14 Weeks and Bumpdate

How many weeks:

14 weeks

How big is baby:

The size of a lemon

Maternity Clothes:

Yes and no.  My belly swells by the end of the day, so I wear either maternity pants or anything stretchy.

Weight Gain Alert!

I've gained two more pounds!

I now weigh 128 lbs.

Movement:

I think I've felt a few little flutter-like movements, but nothing definite.

Food Cravings:

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream, Cornbread Dressing

Food Aversions:

Anything fried, Buffalo Wild Wings

Gender:

Still not exactly sure when we will know but I'm so excited to find out!

Symptoms:

Frequent urination, increased appetite, mood swings, weepiness, indigestion, breast changes, sensitive gums, heightened sense of smell, fatigue-but I'm feeling the 2nd Trimester burst of energy

What do I miss:

Nothing!

Best moment of the week:

Thanksgiving and the yummy food, spending quality time with Brandon, and just being pregnant.

What am I looking forward to:
A continued healthy pregnancy.

Milestones:
As strange as this may sound to most, I'm excited that I can actually feel the top of my uterus.

"Baby is now the size of my clenched fist.  Other developments this week include a roof in baby's mouth and intestinal activity.  Meconium is now being produced.  Lanugo now covers the baby's body for warmth."
from What to Expect When You're Expecting

Bumpdate
My tummy is still growing-I'm going to be one big pregnant lady!

Ramblings

I had a dream last night that I gave birth to the baby in the car.  So far, I've had some crazy and intense dreams.  The only details I remember are that Brandon was traveling, and my Mom and Uncle Chuck were driving me to the hospital.  The baby came in one quick push and was born in the car driving down the interstate.  Of course, I did not pay any attention to the baby's gender in this dream.

I'm still not sure if I think it's a boy or girl.  Is that strange?  After looking at furniture and clothes, I would love to have a little girl.  I love making hair bows, the clothes are precious, and it would be super easy to decorate her room.  But that's not to say that I wouldn't love having a little boy.  We have so many superhero things already put back for a little boy.

Before we were ever pregnant, I always said that I wanted to have a little boy first.  Now I'm just thankful that we're pregnant!  The suspense of not knowing the gender is fun though.  I can't wait until we find out and we're able to start decorating the baby's room!

Work, Holidays, and Pregnancy

For a while now I've only been posting about appointments and bumpdates.  I haven't had much to blog about.

Work is getting busy!  For those of you who don't know, I work in a locally owned jewelry store in Alabaster, Alabama.  We sell beautiful jewelry and included in that is the PANDORA collection.  Christmas is a chaotic time for us in the store with so many people purchasing gifts.  I've been completely surprised at the men already out shopping!  We have a Black Friday sale this week, but we also have the Iron Bowl here in Alabama as well.  I gave my ticket to my Dad.  He bought tickets for Brandon and I last year, so I wanted to return the favor.  Plus, there's no way that I am going to do all of that walking on a day off from work.

So far this pregnancy has been pretty uneventful.  I can't remember if I mentioned that my blood pressure was high last week (diastolic).  The acid reflux has gotten better and I've been able to decrease the amount of Tums I eat in a day.  My lactose intolerance has lessened and I can now drink chocolate milk and eat ice cream!  The fatigue is getting better, but I still take a three hour nap on my off days.  I've been amazed at the frequent urination though.  It's hilarious that I can barely drink anything and then trek to the bathroom four times within an hour.

I hope everyone has safe travels this week.  Happy Thanksgiving!

13 Weeks and Bumpdate

*We've made it to the 2nd Trimester!*

How many weeks:

13 Weeks
*4th Month of Pregnancy*

How big is baby:

The size of a peach

Maternity Clothes:
Yes.  I have one pair of jeans that fit that are not maternity.
Leggings and sweater dresses have also been super comfortable this past week.

Weight Gain Alert!
still 126 lbs

Movement:
The Sneak was waving on the ultrasound this week.

