Hi Twinkle!

I got a couple requests for more doppler videos.  Figured it was about time since it does sound way different from the early video.  The doppler is getting CRAZY!  You can hear clunks that are clearly twinkle wiggling about!  Here's today's doppler.  I'm 12w4d.  I didn't move the wand at all, so all of that is twinkle moving!  <3 <3 <3 this beautiful sound!

12 Weeks

Baby is the size of a Plum...

How far along: 12 weeks, 3 days

Physical symptoms: Still pretty tired a lot of the time. Less irritable than before, but it's still there. Still nauseous some in the middle of the night, but less than last week. Still irritable and tired.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still avoiding the scale.

Maternity clothes: Some of my clothes are getting a little tight. The maternity shirts are super long and comfy! I'm sure I don't NEED maternity stuff yet, but I do have to use the rubber band trick with my khaki pants.

Stretch marks: Nothing new

Sleep: Doing ok. Nausea at night has been a little better, so I'm sleeping a little better.

Best moment last week: Having a great OB appointment and making it Facebook official! Now it's not a secret anymore :)

Movement: Obviously not feeling anything yet. BUT I can hear when the baby moves on the doppler! It sounds like clunks!

Food cravings: Nothing really. Some days I'm super hungry and some days I'm not. I'm really liking milk.

Gender: Still feeling girl. The heartbeat was pretty high at my OB appointment (154 bpm), which means GIRL!

Labor signs: Um, I would hope none!

Belly button: Normal

What I miss: Having drinks with friends. I went to a campfire on Friday night and a wedding on Saturday night. Both were drinking events. I still had a good time, it was just different.

What I am looking forward to: I'm having the Harmony test done, so in just over 2 weeks the baby's SEX will be known! I have agreed to allow my friends to plan a SMALL gender reveal party, so that will be super fun and exciting. Date TBD.

Milestones: Making it Facebook official and seeing the OB like a regular pregnant person!

You're famous!

Twinkle, you're FACEBOOK famous!  Now the world knows that you exist! We made our pregnancy Facebook official today!  It seriously took me over an hour to push post.  I can't believe this is real!  Now I'm ugly crying reading all of the wonderful comments on the post.  We are truly blessed to have such amazing friends and family.  Here is our announcement photo:

I also had my first OB appointment today.  She was really excited to see me!  I had to wait forever because she was at the hospital to possibly deliver a 26 weeker.  Luckily she made it to see me, which meant that baby didn't come.  My blood pressure was 128/82, so all good.  I was worried because it was a bit high during my last intralipid transfusion.  Dr. found the heartbeat on the doppler and it was 154.  Had swabs taken for infectious disease and blood drawn.  Other than that, just general pregnancy education stuff.  My next appointment is 11/19/13.  It is seriously SO WEIRD being a normal pregnant person!

11 weeks

Baby is the size of a Lime...

How far along: 11 weeks, 2 days

Physical symptoms: Still irritable and tired.  Still nauseous in the middle of the night almost every night.  The last 3 days or so I've had some major food aversions.  I think something sounds good and then it gets in front of me and I can't eat it. 


Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still avoiding the scale.

Maternity clothes: I've worn a couple maternity shirts just because they are super long and comfy.  I've been getting more bloated in the afternoon/evenings and my pants are getting tight then.  I did take a bloat picture this week last Wednesday. 
Stretch marks: Nothing new

Sleep: Doing ok. Getting up at least once a night to pee.  Been nauseous in the night so that makes it tough to go back to sleep.

Best moment last week: I told my grandparents!  My grandma was so afraid she would never be a great-grandmother.  We cried.  They are so excited!   I also got the crib picked up that I bought and I seriously LOVE it!

Movement: Obviously not feeling anything yet.  BUT I can hear when the baby moves on the doppler!  It sounds like clunks!

Bloat!

Food cravings: Nothing really. Some days I'm super hungry and some days I'm not.  I'm really liking milk.  Food aversions are there though!

Gender: Still feeling girl.  Some old wives tale predictors have said boy!

Labor signs: Um, I would hope none!

