18 Weeks 5 Days

How far along? 18 weeks 5 days

Total weight gain: Minus 7ish... finally starting to gain! :)
Maternity clothes? My mom took me shopping Monday and we bought some :) I'm not wearing them yet, but I think I will be soon!

Sleep: I wake up in the wee hours to pee at least twice now. It's getting more uncomfortable to sleep on my tummy.

Best moment this week: Finding out the sex :)

Movement: Maybe something? Could have also just been gas.

Gender: See below!

Labor Signs: None.

Cravings: Fresh things.

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Still my husband. It's not baby related... just retail widow related. It will be over on the 3rd though! Then I get him all to myself for about a month!

Weekly Wisdom: Mother's Intuition is not always right!

Milestones: We found out the sex!

That's right! CONNOR MATTHEW is on his way! :)

He weighed in at 8 oz yesterday during our ultrasound, he has five fingers and toes on each hand and foot. We got great pictures of his hands, feet, face, profile, we even got a "thumbs up" from him. We also got to see him drinking amniotic fluid. Amazing.

When the tech said, "...and here's the scrotum..." I said, "the WHAT?!?!?!" and kept thinking to myself little girls don't have scrotums...

It's taking some getting used to, I was so convinced that Connor was a girl. Poor kid, no wonder he was doing somersaults like a gymnast in there. I've got to start thinking about baseball and football to toughen him up according to his daddy.

We went to Build-A-Bear and made Connor his first present from Mom and Dad. A tan bear named Champ. I hope that it's something he cherishes for the rest of this life.

Your fetus has become amazingly mobile (at least compared to you), passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby's finally big enough that you'll be able to feel those movements soon.

15 Weeks

How far along? 15 weeks
Total weight gain: Minus 10ish

Maternity clothes? Not yet
Sleep: I wake up in the wee hours to pee
Best moment this week: My morning sickness is almost gone.
Movement: Nothing yet.
Gender: My intuition says girl.
Labor Signs: None.
Cravings: Fresh things.
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Still my husband. It's not baby related... just retail widow related.
Weekly Wisdom: When a student smokes pot in the bathroom right beside your classroom, it's okay to freak out a little that Little Lobster is getting his/her first "taste" of pot... sometimes they just can't wait until college to experiment.
Milestones: I made my first trip to the grocery store to buy food to create REAL homecooked meals in months today.

Continuing the march towards normal proportions, baby's legs now outmeasure the arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. Your fetus is squirming and wiggling like crazy down in the womb, though you probably still can't feel the movements.

14 Week Belly Pic and How Big is Baby?

Yes, I know I'm late on this one... and I skipped last week. Oh well. Sometimes, life gets in the way.

How far along? 14 weeks

Total weight gain: I haven't weighed in a few days, but last time I did it was minus 12.

Maternity clothes? Not yet

Sleep: I wake up in the wee hours to pee and I've figured out that sleeping on my back is causing these "headaches"

Best moment this week: Really being able to feel my uterus... hearing baby on the doppler.

Movement: Nothing yet.

Gender: My intuition says girl.

Labor Signs: None.

Cravings: Fresh things. Last night I wanted a hot dog, ate one bite and was done.

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: My husband. It's not baby related... just retail widow related.

Weekly Wisdom: Put your foot down when the lady at the doctor's office is mean to you.

Milestones: First tri is over!!! It felt like it'd never get here, but holy crap, when I look back it's flown by! We're going to need a diaper bag and crib before long! Oh yeah... and we've settled on names. I also told my students...

Your adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, and (not so cute but equally amazing) making urine and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over the body for warmth.

12 Week Belly Pic and How Big Is Baby?

You'll get the picture tonight when I get home and Jennings actually takes it :) ) Haha yeah I know I promised you that last week... maybe it'll actually happen this time?

How far along? 12 weeks
Total weight gain: Still sitting on minus 10. My bio mom told me this week she only gained 19lbs with me... granted she smoked the whole time but still, maybe I won't gain much?
Maternity clothes? SIL brought me some of her's, I need to look through them today. I don't think I'll be wearing them for a while though.

