Almost 34 weeks!

Wow, time flies in the 3rd trimester!  Things are still chugging along nicely.  I'll be 34 weeks in 2 days...wow still so hard to believe!  I am so incredibly thankful for everything I have in my life and I have been getting emotional lately when I think about where I was last year at this time.  Feeling Olivia play around in my belly is amazing and I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world....(cue the tears again, lol).

Anyways, we are working diligently on getting everything ready for her arrival in roughly 6 weeks.  The nursery is pretty much finished.  We are going to do some of our remaining shopping this weekend for all things baby.  That will include everything I still need to get for labor and delivery, specifically my hospital bag. 

Nervousness has also crept in recently.  As much as I can't wait for her to be here and meet our little miracle, I'm starting to seriously sweat a lot of small things.  Mostly, I just feel like there is no way I can ever be prepared for something like this....not exactly my style as a person that is typically organized and prepared when trying to take on something new. 

How far along?33 weeks 5 days

How are you feeling? 
For the most part I still feel pretty good.  I guess I just expect to be uncomfortable at this stage so I'm not really letting it bother me too much....YET :)  The acid reflux is still kicking my butt, my back pain has now spread to between my shoulder blades as well, urgnecy to pee is kicking into high gear, my feet starting swelling about a week ago and it seems to be a daily occurance now, my hands have swollen just enough so that I can't wear my wedding rings, sleep is getting more uncomfortable by the day....you know all the things that come with the late part of the 3rd trimester. 

Cravings? 
Nada, but I am pretty hungry in general

What are you missing?
Putting on my shoes and tying them without having to put forth a ton of effort, bending over to pick things up without thinking about it, wine/alcohol, and being able to get out of bed easily.

What are you looking forward to? 
Christmas!!!!

Baby Purchases?
Lots of little things here and there.  All the big stuff is done though, thank goodness!

Weight Gain/Loss?
+24

 

 

These pictures were from a couple of weeks ago when Brad and I went to the Lincoln Park Zoo lights with another couple.  I think this is the last time I even attempted to zip/button this coat.

And here's my bump from the work bathroom this morning:

 

Baby Showers & 29 weeks

The past 2 weekends I have had back to back showers.  The first was my friends shower and the second (taking place this past weekend) was my combined family shower.  Wow, we are totally blessed to have some wonderful people in our lives!  People were so generous and and I can't begin to say enough nice things about the people that helped to throw these showers for us. 

Getting all this baby stuff home and put away was alot more time consuming than I had anticipated.  Not that I'm complaining, because it was so much fun!  I can't wait to complete this sweet little baby's nursery.  I know she won't know the difference (whether everything looks just right or not) but for some reason it's important to me and makes me happy to be spending all this time in her nursery making sure things will look just right when I'm done.

Oh and we finally decided on a name: Oliva Grace.  It feels good to have that hurdle over with.  :)

Here are some pictures of the current progress of her room:

The pack n play is not staying in her room, but we're keeping it in there for now.

How far along?
29 weeks 4 days

How are you feeling? 
Feeling pretty good!  Acid reflux is still around and the back pain persists but it's nothing too terrible.  Starting to have to get up in the night and pee again.    

Cravings? 
Ehh, nothing really...although I'm really looking forward to all the food tomorrow!

What are you missing?
Running and some wine

What are you looking forward to? 
Thanksgiving tomorrow!!

Baby Purchases?
Oh yeah, lots.  We had our showers the last 2 weekends.  Afterwards, we made our returns and then got a lot of the stuff off our registry (except I still need to update it since we forgot to have them do that at the store).  Pretty much all the big stuff is done with the exeption of a few items.  I'm feeling much more prepared now. 

Weight Gain/Loss?
+20

 

Some pics from my most recent shower (not the best quality)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Third Trimester, Here I come!!

This little peanut has been so active lately!  It seems like she is constantly moving around in there.  Also, when I put my hand on my belly now, the movements feel much stronger.  When I wake up in the middle of the night I usually can feel her moving around then too!  She really likes to hang out and jam herself right under the right side of my rib cage.  It's either her head or her butt in there but it's been making it difficult to be comfortable when sitting at my desk.  Sometimes I try to give her a gentle push to get her to move and that seems to relieve some of the pressure.  It makes me wonder how uncomfortable this will continue to get as she grows.  I guess I'll find out shortly. :)

How far along?27 weeks 4 days

How are you feeling? 
Still can't complain too much since I feel pretty good.  I only ran once last week and I really have no motivation at this point to continue running.  Achiness sets in faster now when I am active as a reminder that I can't do normal activities like I used to.  I'm also noticing that the energy that I was loving seems to be waning with each day.  I'm not nearly as exhausted as I was in first tri though, so that is a positive! 

New Symptoms?
Acid reflux isn't new but it seems to be intensifying lately.  I think that's whats causing all the burping.  It's involuntary and really hard to hold in, causing some embarrassment at times (like work).  My sciatica has been acting up quite a bit in the last week as well.

Cravings? 
Still mostly sweets

What are you missing?
Some sushi and wine sound pretty good

Maternity Clothes?
Yup

What are you looking forward to? 
My showers (taking place over the next 2 weekends)

Baby Purchases?
Nothing lately but I'm sure we'll get quite a few things on Black Friday 

Weight Gain/Loss?
+17-18

 

Body Image at 26 weeks

I know that this is probably normal, but lately I've been feeling very down about myself and the way I look.  Don't get me wrong; I love this baby and my bump.  They mean something so special and represent the truly amazing feat of growing a baby. 

It's mostly just the feeling that my husband doesn't find me attractive/pretty/sexy anymore.  I feel like a baby machine and nothing more.  When Brad comes home he always rubs my belly and says hi and I really do love it.  I love that I'm going to be a mom and that Brad is so excited about all of this too.  But, I feel like I'm sort of missing my old body.  This body isn't all mine anymore and even though everyone says that I'm all baby I know darn well that I'm carrying extra weight in my thighs and butt.  When you've spent your whole life keeping yourself physically in check and enjoying the attention you get from your significant other, it's hard to accept that you aren't neccessarily viewed like that anymore.  I think it's just something I have to learn to accept and know that after this pregnancy, I will be able to feel "sexy" again.  Until then, a little attention (like a butt grab) would be appreciated here and there. :)

Seperately, Brad and I have been talking about coming out on Facebook.  I want to do something really nice to recognize our struggle and all the other people out there struggling with infertility.  Heck, mostly I just want to celebrate our success so far the way that others get to.  It took me long enough to be okay with this type of announcement, so now I just have to figure out the exact way I want to do it.  Stay tuned on that.    

