Week 20

Today I hit the end of my 20th week.... halfway there! =)

Size of baby: According to babyzone.com, baby’s about the length of a carrot. 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Roughly 16 lbs.  I'm trying not to read too much into this.  I'm a "big" girl, that amount of weight looks/carries a lot differently on me than on a woman of "average" height.

Maternity Clothes: Wearing primarily maternity pants now, with the occasional pair of sweats/workout pants.  Not feeling the need for maternity tops, and I'm starting to wonder if I will.  Since I'm so tall, I don't know if I'll get a very big "bump" out front (I measured what 40 cms would be the other day... it's not that much).

Gender: Sugar and spice and everything nice! =)

Movement:  Feeling a fair share of movement this week.  It's been weird... but cool.  It's nice to know that something is actually in there and functioning. =)

What I miss: Not having to plan my work meetings around whether or not I may have to pee in the middle of them. lol

Sleep:  Pretty much the same as pre-pregnancy.

Symptoms: I'm feeling ok.  Feeling back to "normal".

Cravings: Nothing weird... just the norms.

Best Moment this week: This is a toss up between finding out the sex at my ultrasound yesterday and finally feeling identifiable movements.  She was poking me so much on the train on the way home today that I almost started to giggle.  It just feels so WEIRD! lol

What I am looking forward to:  Starting to plan the nursery.  Now that I know the gender I feel more comfortable planning/thinking about it... even though we are sticking to neutrals.  I picked up a bunch of paint samples yesterday.

"The" Ultrasound

OK, before I get to the BIG NEWS and tell you all what "kind" we're having, I feel the need to speak to those of you out there who are thinking/planning/trying to get pregnant regarding this ultrasound, as I don't feel like I had enough warning about what it actually entailed!

I went in for my anatomical ultrasound this morning.  My directions, prior to arriving at my appointment, was to empty my bladder two hours before the appointment time, then drink 32 ounces of water in the next hour, and not relieve myself again until I got the my appointment.  My OB nurse told me that this was a little ridiculous, she told me that I should be fine if I emptied my bladder an hour before the appointment and then down the 32 ounces in the hour leading up to it.  So, I split the difference.  I used the restroom a hour and a half before my appointment, then drank a bunch of water--finishing it all 30 minutes before I was supposed to be at the ultrasound.

I'm telling you, this is cruel and unusual punishment for anyone.  But for a PREGNANT woman??  I need to pee every hour any way, and now you're going to pour water into me and tell me I can't go?  What the hell??

I thought that they wanted my bladder full to give a urine sample.  Why would an ultrasound tech want me to give a UA?  I don't know, but in my mind it's the only thing that made any sense.  But boy was I wrong!  Turns out, not only did they want to fill my bladder up and then make me sit there refusing to let me near a bathroom, but they were they going to take their little wand and PUSH on my stomach!  Apparently a full bladder helps with some of the imaging.

They took several images of my cervix and then allowed me to use the bathroom before they continued.  It was slightly torturous! 

I then laid there for over an hour while they moved the wand from one side of my stomach to the other, occasionally taking a photo and typing out some codes.  I was able to watch the whole thing on the screen and would get some narrative now and then regarding what I was looking at.  On occasion this kind of hurt.  The tech would really dig the wand into my gut trying to get an angle that she needed.  Sometimes I wasn't sure if all of the discomfort I was feeling was from the wand, or if the baby was fighting back from all of the pressure it was receiving! lol

About 45 minutes into the ultrasound (in a warm room, lying down, after not sleeping well the night before... I was a little worried that I was going to fall asleep!) the tech put the wand away, wiped off my belly and told me to do some toe touches to make the baby move into a better position and that she would be back in 5 minutes. lol  I don't know if she was serious about the toe-touches or not, but, i did them anyway. =)  It was a nice stretch at least.

Five minutes later she was back, I was lying down again and the wand was out.  More pushing, poking, and prodding, and then, FINALLY, she asked if we wanted to know the sex.  I, very enthusiastically, said yes.

Now, Jacob and I wanted it to be a girl.  Obviously, if she said boy we'd be happy to, but we only want to have two kids and want at least one of them to be a girl.  But, unfortunately, I had this feeling deep down that it was going to be a boy.  And Jacob has had several dreams that it's a boy.  So, I was hoping, but ready for whatever the verdict was.  Plus, it seems like every time I watch "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and they use the "ask the audience" feature, the audience is right.  So, I was hoping that my "audience" poll that I've run on my blog the last several weeks would prove accurate, as the vote was for a girl.

