7 Weeks!

Hello!

Steve and I just got back from taking three of my younger siblings (Sam - 14, Drew - 13, and Autumn - 9) to the Aquarium in Boothbay Harbor.  Steve came up with a game of Jeopardy to play on the car ride there which made it fly by!  The kids tried to come up with a reverse game on the way home, but failed slightly.  Autumn:  "Ok, for 300 points, what are my favorite shoes?"  We ended up going back for a second visit this morning to Kennebec Community Church, which is right down the street from our house.  We feel very excited about this church - there are many couples our age, a ton of kids and teens, great worship, and Bible-based sermons.  We're looking forward with getting connected more through small groups in next couple of weeks :)   

So we went in for an ultrasound on Friday - and everything went great!  I was so nervous, I just needed to hear that the baby was doing well, and it is!  They tried doing an abdominal ultrasound first, but couldn't find anything due to it being so early in the pregnancy.  So they ended up doing a transvaginal ultrasound, and saw everything very clearly!  I'm in love with our little baby (or our "little clover" as I like to call it, since the due date is so close to St. Patrick's Day)!  It was too early to hear the heartbeat, but we did get to see the little flicker on the screen, which was so cool!  It measured at 8mm long, and was right on target for our due date (give or take a day).  

So today marks week 7 of my pregnancy!  How time flies!  The baby measured 8mm (about 1/3 of an inch) at the ultrasound, as I said before, which is right on track.  That means it doubled in size from last week!  Both hemispheres of our baby's brain are forming this week, as well as joints in it's little arms and legs (which look more like little flippers right now!)  The ears, eyes and nose are continuing to form this week, and the baby's little stub of a tail is starting to become smaller and smaller!  Here's me at the ocean today:

How far along? 7 weeks!
Maternity clothes? Yes!  I tried wearing some regular pants this week, and ended up changing out of them before I even left the house.  I can't stand to have anything pressing on my tummy at all!  It even hurts a little bit to reach down and pick something up!

Total Weight Gain:  I'm down to a 4 lb weight loss - not too worried because I eat all the time!

Sleep: Sooooo tired ALL. THE. TIME.  Steve and I usually get in bed around 9:45 or 10 and stay up and talk for awhile before going to sleep - the last couple of nights, we've been getting in bed even earlier and I am out sometimes before Steve even climbs in next to me.  And that's after taking 30-90 minute nap during the day.
Best moment this week: Seeing our beautiful baby's little heartbeat on the ultrasound screen!
Miss Anything? Not really - getting used to the dietary changes.  Actually, I do miss caffeine, especially being as tired as I am all the time.  
Movement: Nothing yet
Food cravings: A few random things, but nothing super strong yet.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not yet!  

Any other symptoms?  Same as last week - fatigue, soreness, heightened sense of smell, cramps, and a few random emotional episodes!  Plus, bloating!  

Have you started to show yet: Bloating!
Gender prediction: Guess we'll have to wait and see!  I'm kind of convinced it's a boy though.  
Labor Signs: Nope
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Honestly, I've been a little more moody this week, but I think it's mostly because I'm so tired all the time.  And I think I cried like 4 or 5 times this week alone - all over little things.
Looking forward to: Not much - should be a very busy and tiring week!

Until next week!

6 Weeks!

Happy Sunday!

This week has been fairly uneventful overall.  Went through a mini-breakdown when I was told by some friends that my doctor wasn't doing what they should be, ended up called the doctor's office and crying over the phone to an OB.  I'm sure she's used to dealing with stuff like that, right?  I figure for now, I'll stay with the same office, until I have a few appointments and I can get to know them a little better.  I've been doing a lot of reading and research - I feel like I've already read through pretty much all of my pregnancy books - and I have a lot of them!  Just soaking up as much info as possible!  I'm still struggling with what I can and can't do, and what I can and can't eat.  It's a big lifestyle change, and it's definitely going to take some getting used to.  I have so many people giving me a hard time too, saying things like, "Oh you're such a first time Mom", or "Are you really going to be one of THOSE people?"  Well, my friends, the answer is YES!!! And for anyone who hasn't been pregnant, until you're trying to keep another human being alive in your uterus, knowing that your everyday actions and choices could possibly harm it, no judging please.  And for those who have been pregnant before, thank you for the wise advice, but also try and remember what you were like your first time around, and give me a little grace, k?  This is exciting for me and Steve, but we're also scared to death!  What we need right now is support!  

Anyways, this week I had the privilege of going wedding dress shopping with my sisters!  My sister Amanda is engaged and getting married next Fall.  So we all met at David's Bridal, and the fun began!  She ended up finding the perfect dress!  Here's one of the dresses she DIDN'T choose, but I thought looked great on her!

Today marks Week 6 of my pregnancy!  The baby should measure about 1/8th of an inch from crown to rump.  It's heart should be rapidly developing and circulating blood.  This week, the baby's face will start to form, including it's eyes, ears, nose, jaw, cheeks, and chin!  It is also most likely beginning to form buds for it's arms and legs!  So exciting!  Here's me today:

