16 Weeks!

Hello Everyone!

Look at me, it's Monday night, and I'm posting - not too far behind!

Although this week wasn't nearly as busy as last, I was still on "go" mode all week!  I had a 15-week appointment with one of my midwives on Thursday.  Everything is going well - baby's heartbeat was in the 150s, right where it should be.  I did the second part of my bloodwork for my sequential screening (testing for chromosomal and genetic abnormalities) - I should receive the results next week.  I also made the appointment for my anatomy scan!  This is exciting, because this is when they might be able to tell the baby's gender!  The scan is on the 25th of October, and we'll be having a Gender Reveal Party on the 26th!  If the tech can tell the gender, we'll have her write it down on a piece of paper and put it in an envelope, then bring it to a party store and have them fill a giant box with either pink or blue balloons, then at the party we'll open it up in front of everyone!  We'll also be officially revealing the baby's name at the party!  Everyone's invited, so if you're around on the 26th, come hang out with us at my Dad's house at 1pm!  I'm excited about the planning - I want to do a fall/harvest theme!  And in the case where the tech can't tell the gender, well, I guess the party will be postponed a bit!

And because Steve says he's not on the blog enough . . .

Yay - 16 weeks!  That's about 4 months :D  Baby Simmons should be about 4.5 inches long this week, and weigh about 3.5 ounces!  Baby's limbs (especially the legs) are more developed this week, and its movements are becoming more coordinated and strong.  This means that I should hopefully be able to feel the baby move more and more!  Tiny bones are also developing in baby's ears, which means the baby is now able to hear!  

Me at 16 weeks:

How far along?  16 Weeks

Maternity clothes?  Yes, though I still fit in my regular clothes just fine.

Total Weight Gain:  Down another 1/2 a pound this week, making it an 11 pound loss total

Sleep:  No naps this week, and I've had a little trouble sleeping at night.  Just a lot of tossing and turning.  And I've been having the craziest, most vivid dreams!

Best moment this week:  Now that the baby is starting to hear, Steve enjoys reading storybooks to the baby at night - his favorite being children Star Wars book lol

Miss Anything?  Not too much right now - maybe not being so emotionally unbalanced!

Movement:  I think I felt the baby move this week!  On Thursday, after I drank a smoothie, I felt a fluttering a little bit below my belly button - it was a twitching - almost like a goldfish or worm was wiggling around in my tummy!  It happened a few more times that day, and it's happened a few more times since then!  

Food cravings:  Nothing special this week

Anything making you queasy or sick: Just bacon cooking - that's about it

Any other symptoms?  Random pains and cramps, some minor headaches, minor heartburn, dizziness, oh and I'm an emotional mess.  I cry pretty much all the time.  I can't help it, and once it starts, I just can't stop.  

Have you started to show yet:  Rounding out a little 

Gender prediction:  I think it's a girl!  

Labor Signs:  nope!

Belly Button in or out?  in!

Wedding rings on or off?  on!

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Um, ok, maybe moody - but more emotional moody.  

Looking forward to:  We'll be heading down to Connecticut this weekend.  Alisa and I are photographing my cousin, Meredith's wedding on Saturday, and Steve and I will get a very short visit with his family!  It will be nice to see everyone :)

Happy first week of October!

15 Weeks!

Yes, yes, I know, I'm very late this week!  It's been so crazy lately, I'm lucky I even have time to think!  

I kind of work 3 jobs right now.  I work full time at Panera Bread in Augusta as the Catering Coordinator.  I also do the photography on the side - weddings, families, seniors, etc. (www.AndreaSimmonsPhotography.com).  And lastly, I sell custom made bridal hangers (www.etsy.com/shop/HangersBySimmons?ref=si_shop).  Between all of that, church stuff, and trying to spend time with Steve and my family, it's been pretty busy lately.  But I do love staying busy!  We also celebrated a few birthdays in my family this week.  My sister's fiance, Josh, turned 21 this week.  Amanda and I spent a few minutes one afternoon covering his pickup truck with silly string, balloons, and window writing!  

