IT'S A BOY!!

So...

I'm super excited to be expecting my first baby. My husband and I tried for only three months before getting pregnant and we're both very happy that things seem to be going quite smoothly. My husband and I have been married for just over 1 year, but have dated for nearly 8 years in total. Both of our families are happy and we can't wait for the big day.

On our first ultrasound at 13 weeks and 4 days, everything looked good. The u/s tech said she was quite "confident" that the baby was a boy...but at 13 weeks I felt it was a bit too early to get too confident. On October 15th we go for our 20 week ultrasound. Hopefully the little one will cooperate and we'll be able to see the sex. I'd be happy with a healthy baby of either sex - but it would be very exciting to have a boy as there's a TON of girls in my family and no boy grandbabies for my parents yet. I know we'd be super excited with either, but I have to admit that I'm kinda crossing my fingers and toes that the first is a boy.

We've talked about boy and girl names and I "think" we've agreed one one for each - though, I won't jinx it by saying for sure yet. I think we'll wait for after the 20 week ultrasound when we know the sex for sure (or at least as close to sure as we'll get). I'm looking forward to starting the nursery decorating. Which is again, going to wait until after the 20 week ultrasound.

October 10/07

As I type this, I'm currently 19 weeks and 3 days. My belly just POPPED about 2 weeks ago. Around 16 weeks I started to finally gain some weight, then bam - a big belly! I think I've also started to feel the little one kick this past week - how exciting. Well...5 more days 'til the ultrasound...I hope everything is okay!

October 15/07

Well IT'S A BOY!!!! I'm so excited. I never realized how much I hoped it would be a boy until we found out today at our 20 week ultrasound. The technician said she was positive it was a boy - he was laying perfect for her to get a bunch of great shots - so she pointed out his little 'twig and berries' and told us that it's for SURE a boy. My husband looked VERY happy to hear that. The little tyke was sleeping at first, which was good b/c the tech was able to get a bunch of good shots of his heart/lungs etc. Then after awhile he started to move...to kick and punch. He kind of looked like a little boxer in there; hands pumped up in fists by his cheeks. The technician said everything looked perfect. His heartbeat was a steady 154 bmp. I was so relieved and happy when we walked out of the clinic, that I felt like I was walking on air. I'm so giddy that we now get to work on the nursery. I think it's going to be grey with lime green accents. I love to decorate, but we're getting a professional painter in for this b/c I don't really want to be inhaing paint fumes and my hubby isn't much of a painter. We're still discussing names - but I think we've agreed on Jack Elliott. I can't wait to hold my little man and give him a kiss.

I've also been feeling him move A LOT. I wasn't sure before if it was him or not, but the movement has become stronger and more pronounced lately. While we were in the ultrasound I saw him kick on the monitor and felt the kick so now I KNOW that's what I've been feeling. Such a strange yet great feeling.

While I was getting my scan done today I suddenly became VERY ill - which is odd b/c I've felt great throughout the whole pregnancy thus far. It was weird, I started to sweat and get clammy. My pulse started racing and I was very dizzy. I didn't want to say anything while the technician was scanning me but all of a sudden she noticed I was quite out of it. She told me to lie on my left side and then it passed right away. Weird...she said it was common to get dizzy/faint while lying on your back for too long because the big artery in your back gets cut off from the weight of the uterus. Man, that was NOT fun. I felt totally whoozy after that. But, in the end, it was all worth it because we got to find out our little peanut was a healthy, and happy little man. I'm so happy!

November 26/07

SO much has happened in a month!

Well, at the 26 week mark I'm feeling good. It's hard to believe that in just over 3 months, we'll have a little boy in our arms. My husband and I are very excited. It's getting very, very obvious that I am pregnant. So far I have gained 17 lbs and they're ALL in my belly. I think there must be some truth to the way you supposedly carry boys, because my weight it all out front! Which, I'm not complaining about. So far, my butt hasn't expanded the way I so greatly feared it would - though, I do realize I still have 3 months and a week of growing to do.

On Remembrance Day long weekend (November 11th) I had my first real scare while being pregnant. I got HORRIBLY sick. At first I thought it was just a flu, as lots of people around me were getting sick with a flu. Then the nauseau turned into a horrible, throbbing, stabbing pain in my upper middle chest area. I recognized the pain as something I had experienced only twice before in my life - something I was SURE was a gall bladder attack. Gall bladder issues are prevalent in my family, but I've never been diagnosed, as the last two times I got sick, it only lasted over night. This time, however, I was sick for 3 days. I threw up so many times I couldn't count any more. I was SEVERELY dehydrated and weak. My baby was kicking me something fierce during this time and I was so worried he was under stress in there with all the vomitting and chills I was having.

