22w6d

Today was our appointment with the Perinatologist. The appointment went very well. It was the first time I could actually feel the baby kicking while actually seeing her do it at the same time. She was kicking and punching harder than I have ever felt. It was making me laugh so hard because she was tickling me at the same time! Even the technician said she couldn’t believe how amped up she was and how hard she was kicking. She could feel the baby while she was scanning me.

It was a looooong scan. Right before we began the technician told me it was another Level II. This technician was awesome. She gathered all of the baby’s measurements and captured a bunch of great images for us:

Nugget is measuring 23 weeks, weighs 1 pound 5 ounces and her heart rate was 161 BPM.

She even stuck out her tongue! It was so cute. (We got 2 pictures of her doing this and although they are scary looking I think it’s adorable lol) She loves grabbing at her feet and is very squirmy. Every technician so far has noted how hyper the little rugrat is, this one was no different. She kept commenting how Nugget wouldn’t stay still.

I was basically discharged from the Perinatologist’s care. Since everything looks so good and I am doing so well, the Doctor felt that unless I begin feeling cardiac symptoms or if my Cardiologist notices a significant difference in my heart function, she no longer needs to monitor the baby.

I have an appointment with my Cardiologist tomorrow. I’ll be getting an EKG & Echo and the Doctor will compare it to my last exams from early October, right before I got pregnant. I am feeling great. The only thing I occasionally get is mild tachycardia, which I have been told is very normal in pregnant women given the large increase in the blood volume.

Without any further ado, I present the Nugster at 22 weeks and 6 days old:

Profile picture



Another profile



With her tongue out



Another



It's a Girl!

22w4d

Meet the Leachco Snoogle Total Body Pillow.

I’ll be receiving this bad boy sometime later this week or early next week. I have to say, I am in desperate need of lower back support. I am beginning to get bad lower back pain and it’s really uncomfortable. Plus I need to stay put on my sides, preferably my left side. I also need some kind of foot stool or something makeshift to keep my feet elevated throughout the day while I’m here at work.

I’m beginning to feel my pregnancy strongly affect me physically in other ways besides the nausea and heartburn. Don’t get me wrong, I can bend over and pick things up if I drop them on the floor, my wedding rings still fit, I can get in and out of bed relatively easily and I can still see my feet when standing (well sort of…I have to lean forward a little bit, but still!). These are just a few of the precious things I used to take for granted pre-pregnancy. They are now delicious treats because I know that given a month or 2 more I will be big(ger) and a lot more uncomfortable. Everything in perspective, right?

Nugget is a gymnast in the making. She kicked so hard on Friday afternoon that I almost jumped out of my skin (a cervix kick?) it was such a weird sensation! I can’t believe we still can’t see movement from the outside. They say that usually begins at 28 weeks and if that’s the case we have about 5 weeks to go before my belly comes to life. I am desperate for Norman to start feeling her. So far it feels as though it’s been my little secret because I don’t verbalize every single time I feel her since it is too constant now. He does talk to my belly, though. It’s the sweetest thing. She can hear now and react to loud noises. We are going to start playing music for her.

Our next scan is on Wednesday and I promise to ask for good pictures so that I can post them here. I actually have video of the Level 2, the only thing is that it’s on a VHS so I have to figure out a way to get it online.

Updates Wednesday!

19w0d

Yesterday was one of the most emotionally exhilarating days of my life.

Our morning started bright and early and as you can imagine my tummy was in knots of anticipation. All I could force down was some OJ and off we went to see my Perinatologist.

They took me in right away and I was disappointed that it was a different technician who was going to perform my Level 2. I really liked the girl who did my Level 1 and was immediately turned off by this new lady’s off-putting attitude – but such is life. I am really good at first impressions and was not disappointed in my assessment of her, she was a heffer. This is our first child. I am emotional. I need compassion from people who are going to be dealing with me, my husband and child directly. But she did talk us through everything she was doing, explaining to us everything we were seeing.

As soon as the wand was pressed on my belly we got a perfect view of the baby’s bum, which gave us confirmation that Nugget is indeed a SHE! My eyes immediately began watering and Norman got a huge smile on his face. His little girl. The moment was truly priceless. I tried for the remainder of the scan to keep it together and did manage to do so. Norman and I were alone to wait for the Doctor and that’s when I really let it out. I was bawling tears of happiness. It is a feeling I will never be able to put into words. It is this complete and total unconditional love I have for this child that I never knew I could experience. It is a raw, primal love I have for our daughter. My daughter. I am so overwhelmed that sometimes I just can’t breathe. I am already a completely different person. My life and perspectives have changed entirely. I am a mother.

