21 Weeks - More than Halfway There!

Yay! We've got 19 weeks (or less!) until we meet Hunter, and can't wait!

We went to another appt. yesterday morning, just a checkup to see how things are going, we actually didn't even see the Dr but just the nurse, and got to hear the little man's heartbeat again. He must have been moving and shaking in there because we heard quite a few thumps and bumps, and his heartrate was 150, up from last time (140). I still can't feel a thing and that kind of disappoints me, I'm just hoping to be able to feel him by my next appt in 2 1/2 weeks. I will be a little over 23 weeks then and really can't wait to feel him kicking. Most people would have been feeling him already for nearly a month, but I suppose like his daddy he's stubborn and wants to make me wait as long as possible. He was really trying to get away from the doppler yesterday, I think he knows when people are looking for him in there!

Anyways altogether everything went great, and I found out I've only gained 4lbs so far (!). I had guessed it would be between 5-10lbs, not only 4! But I suppose I've been riding my bike pretty consistantly and that keeps it down too. I've lost a little weight in my face and legs, and really you can see the only place I've gained it is the little bump on my tummy! It's a cute little bump too! So hopefully things stay this way and I don't gain too much before October and don't get too many stretch marks. Right now I do have 2 little marks, one on either side of my belly button, that start quite high up. I really hope it doesn't get too much worse than that! Who knows, I guess we'll see what happens. I know it might happen but I don't have to like that part of it. But I'm doing my best to stay healthy and in shape so at least I'm doing all I can to give the best to my little boy!

Anyways I'm also thinking about the coming summer months and the fact that I need 300 more hours to qualify for maternity leave. 300 hours in the next 4 months is doable, but I don't think I will get it all from the daycare. If my shifts don't pick up I plan to get a part time job at either Bargain Shop, Fields, or even Co-Op to make up the hours I need. One way or another I will make it work out. It would be great to have that year's worth of paychecks (even if they're small), to help out.

Well blah. Not much else new besides that. Looking forward to my next ultrasound appt. on June 14 to see Hunter, and hopefully reconfirm that he's a he, and when I talk to my Dr. afterwards I hope to schedule my diabetes test for 2 weeks later on the 28th. I will be in again that day anyways to see my hematologist so I hope to get it all done in one trip. I've been going to the city so much lately, every 2-3 weeks, and it's such a long drive that I hope they will work with me to do things on the same day when possible. Here's to hoping!

15 Weeks - Little Baby Ninja!

Aimee came up with that one... Our baby is a ninja!

It might be a bit hard to tell but the little munchkin is lying with the head on the right, facing out, and the bigger round shape to the left is the body, with a foot along the top, doing some kind of funky ninja kick at the screen!

Our appointment yesterday went really well. The nurse tried to listen to the heartbeat on the doppler but wasn't having much luck because the little one was wiggling out of the way every time. We heard lots of little thumps and bumps that turned out to be the baby kicking and punching away in my belly! I didn't know that could even be heard... and it was funny because I can't feel it moving around in there, but it was pretty active and squirming all over the place! We got to see the little one on ultrasound to measure the heartbeat (140), and saw just how much bigger he or she has gotten since last time. It's a big difference! Baby is 15 weeks, and close to 4 inches long. J says it looks like a little alien right now! We saw the face, of course not totally developed yet but we saw the eyes and mouth, and the legs were curled up so a foot was up by the face! It was great and I just love getting to see the little one so often. We go back on May 10 for the big 18 week ultrasound, which will take longer and we should be able to find out the gender, as long as he or she cooperates! I can hardly wait, just 3 1/2 more weeks!

The long-awaited belly shots...

Sunday April 4, at 13 w 2 d
Sunday, April 11, at 14 w 2 d

More belly pics to come, bigger and better!!!

12 Weeks - Heard Baby's Heartbeat Today!

Today was a special day. Finally we are at that 12 week point where any worries can really be left behind and the next 28 weeks can be enjoyed. And believe me, they will be!

I did have a mixed day today, because I had to go in and get a phlebotomy done again, which I knew would happen because of how heavy and sluggish I've been feeling these last few days. It really did make me feel better, when we finally got it done! Went in at 2pm, right as 2 ambulances showed up and I got pushed back til sometime between 3-4. So I went and visited mom and went back at 3:30. Of course a nurse tells me, Well if you had been here 5 minutes ago we would have got you in but you weren't here so we went on to the next person. So I sat for another half hour and mom showed up and finally we got into the 'cast room' where they had just finished cutting off 2 casts from 2 different people, the room smelled like cast shavings and there were crumbs of it on the cot so that was a little gross. Anyways finally the nurse got in to see me and we started trying to get an IV going into my hand. After 2 failed attempts the Dr. was called in and he had to try twice before getting it in too! And finally they got the big needle into my inner elbow and we got started. They ran 250ml of saline into the vein in my hand first to hydrate me, the took the 500ml of blood out, then put another 125ml of saline in. I was glad they did it that way because I was not lightheaded or anything afterwards, I felt great! Did feel a bit like a pincushion though because of the 5 or 6 separate pokes I'd gotten.

And the best part of the 5 hour hospital visit was that the Dr. came in and squirted some cold gel on my belly and looked for the baby's heartbeat! It took a while and we weren't sure if we would find it, but after looking around my pelvis area and then going up a little higher to just below my belly button, he found it! We listened to mine and the baby's heartbeats going together, mine was slower and baby's was fast, and it was so neat to just hear it and know that our little one is doing well in there! Mom, J and I got to hear it and it was awesome. And after that long, long day in the hospital, Mom took us out for supper before we headed home. What a day!