Now for the standard update:

How far along?
26 weeks 3 days

How are you feeling? 
Pretty good most days.  Achiness in my hips is pretty much always there (especially after I am active).  My energy level still seems to be pretty good too.  I only ran once last week and walked the other days.  I was just too sore after my one run that I didn't want to push it.  This may be the end of my running but I'm not sure.  I'll continue to try but I'm okay if I have to just walk at this point.

Oh and can I just mention how amazing it is to feel my little girl moving so often?...It's exciting and soothing all at the same time.  Since last week, we have been able to see her from the outside too and that is incredible in it's own way.  This is exactly what I pictured during those years of infertility struggle as what I "needed" in my life.  I guess it's just the fact that women are hardwired to be mothers and to want everything that goes along with it (maybe not in all cases :)  ).  To know that there is a precious baby inside me that Brad and I made (with the help of some truly wonderful doctors) is such a miracle.  I need to stop and remember that more often.  
 
New Symptoms?
The leaking I experienced last week in high volume must have been a one time occurance.  Since then I've only noticed a little dab here and there.  My appetite has increased dramatically in the last week or so.  I keep hoping that it's just a growth spurt.  I need to get it under control and stop going to foods like candy (damn you Halloween) and other desserts.  Just thinking about trying to keep my appetite under control through the holidays is making me nervous.  How am I going to restrain myself??? 

Cravings? 
Just lots of food

What are you missing?
Being able to be as active as I want and not have to be incredibly sore for days.  This must be what it's like to be a senior citizen. 

Maternity Clothes?
There aren't a whole lot of non-maternity shirts that are left in my regular rotation.  I'm getting closer and closer to all maternity items.

What are you looking forward to? 
Still looking forward to my showers. 

Also, I'm looking forward to figuring out this little girl's name.  I feel like we have been so close for about a month now.  Hopefully, we'll have it figured out in the next couple of weeks.

Baby Purchases?
Just some random things here and there...burp clothes, closet organizer, and some shelves. 

Weight Gain/Loss?
+16

It's really nice to have strangers be so excited and interested in my baby bump.  People seem so happy to ask me about my pregnancy.  Plus, it's nice to know that I am obviously pregnant at this point and not just chubby in the middle.  And honestly, I feel pretty big lately so why is it that when people find out I'm 6 months along they all tell me I'm so small?  It starts to make you wonder if you really are "that small" and if everything is okay.

25 Weeks

So, I definitely failed at doing a 24 week update last week and this one is late but at least I'm getting to it.

Time has seriously been flying lately and I'm sure that it will only continue as we get closer to the February 1st.  These next couple months are going to be super busy with showers, partys, and the holidays all happening.  I'll probably blink twice and we'll be smack dab in the middle of January. 

It still just blows my mind that I am getting to experience all of this!  Last year at this time, we were starting our first IVF cycle.  In the last 12 months I've definitely been through some pretty dark times and have learned alot about myself and my husband.  There are still days when this feels so surreal because at times, success felt so far away.  I wouldn't trade this for anything, it's truly amazing.  And I know that the best is yet to come.

How far along?25 weeks 4 days (only 100 days left!)

How are you feeling? 
Still feeling really great for the most part.  My energy is still up except for a few days here and there.  I have noticed being more winded the last couple of weeks as well.  I'm more comfortable sleeping now that I have a body pillow (thanks Brad for making me get it :) ).  The RLP has really started to become a pain both during and after my runs.  But hopefully I'm just going through a little growing spurt and it will ease just like it did before. 

New Symptoms?
I started getting acid reflux last week.  I noticed if I watch my diet more closely and eat less processed foods with lower sugars, it seems to be much better.  I also noticed that I've started leaking.  Well, actually it started several weeks ago but was very very little.  This morning I woke up with a big spot on my shirt and throughout the day today I have leaked a decent amount into my bra.  I may be buying some pads if this continues at this rate. 

Cravings? 
No real cravings lately. 

What are you missing?
It's not really pregnancy related, but I'm missing the warmer/non-rainy weather.  I don't want it to get cold!  

Maternity Clothes?
There aren't a whole lot of regular shirts that are left in my regular rotation.  I'm getting closer and closer to all maternity items.

What are you looking forward to? 
My showers are quickly approaching!  I have my friends shower on Nov. 11th and my family shower on Nov. 18th.

Baby Purchases?
We bought the breast pump a couple of weeks ago and I finally bought some sleepers last weekend.  My parents got us the dresser so we have that put together too.

Weight Gain/Loss?
+14-15

Is it me or do I look really big here?  I love it!

  

23 Weeks

Time is flying....2 weeks from today I will have 100 days left in this pregnancy!  I'm still enjoying almost everything so much that I am at that stage where I wish I could be pregnant for a while.  People/strangers are noticing my bump now and I feel like I'm that perfect size of looking pregnant while not being huge and uncomfortable.  I can honestly say that so far, I really am loving this experience.  Being pregnant has been good to me (so far that is)  :)


How far along?
23 weeks 4 days

How are you feeling? 
Great!  The last couple of weeks, even the soreness after my runs has diminshed.  Most nights I don't have to get up to pee at all anymore.  Overall, sleep seems to be better quality as well.  That could have something to do with the fact that I'm not getting up several times in the night for bathroom trips. 

Cravings? 
No real cravings lately.  I've also noticed that my appetite seems to have decreased some in the last couple of weeks as well.  I also noticed that even if I want to eat more in a sitting, it's too difficult becuase I get full more quickly.

What are you missing?
Nothing right now.  I'm loving every second of this pregnancy!  

Maternity Clothes?
Still mixing in plenty of regular tops for now.  I figure that since I will probably be sick of my maternity tops by the end of pregnancy, I want to save them for later when I really can't wear my normal tops anymore.

What are you looking forward to? 
V-day is this Saturday. :)

Baby Purchases?
Probably going to get the breast pump here shortly. 