The doctor came to see me and said everything looks fantastic. The baby’s heart looks great and so do all of her other organs. I have a fetal echocardiogram scheduled for next week Friday, and then she wants to see me back on March 12. She told me that after the March 12 appointment she would no longer need to see me unless there is a complication. I am so thrilled. Of course I love having the scans done but parting ways with my Periniatologist is a good thing.

She is so cheeky. Waving at us and showing us her 10 fingers and 10 toes. She is very active. She likes to cover her face with her legs and feet. So adorable. We got to hear her heartbeat again yesterday; it’s the best sound ever. It was pumping strong at 158BPM.

I was floating in another world all day long yesterday. I couldn’t focus on anything. I am so happy and blessed and truly thankful for our daughter.

18w6d

IT'S A GIRL!!!

We just got back from our Level 2 Ultrasound and we found out that we are expecting a baby girl!

She is feisty like her mama, wouldn't stay still for very long for the radiologist to get good shots!

Everything looks great, she weighs 10 ounces and is 19 weeks and 1 day old, 2 days ahead of what the doctor's initially thought - which is great!

We got to see the 4 chambers of her heart, her kidneys, bladder, EVERYTHING!

I will be sure to post some new ultrasound pictures and more details about today soon.

13w5d

OK seriously now. Every time I pee and think I’ve emptied my bladder I have to pee again like 3 minutes later. Supposedly I am not emptying my bladder completely to begin with. This is so annoying, especially since I am peeing 10 times a day.

In other news, I took a fun little gender predictor quiz. Here are the results:

Congratulations!
You have a 80% chance of having a girl.
And you have a 20% chance of having a boy.
And Here's Why...
You are carrying the extra weight around the hips and bottom, so it's a girl.
The hair on your legs is not growing any faster during your preganacy, so it's a girl.
Boys are carried low. You are going to have a boy.
Your feet are not colder than they were before pregnancy. You are having a girl.
You refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread. You are having a girl.
Dad-to-be hasn't been gaining weight along with Mom-to-be, so it will be a girl.
The maternal grandmother doesn't have gray hair (dyed or natural), so a girl will be born.
You had morning sickness early in pregnancy, so you are expecting a girl.
You are not looking particularly good during pregnancy. Therefore, it must be a girl, because girls steal their mother's looks.
Your chest development has not been very dramatic during pregnancy. You should expect a boy.
Since the sum of the mother's age at conception and the number of the month of conception is even, it will be a boy.
A needle on a thread held over you belly moves from side-to-side, so it will be a girl.
Your urine is a dull yellow color, so you will have a girl.
You are craving sweets, which means that it is a girl.
Your nose hasn't changed during pregnancy, which indicates a girl.
You have been craving fruits, so it is a girl.
Your baby's heart rate is 140 or more beats per minute, so it's a girl.
You must have orange juice every day, so it's a girl.
You are having headaches, so it's a boy.
Your belly looks like a watermelon, so it's a girl.
You show them the palm of your hand, so it's a girl.
You use the body of the mug, so it's a girl.

We shall see soon enough! February 13th seems like light years away right about now.

10w4d

I must be having a girl. I have never craved sweets the way I am craving them now. In fact, I have never had much of a sweet tooth. Norman and I went to Dadeland Mall for lunch today because we were in the area. I ate Johnny Rockets and had to exercise serious self control to not order an extra large chocolate milk shake. I am getting tons of Christmas gifts consisting of Godiva chocolates and all types of sweet goodies. Evil. I think I am going to give them out here at work.

Speaking of having a girl, my dad is so sure I’m carrying a bambina that he has already bought me adorable girlie onesies and other girlie clothes. So sweet.

In other news, I think my morning sickness is subsiding (fingers crossed). I haven’t felt nauseous today or yesterday. I have been having bad acid reflux but no nausea. I am trying not to get too excited because I had 2 nausea-fee days right before week 9, but I am hoping that this is it. I have read that HCG levels peak at 10 weeks so this is the time when most women begin to feel some relief. We shall see. In the meantime, I am afraid to stop taking the Unisom/B6 just yet. Though I have been able to lessen the B6 dosage and am only taking 50mg at night. I think I will wait until Thursday. If I feel this good on Thursday I will quit the Unisom.

16 days until our next ultrasound. We will be seeing the perinatologist on January 2 and having the nuchal translucency screening test (NT) done. It feels as though the days are dragging by. I guess it’s because of the 4 weeks in between ultrasounds! I wish I could see the Nugget every day.