9w4d - Change of heart

Since yesterday, I have done A LOT of thinking.  Mike too.  We prayed and prayed and have decided to do the NT scan around 12 weeks (12w3d to be exact on March 20).   No matter the outcome we will love our baby.  At least we will get to see our baby!   I have heard the horror stories of false positive outcomes with this test.  I pray that doesn't happen to Mike and I.  We have already been through enough.  I also read there is only a 5% chance of this happening.  I don't know if i buy that statistic.  I have heard A LOT of horror stories of false positive tests.  I just have to pray we will be ok.

Symptoms: tired after lunch, thirsty, intermittent light sharp pains all over uterus (hopefully round ligament pain!).

9w3d - First OB appointment

After years of preparing and trying to get pregnant, now that I finally am, I feel like I'm a chicken running around with my head cut off.   Like I said, I was shocked there won't be ultrasounds at every visit.  Who knew?  No one prepares infertiles for all this lack of treatment.  Going through infertility, we are always so closely monitored.  Getting released from our RE's into the world of OB's sucks.  Not gonna lie.  They treat you just like one of the rest.  One of the rest of the women who sneezed and got pregnant.  It sucks.  Rant over.

Anyways, after meeting with the nurse practitioner, who was really really nice, we decided to NOT do prenatal screening.  For those of you reading who don't know what that is, its where they test for down syndrome.  The reason we are opting for NOT doing it is because we will love our baby no matter what.   Granted, Jesus, hear my prayer, I pray my baby is healthy and free of any chromosomal or genetic abnormalities, Amen, because I just don't think I could handle that. I hope He doesn't test me on that statement.  Mike and I have already just been through so much just trying to get pregnant.   We just need some time to breath.

Anyways again, since we are not doing the screening, we will not have another ultrasound until around week 20.  :(  This is the sucky sad part.  I will have gone 11 weeks by that point of not seeing my baby!   At least coming up at my monthly OB appointments I will HEAR the baby since they will at least do a heartbeat check. Thankfully!

So that is my update.  Probably my longest yet.  I guess I just feel lost.  I hope our baby is ok.  And I hope not doing the test is a good decision.

Symptoms:  a little nauseous in the morning, thirsty in the afternoon, headache in the evening.

9w2d - Just symptoms

Symptoms:  nauseous in the morning, nothing much else

9w1d - Just symptoms

Symptoms:  woke up with another big O (that's 4 now if any of you are counting), hungry in the morning, kinda woozy in the AM, tired after lunch, headache in the evening.

9w0d - Weekly update

How Far Along: 9 weeks

My baby this week: Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.

Size of baby:  The baby has grown to the size of a grape, weighs a fraction of an ounce, and is almost 1 inch long.

Maternity Clothes: Almost, my "fat jeans" were very snug yesterday.

Stretch Marks: No.

Sleep: Still peeing around 1 am and 4 am like clockwork.

Best Moment of the Week: Making sure our baby was ok on Tuesday at 8w3d and seeing the heartbeat again.  Won't see it again for a few weeks now!

Movement: No.

Food cravings: No constant cravings yet.  When I think of something good I will keep thinking about it.  Like yesterday potato salad popped in my head so we went to Wegmans and got a tub of potato salad!

Gender: Still don' know yet.  Heartrate was 180 at 8w3d.  Though it will drop and plateau now.

What I Miss: Friends and family.  I find myself holding up in the house a lot because I am afraid to do anything that may hurt the baby.

What I'm Looking Forward To:  The 12 week ultrasound so I can see my baby again!!!

Milestones: Today marks the last 4 weeks in my first trimester!

Emotions: I still think they've been at bay (laugh it up mom and gram)!

Symptoms:  Nothing yet today.  I'll update this as they come like usual.

8w6d - Belly (not a pic)

So Mike and I both think that my belly is starting to firm up like there is a baby in there instead of just being fat.  lol.  It's exciting to feel it.  I can't wait to feel it get even bigger!!!!   :)


Symptoms:  super hungry at 5am, super woozy in the am,  cramps

8w5d - Working from home

I just HAD to get something done for work today.  So instead of risking having my headache come back at my loud bullpen work environment I am working from home today.  So far no headache!  I also started eating something constantly (like dry cereal) and constantly drinking water.  Headaches are so debilitating I really don't want it to come back.