How far along? 6 weeks!
Maternity clothes? Yes!  So this week at work, I noticed my tummy was hurting from my pants pressing into it!  I was not impressed!  This seems WAY too early to have a baby pouch!  But I was so uncomfortable that I ended up rolling my pants down, thankful that I had worn a long tank top under my work shirt that day.  Turns out this is completely normal even this early in the game, due to water retention, and your uterus expanding to make room for the baby.  I was NOT planning on having to buy maternity clothes this early!  But I succumbed and got a pair of maternity pants at my friend Shandra's used clothing store, Everything Kids, in Winthrop.  I also picked up another pair of maternity pants and a pair of maternity shorts at Target.  I figure I can get away with the shirts I have for now.  One thing I have to say . . . these new clothes are comfy!  Not sure I'll ever stop wearing them, even after the baby is born!  
Total Weight Gain:  A faster metabolism, combined with eating healthier and walking every day has lead to a 3.5 pound weight loss!  It's crazy that I can eat as much as I have been and still lose weight!
Sleep: I get really really tired in the middle of the day when I get home from work.  Today was the first day in the last week I didn't take a nap, and I've been dragging all afternoon!  I've been going to sleep at the normal time every night (around 10pm), even though I've taken a nap during the day!  This amazes me, as before, if I ever napped, I wouldn't be able to sleep until after midnight!  
Best moment this week: Telling people I'm pregnant who don't know yet! 
Miss Anything? Same as last week - just different adjusting to all the do's and don'ts, but not too bad.  I think what I miss the most right now is my V-8 Energy drinks - even though the caffeine isn't too bad (only 80mg), the green tea in it that the caffeine comes from has shown to be counteractive to the folic acid in my vitamins that is very much essential to the baby right now.  
Movement: Nothing yet
Food cravings: My sweets cravings are still gone, but I still enjoy eating sweets.  Had the most delicious chocolate pie from the Olive Garden this week that I've ever had in my whole life.  Oh, and I couldn't eat enough of the breadsticks there!!!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not yet!  
Any other symptoms?  Same as last week - fatigue, soreness, heightened sense of smell, cramps, and a few random emotional episodes!  Plus, bloating!  
Have you started to show yet: Yes, my belly is a bit bloated, though I don't think anyone else notices as much as I do.  
Gender prediction: Steve really wants a boy, and I would love a little girl - but we have no clue right now!
Labor Signs: Nope
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On, and I got my engagement ring back from the Jeweler's!
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! Well, a little moody here and there.  But it's really not that bad.  Well, maybe you should ask Steve lol
Looking forward to: The first ultrasound - this Friday!!!

5 Weeks!

Hi!  Welcome to my bump blog!  I will be sharing the adventures of the next 8 months here with family, friends, and anyone else who would like to know!  Here we go!

Steve and I weren't TRYING to have a baby, but when God wants you to have a baby, you have a baby!  With that said, we both really wanted to get pregnant, but we were trying to wait until we were more financially stable.  Well, we may still be a newly married couple living in a small apartment, but we know God will provide if we are faithful to trust in Him.  Last Wednesday, I had a feeling that something was up . . . so after work I took a home pregnancy test . . . and it was positive!  That's about when I started to freak out.  The dialogue in my head was along the lines of: "Oh, it's positive . . . OH ITS POSITIVE!! . . . What do I do? . . . Oh my goodness . . . Ok, it's Ok . . . I'm pregnant . . . Oh my goodness . . . It's Ok, it's going to be Ok . . ."  And that went on for about 10 minutes.  Then I looked up the nearest OBGYN, and gave them a call and asked them if I could come in for a pregnancy test.  They said that they would set me up for an appointment next week, and I asked them if they could get me in that day!  I couldn't wait and not know!  So after gulping down two huge cups of water, I went to the doctor and took a pregnancy test.  A few minutes later they called me in and told me it was positive!  I was a little shocked to be honest.  I was thinking that maybe the home test was a false positive!  The same dialogue that had run through my head an hour ago started again!  I went stir crazy for the next 3 hours until Steve got home.  I asked him how his day was, then gave him a gift bag.  In it was a onesie and my pregnancy test.  Steve was surprised, but very happy!  

So here we are, pregnant!  A million things have been going through our heads!  But mostly, we feel so honored that God would bless us like this!  The baby's due date is March 16, 2014 - 2 days after my birthday (and the exact date of my original expected birthday!)  This is what we decided to do for our Facebook announcement:

So today marks Week 5 of my pregnancy!  This week, the baby is roughly 1/20th of an inch long (measured from crown to rump).  It's skeleton is beginning to form, as well as all its major organs and systems!  The baby's heart will be forming this week, and should start beating as well!  We don't have our first ultrasound for another 2 weeks, but we can't wait to hear its little heartbeat!  

How far along? 5 weeks!
Maternity clothes? Nope
Total Weight Gain: I actually lost 1/2 a pound the last time I checked - I've been trying to eat healthier!
Sleep: The other morning, I woke up at 4:30am for no good reason.  Other than that, I've been going to bed at our normal time, and waking up at our normal time, but I seem to get very tired in the middle of the day.  I've been sneaking in a nap after work before Steve gets home!
Best moment this week: Telling Steve that I was pregnant!  
Miss Anything? There's a long list of stuff that I can't eat and can't do . . . but I know it's all worth it in the end!  Steve and I were planning on going to Six Flags for our anniversary, so we're a little bummed to not be able to go!
Movement: Nothing yet
Food cravings: Not much of anything - the only thing is all of my normal sweets cravings are gone!  Very strange!  I am huge on sweets!
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope - I have been thinking that I feel a little nauseous here and there but I think it's all in my head.
Any other symptoms? Fatigue, soreness, heightened sense of smell, cramps, and a few random emotional episodes!
Have you started to show yet: Nope, though it is a little awkward because I'm not exactly a skinny minny so I'm self conscious about people immediately looking at my stomach when I tell them I'm pregnant!
Gender prediction: Steve really wants a boy, and I would love a little girl - but we have no clue right now!
Labor Signs: Nope
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On, though my engagement ring broke a few weeks ago, so it's at the Jeweler's right now 
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! So excited to have a little one here!
Looking forward to: The first ultrasound!

Until next week!