Weight Gain/Loss?
+12
And for your viewing pleasure:

22 Week Update

22 weeks has been good to me so far.  I'm still feeling great and dare I say, maybe even more energy than the last few weeks????  I really, really hope that this stage of pregnancy lasts for a while.

This past weekend was really nice.  Brad and I were able to get a lot of things done around the house and still have time to relax and have fun.  At this point our nursery is not quite as far along as I hoped.  We are still waiting on our changing table since the one that was delivered was damaged.  I also just placed the order over the weekend for the vinyl tree decal.

Yesterday we had an elective u/s to confirm that she is still a she.  I just had to make sure before I go buying much more (especially the pink and purple stuff).  Of course, everything went well and we got some really nice pictures of our sweet baby girl...and yes she's a girl for sure!

How far along? 22 weeks 2 days

How are you feeling? 
Great! 

Cravings? 
Still leaning towards fruit but it's mostly food in general.

What are you missing?
Nothing right now.  I'm loving every second of this pregnancy!  

Maternity Clothes?
I officially love maternity jeans....well maybe just the fact that I don't feel like a stuffed sausage when I wear them.  I have been buying some more shirts here and there as well.  I just started wearing a couple of them last week.  It won't be long I'm sure until I'm in virtually all maternity....I'm thinking by the time 3rd tri hits, it will be extrememly difficult finding a shirt in my closet long enough to cover my belly.

What are you looking forward to?
Still diligently working on the nursery.  I'm hoping to have it mostly set up by mid November. 

Baby Purchases?
We still don't have the changing table and that will probably be another 2 weeks until the new one comes in.  The vinyl wall decal is on order.  Nothing else beside that.

Weight Gain/Loss?
+12

Pregnant Running

For the last few years running has been "my thing."  It helped me through infertility and was my outlet for stress.  I have come to love it so much more than I ever thought I could love any form of working out.  Even with my doctors restrictions in early pregnancy (with this being an IVF baby), I knew that I wanted to continue running as soon as I could get my doctors to release me.

Now that I'm 21.5 weeks pregnant and still running 2.5-3 miles per outing, I am starting to see how difficult this is going to be going forward.  Heck, it's already pretty hard.  I have noticed with each passing week a little more discomfort both during and after my runs.  It also  becoming more difficult to get myself motivated to run as frequently as I would like.  The general aches and pains that I feel during my runs have increased marginally but the real discomfort comes after a run.  It seems to take my body (mostly my pelvis) a couple of days to fully recover now.  Running 2 days in row has pretty much ceased at this point.    

Nothing at this point is unbearable and I still generally enjoy going for a run, but knowing that my running time is most likely coming to end is really bothering me.  I love that I can still workout at the pace I've been keeping and knowing that it's allowing me to stay healthy (especially on those days when I have indulged in classic pregnancy cravings of any type of cake, chocolate, candy, pizza, fast food.....the list goes on).  And I know that staying active will also most likely help ( I hope this is the truth) to ease labor when she's ready to come out.  I guess I'm just sad to know that the therapy I find in running will be ending at some point in the near future.  I'll just have to be okay with walking and only walking....after all it's not the worst thing in the world.

At this point, I'll just have to continue to listen to my body and make my decisions based on what "feels" right.  As long as this baby girl is healthy, that's all I care about.  And since everything at each doctor's visit has been right on track, I feel very confident that my running has been for the best so far.

In my head I have an imaginary goal of being able to run until I'm at least 6 months pregnant....that's about 4 more weeks and I think it's very doable.  In the meantime, I just keep telling myself that even if I have to stop running tomorrow, I will be happy with running to the 5 month mark. :)

For all of those women that run through the entire 9 months of pregnancy, I can honestly say that I have an extreme appreciation and respect for your dedication!   

Half Baked!!!

Wow, I cannot believe how fast this pregnancy seems to have gone!  I know in the beginning that it felt like time was moving at a snail's pace, but now looking back, I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I am half way through this pregnancy!

I'm sure things will start to go even more quickly as the holidays get closer and we have more on our schedule for baby planning purposes.

This past weekend, we painted the nursery.  After painting it once and deciding that it was too light, I went back to home depot for the next shade darker, convinced that it would be perfect.  Well, it's still too light and I am not pleased.  Brad and I decided on yet another color last night that I will probably go it pick up sometime this week and start by painting an accent wall (just to make sure the color is what we want).  Hopefully, this will be our last attempt at painting the nursery.

In other nursery news, I ordered the curtains and am making the final decision on what vinyl tree decal we want to order.  Oh my gosh, I am absolutely loving decorating this nursery!!!!  Next up this week is picking out the fabric to recover the glider cushions we have.  They are currently denim....not exactly my first choice.

Hopefully, I'll have some progress pictures in the next couple of weeks.

Now for the usual:

How far along? 20 weeks 3 days

How are you feeling? 
Still trying to kick this cold.  Since Saturday I have been able to sleep through the night with the exception of pee breaks and I'm really starting to get some energy back.  I'm still congested and coughing but this is a walk in the park compared to where I was last week.  I'm hoping to get a nice run in tonight but it might not go well if I can't breathe. :)

Cravings? 
Last week I started craving fruit more often.  We'll see how long this healthy craving lasts before I get the urge for some fast food, lol.

What are you missing?
Not much lately.  Last week sucked not being able to take anything to help relieve my cold symptoms.   

Maternity Clothes?
Ever since my broken zipper episode last week, I have been officially converted to maternity pants....That is until I found 2 pairs of jeans that were too big on me before pregnancy.  I am wearing those as well, for now.  I'm thinking I'll start wearing my maternity shirts soon since most of my tops are getting borderline too short.

What are you looking forward to?
Getting the nursery finished.  I know that this is going to be several months in the making but for now I just want to have the basics done: paint, curtains, wall decal, other wall art, and furniture.

Baby Purchases?
We ordered the changing table last weekend and are waiting  until the dresser goes back on sale to get it ordered. 

Weight Gain/Loss?
Still up about 9-10 lbs

No fancy picture this week:

Yesterday was amazing!

We had our anatomy scan and found out that we have a precious little baby GIRL!!!!! 