Sleep: Great
Best moment this week: There weren't a lot of good moments this week...
Movement: Nothing yet.
Gender: My intuition says girl.
Labor Signs: None.
Cravings: Salad, icees, I wanted sushi last night, so I got it.
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: My clean house, I haven't had any energy to clean. Maybe I'll get something done today.
Weekly Wisdom: Know when to keep your mouth shut.
Milestones: We're 12 weeks... some say we're out of first tri... I say wait til 13w3d

As you move into the second trimester, baby shifts into the growth and maturation stage. After weeks in the critical development stage, almost all of baby's systems are fully formed.

Spotting... again

Woke up to a weird pain in my lower abdomen this morning. Went to pee and there was red blood... don't know if I should call the doctor or not... she said it's just from the hematoma...

I also puked again... only the second time. Not too bad for being 11 weeks.

11 Week Belly Pic (for real this time!) and How Big is Baby?

(You'll get the picture tonight when I get home and Jennings actually takes it :) )

How far along? 11 weeks

Total weight gain: Minus 10. Seriously... I went back down? I'm finally getting my appetite back and I'm still losing weight.

Maternity clothes? All my pants are too big... are you kidding me?!?

Sleep: Great

Best moment this week: Honestly, turning on the heat in the house last night.

Movement: Nothing yet.

Gender: My intuition says girl.

Labor Signs: Woke up to bleeding again this morning... red blood. Ugh.

Cravings: Salad, oranges, icees.

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Sex.

Weekly Wisdom: Get your H1N1 Vaccine, it's not a bad as you might think. Oh yeah... and know how much Zofran your insurance will let you have in a 30 day period so your doctor can go ahead and call in the prior authorization... still waiting on a refill.

Milestones: I threw up again this morning. Only the second time.

Your fetus currently enjoys a 1:1 ratio between body and head, and has skin so transparent that blood vessels show right through. But, fingers and toes are no longer webbed, and hair follicles, tooth buds and nail beds are forming -- setting up a significantly more attractive future.

10 Week Belly Pic and How big is baby?

How far along? 10 weeks
Total weight gain: Minus 5.5, I'm finally gaining some back
Maternity clothes? None
Sleep: Great
Best moment this week: Hearing baby's heartbeat.
Movement: Nothing yet.
Gender: My intuition says girl.
Labor Signs: None
Cravings: Icees, slushies, popsicles, ice cold fruity stuff
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Sex.
Weekly Wisdom: Be as candid as possible with your doctor, it's not the first time anyone's ever asked her when sex will be safe again.
Milestones: Hearing the heartbeat

With bones and cartilage starting to form and vital organs beginning to function, baby is making major progress. Body length will almost double in the next three weeks, and arm joints are now working. (Soon, legs will too.)

We get to see the baby again today...

Yay! I hope and pray we get to hear the heartbeat... I'm so excited!

I am getting over a cold...

Well Little Lobster, you have officially gone through your first illness in Momma's body. We've used tons of Mucinex, cough drops, CVS brand Delsym (don't buy it, it's disgusting), and nasal spray... now Momma just has a cough which drives Daddy crazy.

Last night Momma took her Zofran at around 4 like usual. By the time Daddy got home, I was so sick that I couldn't eat my dinner... I weighed myself this morning and I am officially down a total of 9 pounds since I found out you were on your way. 9 pounds! I'm 1 pound away from my goal Weight Watchers weight from this summer... 1 pound.

I couldn't sleep last night because I have this strange crampy pain on the left side of my lower abdomen. I keep telling myself that it's gas. Hopefully I'm right.

We go to the doctor on Thursday and see the little one! :)

Jennings and I think we've settled on a boy name. I'm not going to spill until I know for sure, we still can't come up with a girl name. He wants to be sure that I won't be able to shorten whatever name we come up with for a girl. He's just going to have to get over it.

