Bumpdate: 13 weeks. Hello 2nd Tri!

I am in my 2nd trimester! I am 1/3 of the way done! I can't believe I've made it this far! We had our 3rd OB appointment yesterday. I thought it was going to be a boring appointment until my doctor took out the doppler! I kept thanking her since I didn't think we'd be doing that yesterday! Did I ever mention how much I love my OB? She put the doppler about an inch above my pubic bone dead center of my belly and the baby's heartbeat popped up right away! I couldn't believe how fast it took, I think even my doctor was surprised. The first thing I said was, "Good job, Dr. Chan!" She says, "No, good job baby!" I will never get sick of hearing my baby's heartbeat! Such a wonderful sound!

She also said my blood work from a couple weeks ago came back all normal and I have an O+ blood type. Also, my blood pressure yesterday was at 132/80 which we were all happy about! I asked her later what would be the "perfect" bp she would like to see from me and she said anywhere from 120-130/80 bp so she was very happy with my results yesterday! She was also happy that I have not gained any weight so far (I am actually down 2 lbs from the very first weight-in). I asked her when would be the appropriate time for me to start noticing weight gain and she said anytime after 20 weeks. So I need to keep it up and make sure I am not gaining any weight for another 7 weeks!

• How many weeks are you? 13 weeks! 

• What fruit size is your baby? Baby is the size of a peach! 

• Cravings/Aversions? No cravings this week! If anything it would be salads and water. The only aversion I am having to towards wings. They sound and smell so gross all the time!

• Any big milestones or updates? At 13 weeks baby is now 3 inches long. Tiny vocal cords are developing, However, sounds will not be produced for about 7 more months. The pancreas begins to produce insulin, and the intestines move from inside the umbilical cord to their permanent home in the abdomen.

• Symptoms? Still feeling really good! This weeks brings a new symptom however. If I sit in the car or at my desk for too long my Sciatic nerve acts up and I get a pinching feeling in my butt. It's quite uncomfortable! The doctor reassured me that this is completely normal and the only way to help the discomfort is to make sure I am getting up and walking around/stretching as often as possible. Other than that I am feeling not as tired (although I don't feel like I have 100% of my energy back) and my nausea is still completely gone! 

My next appointment is in 4 weeks on April 16th when I am 17 weeks pregnant! This will be a basic check-up where they will take my weight, bp, urine, and listen to baby on the doppler! This is the longest stretch of time I have had in between appointments so hopefully it won't drag on!

Bumpdate: 12 weeks

This week we are in Hilton Head! The weather is alright, but we are still having a good time. I had an appointment last Friday that was supposed to be blood work and a financial meeting, but it was just the blood work. My BP was better at 140/80 which the nurse seemed fine with. I go back on Tuesday for a Pap smear, physical, and financial meeting.

• How many weeks are you? 12 weeks

• What fruit size is your baby? Baby is the size of a prune!

• Cravings/Aversions? Nothing really this week. I have feeling pretty good towards food this week. 

• Any big milestones or updates? At 12 weeks baby is weighing about 1/2 an ounce. My uterus is about the size of a small melon and has begun to move forward towards my belly button. The fetus is beginning to demonstrate reflexes like grasping, sucking, and even hiccups.

• Symptoms? I am feeling very good! Nausea is totally gone now! I have been having difficulty sleeping this week though. No position seems comfortable and I wake up several times during the night. This of course makes me feel even more tired during the day. 

Since I have now completed my 3rd month of pregnancy I wanted to document my 1, 2, and 3 month bumps! 1st tri bump!

Bumpdate: 11 weeks

We've made it to week 11...very exciting! Getting even closer to 2nd tri which is absolutely crazy! I wanted to update here on how my blood pressure is doing since my doctor's appointment last week. I have been going to my local grocery store to take my BP using those machines.

Doctor's appointment 2/27/13 - 150/80
The next day 2/28/13 - 123/83
Yesterday 3/5/13 - 117/72
ETA: Doctor's appointment 3/9/13 - 140/80

I am very happy with my numbers now and not nearly as anxious for what my BP will read at my appointment on Friday! I texted these numbers to my mother-in-law who is a nurse and she really thought that yesterday's reading was perfect!