Food Cravings:
Chocolate Milk, Cinnamon Toast, Fruit, Dr. Pepper

Food Aversions:
Fried Food, Chick fil A, Arby's curly fries

Gender:
We should know either at the end of December or the first of January!

Symptoms:
Fatigue in the morning, backache, frequent urination, headaches, sensitive to smells, forgetfulness, increased appetite, thirsty, drooling, weepiness, mood swings, changes in breasts, dry and itchy skin, hot flashes

What do I miss:
Nothing! 

Best moment of the week:
Our first appointment with Dr. Mac was great.  This pregnancy already feels much less stressful with no more need for weekly visits.

What am I looking forward to:
Being pregnant through the holidays and finding out the baby's gender.

Milestones:
This week brings us to the 2nd Trimester!  The Sneak and I are a third of the way there.

"Tiny bones are beginning to form arms and legs, the intestines are beginning to move from the umbilical cord to the abdomen, and the vocal cords are well under construction.  Baby may also be able to get his/her thumb into their mouth."
from What to Expect When You're Expecting

Bumpdate:

I think it's funny that I'm showing so early, but have only gained 3 lbs so far.  

Gender Poll

Boy or Girl?

Do you think The Sneak is a boy or girl?  

You only get one chance to vote, and I cannot tell who votes or which gender they choose.  

*All you have to do is click your vote on the poll on the right of the screen!*

Brandon has wavered back and forth on his prediction and so have I.  Either way, we will be thrilled!  

We already have definite names picked out, but we would prefer to wait to announce any names until after the gender scan.

I cannot wait until we find out-which will be either late December or early January!

-----------------------------------------------

Chinese Gender Prediction Chart says

GIRL

Wedding Ring Tied to Hair (old wives tale) says

GIRL

November 13th Appointment

I had my first appointment with Dr. McKenzie (Dr. Mac) today.  After the appointment, I felt extremely positive about choosing him as our OB!

Today's appointment was a long one filled with paperwork, nursing consult, doctor consult, and labwork.

My nurse today was Mary, and she was super sweet.  She was very sensitive to my previous fertility history, and extremely excited to see how far we've come.  She was full of so much useful information about all of the aches and pains of pregnancy.  She sent me home with a list of medicines safe to take, foods and activities to avoid, a little pregnancy journal, and magazine about the baby's development.

While waiting for the doctor, a different nurse came in with the doppler to hear the baby's heartbeat.  The Sneak's heart was racing away today at 168 bpm.  I'll never get tired of hearing my precious baby's heart!

Meeting with Dr. Mac was super special.  We first met him when he spoke with Joy at church about Nesia's miracle story.  He remembered me and our situation and greeted me with a hug!  He discussed the first weeks of pregnancy and told me that how I got pregnant should not affect anything furthermore.  He was ready to take me to the exam room and he offered me an ultrasound to ween me away from them for a bit.  The Sneak was SUPER ACTIVE today, waving and dancing around.  I even saw the mouth open and close!  Dr. Mac sat and counted the fingers for me and gave me a few pictures.

12w3d

12w3d

12w3d

We could not have picked a better OB and practice.  His office is filled with scripture and caring staff.  Today's appointment made this pregnancy feel much more real and normal.  Don't get me wrong, I know it's real, but it's nice to be away from the fertility clinic.  God has given us this precious gift and I will forever be thankful.  

My next appointment is scheduled for December 11 at 16w3d.  It will still be a little early for the gender scan, but we will schedule it from there.  Dr. Mac's plan is to see me once every 4 weeks as long as everything looks good!

12 Weeks and Bumpdate

How many weeks:

12 weeks

How big is baby:

The size of a plum

The Sneak measured 4.5cm on Tuesday!

Maternity Clothes:

Yes!

A sweet friend, Trista, showed up with a box of maternity clothes at work last Saturday.  

I now have 2 pairs of jeans, 2 pairs of nice pants for work, numerous dresses and tops, along with some pajamas and nursing tops.  Thank you, Trista!