9 Weeks! Eeeek! Belly Pic

How far along? 8 weeks

Total weight gain: Minus 7.5... seriously I'm 2.5 away from my goal weight from this summer... pregnancy may be the best diet ever... i kid.

Maternity clothes? BeBand somedays, other days I just don't button my pants

Sleep: This week, not so great. I've got a cold so I don't sleep well because I can't breathe.

Best moment this week: Honestly, the poop I took yesterday.

Movement: Nothing yet.

Gender: Back to girl.

Labor Signs: I spot at least once a week, it's getting old.

Cravings: Icees, slushies, popsicles, ice cold fruity stuff

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Pooping regular sized turds.

Weekly Wisdom: Your doctor's office doesn't mind if you call and ask them if you can take Mucinex, nasal spray, cough drops, they'd rather you call than trust the internets.

Milestones: I'm torn between two. We now have a FETUS and I puked for the first time this week.

Your little embryo has now officially graduated to fetus-hood. Adding to the excitement, a Doppler ultrasound device might be able to pick up the beating heart. With basic physical structures in place and increasingly distinct facial features, baby is kind of starting to look like... well... a baby!

Congratulations LL!

After bragging yesterday about not having to take any Zofran and feeling so well, I started to feel sick last night.

Congratulations LL, you finally made your momma throw up this morning. I hope you're happy with yourself.

Zofran!

Doctor is calling in Zofran today! Hopefully I'll be able to eat this weekend! :)

Holy Crap! 8 Weeks!

Your baby is growing like mad, putting on about a millimeter every day and continuing to straighten out in the trunk. Though you can't feel it yet, baby is moving those little arms, legs and (now only slightly) webbed fingers and toes like crazy.

8 Week Belly Pic

Not much has changed...

How far along? 8 weeks
Total weight gain: Minus 6
Maternity clothes? BeBand somedays, other days I just don't button my pants
Sleep: I wake up at least once to pee or thinking I'm going to puke.
Best moment this week: Finding out that SIL is expecting too.
Movement: I have these gas bubbles that I can feel in my lower abdomen, does that count?
Gender: I might be leaning towards boy now.
Labor Signs: Does bleeding count?
Cravings: I can't eat.
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Watching TV at night with Jennings, I go to bed way early now.
Weekly Wisdom: Get your rest.
Milestones: I almost threw up this morning, gagged a lot, and prayed for puke, it just never came.

Ugh...

I'm freaking bleeding again.

Seriously?!? Can I not have a normal end to the week, ever?

Morning sickness my foot!

Oh my gosh! Whoever named this symptom morning sickness was dead wrong. Sure, I'm sick in the morning, but I'm also sick at lunch, in the afternoon, in the evening, and it gets even worse when I go to bed. I can't sleep at night because of this feeling. I hate it.

I've heard stories of women who have morning sickness throughout their entire pregnancy. I told Jennings last night that if that happens to me I'm never having any other children. He can either adopt another or just be happy with one.

7 Week Belly Pic

A little late!

How far along? 7 weeks
Total weight gain: Minus 6
Maternity clothes? BeBand somedays, other days I just don't button my pants
Sleep: I wake up at least once to pee.
Best moment this week: MIL's reaction to the news.
Movement: None
Gender: Still thinking girl, but all the OWT's are pointing towards boy.
Labor Signs: Does bleeding count?
Cravings: I can't eat.
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Watching TV at night with Jennings, I go to bed way early now.
Weekly Wisdom: Your motherly instinct kicks in early, especially when it comes to competition for your child ;-)
Milestones: Seeing LL's heartbeat and the little one in there :)

Wow lots to tell you!

Friday I was bleeding again. I came into work and did a parent conference during my planning, then I left.

I went home (crying the whole way) and finally got a call back from the doctor. I went in for another ultrasound and an injection of RhoGAM. Apparently, the just realized I'm O-... I could have told them, had they asked. Jennings also had his blood typed so hopefully I won't need another injection.

We did see baby, it's heartrate was 119.