• How many weeks are you? 11 weeks

• What fruit size is your baby? Baby is the size of a lime! 

• Cravings/Aversions? The only craving I have had this week are Mike&Ikes! They sounded so good one day and I just had to have them right then! Fruit and carbs always sound good! No aversions this week; food isn't bothering me too much.

• Any big milestones or updates? At 11 weeks fetal development is in full swing. Arms and legs continue to grow and are able to start bending and moving. Baby is starting to kick! Sexual organs are forming, but are not yet distinguishable by ultrasound. If baby is a boy testosterone will start producing. Ovaries in a girl contain estrogen receptors which respond to my hormones to help them develop further. 

• Symptoms? I am feeling very good! Nausea in the morning is lessening by the day and they only thing I am dealing with at this point is exhaustion! I have been so lucky so far! 

  
I have been taking weekly pictures since we found out I was pregnant, but this is the first week that I feel like I might have a itty bitty bump starting. Marcus and I both cannot tell yet that a bump is there, but it's fun to compare pictures week-to-week!

Bumpdate: 10 weeks & first ultrasound!

Yesterday was our first appointment! I thought it would have been more than an ultrasound, but it was just that plus we got to talk with our doctor for awhile and go over our packet of information. When we got the appointment I was very nervous! The first thing the nurse did was take my BP and it was a little high at 150/80! I should have asked to have it re-done once I was done with the u/s and calm, but I didn't think of it at the time. Hopefully at our next appointment I won't have any reason to be worried and my BP should be normal!

They did a transvaginal ultrasound and then after 3 seconds there was baby right up on the screen! It was so amazing! The u/s went pretty fast which I was a little upset about, but we got to see everything that we wanted to. First they let us hear the heartbeat. 171 bpm. It was an amazing sound! Then they took baby's measurements and it was right on track and exactly 10 weeks with the same due date of 9/25/13 :) Then at the end baby was wiggling around; already showing us its dance moves! Best moment of my life so far! Here's one of the pictures we got to take home:

Isn't baby cute already? On the left is its head and tiny arms make baby look like a little gummy bear! Marcus said "he" already looks like a boy! He's wishful thinking :) My next appointment is scheduled for next Friday on March 8th. This will be all of my blood work and financial meeting.

• How many weeks are you? 10 weeks / 1 day

• What fruit size is your baby? Baby is the size of a prune!

• Cravings/Aversions? No real cravings or aversions this week. I have been feeling pretty good so food isn't a big issue right now. I am trying to eat as healthy as I can since my doctor is a little concerned about my weight.

•  Any big milestones or updates? At 10 weeks baby is no longer considered an embryo; it is now a fetus! Bones and cartilage are forming all over the body, including the limbs. However, at this stage they are still quite soft and fragile. The liver and kidneys are formed and starting to function. Fetal waste product, including toxins and carbon dioxide, continue to be removed via the umbilical cord and routed into my blood stream. 

•  Symptoms? At 9w3d and the day after I was feeling really crappy in the evenings, but since then I have felt pretty normal. After talking to my doctor about my sleeping problems that I mentioned last week, she agreed that it has to do my uterus growing and pushing against the nerves. She advised me to sleep on my back less and more on my left side. I haven't had any problems with this this week. I am still tired, but even that seems to be improving slowly.

Bumpdate: 9 weeks

I feel so good about making it to 9 weeks! 1st tri has definitely gone faster then I had thought! I have been feeling much better lately; since I hit 8 weeks my nausea has been decreasing by the day! At this moment 7 weeks was my worst week so far!

• How many weeks are you? 9 weeks / 2 days

• What fruit size is your baby? Baby is the size of an olive!

• Cravings/Aversions? Fruit always sounds good! I love my OJ in the mornings along with some Saltine crackers, it has become my morning ritual. I don't have any specific aversions right now, but most fried/greasy foods do not sound good. 

•  Any big milestones or updates? At 9 weeks baby's head is about the same size as it's body. Baby is starting to move its limbs quite a bit, but I won't feel these movements for some time. Teeth are beginning to form, but don't break through the gums until after birth. The tongue, lips and nose are continuing to develop. The eyes are now more distinct. 

