Nursery Update 1/30/11

Our crib, mattress, mattress pad, and bedding have arrived! I love it! Here's the crib all set up. My bedding is the Carter's Forest Friends 4 Piece Crib Bedding Set.


We found that the sheet is impossible to put on with the bumper in place, though, so it will be hard to change out the bedding if he has a diaper blowout. I've decided to register for some sheet savers in sage and blue from Amazon. You just tie them to the crib rails and then you don't have to change the sheets every time baby makes a mess--brilliant!

Nojo Fleece Sheet Savers

19 Weeks

How far along? 19 weeks and 0 days (posting this a couple days late)

Baby’s Size: 6 inches

Baby’s Weight: 8 1/2 ounces

Development: Baby's brain is hard at work developing his senses. His hair is starting to sprout, and he a waxy coating is forming over his skin to keep him from "pickling" in the amniotic fluid. Ew.

Weight gain/loss: I gained 1 pound this week.

Maternity clothes? I wore my first pair of maternity pants to work this week. They were falling down all day. Oh, well. Next time I will wear a Bella Band over them to hold them up.

Best moment this week? On Monday, I brought blue cupcakes for my class to announce that I'm having a boy. While the students were eating the cupcakes, the quietest girl in my class came up to me, hugged me, looked up at me and said with a smile, "Congratulations!" It was so sweet.

Symptoms: Stuffy nose & congestion, bloody noses, headaches, back pain, and a few pulls, twinges and baby fluttering.

Food cravings/aversions: Blueberry pop tarts and these amazing little packs of Welch's fruit snacks. Still no aversions.

What I'm looking forward to: A successful anatomy scan on Thursday!

Milestones: Our crib and crib bedding arrived! The bookshelves are finished and it's starting to look like a nursery.

What my baby and I look like this week:

19 Weeks Pregnant

Pregnancy is Making Me Paranoid

There are some days when my belly feels heavy, as if there really is a baby inside of it. I live for those days. Then there are days like today when I don't feel pregnant at all.

I find myself constantly checking my bump in the mirror and second guessing everything. Shouldn't it be bigger by now? Why does it look smaller than it did yesterday? If the baby is below my belly button, why is my entire stomach rounded?

I end up convincing myself that something is wrong, and even my home doppler does little to put my mind at ease. I go through life these days waiting for the other shoe to drop. Every knows I'm pregnant, and we've started to decorate the nursery. I was hesitant to tell everyone and buy nursery items because I felt like somehow that would jinx it. I feel like this is all too good to be true, and soon this will all come to an end.

Bump Pic - 18 weeks

Here is my 18 week bump pic. People are finally starting to notice that I'm showing. I can't really hide it anymore. I love it. :)

Results!!

I got my initial amnio results back. My test was negative for Trisomy 18! I am so relieved. These results are 96% accurate, and I will hear the full results in about a week, but I feel confident in moving forward with nursery preparations. I can't stop looking at the ultrasound pictures from Tuesday. Our little boy has the cutest little profile! I will add new pictures soon.

To make my day even better, our crib arrived today, and the crib bedding should be here tomorrow! I am not letting myself spend any more money on the baby this month, though, lol.

Today I checked out a book from the library called My Teacher's Having a Baby. I think I'm going to tell my class tomorrow! Yikes! I'm so paranoid that once I tell them, something will go wrong and then I will have to explain to 26 first graders why I'm not having a baby after all...

More Tests and Waiting for Results

Yesterday was emotionally and physically draining. My husband and I met with a genetic counselor, who went over the details of Trisomy 18. Not what I needed to hear, considering we'd already done a lot of research online. She also told me that my risk (1 in 69) is equivalent to the risk a 46 year old woman would have. I'm 31. Great.

We signed the release to get the amnio and we went in for the ultrasound. I laid down on the table and just started crying uncontrollably. It was so embarrassing. The ultrasound tech asked if I was ok and said, "is there anything I should know?" I'm not really sure what answer she was looking for. I just shook my head, and luckily my husband was there to say, "She's just worried and scared."

That ultrasound seemed to go on forever. The monitor was angled so I couldn't see it. The tech didn't say anything the entire time, and she kept going over the same places and looking at them from every angle. I was really starting to freak out, especially since my husband wouldn't look at me. He was staring at the monitor, and every few minutes he pressed his lips together and did this thing with his mouth that he does when he's upset about something. No one was saying anything and I just knew something was wrong.

When she was done, she finally told me that everything looked good. The baby was measuring right on track and weighs 7 ounces. She didn't see anything on the ultrasound to indicate Trisomy 18.

Then it was time for the amniocentesis. I was told it would feel like a "pin prick, like getting a your blood drawn." The hell it did. When they stuck the needle in, my muscles spasmed like crazy, and then it was stinging the entire 30 seconds the needle was inside. It was so painful, and my husband said it looked like I was completely miserable. My muscles were twitching for the rest of the day.

Today I am taking the day off and resting while I wait for the initial results from the amnio. They told me the early results, which are 96% accurate, would be in in about 24 hours. Hopefully I will hear back today. The full results take about 10 days. I am feeling optimistic, but I won't be completely at ease until all the results are in.

17 Weeks

How far along? 17 weeks and 0 days (posting this a couple days late)

Baby’s Size: 5 inches

Baby’s Weight: 4-5 ounces

Development: Baby's starting to get some fat on him, so he's starting to look less like an alien! His umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and his skeleton is hardening into bone.

Weight gain/loss: I lost 1 pound this week.

