12 Weeks

Yaay, it's the beginning of the end!

Okay, so not like the ultimate end, but my body is supposed to start evening back out and soon I hopefully wont be so tired all the time. I've officially been pregnant for three months!

This week in pregnancy brings:

• Baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close
• Toes will curl
• Eye muscles will clench, 
• Mouth will make sucking movements
• If you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it 
• Baby's intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into the abdominal cavity about now
• The kidneys will begin excreting urine into the bladder

Apparently, my uterus has grown large enough that it can be felt low in my abdomen above my pubic bone. Its possible that someone can, but I don't know what I'm feeling for at the moment. I well say though that this week has brought a tight feeling above my pubic bone, so maybe I can feel it on the inside but not from the outside yet. I wake up on my tummy and it can be a little uncomfortable (like waking up with the tv remote lodged in your abs), but other times its more like hey, something's in there!

There hasn't been much change in tummy size...it's still the weight I've put on and not a baby bump yet. It's going to be weird when there is an actual bump though. I probably need to go ahead and order a flexible tummy ring so I can keep something in the hole once I do start stretching out though. I'm really, really, really hoping the hospital doesn't make me remove all or any of my other body jewelry. I know that's a stretch, but it'd be nice.

Weekend vacation starts tonight!

Doctor's Appointment

Today I went to my OB/GYN for the second time. The practice has three doctors who rotate, but I've only seen one of them so far. I think I see a different one next month. I haven't quite figured out my impression of this doctor yet though...she's a bit mousy and always has her little laptop with her to input/read information from my chart. She seems a bit timid too. I would think about maybe looking for another doctor, but I'm trying to wait and see what the other ones in the practice are like first. Plus, if I did switch, I think I'd still want to find one in close proximity so I can still deliver at DeKalb Medical.

I've officially gained two pounds since last month's checkup. It feels like way more than that sometimes though, with all the bloating. It hasn't been terribly bad or painful lately though. I have been hungry like clockwork though, and it hits FAST. I start to feel the pangs and then BAM, I feel like I could eat my whole desk if it were edible. I've been trying to keep decently healthy snacks at my desk though, in case I'm not ready for a meal yet. My fav has been a small can of pineapple chunks so far. I have no idea if I've actually really craved anything, but I've been eating a lot more Taco Bell, broccoli cheese soup from Quizno's, and queso from Moe's. I've probably had more pizza too, but I think that one's because I'm too tired to cook and Little Caesar's and its $5, always ready pizza is right down the street. I haven't been a big fan of leftovers lately either. Once I've had it, I'm good.

All of my test results were great!

Today was heartbeat day. We sat in the office trying to hear it, and I think I did a few times, but the doctor kept moving the thing around so I wasn't sure if I was just hearing the inside of my body, or the heartbeat. I was a bit nervous when she said we needed to go do an ultrasound to make sure, but lo and behold, a baby:

Yep, that's the inside of my body. Yep, there's a kid growing in there. Seeing it and seeing it's little heart beat made everything sooooo real. In case you can't make out the blurs, the black cavern is holding the baby, and head is in the middle of that, and the body and little legs and arms are to the right of the head. I shed a tear or two. It was surreal. 

I'm really going to be a mother.

11 Weeks

A bit late, but I'm tired/busy/pregnant/tried/exhausted/tired or whatever. Pick an excuse and run with it.

Gained some more weight this week.

So basically, for a while it will just be me getting fatter until the real baby bump comes in, lol. Getting to next week is going to be exciting though, I can't wait to not be dead tired anymore. For a while at least (until I get super huge and its the middle of summer).

This week in baby development:

• Nearly all structures and organs are formed and beginning to function.
• Fingers and toes have separated 
• Hair and nails begin to grow (I read somewhere that started last week, but have found more sources that say this week)
• The genitals begin to take on the proper gender characteristics (still can't tell though...I get that ultrasound around 18 weeks)
• Amniotic fluid begins to accumulate as the kidneys begin to function
• The muscles in the intestinal walls begin to practice contractions that digest food
• Baby is about 1.61 inches (4.1 cm) long and weighs 0.25 ounce (7gm).

This week there are still more headaches. These are NOT fun, but I've only popped two Tylenol so far, so that's good I guess. I've also been drinking more water...which is usually hard for me but now that I'm getting used to it it's not so bad.

10 Weeks

Today marks 10 weeks!

This week was FILLED with emotions and headaches, stress and relaxation...and a large cherry limeade from Sonic which made my day! I have determined that I'll be hitting up my local Sonic's happy hour once a week now...

This week the baby is still tiny, but vital organs are forming as well as nails on the fingers and toes. It's limbs can bend and there is apparently a lot of kicking going on in there, but I can't feel it yet. It's starting to be possible to hear the baby's heartbeat now; some women do this early and some don't. I have an appointment in a couple of weeks, but I can't remember if the doc said she's was going to do an ultrasound this or next month.

I've been having lots and lots of headaches (I have one now, but I got some Tylenol I'm going to pop in a second), I'm still SUPER tired all the time, and just yesterday I developed a hip pain, but that could've been from sleeping wrong. I've been much hungrier too.