The scan took almost an hour and the tech had me get up and go to the bathroom because she couldn't get see the goods. That's all it took!  We had her write it down so we could open it up together when we got home. 

Well, of course we couldn't wait!  We ended up opening it up in the parking lot while sitting in Brad's car.  I cried a little when I saw the news....I'm not sure why, I think I was just so happy!  Immediately after the appointment we went to BRU and bought some cute little pink shoes/booties and proceeded to tell our families and friends.  I picked the ones on the left and Brad picked out the ones on the right. :)

Just finding out the sex has somehow made this even more real and I feel like my bond has grown significantly since yesterday.  Oh my gosh, I'm so in love!

Could it be????

I think I may have finally started to feel some movement!!!!  I noticed it twice yesterday afternoon and then again this morning.  It's definitely like a light tapping sensation (coming from the inside of my belly) and I really don't think it's gas.  Yay!!!!

Other than that, I feel like death warmed over because of a cold that reared it's ugly head late Sunday night/Monday morning.  Ugh, it's really wearing me down and it doesn't help that I can't sleep at night.  Feeling my sweet little baby moving around in there makes me feel better though. :) 

18 & 19 Week Update

So I missed last week's update...whoops!  Honestly though I feel like not much has changed in the last couple of weeks.  I feel like my bump is still the same size and I'm hoping for a growth spurt here shortly.

I finally made the decision to start buying some maternity items.  I was able to find a few tops at Macy's and Old Navy but I'm waiting to wear them for a few more weeks when my belly will fill them out a little better.  Plus, they are all long sleeved or 3/4 length which it's still a little warm for these days.

Not a whole lot going on lately, which has been a nice change of pace from the last couple of months.  We spent our Labor Day weekend doing fun things for the most part and even took the following Tuesday off.  Our garage was jam-packed and in need of some organization so we tackled that.  I can now say that there is adequate room to get a child in and out of the car while its in the garage.  Yay!

This past weekend we had a wedding with a bunch of friends and had a really nice time.  I was surprised how much energy I was able to muster up and ended up on the dance floor the majority of the night.

And here's one with the bump in all it's glory:

However, I woke up today feeling pretty crappy with a sore throat and a cough.  Let's hope it's just a little cold. 

I'm getting super anxious for Thursday to be here....that's when we have the a/s and hopefully find out if this little one is a boy or girl.  So excited!!!

Here's the latest and greatest for the 18 & 19 week update:

How far along? 19 weeks 2 days

How are you feeling? 
Pretty good except for this possible cold I developed sometime overnight.  Still getting 3-4 runs in throughout the week although I think I pulled something in the arch of my foot.  It's not too bad when I'm running but hurts more when I'm in sandals.

My newest symptom is the tailbone pain that started on Saturday.  It's very odd...When I'm sitting at a particular angle or on any seat thats not my couch, my tailbone gets really sensitive and feels alot like it's bruised. 

Cravings? 
Just food in general.  Most things sounds good to me these days.

What are you missing?
Still missing a glass of wine or even a dirty martini here or there. 

Maternity Clothes?
Still in all my regular clothes.  Every pair of pants now requires a hair tie but it's doing the trick for now.  I have some maternity jeans waiting in the wings when I'm ready (or sick of trying to make my regular pants work).  I still have a few weeks on shirts (I think). 

What are you looking forward to?
Our anatomy scan is this Thursday.  Brad and I think we picked out the nursery paint color, so we'll probably paint it this weekend and add a few gender specific accents to the room.

I'm still waiting for movement and I'm getting so impatient.  I keep thinking to myself, maybe in a couple of days....but those days keeping dragging on into weeks.  Fingers crossed!

Baby Purchases?
Nothing really.  We are hoping to change that pretty soon.  I think we will buy the dresser here shortly and maybe some clothes after Thursday's appt.

Weight Gain/Loss?
A couple of weeks ago I stopped weighing myself everyday because it was driving me crazy.  As of yesterday I was up 9lbs. 

Feeling the pressure & 17 week update

So, lately I have started having mini-freakouts about random things having to do with this pregnancy/baby.  Some days are better than others but I have definitely noticed an increase in worrying within the last week.  Most of it is trivial stuff, ie finalizing our childbirth/breastfeeding classes, finishing the registry, picking the design of the nursery, setting up maternity pics, somehow finding cute and inexpensive maternity clothes, blah blah blah.  I could go on forever and I'm sure I'm no different than any other first time mom.

I think it's time for me to put together a detail to-do list of everything I want to accomplish and when I want to have it done.  Maybe if I have everything in one place it will feel more manageable.  Plus, there are a lot of things that I really don't need to be worrying about until later on in this pregnancy.  Okay, I just decided that putting together a to-do list will be my "to-do" this week.  I'm feeling better already....almost.

As for actual happenings in the life of Katie, this week included  a bachelorette party on Saturday....woo-hoo!  I can proudly say that I felt really good all night and had a nice time even though it was a barcrawl. :-/  There really wasn't as much drunkeness as I was expecting and I was able to catch up with quite a few really good friends. 

This week also marked the first time I've thrown up during this pregnancy.  It was very strange and I'm really not sure what happened to cause the "incident."  I had just eaten spaghetti for dinner (which I eat pretty frequently) and no more than a minute after getting up from the table, I had to dash for the bathroom where I proceeded to completely empty my stomach.  Immediately following I felt fine and was actually hungry.  I'm not 100% sure that it was related to pregnancy but since that's never happened to me before, I'm going to chalk this up as just another symptom.

Other than those interesting tidbits, here is the standard update:

How far along?17 weeks 2 days

How are you feeling? 
Still really enjoying this pregnancy.  I'm still able to stay active, which I'm sure is contributing to feeling as good as I do lately.  I am worried how long I'll be able to sustain all the running, but for now I'm just thankful that I still can.

I still have days of exhaustion but it seems like nothing compared to first tri.

Cravings? 
Well I don't know if it's for sure a craving but I have really been enjoying pickles the last couple of weeks.  I am normally a big pickle lover but they didn't appeal to be at all during the first tri, so maybe a craving, maybe not?