•  Symptoms? Like I said before, I am feeling MUCH better then week 7. I feel like I can manage my symptoms much better now. Nausea comes only in the morning and goes away after I eat a few crackers. The exhaustion is getting worse so I make sure to at least take a nap everyday or go to bed early (we're talking 8pm!) I have been having some pain when I sleep on my right side. I would wake up with a stabbing pain in my right thigh (just above the knee) and then the pain/numbness would go away after I walked around. Now I am using my pregnancy pillow to force myself to sleep on my back or left side only, it seems to be helping so far. I am guessing this has to do with my uterus growing and it is hitting a nerve which is causing me pain, but I will bring it up with my doctor.

Only 5 more days until our first appointment! I can't believe it's getting so close! 

Bumpdate: 7 weeks!

I thought it would be fun to keep a log of every week of my pregnancy, but so far it's been pretty boring! I have been waiting so patiently for my first appointment in less than 3 weeks! At that appointment I will get my initial blood work done along with our first ultrasound which we should be able to see and hear the heartbeat!

Marcus has been great! He asks lots of questions and is always asking how I am doing. I bought him a book for expecting dads and he's already at the 2nd trimester! I told him to stop reading until I can catch up to him! He says he is most excited to see my belly start to grow and when the baby is born he can't wait to introduce him/her to our families! He and I both think we are having a little girl! Guess we will have to wait 13 more weeks to find out if we're right!

We did tell our immediate families right away. I know this may not be the right path for every expecting couple, but it's what we felt was the right decision for us. As I said before, we took a trip to Vegas right before I found out I was pregnant. Since both my dad and my father-in-law's birthday's were in January we decided to tell them at both of their parties! We put this picture in a frame:

First, we told my dad when I was almost 5 weeks along. He told me his first reaction was that this present should have gone to my grandpa. He was a little confused, but once he got it he wanted to show my mom before he got all excited. My mom immediately started crying. My sisters were thrilled and it felt so great to tell them!

The next weekend after that we went up to my in-laws to surprise them. We got there in the evening and had dinner before telling everyone. Once everyone was all in the living room we gave Bruce his present. They were both very surprised! Marla ran upstairs and brought down a cute onesie she had bought awhile ago and gave it to Marcus and me!

• How many weeks are you? 7 weeks / 2 days

• What fruit size is your baby? Baby is the size of a blueberry!

• Cravings/Aversions? I am craving pasta & fruit. The only aversion I am having is to potato skins. I made them last weekend and they did not sit well with my stomach. The thought of eating them still makes me nauseous.

•  Any big milestones or updates? At 7 weeks the heart has been beating for 2 weeks now. Hands and feet are starting to sprout from the body. Tiny ear buds begin to form. A small tail is visible as a remnant from earlier development, but will soon disappear as the embryo continues to develop.

•  Symptoms? Everyday is a new adventure! Some days I feel pretty normal and then others I feel horrible all day long. The only consistent symptom I am having is exhaustion. I am tired all the time now! I have yet to actually throw up, but nausea stays with me throughout the day most of the time. I cannot complain; I have had it pretty easy so far!

I hope to update more often, but probably not every week until I am further along! I am taking weekly "bump" pictures, but nothing to show just yet! I am praying that this little one stays put for the next 7 months and that everything goes well at our first ultrasound! 

We are pregnant!!!!

Our 4th cycle was a success! We CANNOT be more excited for this pregnancy! I am still in shock that this is actually happening and that Marcus and I will be parents!

I charted this cycle which confirmed that I had ovulated around New Years (CD30 to be exact). We had a trip planned in Vegas from 10dpo - 13dpo so I knew I had to test before we left. Well it was negative that morning. I was bummed, but felt okay. We had a wonderful time in Vegas with both sets of parents. Won some, lost some, but overall it was a great trip!

When we got back last night I decided to take a test immediately when we got home. At 13dpo I took 3 test:





We are Pregnant! I still can't believe it! I am 4 weeks pregnant today. I called my doctor to schedule our first ultrasound which is on February 27th. Estimated Due Date is September 25, 2013 :)

I knew that 2013 was going to be our year! We feel so blessed that God has given us this miracle!