10 week tummy...still no baby in that bump

I know it's going to take a while before the bump becomes baby and right now it's just me getting fatter, but it's still fun to document the process. I am NOT looking forward to my face getting fat though. I have been walking up and down the stairs in the office when I get so tired I start to get mad. It's been helpful...I warm up some and get some energy from it. I can't wait until the pool in my complex opens. Or, I get a membership to the GT or some other gym. I did used to like swimming laps by myself in the GT pool though...maybe I'll get back to it.

Stress, Part 2

Stress level was lowered greatly this weekend. The one I needed help from the most somehow got off a lot earlier than normal on Friday, and we basically spent the weekend talking, getting to know each other better, and generally loving each other. I needed that. Baby needed that.

One of my coworkers suggested that I come up with a nickname for Baby until I know what the gender is, but I dunno where to even start with that. A friend of mine went with Princess Baby, but she also had a strong feeling that she was having a girl. I keep trying to will it to be a boy, but I'm really happy either way. I think a boy will be a lot less trouble (until he really starts getting into trouble) and less complicated in a lot of ways, but little girls are soooo dern cute! THE CLOTHES! What woman wouldn't want to be able to dress their little girl up in all the frills and lace and cute things that baby girls get to wear? I would need to get serious about my gun license though...but with the way pedophiles are these days I might need it either way. And little girls raised wrong are so damn FAST. I dunno, we'll see.

#Random: I can't WAIT to get all the good toys I had and wanted for the kid....like really huge sets of Legos, the coolest Super Soakers, and if I'm blessed with a daughter the ENTIRE American Girl set of her choice...I can't WAIT? (I also hope to not be a broke ass fool when that time comes, lol)

Addy doll and books...her "choice" of course!

I have a meeting now to help determine my maternity leave fate. Here's hoping it goes well...

9 Weeks

This week has been brought to you, in part, by STRESS. STRESS, effing it up for EVERYBODY.

I have a lot going on. The maternity leave thing, the whole being pregnant thing, and just life. If you know me, you know I have NO PROBLEM getting rid of whatever's causing me stress (well, obviously not my baby....that's no where near on the agenda). Well, I had problems with a few things in the past, but those we're really tough things to cut out. After being  able to reduce or cut those things though, I have no issues with things that aren't so tough, so watch out! I will cut you!

Baths and hot chocolate. Those are my go-to's now. And Fire Breath. Which sounds not so good, but it's really relaxing.

Which, I actually just found out I'm not supposed to do. Bullocks.

Anyway, today is the 9 weeks. The baby is the size of a grape and its "tail" is gone now (*phew*). Heart valves and teeth are forming and the reproductive organs are there (yaaaay!) but we can't distinguish them yet (boooooo!!!). There are eyes and earlobes! Apparently, feeling pregnant but not looking it is where my body is, and mood swings are more common now (all truth).

9 week baby tummy...I gained some weight ^_^

I still don't have the baby bump, but I know I gained a little weight this week...which is goooooood....I've been eating better (and more) which was a worry I had, because I lost a good bit of weight dealing with mom's illness and passing.

Another concern of mine is people feeling free to touch me once I'm huge. I don't like random people touching me, and sometimes not even people I know. My coworkers are courteous enough to not even touch my afro, which is a little surprising actually, but I guess they get it, personal space is just that. Maybe I need to find a few maternity shirts that make my wishes loud and clear, because, um...see the last sentence of the second paragraph above. 

Damnit. I think I'm craving Little Caesar's breadsticks. #random

Diaper Cake

I hope I get one. Just throwing that out into the universe.

^_^

Yoga Experience

I went to a yoga class Sunday night. Went through everything just fine, and I SWEAR, I FELT my little baby pocket in there. It was an interesting new feeling. It wasn't painful or anything, but I think I was so loose and relaxed that I have no choice but to feel the little life sustaining pouch. It was kinda cool, actually.

After the class (maybe I should have said something before?) I wanted to ask the instructor if there were poses/moves I shouldn't be doing...all I got out was that I was preggo and his eyes TRIPLED in size! He advised me to "Google" contraindications of yoga and pregnancy. It looks like I did two of the poses I'm not supposed to, but at least one of them states not for late term.

Cobra pose, apparently not good for baby
 (feels gooooood tho) :-(

The ever-popular Downward Facing Dog...can't do this one late term
 (although I might fudge that fact, this in NOT fun for me!)

I found this one funny. I can't do the Happy Baby pose, lol!

Can't do things that have me on my back after 20 weeks.
Doctor's orders.

The last one looks realllly relaxing, which sucks, because I wont be able to do it. Oh well. I'll get back into it after the kid's here. 

Upon further research, I found some good text about my yoga capabilities during pregnancy. Basically I can't do the following:

1. Inverted poses such as headstands, handstands and shoulder stands
2. Back bends such as upward-facing-bow or upward-facing-dog
3. Prone poses, or poses that have me on my tummy
4. Supine, or on the back, poses after the first trimester
5. Twists, such as the seated Marychiasana or the standing rotating triangle pose, without modification

Marychiasana pose...umm...wtf?

I'm excited after the last class though! It was fun, I was energized when I left, and I feel like I connected with my body and growing baby. I've even been doing some of the breathing exercises in traffic, which I don't think I should do a lot of (I got suuuuper relaxed) but it helped beat the stress. Good stuff!