Doctor put me on "couch-potato" mode. I was to be lazy all weekend (we all know I'm not so good at that).

Saturday night we went to my BIL's 30th birthday party. Afterwards we announced to Jennings' two brothers, their wives and my IL's that we're expecting. MIL jumped up and down like a kid on Christmas morning.

After seeing MIL's reaction I looked over at BIL's wife (we're pretty close) and she had a strange look on her face. After she left I told Jennings that I'd put money on her being pregnant.

Sunday we went to a family reunion. BIL's wife announced that she is in fact pregnant and is about a week behind me! It's going to be fun to have someone to share this with. I just hope we don't have our babies on the same day because we're not going to the same hospital!

I called my brother, sisters, and Jennings grandparents on the way home. Everyone seemed pretty happy.

Morning sickness has reared it's ugly head. Only I can't throw up. I woke up at 1 this morning with that nasty taste you get right before you throw up, but no matter what I did, I couldn't throw up. I can't help but think to myself that if I could throw up I'd feel so much better!

Saltines and ginger ale were my breakfast, they might be my lunch too. Ugh, have I ever mentioned that I cannot stand ginger ale?

Latest Update

We told my parents on Sunday night.

Dad was speechless. Mom almost cried. Jennings said it was basically the same conversation they had when he told them he was going to propose to me.

Dad's still in shock and hardly talks to me about it. Mom keeps asking me how I'm feeling. It's sweet :)

I finally talked to the nurse at the doctor's office this morning. My beta doubled to 10734. I'm guessing that's not indicative of twins... Darn. Oh well... we'll love this little one to pieces and then have another :-D Yay for being pregnant twice.

The nurse also said sex is a no go for now. Jennings is very disappointed. Poor guy. I feel bad for him. Not that I've had any interest at all, but I do try to do for my man every now and again!

I also had a student diagnosed with H1N1 yesterday. The nurse said she wasn't sure how many vaccines they would be getting in, but to ask about it at my next appointment. Which isn't until the 29th.

Maybe I'll go to the health department before then...

Still no puke, but plenty of nausea. Ugh. If I could just throw up I think I'd feel better.

I'm also still down on weight. I can't eat as much as I used to. Now I can hardly finish a kid's meal without feeling like I'm going to throw up or like my food is backed up to the back of my mouth.

Oh yeah! We went to Target in High Point last night. I found a BeBand in my size... of course I'm rocking in today! :)

Yesterday's Appointment

I got to see the yolk sac, baby's still too small to see or hear. Only one yolk so no twins.

My beta was 5600 yesterday and I should get results from today sometime soon. This nurse called me while I was at work yesterday and left a message to call her back. I called three times, left one message, and haven't heard back from her. I'm just assuming she was calling to tell me my numbers from yesterday but still, she should have called me back. That annoys me.

Doctor will do an ultrasound again in four weeks (she wanted two, but I couldn't work it around my work schedule). She said if I have any bleeding between now and then to call her immediately.

I can breathe again :)

6 Week Belly Pic!

How far along? 6 weeks
Total weight gain: I haven't weighed myself in a while.
Maternity clothes? Don't get me started on the whole BellaBand/BeBand fiasco... why does Target think that only small women get pregnant and need a BeBand?
Sleep: Great
Best moment this week: Having to tell my principal because of some spotting issues, luckily she understood.
Movement: None
Gender: Still thinking girl.
Labor Signs: Not a single one!
Cravings: None this week
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Spending time with Jennings
Weekly Wisdom: Call your doctor if you suspect anything is wrong. They'll listen.
Milestones: I get to see LL on the ultrasound screen in about an hour! :)

Switching OB/GYN's means switching the date of my first appointment...

I had always planned on delivering any babies I may have at Moses Cone Women's Hospital. It's where I was born, I know a lot of people who were born there, it may not be as great as Forsyth but it's closer to us and the differences are minimal as long as the baby is healthy.