We also celebrated my youngest sister's 10th birthday.  Autumn is the baby of 8 kids, and it's crazy to think that she's almost not a kid anymore!  I still remember her being only 11 months old when I left for college at 18.  I cried on her first birthday that September because I couldn't be there.  My Dad ended up surprising me and flying me home for the weekend, so I could be with her!  

(left) Autumn at the Monmouth Fair just before her 1st birthday!
(below) Autumn celebrating being 10!

I'm 15 weeks now!  Baby should be about 4 inches long, and weigh about 2.5 ounces!  It is busy moving amniotic fluid through its nose and mouth, which is helping its lungs develop.  Baby's legs are growing longer than its arms now, and it should be able to move all its joints and limbs.  Although the baby's eyes are still fused shut, our little marshmallow is able to sense light in the womb now.  Lastly, the baby's taste buds are starting to form this week!

Here's me at 15 weeks:  

How far along?  15 Weeks

Maternity clothes?  Yes, though I really don't need them yet.  But they're more comfortable, and don't put pressure on my abdomen.

Total Weight Gain:  I'm down another 1/2 pound this week, making it a total of 10 1/2 pounds lost.  

Sleep:  No naps this week - not enough time!  Sleeping OK at night, still getting up once or twice a night to use the bathroom.

Best moment this week:  I've really been enjoying the cooler weather recently and seeing the colorful leafs start to come out!  

Miss Anything?  Caffeine, and it's starting to get uncomfortable to sleep on my stomach - it feels like there's a balloon in there.

Movement:  Nothing official yet, though maybe a few flutters?  Not really sure.

Food cravings:  Anything salty!  And since my heartburn has let up quite a bit, I've been able to eat a lot of the foods that I've been avoiding for a few months now!

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Not very often

Any other symptoms?  Random pains and cramps, it hurts when I bend down to pick anything up.  I feel dizzy every now and then.  

Have you started to show yet:  Maybe a little, not too much yet!

Gender prediction:  Very unsure - maybe a girl?!

Labor Signs:  Nope!

Belly Button in or out?  In!

Wedding rings on or off?  On!

Happy or Moody most of the time:  Moody this week - but mostly because I've been stressed out.

Looking forward to:  My appointment with the Midwife on Friday.  Should be pretty routine - but it's another step closer!

Enjoy the rest of your week!

14 Weeks!

Hello everyone!  I almost forgot to post this week - it's been so crazy!  And quite honestly, half the time, I forget I'm even pregnant until someone mentions it!  

We had our Nuchal Translucency screening last week.  We were very excited to see our little marshmallow again.  When they started the ultrasound, there our baby was, looking like a . . . well, baby!  The face, nose, chin, legs and arms were all very distinct!  The baby seemed to be jumping every few seconds.  I thought it was the hiccups, but the tech said it was just normal baby movements.  About halfway through, I asked about getting a DVD of the ultrasound, and the tech said we would have to go to the front desk to get a blank disc.  :(  Thanks for the heads up!  So Steve ran down to get one.  Unfortunately, baby was lying on the umbilical cord, so they were unable to measure the neck for the official testing.  We stopped the ultrasound twice and tried walking around the first time, and laying on my tummy the second time.   I wasn't too worried about it though.  If anything is wrong with the baby, God has it in His hands!  This is the best (and only!) profile picture we got from the ultrasound:

So after getting home that night, I started really looking at the picture, and realized it's showing, what I'm pretty sure is, a very distinct "nub" between its legs.  If you don't know what the "nub theory" is, here's a quick explanation:  all fetuses at this stage have this "nub" which will eventually turn into its respective gender parts.  But the theory is that, depending on the direction the nub is pointing, you can determine the gender, with up to an 80% accuracy rate!  So, if the nub is more flat, horizontally, it's a girl.  And if the nub is pointing up at all, it's a boy.  So according to this picture, we MAY be having a little girl on the way!  Nothing for sure yet though, the theory doesn't always work!

Speaking of gender prediction, I decided to go ahead and put all mine together in a list, just for fun!

