20 Weeks

Halfway done, woohooo!

It's not like I'm ready to be done with this or anything, but I think part of my girl gene was always missing, so everything I've been going through has been more weird and strange than anything else. Go nerddom. Most of the time I'd rather research something and THEN experience it, but no matter what I read, or am told, or watch, THIS EXPERIENCE IS MINE. People can give me tips and tricks and all kinds of advice, but this is unique to Chloe and me. EVERY pregnancy is different. It's cool though. What would life be without experiencing it?

No denying she's in there now! I *swear* this happened overnight...

I've been learning some things about my new Chloe-nurturing body:

1. Leaning forward...SUCKS
2. Standing still in one place for too long...SUCKS
3. Crossing my legs....SUCKS
4. Bending over...SUCKS
5. Feeling kicks...AWESOME
6. Chloe moving and leaning on my tummy...weird and a little uncomfortable
7. My sense of smell (that was already strong)...curse and a blessing
8. Carrying anything...SUCKS

So basically, sitting still is great. Yep.

This week for Chloe:

• her uterus is fully formed and there are about 7 million primitive eggs is it. (This is probably why her dad was afraid when he found out, lol)
• she's about 10 inches, head to toe, or banana length
• Meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion is being produced and building up for her first diaper soiling
• She weighs about 10 ounces (although I feel like the ultrasound technician may have said 12 at Wednesday's appointment)

I want to meet her!

IMPORTANT NEWS UPDATE

Today was the day! We went to the doctor this morning to find out test results, and...

***drumroll***

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I know, the suspense...


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...to find out the baby's GENDER!

I, personally, did not really care what we were having. I'm just happy to find out what so I can stop calling my baby "It". Just doesn't seem right. Kinda mean even. Anyway, so....

...and she was NOT SHY AT ALL about sharing that information! We will have to break that habit...

Yaay! Hi Chloe!!!!

Why I Want a Baby Boy

Disclaimer: I've never had a child. I think I've pretty much avoided and limited my interactions with smaller children all of my life, not only because they freak me out because they're little, extremely intelligent humans, but also because, well, they freak me out. I never know what to say to them or how to act around them, and I have absolutely NO IDEA if anything I'm about to say is remotely accurate or true. Also, there is another post about Why I Want a Baby Girl. No favorites here.

1. Less complication. I think having a boy, first at least, would be easier. There's aways going to be worry when you have a child, but it seems like there's less of it with a boy. He'd more than likely get into and try to climb on top of EVERYTHING, but you don't worry so much when they fall down. I don't know, maybe it's not that way at all, but it just seems so.
2. The bonding. I know whatever the outcome is, there will be bonding, but there's something special about a mother-son AND a father-son relationship.  We will fight, we'll laugh, we'll struggle with making him clean up, we'll argue about his choices in women....but it'll all be worth it.
3. SPORTS! I know its not a set thing that boys will play sports and girls wont, but it just seems more natural and easier to get a boy into those things. I loved being outside as a child, and no matter what my child is I hope he or she will want the same, but there's always more and better sports equipment for guys. Don't argue with me on that one; I shop in the men's section for sweatpants and basketball shorts for that reason ALONE. Guys get better sports stuff. Proven fact.

I'm sure there are more reasons to be added. They will be if there are.

Why I Want a Baby Girl

Disclaimer: I've never had a child. I think I've pretty much avoided and limited my interactions with smaller children all of my life, not only because they freak me out because they're little, extremely intelligent humans, but also because, well, they freak me out. I never know what to say to them or how to act around them, and I have absolutely NO IDEA if anything I'm about to say is remotely accurate or true. Also, there is another post about Why I Want a Baby Boy. No favorites here.

1. They're freaking CUTE. What girl WOULDN'T want a little girl to dress up and have someone else's hair to do (experiment with) and have a little someone to go around with them and get compliments on and whatnot? Little girls are the most fun parts of being human. They're so tiny and beautiful and strong and free and happy-go-lucky and just PRECIOUS. 
2. Have you seen the CLOTHES?!?! I'll admit, suits and polos and whatnot are sooooo amazingly cute on little boys, but EVERY piece of girl clothing is freaking adorable. Every. Single. One.
3. The bonding. I know whatever the outcome is, there will be bonding, but there's something special about a mother-daughter AND a father-daughter relationship.  We will fight, we'll laugh, we'll struggle for power, we'll cry over what we've said to each other and argue about her choices in men....but it'll all be worth it.

I'm sure there are more reasons to be added. They will be if there are.

19 Weeks

Almost half way there!

Baby's been moving around in there...I understand that's supposed to happen, but that doesn't make it any less weird. Not kicks and punches so much, but leaning around on the front of my tummy. I've been learning what my physical inabilities now are too...the hard way. All it takes is one wrong twist or a box that's a little too heavy, and its no more moving for mommy. Everything is starting to get uncomfortable too, and it seems like every time I get used to a change in my size or find a good position to sleep or sit in, it changes. *sigh* C'est la vie.

Starting to show for real! Yaay baby bump!!

This week for baby:

• Baby's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch
• Baby has vernix caseosa, which is greasy white stuff that covers your baby's, protecting it from the surrounding amniotic fluid
• Baby's arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and his/her body 
• Baby's kidneys continue to make urine (ewwwwh)
• Hair is sprouting from the scalp!
• Neurons are connected between the brain and baby's muscles
• Cartilage throughout baby's body is turning to bone
• Baby is about 8 ounces and the size of a large mango

Gender appointment coming soon!

