16 weeks today!

Wow! 16 weeks today. Above are some photos from the internet of what a 16 week old baby looks like....it's pretty incredible how they are starting to look more like actual babies and not little alien creatures anymore!

You know I love that site that tells you what is happening each week. So, here's what's going on this week:

Fat begins to form underneath skin, providing your baby with insulation for the
coming months.
Did you know that both baby and placenta are now about the
same size?
Your little one has reached 4.57 inches (11.6cm) and approximately 3.53 ounces (100gm).
His head and neck are held straighter now.
This is a week of "mights!" You might hear the tiny thumps of his
heartbeat with an external monitor now. The genitals are developed sufficiently
that an experienced sonographer might be able to determine if your baby is a boy
or a girl.
Her heart is pumping as much as 6 gallons of blood a day and
beats at a rate about double your heartrate.
If you could take a peek inside, you would witness your child's reflexes in action! (Sucking, swallowing and blinking are now evident.) She is probably even hiccuping even though you don't feel it yet!
Your baby has learned to breathe! This is apparent from the regular movements of his chest. Isn't it amazing that he is able to breathe "underwater," inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid? These actions help the lungs to develop and grow.

Some pretty cool things are happening!

First off, I havn't felt any thumps or taps yet. I've been focussing on lying still for a little bit after dinner to see if I can notice anything, but no luck yet. Hopefully, soon though!

Also, this is the time when an ultrasound could reveal whether the baby is a boy or a girl!!! I am absolutely dying to find out, but Sandy and I agreed that we would wait until the baby is born....how am I going to last that long??? (I am the one who unwraps Christmas presents and then re-wraps them because I can't stand the suspense!!! Although, the really strange thing is that I absolutely love surprises. I think that's why Sandy wants to wait so badly --- he knows this may be one of the moments in life when I'll have to wait and wait and wait and there's nothing I can do to find out and ruin the surprise!)

And, the last item that stood out to me is that the baby has learned to breathe...a skill that will prove very important! ;)

Fashion Show!

I love new clothes! Here I am "modelling" two of my new tops. The black and white one is a second-hand top that a friend in GR gave to me when we were there last weekend. She is nearing the end of her pregnancy and it doesn't fit anymore, which works for me because it fits me great right now!

The red top is from my Mom. Luckily (for me!), she was in the mall in Fort Mac the other day and came across a maternity clothing store....and they were having a SALE!!!! She found the first three tops during that trip; plus, a great black skirt that should fit the entire time and is very comfortable. Those items came in the mail yesterday and I absolutely loved them, so she went back today and found some more great deals (see the picture with the six tops). I think she found another skirt today too. And, she experienced her very own version of 'pay it forward' when a pregnant lady in the store gave her a coupon that she couldn't use for $50 off!!!!

Okay, even though it wasn't actually me doing the shopping, I still love the idea of finding a great deal. I know my Dad is laughing and saying, "Yes, look at how much money we saved!"

It's late and I'm tired...

Just like the title says, "It's late and I'm tired..."

Everything in our world continues to go well. Still not feeling pregnant at all! I think I may be starting to get a bit of a baby belly though. I'll have to take a picture and compare to an earlier photo to see if there is a noticeable change. If there is, I'll post them on here so you can see too!

At 15 weeks, here's what's happening with the babe:

Week Fifteen

You may begin to feel some fluttering movements as baby kicks,
flails, twists and turns (but don't panic if you don't yet). She can also grasp,
squint, frown, grimace and maybe suck her thumb!
Your baby's legs have grown longer than the arms and the body is now longer than the head.
And you'll be happy to note that he is moving those arms and legs often!
His skin is very thin -- so thin blood vessel are visible. It's covered by a fine, soft layer of hair called lanugo. Lanugo comes from a Latin word meaning "down." This hair is thought to help insulate your little boy.
The three tiny bones in his middle ear have begun to harden. The auditory centers in your baby's brain haven't developed yet, so she might not really understand what you say but her hearing capacity is in the process of developing.
Fingernails and toenails are growing.
Eyebrows are beginning to grow and even the hair his head is
sprouting. It will probably change color and texture after birth.
All this and your little one is an amazing 3.98 inches (10.1cm) long and may weigh 2.47 ounces.

Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof, woof......

Say that really fast and you'll know exactly what the baby's heartbeat sounds like right now!

I was supposed to have a midwife appointment today but ended up getting called into work. I called Joanne to let her know I wouldn't make my appointment and she surprised me by saying that she would meet me at our house after school!

We had our normal appointment chat about how I was feeling (great!) and if I had any questions (not really) and then she took my blood pressure. It was fine. Then, it was time for what I had been waiting for.... out came the doppler!

She put the little wand on my abdomen and started moving it around to find the baby. 15 minutes later and nothing....except my own heartbeat (apparently, I have a very strong pulse!). Finally, she moved the doppler way down low and that's when we heard it...."woof, woof, woof, woof, woof..." It was going super fast --- 156 beats per minute to be exact!