When Jennings and I met, I discovered that his most recent serious ex, get that?, was a labor and delivery nurse at Women's. Greeeat. One day I'd be shoving his baby out my vag and she'd be on the other end. That just seemed weird to me. So I decided that when I got pregnant I'd deliver at High Point.

I made an appointment with an OB/GYN group in High Point and was set. Until last night when I looked at the virtual tours for both hospitals.

Seriously, look at the difference.
Women's High Point

Would you like a teeny, tiny delivery room and post-partum recovery room, or a huge one? Give me the huge one please!

Last night, Jennings and I discussed it. We decided that we could easily ask that his ex not be assigned to us. Surely she wouldn't be the only nurse there that day, and surely we wouldn't be the only people bringing a baby into the world at Women's, right? Right?

This morning I woke up feeling great about our new plan. Women's has a much better NICU should something be wrong with Little Lobster when the time comes. Wonderful.

Then I went to the bathroom, wiped, and lo and behold there was bright red blood on the toilet paper.

I almost broke down into tears right then and there.

I got dressed silently, I don't even know how I picked out what I wore today, but I was told that I looked cute so it must not have been too bad. I drove to work. Started getting stuff ready for school and then called Jennings. (You know, I had to give him a little time to sleep. Lucky guy gets to sleep a whole two hours longer than me.)

He barely said anything when I told him. I knew he could tell I was on the verge of tears.

I couldn't get a hold of anyone at what was going to be my new doctor's office til 8:15... you have no idea how long 30 minutes is when you're so scared. Finally, someone called me and suggested I not go to work, yeah okay. She then suggested that I talk to someone about getting me a sub, the doctor would not be in til 10.

So I went to the office, my principal was in a meeting, of course.

I went back to my room. Called Jennings sobbing. I couldn't get myself together.

I started writing sub plans (thank goodness for 1st block planning). Then went and spoke to my assistant principal. I just said, "I need to leave, what do I need to do?" Of course he asked what was up... I just kinda stumbled looking for a response and he said, "Are you sick?" Great! I'll tell him that... so I responded, "Uh, yeah, I'm sick."

The secretary was amazing, she got me someone ASAP and I went on my merry little way after starting my second block class.

On my way out the door, the doctor's office called and told me they wanted me for bloodwork (beta, Rh and blood type, etc) today and tomorrow they'll repeat the beta to see the change. I'll also have an ultrasound tomorrow. I doubt we'll hear the heartbeat, I almost hope we won't since Jennings won't be able to be there, but at least I get to meet my little one tomorrow.

As much as I wish I knew the moral of this story, I don't yet. Wait til tomorrow and maybe I'll have something for you.

I came home today and took a three hour nap. I don't now how I slept that long, but it was good.

Two weeks til we meet our Little Lobster!

Well kinda... in two weeks we'll get to hear LL anyway. I'm so freaking excited!!!

I haven't had any cramping or heartburn this week. I almost feel like I've dreamed up this whole being pregnant thing... I think a lot of pregnant women go through that though, I'll feel much better when we get to hear the heartbeat.

The past two mornings I've gagged a lot. No actual morning sickness though (thank goodness)!

Five Week Belly Pic

How far along? 5 weeks
Total weight gain: -5
Maternity clothes? Not yet, I think I'm going to buy a BellaBand this weekend though before the bloat sets in.
Sleep: Almost ten hours a night. Poor Jennings never gets to spend time with me anymore.
Best moment this week: Not having to get a tetnus booster because I'm KU! I hate how sore it makes my are!
Movement: None
Gender: When I'm talking to Jennings I keep saying she so maybe girl?
Labor Signs: Not a single one!
Cravings: Ice Cold Water.
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Spending time with Jennings
Weekly Wisdom: Your husband will come around and get just about as excited as you.
Milestones: LL's heart is beating, we just can't see or hear it.

Five Weeks Today!

Little Lobster is the size of a small grain of rice today!

S/he has been working hard on creating a central nervous system, LL's heart is formed and beating, and arm and leg buds are beginning.