What are you missing?
Not truly missing much.  The one thing that seems to creep up on me at least once a week, is having a nice glass or wine or even a beer.  I'm not sure if I'll be able to let myself enjoy a small glass later in pregnancy or not, but for now I'll just get by trying not to think about it. :)

Maternity Clothes?
I feel like I'm hanging on to my regular pants by a thread.  It's almost impossible to get most of my pants to button these days but I still have a few really low rise jeans that I can get by with.  I've been practicing the hair-tie extender trick for a while now.  I don't know quite what it is, but for some reason I am having a really hard time making the decision to wear the maternity items I've already bought.  Hopefully I can get myself over the hump (I may have no choice pretty soon) and take the plunge. 

What are you looking forward to?
I'm still waiting to feel movement.  I usually spend time every evening trying to lie on my back on the couch to see if I can feel anything.  I'm kind of tyring to tell myself that it's still going to be a while.  But I'm still holding out hope that it will be before the projected 20-22 weeks the doctor told me.

Something you're loving about being pregnant?
Pretty much everything. :)

This was before the bachelorette party on Saturday at exactly 17 weeks:

16 weeks

I hit 16 weeks last Saturday and we celebrated by starting our registry. :)  We only did items that we want to be gender neutral and the rest we will register for once we know the sex.  It was a ton of fun picking everything out!!

As for this weekend, I have a bacherlorette party on Saturday.  Being that it mostly consists of a bar crawl, I'm not too excited to attend.  Sure, it will be fun to catch up with a lot of friends but I can't see myself staying all that long.  I'm sure after about 3 hours into the barcrawl portion, I'll probably head home like the old lady I am, haha!  I'm sure I'll have updates on how the party went sometime next week.

For now, here is my boring update:

How far along?
16 weeks 3 days

How are you feeling? 
Feeling good!  Running 2-3 times a week and staying active all the other days.  I'm so thankful that the nausea is gone!  Round ligament pain seems to be occuring more frequently but nothing terrible.... I guess it's just a reminder that I'm carrying a little person around with me and to do that requires some things to stretch. :)

Cravings? 
Dare I say my sweets craving seems to have waned?  Not craving anything in particular right now.  It seems like I get a craving when I see a commerical or someone brings up a particular type of food.  No real aversions at this point, so yay for that!

What are you missing?
Being able to wear my jeans comfortably.  I bought a couple of maternity jeans from Old Navy on Saturday and I'm not ready to wear them yet.  They just don't fit like my regular jeans. :(

Maternity Clothes?
Still not wearing the maternity clothes that I have purchased but it's not going to be long.  I'm hoping I can hold out for another couple of weeks on switching to maternity pants but we'll see.  I think I'll continue to buy a couple tops here and there so that I've got them when I'm ready to switch over.

What are you looking forward to?
I absolutely cannot wait to feel this sweet baby move!  I have some renewed hope that I still may be able to feel movement earlier than the 20-22 weeks that I was told.  A few girls on my birth month forum that have AP's have started to feel a little movement...yay!!

Something you're loving about being pregnant?
Still really enjoying almost everything.  I love that I get to carry this baby for 9 months!


I went to a baby shower on Sunday and several family members pointed out my "cute little bump."  It's so nice to finally have people noticing that I'm pregnant!

Anatomy Scan is scheduled!

Unfortunately, my negotiating skills aren't what I was hoping....they pushed for me to have it done at my next appointment, which will put me just under 20 weeks.  While I'm a little bummed, I know it's not the end of the world.  I mean, don't get me wrong, I am ecstatic that we'll get to see the baby again and will be able to find out the sex!!  I will be waiting patiently (maybe not so patiently as it gets closer) until September 13th to find out if our sweet baby is a little boy or girl and occupying myself with registering for some of the big items and starting to get the nursery ideas flowing. 

I still can't believe this is all really happening!

15 weeks

So here I am at 15 weeks and some change...woo-hoo!  I am so blissfully happy lately. This pregnancy becomes so much more real as each day passes and I'm just trying to enjoy every second of it!

I have my 16 week appointment on Thursday which is only 2 days away.  They are going to have me schedule the anatomy scan then.  I tried to call last week and make the appointment and was told I would need to wait unitl this week's appointment...boo!  I have a feeling they're going to make me wait until my 20 week appointment though... :(

Oh, exciting stuff planned for this weekend!  Brad is going to have all the furniture out of the nursery so that it's ready to go for baby stuff.  And we are also going to start our registery on Saturday.  It will just be for the big stuff (the gender neutral items we want to get) and then we'll finish it after the a/s.

How far along? 15 weeks 3 days

How are you feeling? 
Still feeling good.  I have been able to increase my running now that the weather has cooled off a little.  The sciatica is causing me some discomfort at night now when I lay down to go to bed.  I have a feeling the snoogle is going to be making an appearance in my bed sooner rather than later.

Cravings? 
Still really enjoying dessert but it's not as much as of a craving anymore.

What are you missing?
I really do miss having a glass of wine now and again.  Only 171 more days to go,lol.

Maternity Clothes?
I finally pulled the trigger and ordered 2 tops from Target.  We'll see how they fit when they get here.  Other than that I do plan on going to Old Navy this weekend and trying on some maternity jeans.  Mine are getting to be too tight and I really don't like using a hair tie.  I feel like it leaves me exposed if my shirt rides up and I don't catch it.

What are you looking forward to?
Still looking forward to the anatomy scan but it may be possibly 4 weeks until that happens. :(

Something you're loving about being pregnant?
Most days, I love just about everything.

14 weeks

First, I never updated after our NT scan last week.  Basically, it was amazing!  Everything with baby measured well and my bloodwork showed a very low chance (1:7000 chance of downs or trisomy 18).  Yay!!! 

We got to see the wiggleworm again on the u/s but this time with lots of really cool shots.  The u/s tech put the machine on a particular setting which showed all the blood moving in baby's body each time it's heart pumped (so very cool), we got to see some color shots, and then of course the normal black and white.  Baby was just kicking away.  :)

She also let me know that I have an anterior placenta.  This means that I carry in the front of my ute and it will most likely correlate to feeling the baby later than expected.  Since the baby is not up against my organs and what not, it could be until 22 weeks when I start feeling movement...boo.  Not all a terrible thing since she also mentioned that it may save me from painful kicks and punches later on in the pregnancy.  I was just looking forward to feeling this sweet baby in the next few weeks... :(

Now onto my update.  I made it to 14 weeks on Saturday and I'm still feeling pretty good.