Baby is busy making facial expressions this week!  It can now squint, frown, grimace, and might even suck it's thumb!  The baby's head actually has somewhere to sit now that the neck is growing!  Baby should be about 3.5 inches now, and weigh 1.5 ounces!  That means it's almost doubled it's weight in only a week!  Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is starting to grow all over the baby's body to keep it warm.  

And here's me at week 14!

How far along? 14 Weeks!

Maternity clothes?  Pants mostly.  My old ones still fit, but are just uncomfortable around my waist.

Total Weight Gain:  Staying steady this week at the 10 pounds lost mark!

Sleep:  Only napped this week a few times - mostly when I hadn't gotten enough sleep the night before.

Best moment this week:  Definitely seeing our little bug on the ultrasound.  It makes it so real!

Miss Anything?  Caffeine, cold turkey sandwiches

Movement:  Once or twice I thought I felt a twinge in there, but nothing for sure yet.

Food cravings:  Could be anything.  I've been loving Ramen noodles mixed with tunafish lately.  But that's a normal food for me, I've just been liking it a lot lately because it's so salty :)  That, and black bean soup :)

Anything making you queasy or sick: Still just the smell of cooking bacon

Any other symptoms?  Not too much honestly.  The heartburn has eased a bit, and I'm feeling overall pretty good!

Have you started to how yet:  I don't think so, maybe a little?  Feeling pretty normal.  

Gender prediction: Well, up until Monday we were convinced this was a boy, but now I'm not so sure!  I'm thinking girl!  Hubby is still adjusting to that one :)

Labor Signs: Nope

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy I would say, unless someone annoys me.

Looking forward to:  Honestly?  The end of this week.  It's one of those non-stop weeks where I'm going to be melting into my bed every night.  Sunday can not come soon enough!

Until next week!

13 Weeks!

Happy 2nd trimester!  So, it turns out that there's quite a few different opinions about when the 2nd trimester begins.  It ranges anywhere from the beginning of the 12th week to the beginning of the 14th week.  Well, since the pregnancy is 40 weeks, I'm going to go with the beginning of the 13th week, which is today :)

I can't believe how much better I'm feeling now!  Everyday this week I gradually improved.  I've been starting to feel more and more like myself!  And it couldn't have come at a better time, because Steve and I celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary this week!  A year ago today, we said "I do" at a beautiful State park in Waterford, CT.

Steve and I met on an online Christian dating website in June of 2011.  We had our first date in July, and started "officially" dating in October.  Steve proposed to me at the public gardens in March of 2012, and we were married in September.  It's been an incredible whirlwind, and this first year of marriage has been the best year of my life!  I can't wait to spend the rest of my days alongside him :)

So, to celebrate, we drove up north and spent the weekend in Bar Harbor on Mt. Desert Island.  We stayed at an adorable little B&B, and went for drives along the island and through Acadia National Park.  It was very foggy for part of the time, but we still had a very relaxing weekend.  Here's Steve having breakfast at the B&B:

Welcome to 13 weeks!  By now, the baby's body is just starting to catch up to its head, which makes up only 1/3 of it's entire body now.  It should measure almost 3 inches long, and weigh about .8 of an ounce.  Its ankle joints have matured, and the toes should be separated.  The baby already has fingerprints!  Can you believe it?!  All 20 teeth are already formed, and are in place underneath the gums!

Here's me today:

How far along? 13 Weeks!
Maternity clothes? Mostly pants
Total Weight Gain: I didn't weigh myself this morning, being out of town, but as of Friday, I was still hovering at a little more than 10 pounds lost.
Sleep: I definitely feel more awake and alive this week.  I think I only took one, maybe two naps - and those were more from having to wake up too early.
Best Moment this week:  Just being together this week, watching our wedding video together.  We knew that this might be our last little vacation for awhile, so we made sure to enjoy it :)
Miss anything yet? Caffeine - honestly, I didn't have it too often before, but when I needed it, it was nic eto grab an energy drink or something.  Or even some soda.
Movement: Nothing yet.  I could've sworn last week I felt some fluttering in my tummy when I was laying down, but I think it was just my imagination lol

Food cravings: Nothing major this week.  Oh, orange juice.  Sometimes I just really really want some OJ!