Belly button: Normal

What I miss: Running and wine.

What I am looking forward to: I'm going to make my big Facebook announcement on Wednesday.  I also have my first OB appointment on Wednesday!  Woot!

Milestones:  Seriously every day feels like a milestone. Every day I'm more pregnant than I've ever been.  It's really real!

10 weeks

Baby is the size of a Prune...

How far along: 10 weeks, 1 day (Yup, I'm late again)

Physical symptoms: Still irritable and tired.  I've been nauseous in the middle of the night when I get up to go to the bathroom.  Still gassy.



Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still avoiding the scale.

Maternity clothes: I've worn a couple maternity shirts just because they are super long and comfy.  I've been getting more bloated in the afternoon/evenings and my pants are getting tight then.

Stretch marks: Nothing new

Sleep: Doing ok. Getting up at least once a night to pee.  Been nauseous in the night so that makes it tough to go back to sleep.

Best moment last week: I got my doppler on Friday and found the heartbeat!  Welcome to my new obsession!  Ignore the number reading.  The sound was too light for it to pick up properly. 

Movement: Obviously not feeling anything yet.

Food cravings: Nothing really. Some days I'm super hungry and some days I'm not.  I'm really liking milk.

Gender: Still feeling girl, but more unsure recently.

Labor signs: Um, I would hope none!

Belly button: Normal

What I miss: Running and wine.

What I am looking forward to: Actually getting a bump!

Milestones: As of Friday I am off all meds except for my prenatal vitamin.  I'm officially a normal pregnant person!  WOOT!  I also made my first big baby purchase today.  I bought a crib from a baby/kids Facebook group.  It's just over a year old and retails now for $250.  I got it for $140!  She's also including the mattress and bedding, which I don't want to use so I will promptly sell.  So I'm hoping with selling those things I'll come out to spend about $100, which is conveniently what I'm trying to sell my computer desk for.  Exciting stuff lol!

Come on Twinkle!

Dear Twinkle,

What happened to the nice little arrangement we had going?  You were nice and quiet, mommy was feeling good.  Now you make mommy super tired!  Why you no like hot things?  First the hot wings and now the jalapeno peppers.  Don't you know that mommy likes hot things????  We really need to get back to our original arrangement. Ok?  OK!  Good talk.

Love,
Mommy

Reconnecting

An old friend posted on Facebook a few days ago that she is pregnant.  She is due 8 days before me.  I contacted her on Facebook and then we met up tonight and went for a 2 mile walk.  It was really nice to talk to her again and catch up.  And it's nice to have a walking buddy since my other friend has been super busy with work these days.  We're going walking again tomorrow!  It will be fun to have someone that is pregnant too to share experiences with. 

In other news, my OB's office initially did not want to see me for 7 weeks.  I would be 16 weeks by that time!  My RE's nurse said that didn't sound right and I should be seen sooner.  I was nervous too since I've had zero pregnancy education.  I'm super good at all of the trying to get pregnant stuff, but I know nothing about being pregnant!  I called and got them to switch the appointment to Oct 23!  WOOT!  Much better. 

I told my boss today.  She was very happy for me, which was nice.  She also told me about the sick leave bank (she is on the committee) that might be able to help with the few days that I'm going to be short on vacation/sick time to make it to 6 weeks off.  I'd ultimately like to take 8 weeks, so we'll see.  It still makes me sad to think about the 14 weeks of sick time that I left at my old job, but I know I have a much better quality of life with the change and will have way more time for a baby and having a family.  I also went into my old office today and talked to my old boss.  Told her too and she was BEYOND excited.  She said she always thought that as soon as I left it would happen.  She was right!  She knew about our IF and treatments and has always been supportive.  I appreciate so much how even though me leaving sucked (still sucks) for her, she is so happy for me doing what I needed to do for myself.  Good lady right there :)

9 weeks

Baby is the size of an Olive...

How far along: 9 weeks, 1 day (sorry, I'm a day late!)