Weight Gain Alert!

Still weighing in at 126 lbs, so no weight gain this week.

Body Changes:
My bump is very pronounced, and I think I look further along than 12 weeks.
I've started rubbing cocoa/shea butter on my tummy to hopefully help reduce stretch marks/badges of honor.

Movement:
The baby is moving a lot, but he/she is still so small.  

I feel the occasional flutter every few days, but I cannot wait to feel The Sneak moving around all the time. 

Food Cravings:

Junk Food!  I craved BBQ, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Arby's this week.  

Also, Dr. Pepper and Starbucks (decaf)

My healthy cravings have flown out the window.

Food Aversions:

Chick fil A, Creamed Corn, Bacon

Gender:

6ish more weeks until we find out.

We will be scheduling the gender reveal appointment next week!

Symptoms:

Occasional fatigue, nausea when hungry, increased appetite, some acid reflux, thirsty all the time, bloated, indigestion, constipation, frequent urination, vivid dreams, weepiness, mood swings, back pain, tender tummy, tender breasts, headaches

What do I miss:

Nothing!  I'm starting to feel better this week.

Best moment of the week:

Graduating from the fertility clinic and taking my last Estrogen pill and Progesterone-in-Oil injection

What am I looking forward to:
Our first OB appointment with Dr. McKenzie and scheduling the gender reveal appointment

Milestones:

We have almost made it through the first trimester.  The Sneak is growing so much!

"The baby now weighs a full half ounce.  Most systems are in place, but much maturation needs to take place.  The pituitary gland has started producing the hormones that will allow The Sneak to have babies some day."

from What to Expect When You're Expecting

Bumpdate

It's an involuntary reflex for me to suck in my tummy when I smile.  ;)  

This is me completely relaxed standing normal.  

I am looking big already!! 

November 6th Graduation Appointment

We have graduated from the fertility clinic!

Today was a bittersweet day.  We are so grateful to ART for everything that they have done for us, but we are ready to move on with this pregnancy.  Weekly ultrasounds have been great, but I'm ready to be treated like this is a normal pregnancy (whatever that is!).

I'm far enough along now to have tummy ultrasounds instead of vaginal ultrasounds!  You do not know how happy I am about that.  If you've never experienced the joy accompanied by one, three, or maybe 30+ vaginal ultrasounds, you're not missing anything.

Our precious baby is measuring 11 weeks + 1 day with a heartrate of 171 bpm.  The Sneak was moving around once we started the ultrasound and was sleeping by the end.  We were able to see the fingers and toes, and the baby's precious little nose.  It's amazing how something so small could look like a baby when he/she's only the size of a lime.

If you're standing in front of me looking at my tummy, the baby's head is on my right and the feet are on my left.  The baby is laying on his/her back looking up at my tummy.  So far, this is how the baby's always been positioned, but I'm sure he/she will start moving around more soon.

Tammy (our nurse) was able to see the placenta, which is in the process of taking over right now.  She also measured my cervix, which is much more pleasant when the ultrasound wand is on my tummy!  Tammy said that everything looked great today.  We were even able to hear the precious baby's heartbeat again.

We are continuing the PIO injections and Estrace through Friday evening!  I'll be 12 weeks on Saturday, so my body should be completely capable of taking care of the baby without additional hormones.

We are scheduled to see Dr. McKenzie at Brookwood next Tuesday.  From there, we should only see the doctor every four weeks.  I am so thankful to have seen my little baby grow so much, from a tiny embryo to 4.5 centimeters.  God is good!