Apparently, LL looks similar to a tadpole! How sweet!

This week could also bring some morning sickness, pray that it doesn't.

Over the past week I haven't had much of an appetite so I've lost a few pounds. Finally got below 160 which was my goal over the summer. Who knew that getting pregnant would get me closer to my Weight Watchers goal?!? Weird.

I'll do a post in a bit for my "belly pic" which I, once again, am not taking because my belly is not the prettiest sight ever, thankyouverymuch.

Isn't it too early for symptoms?

Oh my gosh... call me crazy but Tums are my new best friend.

4 Week Belly Picture

I'm not taking a picture this week... it's just my regular belly :)

How far along? 4 weeks.
Total weight gain: zero
Maternity clothes? Not yet
Sleep: Ah-may-zing!
Best moment this week: Finding out and telling Jennings, Jennings came home yesterday, pulled up my shirt and said "How's my little period?" The baby is the size of a period (.) right now.
Movement: None
Gender: I'm thinking girl... boy... girl... I can't decide... maybe it's one of each?
Labor Signs: I hope none!
Belly Button in or out? In.
What I miss: Diet Coke
Weekly Wisdom: Your husband will never react the way you expect him to.
Milestones: Finding out we're pregnant and making my first doctor's appointment. 10/14 can't come soon enough!

1st Appointment Scheduled!

October 14... it seems soooo very far away.

We had hoped to go to the doctor before telling our parents. Unfortunately, we're going to see Lobster's parents in person the Sunday before our appointment. So oh well, I guess they'll find out sooner rather than later!

I'm nervous to tell my parents. I'm afraid we'll get a "talkin to" about how we're not ready, blah blah blah.

I do have an appointment with my regular doctor for something else on Thursday of this week... at least she'll confirm the pregnancy for me.

For my OB/GYN appointment, the lady told me to plan on being there for 2 hours. They'll do a health history, labwork, and a vaginal ultrasound!!! Eeeek that makes me excited!

I woke up feeling great this morning. As I was brushing my teeth I gagged. Now I'm clammy but I don't care :) I think it's probably all in my head.

Ahhhh!

Yesterday at about 9am I took a home pregnancy test thinking it would be negative... I was sooo wrong!

























I took that picture and inverted it the way so many ladies on TheBump have and viola! Positive pregnancy test! Faint positive... but positive none-the-less.

I'm still in shock, disbelief, whatever you want to call it. Lobster was close to walking out the door for work as I was taking the test. I didn't want to tell him without having anytime afterwards to be with him while it sank in. So I kept it a secret. Unfortunately, he worked open to close yesterday... I think that may be the longest I've ever kept this big of a secret from him!

It did give me the opportunity to think of a creative way to tell him.

I've had a onsie that I had made for a few years. "Our" song is You and Me by Lifehouse. So the onsie says "You and me... and baby makes three!"

I wanted to do more with it so I set up a whole little "Announcement" setting on the couch so it'd be the first thing he saw when he came upstairs.

Being the evil wife that I am, I videotaped everything!

How I told Lobster

Lobster Finding Out

As far as what we did to get pregnant:

I didn't do anything different really. I was going to try the pineapple core simply because we bought a pineapple the week I thought I was going to ovulate.

I have never temped or used OPKs so I made an educated guess and ate a piece of core at what I believed was 1 DPO then forgot until 3 DPO and then forgot again, so I only ate two pieces.

As far as symptoms go:

I've been really tired, but I was attributing it to stress at work. I cramped Thursday and yesterday, but the cramps were different from AF cramps, almost like a sharp pain every now and then. When I got out of bed Friday morning I had a sharp cramp that almost doubled me over.

Saturday I had a few cramps and didn't have much of an appetite but that may have been due to the excitement.

I have had some heartburn, again, that could be because I haven't eaten much.

Other than that. Nothing that really made me think I was pregnant. I really was expecting to wake up with spotting yesterday. (I generally spot three days before AF shows up.)

So here goes... our trek into parenthood!!! Ekkk!