Well, this is what the technician showed up when she gave us the news:

Apparently three little lines equals "Girl". =)

Week 19

Size of baby: According to babyzone.com, baby’s about the size of a tomato!  (It was the size of a grapefruit last week... which I picture as bigger than a tomato.  Is my baby shrinking??)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: My scale is broken, I can't tell! lol  (And no, I didn't break it. =P  I just need to buy a new battery).

Maternity Clothes: Wearing a lot of maternity pants/leggings these days.  They are comfy and they don't dig in to my bladder every time I sit down (which, at work, is most of my day... I was getting tired of having to take a bathroom break every hour).

Gender: Not sure yet... but we'll know next week! =)

Movement:  I *think* I may have felt some stuff today... but I don't know for sure.  It felt kinda fluttery, but it could have also been some weird stomach stuff. lol

What I miss: This is going to sound horrible, but wine and liquor.  I want to relax with a glass of wine or be able to drink a cocktail at happy hour with my friends.  I know I can have the occasional glass of wine, but why risk anything? 

Sleep:  I had a really hard time STAYING asleep last night.  Not sure what's up with that.

Symptoms: Just feeling fat and taking more time to get ready in the morning because I "don't have anything to wear!"

Cravings: Nothing weird... just the norms.

Best Moment this week: If what I felt today was baby movement, then that was the best part of my week. =)  If it was just gas bubbles, then... hmm... I booked my maternity photo session.  Still a few months out, but since I'm such a planner I wanted to make sure to have it on the books. =)

What I am looking forward to:  My wonderful weekend away (call it a babymoon, or just call it a vacation)!  We're headed out of town for the long weekend.  First Thanksgiving dinner with the fam, and then out to Crescent Lake where we've rented a cabin for the weekend with plans to relax in the jacuzzi tub and go snowmobiling! =)

Oh!  And, of course, my doctor's appointment on Monday! =)

Under Attack

That was one of my first thoughts today when I left my office building in downtown Portland to run a couple of errands on my lunch break.  Several helicopters were hovering overhead, police sirens were wailing, car horns were honking... and I was thinking, what the hell is going on??

Today Occupy Portland took to the street to "occupy" banks and bridges.  They started out this morning by protesting on the Steel Bridge and messing with several people's morning commutes when the bridge was shut down.  Thankfully I just barely made it over the bridge before they started moving in... I could them all from the MAX window.

Headed downtown, they then proceeded to "Occupy" several banks and apparently shut down one downtown Wells Fargo branch for about an hour with several people being arrested, and the police hauling out the pepper spray.

There was also a big protest on 5th and Alder... about 6 blocks from my office.  Which explains all of the chaos and over stimulation that I experienced on my lunch break.  We watched some of the live feed coverage as it was going on... lots of people, lots of police in riot gear... lots of emotionally charge scariness.  But, I had a hard time taking my eyes off of the coverage.

Last weekend as the police were moving people out of the Occupy camps downtown and putting up fences around the park, I watched for HOURS.  I couldn't help but feel a strong need to observe as I knew that I was watching history in the making.  I've never experienced anything like this in my life before.  Sociologically speaking, it's all very interesting... as long as they don't make me late for work. ;)

18 Weeks

Size of baby: According to babyzone.com, baby’s about the size of a grapefruit!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Haven't weighed myself this week.  I think I'll wait a bit longer. =)

Maternity Clothes: Been wearing a lot more maternity pants but still regular shirts.  I can still get away with regular pants, but they dig into my gut when I'm sitting down. =(

Gender: Could be a girl... or a boy.=)

Movement:  Nothing!  I'm getting kinda antsy!  I think this was suppose to be happening by now?

What I miss: Sushi.  I really want sushi.  And liquor. lol

Sleep:  Sleeping a bit better.  I'm still a bit sick, but I'm clearing up a bunch now.  I got myself one of those daylight wake up lamps... I'm hoping that will help with my mood/energy level in the mornings.

Symptoms: I think I'm getting a lot more round ligament pain recently... especially when I got really excited at the hockey game this weekend. lol

Cravings: I want sushi... and liquor. lol  I think I noted this already. =)

Best Moment this week: We went to a hockey game on Friday.  It was nice to do something out of the ordinary.  And it was a good, enjoyable game!

What I am looking forward to:  Everything to come.  It's going to be a pretty wild ride from here on out I have a feeling!

17 Weeks

Size of baby: According to babyzone.com, baby’s about the size of a red onion!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: About +12.  Though, I've only gained 7 lbs since my first ob appointment (2 months ago) so I'm ok with the current weight gain. =)

Maternity Clothes: I wore my first pair of maternity pants to work today.  I was feeling sick/icky and stretchy pants that felt like wearing pajamas all day sounded good. =)

Gender: Don't know yet, but made the appointment to find out!  November 28!