I was very grateful that Joanne kept looking for the baby and it was very reassuring to hear the heartbeat. She said it sounded strong and healthy, which is great news.

15 weeks tomorrow!!! Where is time going?

Feeling much calmer and happier.

Whew! I just re-read my last post. I had worked myself into quite a state. I think I just needed to stop thinking about everything so much and RELAX!

Sandy and I had a great weekend. We went to Gold River on Friday night to visit Sandy's brother and his girlfriend. And, Sandy's Mom was there too so we got to see everyone. The boys had a bit of a party with some friends downstairs (played pool and watched the hockey game) and the girls relaxed upstairs.

We got home around 5pm yesterday and I was promptly "kidnapped" by Alysha to go out for dinner and a girl's night! She even brought pizza for Sandy so he didn't have to worry about making dinner. It was an amazing thing for her to do and exactly what I needed. We started off with a few drinks (soft ciders for me :) and the girls all met here. I had lots of time to visit and chat and even managed to do my hair and get dressed up! We went out for dinner (I had an amazing pasta dish - it was sooooo good!). Then, we went to a different pub for more drinks (shirley temple for me), and then we went to the bar! That was so funny. Mostly we just sat in our chairs and chatted with each other and watched everyone else. I had a lot of fun...it felt so great just to be out doing something different and enjoying the company of our girlfriends. Alysha, if you are reading this, Thank You!

Today has been a relaxing day so far and I think it will stay that way. If I am feeling energetic later, I may start going through my clothes...there are a few items that just aren't fitting that well anymore!

Patience (or lack of it!)

When is this pregnancy going to feel real? I am ready for it to happen any day now! I still feel totally normal (aside from some occasional cramping, but it's not enough to make me say..."Oh, I'm pregnant!"). Most of my clothes are still fitting just fine...although, I must admit that I do look a bit "wider" from the side. But, other than that, nothing has changed. I think that in a couple of months, I'll look back at this post and laugh at myself for being so ridiculous. But, right now I want to feel something...anything!

Sorry, no update!

No midwife appointment today after all. My cell phone rang at 6:13am for a job at Vanier (high school here in Courtenay). I taught three classes of English and then the last class of the day was....rugby!!! Outside, in the pouring rain and blowing wind, with 35 grade 10 boys running around like crazy and me trying to remember the rules of the game from the teacher's notes and my quick read through a rugby rule book that I found in the classroom. It's probably not necessary for me to say that I was very happy when the final bell rang.

The teacher who I was in for left a message that he may not be in for the rest of the week...his wife went into labour last night! Pretty exciting, plus I may have the next three days of work covered...bonus for me!

"Officially" in the Second Trimester

If I count back from the due date calculated from the ultrasound, I am exactly 14 weeks tomorrow. This is very exciting for a couple of reasons.

Reason #1: 14 weeks!!! YAY! I am *just* a little bit more than a third of the way through.

Reason #2: I have a midwife appointment scheduled for tomorrow at 9am (will be changed if I get called in to work). If there isn't any work, then I should get to hear the baby's heartbeat again. I am really looking forward to it.

Reason #3: There seems to be a bit of controversy surrounding the actual start of the second trimester - some people say 12 weeks, some say 13 - some say that when you are 13 weeks pregnant, you are actually in your 14th week, so that counts (confusing!). Regardless, I figure at 14 weeks, we are "officially" in the second semester.

So, here's to the second semester! Let's hope it is as great as the first one. Aside from feeling a bit more tired than usual, I've been incredibly lucky and have been feeling great! Fingers crossed that it continues....

TGIF

Thank goodness it's Friday! I had a great week of work, but I am ready for the weekend. Tonight I plan on making a good dinner and then watching a movie...very exciting, I know!

After school today, I went to visit my friend Sonja, who had a baby boy 4 weeks ago. His name is Sam and he is very cute. I held him the whole time we sat and chatted and he was very quiet and content. However, on the drive home from her house, I noticed that my left arm was sore. I think it was from holding Sam --- he only weighs 7 pounds!

It looks like I may have to do some weightlifting in preparation for this baby of ours!

It's amazing the impact that three inches can have on your life...

Three inches --- that's exactly how big the baby is right now (that's about 8 cm for those of you who use that system!). It's incredible to think that the baby is that big already....maybe that's why my pants are starting to feel tight!

I found this neat website: http://www.pregnancy.org/pregnancy/fetaldevelopment1.php

You can click on the link for how far along you are (13 weeks for me) and it tells you how the baby is developing and shows some ultrasound pictures of other babies at this size. Here is what our 13 week 2 day old baby is doing right now:

Week Thirteen

Your infant is about 2.91 inches (7.4cm) and weighs around 0.81
ounce (23gm) - This is about the same weight as 4 quarters.