18 Weeks

4.5 months in! Which, contrary to popular belief, is NOT halfway done...pregnancy is a 40 week thing, so I still have 2 more weeks until I'm at the halfway marker. We tend to be early with being birthed in my family though, so we'll see what happens.

I've been getting hungrier and able to eat more of my food, which is awesome since all the restaurants I like serve ginormous portions. The weather is finally getting awesome too, so it's about time I head to H&M and  Garden Ridge (I know, strange) and pick up a bunch of cheap/well priced empire waisted spring tops and dresses. I'm still not really showing yet, at least not to the point where I need maternity tops, but I like being comfortable and whatnot.

Poking out a little bit now!

I think I decided that I probably didn't feel a kick, but I have felt some kind of movement in there. There are times when baby's little...something...decides to get lodged in the front of my abdomen for a minute or two. Lower back pain and heartburn are commonly ailments about this time, but I'm happy to report I don't have either of those. Constipation on the other hand, well I wont get into it, but it's there. I started having a bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats in the morning and its been helping. 

This week in baby development:

• Blood vessels visible through baby's think skin
• Ears in final position, though possibly standing out a bit from baby's head
• Baby girl's uterus and fallopian tubes are in place
• Baby boy's genitals are noticeable
• Baby is yawning, stretching, hiccuping, sucking its thumb, twisting and rolling about
• Baby is about 5.5 inches long (there's a bell pepper in there now!) and weighs about 7 ounces

Still working on drinking water. It's just not that appealing to me and it occurred to me that the more you drink, the more you want. That's not a bad thing until you're a slave to the toilet, which I'm not comfortable with but need to GET comfortable with. *le sigh*

17 Weeks

No quips about being on time this time...I mean really, who cares? I just wanted to keep track of everything. Go me.

This week is a fluctuation of appetite. I think it's mostly because the combination of stuff I'm going through (being pregnant, losing my mom, getting married, living, etc...) but sometimes I don't want to eat anything at all and other times I want to shank people for their food. Went to a Hawks game with my Maid of Honor and I could identify every food I smelled before I saw it. I could always do that before, but its stronger now, lol.

***EXCITING NEWS***

Maybe....jusssst maybe....I *MAY* have felt a kick last night. Well, at first it felt like the rugrat decided to gangsta lean on the front of its sac for a little while, but then later at dinner it felt like a punch or kick! I have no idea if I felt the baby or something else weird in there...but I'd definitely never felt that before and it was weeeeiiiird. Fiancé Boo was all smiles about it. Well, if nothing else, I'm definitely showing now (or my appetite is getting me fat, which is still a good thing, lol)...or I look like I could lay off the sweets and do some sit-ups...but it kinda happened overnight (in my opinion):

That black thing would be the belly band, keep me from showing off my undies!

Another angle

I meant to say last time that see the new navel ring? I decided to switch to the preggo one (it's flexible, and all plastic, so I will give a death look to a doctor if they tell me to take it out (metal jewelry is bad if they need to do a C Section, in case they need to defibrillate you)...and then probably take it out) because the other one was just getting uncomfortable. I suppose a lot of that will be happening in the next few months. Like the weave I had in for all of a week, because it was making me uncomfortable as hell and it broke out my face. Well, I THINK it did...either way is wasn't making the break out any better, and had to go. Oh well. Learned my weave lesson.

This week in baby development:

• The skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone
• The umbilical cord is getting stronger and thicker
• Baby can move its joints
• Sweat glands are starting to develop
• Baby's heart is now regulated by its brain, and is going about twice as fast as mine

My clementine phase may be over...but that could just be because I got some that I didn't like. Remind me to stop buying fruit (and most other things) from Wal-Mart. I still dig bagels though, and the only coffee I can really tolerate comes from Chik-Fil-A. I can do Starbucks coffee, but I end up only drinking half of it...and I order the short (8oz) size. Pathetic (and good).

Tonight's agenda: taste wedding cake!

16 Weeks ~The Week Late Edition~

It happens. I'm pregnant. Sue me.

Actually, don't. I need my money for new baby, lol.

Anyway, LAST Friday marked 16 crazy pregnant weeks...which means I'm four months now! Annnnnd absolutely NO ONE believes me, LOL!

I suppose the above is why...I really still don't look pregnant. I'll take it though...who NEEDS to look pregnant or their age? Luckily, I can still ward off  "think they have potential" suitors with this (and have had to already): 

Woohoo, got the ring!

My energy is still getting better and better...I still want to rest and sleep when I get home from work, but it's less of a struggle to just make it through the day now.

This week in baby development:

• Bones are now in place in the ears that may allow baby to hear me
• Muscles in the body are gaining strength, allowing baby to straighten out a little more
• Facial muscles are strong enough for expressions
• Eyes are working, although eyelids are still sealed shut
• Toenail growth starts
• Baby now about the size of an avocado and weighs 3 to 5 ounces

Apparently I glow now. *shrug* Lol. I need to make sure I get a good, balanced diet (something I've NEVER been good at)...which I was making progress on the water drinking until it got cold again. Hopefully I can change that and get all the water I need, but its hard because I'm just not that thirsty in general. Oh well, working on it...