Physical symptoms: Still pretty irritable and tired.  Those are the only consistent things.  I've had a couple episodes of really painful, out of control gas.  Ugh.  Overall though, symptoms are pretty mild compared to what they could be. 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I conveniently forgot to weigh myself ;)

Maternity clothes: Not needed yet, but some of the shirts from my hook up from Jorie are super comfy!  I need to focus on pants.  That is going to be difficult.

Stretch marks: Nothing new

Sleep: Doing ok. Getting up at least once a night to pee, but going back to sleep better.

Best moment last week: My 9 week ultrasound yesterday was
simply amazing.  Baby looks like a gummy bear.  My RE pointed out the 2 chambers that are visible in the heart and obviously you could see it pumping away.  Heart rate was 174.  Dr. said it is so high when they are this size because they are wiggling!  Baby has 2 arms and 2 legs.  He showed me where the straight spine was.  Then he said he only wants to see me one more time...with my baby in my arms.  Tears!  He says they love to see the babies after they come!  More hugs and then he was off to help the next couple who was there just starting their journey.  They looked so scared and I just wanted to hug them!  Johnnie couldn't be there, but he oodled over the pictures in amazement.  I love seeing him so excited! 


Movement: Obviously not feeling anything, but SAW little one wiggling away on the ultrasound!

Food cravings: Nothing really. Some days I'm super hungry and some days I'm not.

Gender: Still feeling girl, but more unsure recently.

Labor signs: Um, I would hope none!

Belly button: Normal

What I miss: Running and wine.

What I am looking forward to: Actually getting a bump!

Milestones: I officially graduated from the RE yesterday.  What a bittersweet moment!  I had my ultrasound first and then my last round of intralipids.  While I was sitting in the cell phone fortress doing intralipids (we shall not talk about the fact that it took 4 attempts for the IV, one of which was going for 45 minutes before we had to change locations), all the nurses and staff came back to see my ultrasound pictures and wish me well.  Cue tears AGAIN!  It so weird to be sent off to the land of normal pregnant women.   I have 1 more week of PIO, progesterone suppositories, and estrogen shots.  I'm weaning the steroid this week, too.  So as of next Friday, all I will take each day is my prenatal.  Holy smokes shit is real!

Holy bloating batman

Ummm, omg!  The bloating and gas is seriously out. of. control.  I had to unbutton my pants while I was sitting at my desk at work today.  Oye ve!  Last week I had to go 4 1/2 hours each way out of town for a court hearing for work.  Of course that day baby Twinkle says, hey, let's make mommy nauseous today!  Not cool Twinkle, not cool.

3 more sleeps until ultrasound #2.  Still nervous, but definitely more on the excited side.  Especially now that I have some more symptoms, I'm more confident about things.  Johnnie can't go, which gives me the sadsies.  As long as everything checks out good, I'll be getting instructions for stopping meds (yay!) and graduate from the RE (yay and boo!). 

A big huge thanks to Jorie who came to visit this weekend!  Not only was it wonderful to see her, but she helped me clean out the future nursery.  Holy crap I have a lot of crap!  After a couple trips to the dumpster and to Goodwill, it looks a million times better.  Next project is to organize the garage so that the big shelf from the nursery closet can be moved down there.  Not looking forward to that project...

Jorie also brought me some maternity clothes (some still with tags!) and I totally scored by finding some long dress pants at Clothes Mentor.  Jorie also sent me a crazy picture of a closet at her parents house where she has been hoarding baby stuff.  Evidence of crazy right there!  But Twinkle is going to be spoiled.

I was talking to my mom yesterday about baby stuff and she offered to help out with daycare a couple days a week.  She unexpectedly retired this year (teacher).  I feel so blessed!  Daycare costs is something that freaks me out.  Between her and Johnnie being off on Thursday's, we should only need daycare 2 days per week.  YAY!

Lastly, I worked on my Pinterest project!  I made a chalkboard for taking weekly bump pictures.  I think it turned out well!  I got the mirror for $15 from a classifieds facebook group.  A little spray paint and Viola!  Clearly the wind was a little problematic, hence all of the items holding down the bag.