My husband was really concerned, but there was nothing much to do. I just had to deal with it. I went to the Dr. for some test (blood work and a gall bladder ultrasound) so far the results are not back yet - but the symptoms have not been back since the 13th - so I HOPE I'm in the clear. The most important thing was that the baby seemed to be doing okay in there. His heartbeat was strong and my Dr. said he seemed very happy and oblivious to all the pain his mommy was going through. Which made me happy to know. I'm still awaiting the gall bladder scan results - though, even if it does show a problem, I don't think they do much when you're pregnant (unless it's a rupture or something very serious). Based on the fact that I've been feeling fine the past 2 weeks, I'm assuming that things are back to normal in there. I've just been a bit more careful with what I eat and am now staying away from really rich or creamy foods : (

My Doctor also put me on prescription medication for heartburn. That is the 1 and only true pain in the ass that I've had since being pregnant. It's unrelenting and so severe at times that it makes me throw up. It's so bad I swear I'm having a heart attack (and I'm not a baby!!). Anyway, the Dr. gave me meds that are 100% safe for baby - so I've been taking them before meals and it seems to be helping.

On a good note - our nursery is coming along quickly! We had it painted (dark charcoal grey) and we set up our crib and change table. I also got a nice rocking chair and a funky accent table for beside the crib. My mom is making me some funky curtains and a crib skirt in lime green. I think grey and green will be cool for a little man. It's so exciting to put it all together. I also bought an Angel Care baby monitor and have started buying the odd piece of clothing - they're so cute and irresistable! My husband thinks I'm buying too much - but as I said, "Once I'm on mat leave I can't afford to buy anything." So now that I have a somewhat disposable income, I'd like to buy my first baby some stuff. I don't think that's too much to ask? It's so exciting to be becoming a mommy - I can't help but want to buy a couple cute little outfits.

On December 10th I go for my last appointment with my family Dr. Then she'll be referring me to an OBGYN. I'm looking forward to the next stage, as I know the appointments will be closer together and I'll get to hear my little boy's heartbeat more often - and HOPEFULLY get to see him again in at least one more ultrasound.

My husband and I also started prenatal classes this month - they're great. My husband (who rarely likes this sort of thing) even finds them enj0yable. Our prenatal teacher is HILARIOUS and so much fun. She doesn't sugar coat anything and she's been teaching these for over 25 years - so she knows her sh*t! It's been fun and I can't wait for the next 3 months to unroll...it's all so very exciting!

JANUARY 27/08

Well, I'm 35 weeks! It feels like I've been pregnant forever already. Starting to get really uncomfortable and sore. My back aches, I've had insomnia for a few weeks and the horrible heartburn is only getting worse (though, I never thought it was possible). All in all though, I really shouldn't complain. I've been healthy throughout the pregnancy and the baby has been doing great all along. I'm right on schedule for growing. Though I'm starting to waddle like a penguin.

At 32 weeks I dragged my husband to the hospital late one night b/c my Braxton Hicks contractions were coming fast and furious all day. When they hooked me up to the monitors, the baby was doing just fine. His heartbeat was fluctuating between 140 and 165 - they said he was doing very well. This made me happy, but I have no idea why the contractions were so strong. I've been having BH since week 16, so it wasn't anything new - I think what worried me was the frequency. I was concerned something must be wrong. Anyway, in the end - the BH passed, and now I'm just back to my regular 10 or 12 BH contractions a day!

FINALLY got into see my OBGYN last Friday. It's nice to finally see the specialist. Up to now I've just been seeing my GP, and while she's nice, she doesn't specialize in babies - so I'm feeling much more confident now that I'm going weekly to the OBGYN - whom, by the way, is a great lady! She tells me I'm right on schedule and the baby is head down! YAY! I was so worried I'd need a c-section b/c on my last ultrasound he was in a transverse lie position. Maybe all those BH were brought on by him moving head down!

Anyway, the nursery is pretty much complete. We've purchased a stroller/car seat combo - so, we're pretty much just waiting for baby now! Hard to believe he'll be here in just one more month! I'm so excited and emotional. All along in this pregnancy I've been proud of my ability to keep emotions in check. That, however, has changed recently. Lately I'm a mess. I'm bitchy and easy to cry - I'm sure my husband thinks I'm a troll some days. It's just so hard to keep it together when you're sore, sleep deprived, hormonal and a complete nerve-case b/c you realize that ready or not, you're going to be a mom in just one more month! How can I not get emotional???

Anyway - looking forward to meeting my little man. He moves ALL the time and gives mom a good kick in the kidney's every so often! I can't wait to hold him in my arms and say "ahhh...no more heartburn!"