuesday.
I've cleaned out my closet and have a HUGE storage container of clothes that I can't wear anymore. My regular shirts are quickly becoming too short as my belly grows so I was quite limited for the last couple weeks. But I finally have more variety with clothes! Shelley has lent me a good amount of stuff and I went shopping on Thursday.
Sunday, January 2, 2011 ~ Alright you've probably already read this on facebook but I thought it was so funny, I had to post it here, too. Dan stopped at Starbucks and got us both hot chocolate. I'm sitting on the couch enjoying mine and he sits next to me, empty handed. I look at him and say, "Where's your hot... burp" and then start laughing hysterically. I have no control over my body these days but what can I do besides laugh?
New Years Eve night, while enjoying crab legs with Dan, Marty, and Caren, I felt the strongest kick yet. Baby either really loves drawn butter or crab. I felt another very strong kick on the couch this morning. I'm hoping that soon, Dan will be able to feel the little bubs.
I'm also hoping that the past two days are a sign that the growth spurt is over. I haven't been as hungry but things change so quickly that I can't really count on anything to be consistent. In the first 15 weeks I gained a total of 3 pounds (although I gained more than that during my starving week and then lost some). In the last two weeks alone, I've gained another 3 pounds! I'm really going to focus on eating more whole foods and trying to incorporate more vegetables back into my diet. Yesterday I had corn with dinner and was a little queasy afterward so apparently that's still too difficult to digest. I'm still astonished by my absolute disgust at the thought of bell peppers.
Tuesday we have what might be our last ultrasound. I am very excited because it is the fetal anatomy ultrasound; the doctor said the tech will go over the baby's anatomy from head to toe. We will get to see the brain, vital organs, fingers and toes, etc. I'm actually hoping that the baby isn't cooperative when it comes to determining the gender. The first ultrasound tech has me paranoid that somebody might slip up and tell us the gender on accident so I would like it if nobody knows! From what I hear, it will be our last ultrasound unless there are complications. Stay tuned for the video!
I still need to get my blood draw to finalize the chromosomal screeing and have another regular check up a week from Tuesday.
I've cleaned out my closet and have a HUGE storage container of clothes that I can't wear anymore. My regular shirts are quickly becoming too short as my belly grows so I was quite limited for the last couple weeks. But I finally have more variety with clothes! Shelley has lent me a good amount of stuff and I went shopping on Thursday.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011 ~ Today was our fetal anatomy ultrasound. It was really cool because we saw everything from the brain, the four chambers of the heart, and the kidney to the hand, arm, and leg bones that are developing! The baby was moving around so much that it was really hard to get any good looks, if that makes any sense. It was mostly a blur except with the tech was able to catch a quick snapshot of a bone or an organ. We were able to see a cute profile of the baby, although it wasn't as clear as the last ultrasound. We also saw the baby's little chest and head bobbing a bit from a bought of the hiccups. Unfortunately we weren't able to take video ourselves but the tech gave us a CD with super short clips of video and several snapshots. She wasn't able to see the minute details of the heart so she wants me to go back for another ultrasound in three weeks. She was surprised that my doctor had me come in at 17 weeks because usually they do this ultrasound at 20 weeks.
The most shocking thing is that the baby is measuring 18 weeks 1 day!!! The lab tech said that it's great but I'm nervous that we're going to have a huge baby (hence, a more difficult labor). Based on my knowledge of my body (which I'm pretty confident of), we are 16 weeks 6 days. Based on the ultrasound at 7 weeks (and my due date), we are 17 weeks 1 day. Based on the ultrasound four weeks ago, the baby was measuring a day ahead. And now the baby is measuring 6 days ahead!!!
I would love for the baby to come a couple weeks early so that I can have more time with him before I have to go back to work. I'm hoping all of this measuring ahead means he will come at the end of May. I'm ready to meet the bubs now!!!
Oh, one more thing. The baby is weighing in at 8 ounces according to the ultrasound, not the typical 5 ounces mentioned above. I've heard that the ultrasounds aren't accurate when it comes to weight but still!
Saturday, January 8, 2011 ~ Wednesday I felt the baby kick... from the outside! She's not active enough for Dan to feel it quite yet unless we happen to have really good timing (which I'm hoping will happen this weekend). The kicking is getting stronger although still feels like a little muscle twitch or flick from inside. The stronger it gets, the more sure I am that what I've been feeling for weeks and weeks was really the baby and not gas. (Everything I read says if you think you've felt your baby move before a certain time, most likely it's gas, but I think I know my body a little better than that!) I felt the first little flutter at about 10 weeks while lying down in bed and it was such a distinct, new sensation that it literally stopped me in my tracks. Around week 14 I felt a pretty strong rumble and ever since I've been feeling the tiniest little flicks from inside. I notice it the most when I'm eating. I must have some feel good chemicals going through my body because I like eating so much!
I'm still not really having any cravings. I'm eating peanut butter and bananas like they're going out of season or something but mostly because they make me feel really good and keep me full longer than most foods. I've also still really like the taste of anything vinegary, including ketchup, which I'm sure I'm eating too much of. Sooo much sugar! I have been sleeping really well for about a week now and not waking up starving anymore.
Basically, I finally feel like the pregnant woman I always thought I would be. Despite minor discomforts (my shoulder is still bother me), I feel great! It also helps that I've had four people at work tell me how great I look in the last week. One said I don't even look pregnant from behind, which is the greatest compliment I could ask for. I'm sure that will change as the pregnancy progesses but I'm doing the best I can at eating healthy and keeping my weight gain minimal, not just for me but also for the little bubs!
I keep buying sweets when I'm out shopping, making them, eating one or two pieces, and then leaving the rest for Dan. I never used to buy sweets before the pregnancy. I hope Dan doesn't gain more weight than me!
No comments:
Post a Comment