How far along?
14 weeks 3 days

How are you feeling? 
For the most part pretty good.  There seems to be lots of little twinges in my abdomen and back these days.  Nothing too terrible except for when the sciatica decides to act up....that will stop me in my tracks.  Stretching seems to help a little too.  Nausea is still gone and my energy level is way better than it used to be, although I still have days where I feel completely wiped out.

Cravings?
Loving cookies right now and still sugar in general.  I am making a very concious effort to get plenty of fruits and veggies too since I'm pretty sure that sugar is not exactly what the baby needs. 

What are you missing?
Missing a nice cold glass of wine and maybe some cheese to go along with...mmmmmm!  I am also really starting to miss running at my old pace.  It seems like every week that goes by I get more and more winded.  I have slowed my pace down substiantially and I still really enjoy running but I'm nervous that my body is going to be forcing me to go on walks instead of runs before I expected.  For now, I'm still really enjoying being able to work out though, so it's kind of double sided.

Maternity Clothes?
Nothing in this category yet.  I have started unbuttoning my pants by afternoon and I'm sure I'm going to be using a hair tie by the end of the week.  I really need to make a point to go try on some maternity pants soon so I can be sure of my size.  Maybe in the next couple of weeks?

What are you looking forward to?
Our anatomy scan is coming up soon.  I need to call and make the appointment this week so that we can hopefully get in the week before Labor Day.  Also, Brad and I have done a ton of research in the last week or so regarding some of the big items we'll register for.  I think we'll start our registery in the next couple of weeks and then finish it shortly after we find out the sex.

Something you're loving about being pregnant? 
Everything....even the difficult stuff!

Since bathroom pics aren't all that appealing, here are 2 diferent shots (one in the bathroom) for your viewing pleasure:



13 Week Update

Wow, I made it to the 2nd trimester!  So very happy to be here (not to mention that I'm feeling better as well.

I borrowed my cousin's doppler and got to hear the baby on Thursday and again on Saturday.  I was always worried that using a doppler would create more stress if I couldn't find the heart beat, but so far so good. :)

How are you feeling? 
Sciatic pain has definitely been more prominent.  It seems to be the worst when I first get up out of a chair.  I'm hoping that it doesn't get too much worse as this pregnancy progresses.  I'm feeling more energetic these days and have been getting some light work-outs into my schedule, yay!  The best part is that the m/s sickness has pretty much disappeared.  It's so nice feel normal again!

Cravings?
Still seems to be sugar.  Chocolate, candy, ice cream, etc....they are all on my list.  I really wish I was one of those people that craved fruits or veggies.  In the meantime, I think I am doing a pretty good job of eating a balanced diet (well, now that the nausea is gone).

What are you missing?
Now that I am doing a little bit of running again, I really don't have much that I'm missing these days.  Maybe a glass of wine here or there.  It's weird because I thought I would miss drinking more than I do...especially at social activities.  I guess that's a good thing though!

What are you looking forward to?
Still looking forward to feeling LO move.  Also, our NT scan is tonight and I can't wait to see our little wiggleworm again.

Something you're loving about being pregnant: 
I love that I'm starting to show.  A few close friends and family have said things to me in the last couple of days about being able to tell that I was pregnant.  Yay!

Here I am last night after a very long day.  Excuse the no make up.

And just to see the difference of bump growth the last few weeks, here is a comparison of my 10 week  and 13 week pictures:

So sweet

Okay, so just a quick post about my amazing husband.  I know he has been dealing with a lot from me lately (with all my lovely mood swings) and him picking up a lot of slack around the house and I can't say enough for how understanding and helpful he has been. 

On Tuesday he surprised me with 2....yes 2 gifts when he got home.  The first was a package of chips ahoy cookies.  To some this might not seem like a great gift, but to this girl (the one with the crazy sweet tooth right now) it was just what I needed.  A couple (or maybe 3) of these is just enough to satisfy my cravings and I have been enjoying them after lunch and dinner so far this week.  :) 

He then proceeded to hand me another box.  He told me that he waited to get me a gift until after I was 12 weeks because he was nervous (and rightfully so after the scare a few weeks ago).  Here is what I opened:

So sweet!  It's the Home figurine from Willow tree.  Good job hubs, good job!

12 week update

I officially hit 12 weeks last Saturday.....woo-hoo!!!!!

Still no more bleeding and I'm praying that it stays that way. 

We had our 12 week appt on Thursday and got to hear this little bean's heartbeat again.  It is amazing how much that sound can melt my heart.  There are still so many days that it's hard to believe that this is actually happening.  And now here we are at the 12 week mark and I'm starting to think about registering and my shower.  For so long I didn't allow myself to let my mind take me to those places and now it's hard to really wrap my head around the reality of it all.  I have been trying to force myself for weeks now to get comfortable with buying things but I still have only bought that 1 package of diapers for Brad.  I'm sure that one of these days I'll be able to actually take the plunge, but for now researching products and looking at maternity clothes is about as far as I've gotten. 

Oh infertility, you will always be there lurking in the corner....I guess that will never change.  It was such a big part of my life for the last couple of years that I guess it makes sense that I still have all kinds of unresolved fears.  I pray that these fade over time and I can concentrate more on my beautiful little baby.

After our appointment, we agreed that we were officially "OOC" (out of the closet) for this pregnancy.  We both agreed that we have waited long enough and decided to tell work and all the other people in our lives that did not know the news yet.  It feels weird that it's not a secret anymore but also a weight off my shoulders.  There were so many times in conversations that I nearly slipped up.  I guess that won't matter anymore. :)

Now for the weekly update:

How far along? 12w 2d

How are you feeling? Still battling m/s...I'm starting to get sciatic pain already and have had a few headaches in the last week

Cravings? This still changes with my mood.  Mostly cravings pop up when I hear someone talk about a specific type of food or see a commerical.

What are you missing?running, but I plan to start getting back into some sort of exercise routine since I was released last Thursday.

What are you looking forward to? I really can't wait to feel my LO move.  Oh, and I'm also looking forward to having an actual bump that makes me look pregnant and not like I have been eating too many donuts.