Symptoms:  little nauseous in the AM,

8w4d - New symptoms galore

Symptoms:  nauseous in the AM, super bad tension headache in the back of my head and neck (finally starting to get relieved after sitting away from people and holding my cold water bottle against my neck for a 1/2 hour), retaining water (indentations here and there in my skin reflect this), headache came back with a vengeance closer to bedtime and then again in the middle of the night.

8w3d - Part 2 - Ultrasound

Thank you thank you thank you thank you Lord my baby is okay! They didn't say what the pains are but the baby is ok (and no cysts or anything anywhere). I'm 8w3d today and the lady said it was measuring 8w6d! Big baby! And the heart rate is 180bpm. Strong heart!! We are just so thrilled. I also go more detailed about my first official appointment next week and it turns out it just information and there won't be another sonogram. So today's will be the last until probably around 12 weeks! Going that long will be REALLY hard!!!!

8w3d - Round ligament pain?

So, last night and continuing into today, I've had these weird dull short sharp pains in my lower right abdomen.    I googled the crap out of this and it seems like they are from round ligament pain.  I hope that is the case and nothing else.  As with any new symptom, I kinda freak out and hope it's normal.

Called my OBGYN and they are having me come in for a sonogram this afternoon!  Say prayers everything is normal!

Symptoms: dull short sharp pains in my lower right abdomen, woozy in AM, thirst.

8w2d - Walking attempt

So I attempted to WALK after lunch.  For those of you who don't know me well, I used to RUN before pregnancy.  So I thought how hard could WALKING be?   I haven't worked out since before the embryo transfer.  So, today's 20 minute walk was the first attempt.  It went ok but I was soooooooooooo tired since it was just after lunch (when I am already my most tired).  I thought I was going to fall asleep mid stride!  Hopefully I'll get better at this.  lol.


Symptoms:  big O in the morning, thirst, woozy in AM, heartburn (new symptom!), super duper tired after lunch, pain in my lower right side (maybe round ligament pain but it seems too early for that).

8w1d - Church

Church was an interesting experience this morning.  I just felt so weak/woozy the entire time.  Every scent was overpowering and I just wanted to lay down.  Mike kindly got me two glasses of water mid-service that helped a little.  After the service was over I just sat in the pew and getting to the car seemed like a ton of work.

Symptoms:  exhaustion, tired, woozy, hunger, did I mention tired?

8w0d - Weekly update

How Far Along: 8 weeks

My baby this week: Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from your baby's hands and feet, his eyelids practically cover his eyes, breathing tubes extend from his throat to the branches of his developing lungs, and his "tail" is just about gone. In his brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways. You may be daydreaming about your baby as one sex or the other, but the external genitals still haven't developed enough to reveal whether you're having a boy or a girl. Either way, your baby — about the size of a kidney bean — is constantly moving and shifting, though you still can't feel it.

Size of baby:  ½ inch long, about the of a kidney bean.

Maternity Clothes: Not yet.  Luckily (never thought I'd say that) I was fat before so I have been wearing all my old fat pants.  Typically a size 8 now comfortably rocking a size 12.

Stretch Marks: No.

Sleep: Most nights I pee once around 1 and once around 4 am.

Best Moment of the Week: Getting to see our baby's heart on Monday (7w2d).  It was so beautiful!

Movement: No.

Food cravings: No real cravings but when I get hungry I get hungry quickly.  And when I get full, I get full quickly - like something could go from tasting awesome to tasting like crap within seconds when this happens.

Gender: I have no idea. But since the heart beat was 160 bpm on Monday I wonder if it's a girl.  But since I don't have any morning sickness, maybe it's a boy?  Oh and I did the Chinese Calendar and it says its a boy too.

What I Miss: Good question for today since I am missing my three year old twin brothers' birthday party because their house recently had a flu outbreak.  I wouldn't have missed it before if I weren't pregnant.  Anything for the safety of the baby!!

What I'm Looking Forward To:  February 28th's ultrasound can't come soon enough!

Milestones: Graduating from RE last week and seeing the baby's heartbeat which means I have a 95%~97% of holding my baby in September!!