Movement:  Still nothing... I keep hearing that it should be happening soon though.

What I miss: I don't know... I think I'm doing ok right now =)

Sleep:  Sleeping ok... last night I felt all cold/congested-like, so I hope that I'm able to fight off whatever is working it's way through me so that I (and Jacob!) can get a decent night sleep tonight.

Symptoms: A little more acne than usual, but otherwise ok.

Cravings: Right now I want chocolate.. but that's nothing unusual.

Best Moment this week: My doctor's appointment.... hearing the heart beat is always the highlight.

What I am looking forward to:  Finding out if it's a he-baby or a she-baby!  Only three weeks to go!

What "Kind" Am I Having?

I had my monthly check up today.  No ultrasound this time, but heard the baby's heartbeat... 163 beats per minute.  The little guy/gal is still in there growing and moving around (the doctor heard and lost the heart beat several times... s/he's a mover!).

At this appointment I scheduled my anatomical ultrasound at the hospital.  November 28th Jacob and I will find out if we're on Team Pink or Team Blue (not that the gender will in any way be differentiated by these colors in our home, but, for traditional purposes I'm use that identifier. ;)).  I've posted a poll on the side of my blog... based on your hunches, intuitions, explanations of the symptoms I've written about, photos of my "bump", whatever... cast your vote as to whether you think there's a little man or little woman in there!  "Ask the Audience" always seems to help on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.... let's see how it works with this scenario! =)

Trick or Treat!

I'm a bad, bad blogger.  I have several posts that I've wanted/thought about writing and I've just been sitting on them waiting to have the motivation to do so.  Well, I'm going to try to knock one out right now... even if it is a week or two late. lol

First off, have to say that Halloween in our new neighborhood is AWESOME!  Last year Jacob and I bought a bunch of candy and were ready for all of the trick-or-treaters we were going to get living in such a huge apartment complex with so many kids.  Well, our doorbell rang ONCE all night long!  *sigh*  Brittney was not happy about all the leftover candy we "had" to eat over the following days/weeks.

This year I was hoping it would be better.  We live very near an elementary school.  Granted, I rarely see ANY kids outside in our neighborhood, but I still had hope.  I went to Costco and bought a bag of mixed chocolate mini-candy bars and crossed my fingers.  Well, guess what?  We ALMOST ran out of candy!!  I think we got about 50-75 trick or treaters on Monday night.  I was giddy with excitement at all of those cute little kids in adorable costumes. =)  That is, after the initial shock/confusion/horror over our first "trick-or-treater": a 40ish year old man with two pillow cases and no costume.  I played along (hoping he had some kind of development excuse), but it was definitely weird.

Jacob and I didn't dress up for Halloween this year, but we DID dress up with a couple of friends the weekend prior to do a Halloween themed scavenger hunt.

Depending on how long you've been reading this blog, you may remember last year when we participated in the same event (put together by PDX Hunt) and won the costume contest.  Well, this year we didn't put as much effort into our costume, but kicked our race into high gear.  And we got SOO close!  Of 300 teams that participated in the race, we finished in the top 10! (We were the "Bloody Suckin' Searchers" lol)  We're going to kick some serious pumpkin ass next year! =)

Below are a few photos of our adventures along the race.

 

16 Weeks

Size of baby: According to babyzone.com, baby’s about the size of an avocado!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Haven't weighed myself this week... but I don't think I've gained more (if any) from last week.

Maternity Clothes: Still wearing all of my regular clothes.  Though I did purchase a pair of maternity pants and some leggings the other day while I was at the mall.  I figured I should be prepared =)

Gender: I have lots of "feelings", but won't know for sure for another few weeks.

Movement:  Nothing yet.  Looking forward to that moment though.

What I miss: Not thinking of every action in terms of "what is this going to  be like to do in a couple of months?"  So many things keep popping up that I realize is going to be REALLY difficult when I have a belly that I never though about before.... like getting food out of the lower cupboards in our kitchen, or the floor level safe at work.

Sleep:  Sleeping well, just want to stay in bed as long as possible.

Symptoms: Doing fine.  Nothing much to report here.

Cravings: Nothing really.  I really don't feel stereotypically pregnant.  No weird cravings or real morning sickness... sometimes I forget that there's something in there. =)

Best Moment this week: Passing out Halloween candy last night was pretty fun.  We found out that we live in a pretty popular trick-or-treating neighborhood, which I'm very excited about. =)

What I am looking forward to: My next doctor's appointment where I'll be scheduling my big ultrasound to find out the gender and make sure everything is a-ok!

And, for comparison photos, me at 6 weeks...  I'm definitely filling out.