Anything making you queasy or sick:  The smell of cooking bacon
Any other symptoms? A bit emotional this week.  Other than that, it's been a really awesome, almost symptom free week!  Even my heartburn has been so much better!  
Have you started to show yet: Not really, in fact, I think I look smaller because of the weight I've lost.
Gender prediction: I think it's a boy.
Labor Signs: Nope
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Pretty happy this week.  Feeling great!
Looking forward to:  We're going to Portland tomorrow for the NT/sequential screening test in the morning.  It's where they test for the genetic/chromosomal abnormalities and such.  We're not very worried about it, but we are excited to see our little clover again!!!  And this time, it will look like a real baby and not just a little bean!

Until next week!

12 Weeks!

I know, I know, I'm running a few days behind.  I'm pregnant.  Give me a break ;)

I can't believe I'm already 12 weeks!  Well, I can, it's been a very long 12 weeks, but I am definitely relieved to be in the "safe zone" as they say.  This is the last week of my 1st trimester, something I will not be missing any time soon.  This week has been like a roller coaster both physically, mentally, and emotionally.  I'll be feeling great, then an hour later, I can't get off the couch, then later that night, I get a random surge of energy.  It's exhausting not knowing how you're going to be feeling one minute or the next.  I'm still thankful that, compared to some pregnant women, I've actually had it quite easy this trimester.  But don't try to tell me that when I have terrible heartburn for hours on end, or I'm crying because I'm just so tired of being tired!

This week, Steve and I tried to spend some time at home.  Between my ups and downs, and him starting school, we didn't mind keeping our evenings quiet.  We did get a chance to head down to the park and feed the ducks one night.  It was getting stormy, so they weren't as social and hungry as usual, but we still enjoyed it :)

We also got to go to the Portland Reptile Expo on Sunday.  Even though we didn't buy anything, we enjoyed seeing the hundreds of different snakes there!  On Saturday, I met up with Tiffany, a girl I've known for about 10 years, and took her Senior photos!  Isn't she gorgeous!?

So here we are at 12 weeks!  By this week, the baby should weigh almost an ounce, and be about 2.5 inches long!  Its ears are in their final position on the side of the head, and its reflexes have begun working!  This includes opening and closing its fingers and hands, curling its little toes, and maybe even sucking its thumb!  (I was a huge thumb sucker as a kid!)  The mouth can open and close, allowing the baby to swallow or yawn.  The intestines are also beginning the shift to moving inside the abdominal cavity, now that all of baby's major organs are formed.

Here's me Sunday at 12 weeks:

How far along? 12 Weeks!
Maternity clothes? Mostly pants
Total Weight Gain: Lost another pound this week, making it 10 pounds total lost.
Sleep: I haven't been able to nap during the day like I have been the past 8 weeks or so.  Maybe it's my body slowly telling me I don't need that anymore?  I definitely FEEL like I need it lol
Best Moment this week:  We've been hearing the baby's heartbeat a lot more now, it's nice to be able to find it anytime I want with our doppler!  

Miss Anything? Caffeine, NOT having indigestion :(

Movement: Nothing yet

Food cravings: Occasionally - like on Saturday, I had a craving for Pho (a Vietnamese soup).  I HAD to have it. And I did :)

Anything making you queasy or sick: Random strong smells.  Like bacon.

Any other symptoms? More emotional this week, a lot of ups and downs.  I'll feel awake one minute, and exhausted the next.  Really happy, then really sad or irritated.  I can't keep up with myself!

Have you started to show yet: Not really, the bloat has mostly gone away, which is good.  But I feel like the weight loss is preventing me from showing much yet.  

Gender prediction: I think it's a boy, I keep having dreams about it being a boy.  But I did have one where we did a test and it said girl.  

Labor Signs: Nope

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Probably more moody than happy.  Kind of irritable a lot.  Mostly just blah though.

Looking forward to:  Steve and I are going away this weekend for our 1-year wedding anniversary!  I'm really looking forward to it!

Have a great week!