Emotions: So far they've been at bay.  I think so anyways.  You could always ask my hubby!

Symptoms:  so starving at 6 am I had Mike go downstairs and fetch me an Orgain, headache, exhausted, took a nap

7w6d - TGIF

Thankfully it's Friday.  I am in a constant state of thinking about the baby so being at work is really hard these days.  Just one more day to go 'til the weekend.

Symptoms:  insomnia, veiny bbs, slightly nauseous in the AM, things taste good one minute and gross the next, thirsty in afternoon, crampy in the evening.

7w5d - No symptoms

Praying for symptoms today.  Yesterday's symptomless day wasn't fun at all.  I know I should be happy to be symptomless but people going through infertility long for symptoms so they know their baby is doing stuff in there!  :)

Symptoms:  starving in the morning, a LITTLE BIT of some woozy feelings in the morning (yay!!), tired after lunch, veiny boobs.

7w4d - Just symptoms (or lack there of)

Symptoms:  No nausea, no wooziness.... kinda worried there are no symptoms!  Veiny boobs in the PM.

7w3d - Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Mike and I slept very soundly (with trips to pee of course still) last night knowing our little pumpkin is strong and safe.  :)

Symptoms:  woke up orgasming again in my sleep, thirst, slight nausea / dizzyness in the morning, SOOOOO tired after lunch today, ate steak that was pink inside for dinner and freaking out, weird poking cramps on the right side of my uterus.

7w2d - Ultrasound!!

We have ONE healthy little baby growing in there!!   He (or she) is measuring right on track.  Her (or his) heartrate is 160 beats per minute.   Isn't he/she sooooo cute?

Mike and I were just speechless we were so happy.  Both of our moms were in the room too - mine rubbing my head and crying with joy.  We are just so thrilled!!!!!!!!  The nurse said I can stop my meds on March 4th.  No more stabbing myself with 2 inch needles!  :)   They gave us a little wheel to show where our progression lines up with all the dates.  I also photoshopped in a few keys items in green.

Symptoms:  Dizzy the whole car ride to Cleveland

7w1d - 24 hours

In twenty four hours (plus 30 minutes since my appointment is at 8:30 and it's only 8:00 right now the day before) Mike and I will get to finally see our bab(ies)!!!!!!  :)

Symptoms: veiny, tired (took my first nap today!)

7w0d - Seven weeks!

Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for getting us this far!  7 weeks today!  We are the happiest we've ever been.  And we can't wait to see our little baby on Monday!

From ParentsConnect.com:

This week your baby's brain is growing at a mind-boggling 100 cells per minute within a see-through skull. If you could peer inside, you'd see those tiny brain cells growing and growing and growing (about as quickly as you feel like yours are shrinking and shrinking and shrinking with your "pregnancy brain"!). More high points include:

Your baby's face is becoming more defined this week. A tiny mouth hole (which will be ready to wail before you know it!), tongue, nostrils and ear indentations are visible. His or her eyes are wide open, but he doesn't have irises (the colored part) yet.

Baby's arm buds are growing. At this point they look more like microscopic ping-pong paddles than arms. Baby's leg buds are also forming and will look like tiny paddles by the end of the week.

The umbilical cord—the connection between your baby and the placenta—is now visible.

Your baby is now between 1/3 and 1/4 inch long—about the length of a Tic Tac and about as heavy as an eyelash. While that sounds tiny, he or she is approximately 10,000 times bigger than at conception. Crazy, huh?

Symptoms:  veiny, super duper woozy after taking a hot shower, not many other symptoms today.

6w6d - Starving!

Am I starving???  I wake up starving.  I eat something... I'm still starving.  It's non-stop!!

So, I downloaded several apps for my phone.  The BabyCenter one, BabyBump, and Happy Pregnancy.  They ALL say I am different days along.  The first one says I'm 7 weeks today.  The middle one says I'm 6 weeks and 6 days.  And the last one says I'm 7 weeks and 1 day.   I put in the same due date on all three (Sept. 29)... so what gives?   Weird.

Also, Monday's sonogram should be fun.  Both my mom and mother in law would like to come.  We'd love to have them!  I just hope the clinic lets them in the room.  Who knows.  I hope they do!