Something you're loving about being pregnant:  It still feels really magical to me and I still love that my boobs are getting bigger. :)

I slacked on taking a picture over the weekend so here I am on Monday:

11 Week Update

So I realize that I have not been very good at all about updating every week like I orginally planned.  I really hope to change that starting with this week's update.

Before I go into my update for this week, here is  recap of the last few weeks (since I was about 8 weeks):
We went to our first OB appointment last week on Thursday and got to see the baby again!  Such a difference between 9 and 10 weeks.  Baby was wiggling all over and moving around.  Seeing those little arms and legs is so amazing.  Here was our U/S pic from that appt:

Baby was measuring 2 days ahead at our appointment.  :)












Now, onto this week's update:

How far along? 11w 2 d

How are you feeling? Still battling m/s and exhaustion

Cravings? ehh, depends on the day.  I would say for the most part, it's sweets though. :)

What are you missing?running...due to doctors orders.

What are you looking forward to? We get to hear the HB again this Thursday.  Also, I can't wait to hit the 12 week mark!

Something you're loving about being pregnant:  Knowing that there is a tiny baby growing inside me.  Makes me so happy!  Oh, and also loving the boobs!

Here is my pic from Saturday at exactly 11 weeks (there's definitely a difference, yay!):

I've never been so scared in my life

We had quite the scare on Sunday this past weekend.  It had actually been a pretty low key day, Brad and I hung out together and I got to relax some on the couch.  We had just gotten back from a short trip to home depot when I went to the bathroom to use another progesterone suppository.

Once inserted, I took the applicator out only to find that the entire top of it was covered in bright red blood.  I remember staring at it for what felt like forever trying to make sense of what I was seeing...In reality it was probably only about 5 seconds that I couldn't do anything but stare at the blood.  I couldn't grasp that there was blood in that amount on the applicator.  It seemed like so much, especially since I hadn't had any spotting or bleeding whatsoever during the pregnancy.  At that point I yelled for Brad.  I proceeded to grap some toliet paper and wipe....more blood, heck ALOT of blood.  Brad walked in the bathroom at this point with a terrible look on his face.  I don't know what he said to me, but when I looked down, I was dripping blood.  I told him we needed to go to the ER and I proceeded to change my pants and put on a heavy duty pad, all while sobbing hysterically begging God to not let this be happening.

I remember crying in the car on the way to the hospital and just "knowing" that I was miscarrying.  I can't remember any other time in my life when I have felt so scared or such gut-wrenching sadness.  How could I be losing our miracle baby?  We thought we were going to be okay....after all, I was already past 10 weeks and we had just seen the baby 3 days ago at our first OB appointment.

At the ER, I was a zombie trying to answer the questions the staff had for me.  I just kept thinking, with this much blood, there is no way I'm not miscarrying.  As it turns out, I was wrong.  Thank God for miracles!

Turns out I have a sub chorionic hemorrhage.  This is where the placenta has torn away from the uterine wall in a small section.  Doctors aren't sure what causes them and according to my reading they happend in something like 1% of pregnancies. 

All the bleeding was not affecting the baby and we got to see the little wiggleworm on the ultrasound moving all around and the little heart just beating away.  When I saw that heartbeat on the screen tears rolled down my cheeks and I think I breathed for the first time since I had seen the blood.

I did end up having a follow up with my OB the next morning and he reiterated what they told me at the hospital.  For now (at least the next 2 weeks) I have to take it really easy with no exercising, lifting, twisting, sex, or pulling.  He was very positive that these usually resolve on their own and that everything still looks really good. 

The kicker is that I may still bleed while my body tries to heal.  I have had a really hard time getting my head wrapped around that part....how am I supposed to be okay with that?  So far (4 days after the incident) I haven't had any other bleeding and will probably be on pins and needles until our appointment next Thursday.  

I am so very thankful that this baby is still here!  I guess no matter how grateful you are for something, an experience like this can make you even that much more thankful.  For now, I am so very happy that I am still pregnant and that we are 10 weeks 5 days today.  Everyday is one better than the last!

Graduation

Today was a very bittersweet day for me.  I graduated.....from the RE's office that is.  I had my final appt this morning and baby looked great on the u/s.  I asked my RE if he could go back to being an OB.  Needless to say I couldn't persuade him and so I must move on to another doctor. 

After the u/s the staff there all gave us hugs and final congratulations.  As great as it is to be moving on to what all the other normal pregnant people experience, I will still miss all those great people that helped me get where I am today.  And when I say that, I don't just mean the fact they they got me pregnant.  They helped me get through a really rough and dark time by providing great support that came at just the right time.  Thankfully, I had the sense to listen and figure out how to take the steps to be happy with my life, no matter the outcome of this journey.  I just can't say enough nice things about that office. 

Enough of the super sappy stuff. 

Here is baby today at 8w4d

Well, it finally happened

I started getting morning sickness at the end of last week (or should I call it all day sickness).  It seemed to start last Tuesday when I noticed that my stomach was beginning to act a little funny but couldn't really really saw that my stomach was upset-just felt weird.  Then, by Friday it was obvious that my stomach issues were definitely morning sickness.  So far, I haven't thrown up (thank goodness for that) but it has been interesting at work trying to act normal when you feel like you're going to be sick at any moment. 

While it's not great (feeling sick for a good portion of the day), I am still loving every second.  It's a reminder that my little lovebug is growing.  If I have to deal with this stuff for a while longer I know that I can and that it will all be worth it.

Meanwhile though, my eating habits have taken a nose dive (as I sip on a pop at 9:30 in the morning trying to calm my stomach).  I go to acupuncture today, so maybe he can do something to help with the stomach issues and get me back to eating healthy...a girl can dream, right?

Another symptom, my stamina has tanked.  I got released to run a couple of weeks ago, and even though I am trying to take it easy, it seems like I couldn't run any faster even if I wanted to.  While it still feels really good to get a run in, I am completely worn out afterwards-like omg, I'm gonna fall over, tired.  Hopefully, I will see a return in my stamina in a few weeks after first tri is over or I'm not sure how much longer I can keep the running up....  We shall see. :)

Update at 7w5d pregnant

I've been terrible about updating since I left for vacation almost 2 weeks ago, so I will try to fit all the fun stuff into this post without boring anyone too much.