Day Three of Thankfulness

The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart exults,
and with my song I shall thank Him.
Psalm 28:7

Without God and His unfailing grace, I have no idea where I would be.  He has helped me through so much. At so many times throughout our journey, I was ready to give up and ask why me.  Yesterday I talked about giving up control to God.  It's hard for anyone to trust, much less trust that God will provide in His timing.  I know that God knew what He was doing all along, but it didn't make the situation hurt any less.  Giving up control and trusting in Him was not something that happened over night for me.  It was a process that required much prayer.  Once I was able to trust in Him, the bad things didn't seem quite so bad anymore.  And believe me, a chemical pregnancy, having multiple surgeries and procedures along with hospitalization for five days was extremely far from being pleasant.  Somehow through all of that, Brandon and I were able to find joy and peace in the midst of our trials.  I know that without God's love we would be where we are today-11 weeks pregnant.

11 Weeks and Bumpdate

How many weeks:

11 Weeks

How big is baby:

The size of a lime

Maternity Clothes:

While traveling this week, I had to unbutton my jeans to sit in the car comfortably.  My maternity jeans are amazing and I look forward to buying some more clothes soon.

Weight Gain Alert!

I weigh 126 lbs today (that's 3lbs gained so far in this pregnancy).

Movement:

I hope The Sneak is dancing away in my tummy!

Food Cravings:

Coffee, Sweets, Dr. Pepper, Water, BBQ (although my cravings change daily)

Food Aversions:

Fried food, Carbs (anything too heavy)

Gender:

7ish weeks until we find out!

Symptoms:

Fatigue, headaches, uncomfortable bloating, acid reflux, indigestion, constipation, uncomfortable gas pains, enlarged breasts, bleeding gums, intense sense of smell, drooling (during day and night), nausea (without vomiting), weepiness for no reason, mood swings, increased appetite, vivid dreams, growing tummy

What do I miss:

I did miss not seeing The Sneak's growth this week.

Best moment of the week:

Seeing our family in North Carolina, but I did enjoy getting back to Sweet Home Alabama.  You won't catch this Momma traveling anymore during this pregnancy!!

What am I looking forward to:

Our graduation appointment with Dr. Allemand this week and our first OB appointment on November 13th.

Milestones:

My little bump is growing more and more visible.

"Baby has been busy this week growing hair follicles, fingernails, and ovaries(if she's a girl).  The Sneak has distinct human characteristics by now, with hands and feet in front of his/her body, with ears nearly in their final shape, open nasal passages on the tip of the nose, a tongue and palate in the mouth, and visible nipples. Also, the hands and feet now have individual fingers and goes."

from What to Expect When You're Expecting

Bumpdate

The bump is growing!

Day Two of Thankfulness

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:34

Brandon and I both have grown much spiritually over the past two years. I think we all go through difficult times. I've done my fair share of trying to get through situations on my own without God's help. Everything was much easier once I gave up control to God. It took me much longer to realize that He is in control so I don't have to be!

During the two years it took us to conceive this baby, I felt alone. I only felt that way because I would withdraw into my own sadness. In this life, we are never alone. God never leaves us. He loves us each and every minute of he day; whether or not we submit control to Him.
God never stops loving us, and I am thankful for that never-ending undeserving love.

Day One of Thankfulness

But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord's praise,
for he has been good to me.
Psalm 13:5-6

God has been good to me. He is good all of the time, but He has been especially good to me lately. I never thought that I would be 10 weeks and 5 days pregnant. Pregnancy always seemed like a foreign thought.

In this season, I find myself thankful. This pregnancy is a precious gift from God. Brandon and I are extremely grateful to God for this baby.

North Carolina

The funeral service for Brandon's grandfather was beautiful.  Everyone had such wonderful things to say about PaPa Hairr.  After the service and burial, there was a meal prepared for the family.
Brandon's grandfather had four children, eight grandchildren, and thirteen (not exactly sure) great-grandchildren.   This family is pretty big!

Most of the family is still in town today, and everyone is gathering at his PaPa's house to have lunch before everyone starts returning home.  Everyone is scattered, living in Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Alabama.  We have not seen everyone in one place since we visited at Thanksgiving four years ago.

We are planning on staying today and returning home early tomorrow.  My boss allowed me to take tomorrow off as well (to travel home), but I have to return to work on Saturday.  Things are about to start getting busy with the Holiday season quickly approaching!