Symptoms:  Big O from a dream the night before, veiny, starving, thirsty, woozy all day.

6w5d - I love my husband

So today at work, the receptionist calls me to tell me that I have a delivery.  I get down there and a beautiful bouquet of flowers awaits me!   My sweet husband, who also works with me, sent me flowers!   I love him so much.  He's going to make an incredible dad.

Symptoms:  veiny, woozy in the AM and afternoon, thirst (not as bad today), craving salt, exhausted in the afternoon.

6w4d - Just symptoms again

Thankful to God everyday that I am still pregnant.  God is great!!

I rearranged the blog a bit on the top and side.  I even added my baby ticker!  Isn't it cute?  I made the baby a pumpkin because he/she/they are due in the fall.  :)

Just a list of symptoms...


Symptoms:  starving when I wake up, queasy in the early AM and getting worse.... could this be morning sickness finally??  woozy, craved salt in the AM, craved sugar for lunch.

6w3d - Newest generation

My father in law sent me a picture of their newly hung family photo wall.   Notice the paper on the right (our embryos)!!!!

Symptoms:  A few pink/red spots in the AM then again in the PM, thirst, super sense of smell (almost go gagging), woozy in AM, tired after lunch, I think heartburn (not sure), cramps after moving.

6w2d - Just symptoms

No huge update today.  Mike tried to get our ultrasound moved to this Friday but they were completely booked.  So NEXT Monday it is!   So far away!!

Symptoms:  peed a lot the night before, veiny, woozy in the AM, thirst, heightened sense of smell, very tired after lunch, little brown dis, cramps after moving.

6w1d - Just symptoms

Blessed every day I'm still pregnant.  :)


Just symptoms today....


Symptoms:  peed a lot at night, woozy in the AM, cramps after moving

6w0d - Yay!!

6 weeks!!!   Soooooo happy to wake up this morning 6 weeks preggers!!   Our baby is the size of a lentil this week:

This week starts a period of rapid cellular development for your baby-to-be, who looks like a mini tadpole, with a tiny head and tail. His or her eyes, ears and mouth have begun to form (though they're a little more Discovery Channel "creatures of the sea" documentary than Gerber Baby at this point).

Other exciting milestones include:

Your baby's heart is now beating to a regular beat, although it's still too faint to hear.

His or her arm buds are just beginning to, well, bud. They look like teensy swollen bumps at this point. In a few days, they'll resemble itsy-bitsy flippers.

Your baby has grown to ⅛ inch long—about the size of one of the chocolate sprinkles on your last cupcake (and your last ice cream cone, and your last sundae and your last giant cookie ... maybe there is something to those rumors about pregnancy cravings!).

Symptoms: veiny, headache, sensitive smell, took a nap, woozy, headache (wouldn't go away with water), cramps after moving

5w6d - Scared but now at ease

Scary thing happened today.  Had a little brown spotting this morning.  I called the clinic and the nurse said if she had a dollar for every time she heard that she'd retire.   So I guess it's pretty common.  Still FREAKING scary.  I've been praying all morning.  If you're reading this, please say a prayer too!
.......
The spotting was just the once in the morning.  Nothing since and no bad cramps.  I'm feeling a lot better now.  :)

Symptoms: hungry in the morning, veiny, burpy, brown spotting once in the morning, thirsty, brief dizzy feeling just before lunch, very tired after lunch, cramps after moving

5w5d - Beta #3 - 21dp5dt

Got the call!  6211!!!!

Our scan is Monday February 13th, to see the heartbeat!!!!!!!


Symptoms:  I think I felt nauseated this morning, woozy, burpy, sensitive smell, thirsty, two tan spots, d, lots of cramps after standing in the PM.

5w4d - Praying

I love being pregnant.  I just have this overwhelming sense of calmness.  It feels soooooooo nice.  :)

....

That was earlier today.  I think I spoke too soon.  I had a major mental snap just now after not getting home all day long.  Just a long day.  Praying the beta goes well tomorrow.


Symptoms:  Quite veiny in the AM, cramps when standing, thirsty, burpy, small teeny tiny red blood dot, mood swings.