First let me start off with our trip to Vegas.  I was wonderful and relaxing!  Brad and I had a fabulous time with some great friends.  Here is a short picture timeline of our trip. 

I snapped this in the car when we were leaving at 5:30 am.  Brad wasn't too please since he was eating at the time...oh well!

When we first arrived we immediately hit the pool.  Ahhhh, so nice!

That night we went to Wolfgang Puck for dinner and of course it was amazing.  This was the beginning of my terrible eating habits while we were there.  I've been having a hard time getting back to eating healthy since we got back, but I'm slowly getting there again.  Being hungry or should I say starving all the time isn't really helping matters.

The 2nd day we went golfing at a fantastic course.  We got lucky that day and it wasn't all that hot.

On our 3rd night, we walked through the Wynn after dinner and found this beautiful flower and light garden.

On our last night, we went to Cabo Wabo and has some amazing mexican food.  Of course, Brad had to make sure to ruin at least one picture.

So, that was our trip in a nutshell. :)

The day after we got back from Vegas we had an ultrasound first thing in the morning.  They were able to see and HEAR the heartbeat.  Oh my gosh, it was so completely amazing!  We were both so happy to see our little lovebug growing away.  We went back this week for another u/s and we go again next week.  This is the most recent picture at 7w4d. 

I think I'm getting really spoiled with all these appointments where we get to see the baby.  It's going to be a rude awakening when I get released to an OB and don't get to see him/her every week!

Yay for Vacation!

I'm so excited to go on vacation this Saturday!  This past week has been quite stressful and work filled.  I am definitely ready to put my mind, body and soul in a relaxed place.  Vegas should be just the place for that, right?  Haha, well it will be with the things we got planned. 

I realize that it's been a while since I updated and shared the exciting news that we are expecting, so here is an update on what has been going on since then.

I have been having a pleathera of different symptoms with exhaustion being the most noticeable.  I'm not kidding you, there are somedays (like today) that I feel like a truck ran me over.  It's a fight to keep my eyes open at work and oh so tempting to just lay my head down on my desk....I'm sure the boss would love that!  :)

We went for our first pregnancy scan yesterday.  There was a lot of anxious excitement to find out A. If there was actually something in there, and B. If there was more than one in there.  Turns out we are expecting a singleton.  :)  Of course, we are over the flipping moon about this but somewhere inside it still stung a little to know that one of the embryo's didn't survive.  Even though we both were only hoping for one baby for a lot of reasons, knowing that we lost one of our lovebugs just didn't sit all that well at first. 

When we first arrived we were informed that it may be possible that we would only see the gestational sac and not the yolk sac just yet.  As long as there was a gestational sac (in the uterus) they would have been happy.  What wonderful news to see the tiny little white dot inside the gest. sac which was the yolk sac.  <3

I know it's not much, but I'm in love!!!

When we get back from Vegas next week, we go back for our next scan to hopefully see a heartbeat.  It's probably a good thing that we are going to be on vacation to keep our minds off of this next HUGE appt. 
 

I've been keeping a secret....

I'm pregnant!!

We found out last friday and then had another beta today.  It came back at 1226.  The doubling time is a little over 24 hours.  Brad and I are over the moon! 

It's starting to sink in that this is for real.  Wow, we are having a baby (maybe babies).

Let me back up a little though and say that we also were able to freeze 2 beautiful blastocysts this cycle.  :)  The fact that we had some left to freeze was wonderful just on it's own.

Now, onto the events from last Friday (4 days ago).  I wrote the post below over the weekened:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, we told everyone that our beta (blood pregnancy test) was May 29th (Tuesday). However, I was able to get the doctor to move up my appt to the 25th(the Friday before), since I'm a PIA and can't wait.

When I originally asked, the nurse she was hesitant to let me have it done early since the number could be low and cause unneeded anxiety. This was obviously a valid point since I wanted to have them test earlier than they normally allow anyone at only 10 days past 3 day transfer (10dp3dt).  However, I knew that I would end up testing at home over the long weekend anyways and would rather have the beta from my doctor rather than just a positive on a home test.

Brad and I took the day off on Friday so we could be together for the news. The nurse said she would call around 2:00 with the results. After we left the doctor, we went out for breakfast and then golfing. After that we went home and I cleaned our house while brad cleaned our cars inside and out. It's a good thing we kept ourselves busy because as it was every second seemed to be going by ever-so-slowly. I had told brad that morning before we left that we only had about 6 hours left of hope, and then everything was going to become reality. It was almost as if, now that the time had come to find out, I didn't want to know.  I guess I was just scared that it would crush me if it was negative and I didn't know if I was ready for that.

Fast forward to 2:02 when my phone rang. I immediately took it outside in the garage as I answered it. Brad walked over knowing that it was the results. The nurse asked me how I was feeling and how my day was going (which was killing me-just tell me the results already). She then told me to take it easy the rest of the day because I was pregnant! I could not believe what I was hearing. Cue the tears. I tried to shake my head yes at brad as the tears came but he didnt get it right away and I had to mouth the word "yes" to him. There was so much joy, relief, and pain all at the same time. It was the most indescribible feeling. Our journey was getting even closer to a happy ending. For all those times that I wondered if my body could even get pregnant, the resounding answer was YES! As I tried to collect myself on the phone--I'm not quite sure what all the nurse was saying at this time but I know she was excited for us and that my mind was going a million miles a minute.  It was then I realized I needed to know the number of my beta. I basically cut her off mid sentence (whoops) and asked her for the number.  When she replied with 160, I was in shock.  Oh my God, what a fantastic number! This put my fears aside for a chemical pregnancy (which I realize was still a slim possibility).

I go back in after the holiday weekend for my second beta. This will confirm if my numbers are doubling correctly. We are hoping and praying for more good news in a few days. Oh, how hard it is going to be this weekend as we hang out with friends that know about our cycle, to not share the news. Of course we told our parents that night and got giant hugs from both. As for today; well, today I'm pregnant and that's all that really matters! And today I am more blessed than I could ever imagine. This child (children-Brad is really stressing about twins) will be loved so very much. I am enjoying this so much that I can't even hardly worry about all the things that could still go wrong. Living in the future does me no good. After all, I just want to relish in the fact that for now, brad and I are expecting a baby (babies). Wow, those words sound so weird yet so wonderful!