If you could peek in again you may spot your baby as he begins to practice inhaling and exhaling movements

Eyes and ears continue to move and develop

Baby's neck is getting longer, and the chin no longer is resting on his chest

Her hands are becoming more functional - Your baby may find it comforting to start
playing with her fist.

At this point all nourishment is received from the placenta

On your next doctor visit you should be able to hear heartbeat with
a Doppler by now - (Don't worry though if you can't, the heartbeat can be
confirmed through U/S). Your baby's heartbeat is much rapider than your own and
may remind you of the race towards birth that he is running

Isn't that amazing???

Good versus Evil

The good: Today I went to an hour long aerobics/conditioning class. It was an incredible workout and also a lot of fun! Two friends came with me so we had a good time giggling at ourselves trying to keep up with the "moves". Even with the silliness, I worked really hard and am already feeling some sore muscles. It hurts, but in a good way. I was conscious of the fact that I am pregnant and should be careful, but I managed to keep up pretty well and just went to a lower intensity when I was getting too hot or feeling "the burn" a little too much.

The evil: It's no secret that I love candy. I truly love it. When I was doing some grocery shopping at Thrifty's the other day, I came across this bulk section called "favour blasters" or something like that. There are a whole bunch of bins with a wide variety of candy: fuzzy peaches, watermelon slices, strawberries (hhmmm, they are all shaped like fruit...probably to give the false illusion that the sugar you are eating is actually good for you). Anyway, I bought some of these chewy candies and they are soooooooo delicious and also PURE EVIL!!! Like with the aerobics, I am conscious that I am pregnant and shouldn't eat a lot of junk --- bad for baby and bad for me, but they just taste so good!

What's that saying? "Everything in moderation...."

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope you are all enjoying the long weekend and getting to spend time with family and friends. Last night Sandy and I ordered pizza and then had pumpkin pie for dessert....maybe not the best in terms of quality but it sure tasted good!

I had a bit of realization this morning. Next Thanksgiving, we'll be celebrating as a family of three instead of just the two of us (well, technically, if you include Ryder, we'll go from three to four, but you get what I mean!!!). It's pretty crazy to think that we are actually going to have a baby....it still seems surreal most of the time....I wonder when it will seem real? Maybe in the delivery room! ha, ha, ha!

Nursery decor

Okay, I know it may seem early to be talking about decorating the nursery, but I love these kinds of projects, so I've been thinking about it a lot!

My plan for the nursery is to do an outdoor garden theme. I'm hoping this is an idea that will be gender neutral and also soothing for a newborn....and me when I'm up at 3am feeding the baby :)

The first picture shows the different fabrics. The blue fabric is for the curtains that I will be making. The plaid fabric is the crib skirt. The green fabric has the same design has the blue fabric, but doesn't have a purpose quite yet.

The blue butterfly is from a garden shop in Victoria and already hangs from the ceiling in the spare room (soon to be nursery!). It is really pretty and will probably stay in the corner of the room .... it may end up over the crib .... depends on where the crib gets situated.

With a couple of nice pictures on the walls and a few stuffies in the shape of a ladybug or a caterpillar (actually, I think I still have a beanie baby caterpillar in a box downstairs), I think the room will be complete.

Any comments or suggestions?

Baby bedding

On Tuesday, I went for a haircut. I had a few minutes before my appointment so decided to look through the thrift shop that is near my hairdresser's (it was either that or check out the meat at the butcher shop that is on the other side!).

The thrift shop has a small baby section where I found this crib skirt. I had already (before even finding out we were pregnant!) purchased fabric that I want to use for the curtains in the baby's room and this crib skirt matches perfectly. It cost a whopping $1.49!!! So, I bought the crib skirt, brought it home and washed it twice (just to make sure :) . Today I was taking a closer look and the crib skirt is in great shape --- no rips, tears, or stains --- and it is brand name: Disney!

Next post I will show the other fabrics for the room....stay tuned!

For the golfer in training...

So cute! These little golf shoes/slippers are from Sandy's Mom for the baby. I understand she's had them for quite some time and was waiting to give them to us. I know the picture isn't that great and you can't really see how tiny they are, but trust me when I tell you that they are adorable! I can't wait to put them on the baby's little feet.

Would you (I) like some cheese with that whine?

I am soooooo tired! I felt like this back around weeks 6-8...totally exhausted. I was feeling great for the past month, but today I am feeling so worn out. And, here is the best part: I didn't even have to work today! I took Ryder for a big walk and ran a bunch of errands, but that's about it. I've got my first curling game of the season tonight, so time to act energetic and hope that my body catches on. :)

Tomorrow and Thursday, I've been requested for full days to teach in the Courtenay school district, which I love because it means less driving. Hopefully, I can stay awake until the end of the day though!

And the due date is....

APRIL 15th!!!

Joanne just called with the results of the ultrasound. She said everything looks great and then told me the due date: Tuesday, April 15th. That makes me 12 weeks tomorrow. Exciting!!!