Maternity clothes? They are slowly making their way into my daily life, especially on the weekends when I don't have to try to suck in my belly. At work, I am still trying to wear loose-fitting pre-pregnancy tops to hide my belly since I haven't told my students or their parents yet.

Best moment this week? My grandparents sent a Target gift card for my husband's birthday, and a second gift card for "great grandson." I teared up a bit.

Symptoms: Stuffy nose & congestion, dry skin, achy joints, back pain, nudging feeling in my lower abdomen--pretty sure it's the baby I'm feeling!

Food cravings/aversions: Salad, avocado, and various things made of chocolate. I haven't really had any aversions throughout my pregnancy so far.

What I'm looking forward to: (/dreading) I hope to find out more on Tuesday about my risk for Trisomy 18. My husband and I are pretty sure we will be getting an amnio since we really want to know for sure.

Milestones: My pregnancy has been pretty smooth so far, so I'm hoping this Trisomy scare is my one hiccup in the process...

What my baby and I look like this week:

17 Weeks Pregnant

Movement

I have been feeling what I think is the baby a few times this past week. It started at about 16 weeks with a very brief vibrating/buzzing feeling when I leaned forward. It only lasted a split second, but it was something I've never felt before. And no, it wasn't gas. I've been feeling gas pains pretty consistently for the last two months, so I know what those feel like. :)

Earlier this week at work, I was walking to my classroom and suddenly felt a constant jabbing sensation. These were not kicks. Picture someone jamming an elbow up against your back. Annoying, right? That's exactly what it felt like, but it was in my lower abdomen on the right side. I have felt that same sensation a couple times since then, including once at the grocery store this morning. It's definitely not the same stretching/pulling feelings I've had before. I know it's early at 17 weeks, but could it be the baby pressing against my belly?

Scary News

I just got my second set of blood test results. My ratio for Trisomy 18 has gone from 1 in 1400 to 1 in 69. They referred me to a genetic counselor who will "go over my options." The fact that I am in a situation where I have "options" is terrifying. I am so scared and I have been sobbing since I left work.

I realize my chances of having a normal, healthy baby are huge, but I'm also mentally preparing myself for the possibility that things may not be perfect. My appointment with the genetic counselor is Tuesday 1/18. T&Ps for my little boy would be appreciated...

Crib bedding

I decided on my crib bedding for the nursery! It's Carter's Forest Friends bedding set. We're going to do tan walls with accents of sage green, baby blue, and chocolate brown throughout the room. I can't wait!

16 weeks

How far along? 16 weeks and 0 days

Baby’s Size: 4-5 inches

Baby’s Weight: 3-3 1/2 ounces

Development: His eyes and ears are in position now. He's growing toenails and his legs are developing. His little heart is pumping 25 quarts of blood per day.

Weight gain/loss: I gained 2 1/2 pounds this week. Up 8 1/2 pounds overall.

Maternity clothes? I bought some great pairs of pants this week, and I'm able to wear some of them now. I've also worn a couple maternity tops. They are so roomy and comfortable!

Best moment this week? Shopping for little boy clothes!

Symptoms: Stuffy nose & congestion, sore & swollen boobs, increased sense of smell, dry & itchy skin but it's getting softer and smoother, short bursts of energy (I worked out 2 days in a row, but took naps after each workout session). I cry a little more easily now.

Food cravings/aversions: Nothing specific. But I DID buy pickles at the store yesterday, which I never do. I saw them and they looked good...hm, now I want a pickle. :)

What I'm looking forward to: Decorating the nursery. Most of the planning is done.

Milestones: It's a boy, and I definitely have a little bump now!

What my baby and I look like this week:

16 Weeks Pregnant

Wordless Wednesday 1/5/11

<br/><a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/happiest-penguin-ever/1jr19lt1k?q=Penguin&rel=msn&from=en-us_msnhp&form=msnhed&gt1=42007&fg=sharenoembed" target="_new"title="Happiest Penguin Ever">Video: Happiest Penguin Ever</a>

It's a BOY!!

We had an elective 3d ultrasound this morning, and we found out right away that we are having a baby boy! He was not shy about showing us his junk. He kept his hands up by his face the whole time. Here are some pictures from our appointment:


Look familiar??

Starting to Show

I am no longer zipping up most of my jeans, and I can't suck it in anymore, so it feels like more than just bloat. My baby is now the size of a navel orange, and I can no longer lay on my stomach comfortably. Here's my 15 week "mini-bump."

15 Weeks

How far along? 15 weeks and 0 days

Baby’s Size: 4 inches

Baby’s Weight: 2 - 2 1/2 ounces

Development: Baby can sense light and her lungs are developing due to amniotic fluid moving through her nose and upper respiratory tract. (I just realized I typed "her." Lately I've been thinking it's a girl.) Baby's legs are now longer than his/her arms.

Weight gain/loss: I haven't gained anything in the last 2 weeks. I'm still up about 6 pounds overall.

Maternity clothes? Most of them are still too big, but most of my regular sweaters are too short and it's getting hard to hide the fact that my jeans are unzipped.

Best moment this week? I made an appointment for an elective 3d ultrasound to possibly find out the sex!

Symptoms: Stuffy nose & congestion, dry skin but breakouts are clearing up, achy joints, shooting pains I like to call "lightning crotch," random aches in my uterus, and my husband and I have started nesting. :) I will post nursery updates soon.

Food cravings/aversions: Blueberry pop tarts...mmm...

What I'm looking forward to: Hopefully finding out the sex on Tuesday

Milestones: I feel like I'm starting to show a little.

What my baby and I look like this week:

15 Weeks Pregnant