17.5 weeks!

Still going strong!  

Had a heartbeat check a couple days ago, and the baby's heartbeat was 149.  At first my midwife was having a hard time finding the heartbeat, but she said the baby was probably laying with its back towards the doppler.  Phew!  

Fatigue has been slowing me down lately.. Even today, within two hours of waking up, I'm tired again!  Headaches have also been a chronic problem.  My midwife said it could still be hormonal levels, but to keep an eye on hydration.  I keep acetaminophen in my purse, because these headaches pop up randomly throughout the day.  But it's nothing I can't handle. It's all worth it, if we get a healthy baby out of it!

Lately I've been really preoccupied with wanting to feel the baby move.  They say first time moms will usually start to feel the baby's movements between 16 and 20 weeks.  I'm coming up on the 18th week this Friday!  Every so often I'll feel something out of the ordinary, I'll stop mid-track and wait for a second, and it never comes in two's.  

I can't wait to start to feeling the movements that are not easily dismissible.  C'moooooooon, baby!

Scott and I went to Charleston, SC this weekend for the first time.  We got some great "baby in belly" shots to share!  

Size of our baby at 17.5 weeks?

An onion! 
[Some of these visuals I have a heard time grasping...]

16 weeks!

16 weeks and 3 days.

A few days ago I happily entered the fifth month of pregnancy! 

Not a whole lot to report this week, except that I'm showing slightly more with each entry.  It's funny because my stomach starts reasonably small in the mornings, and is huge by dinnertime!  Apparently a lot of this is bloat and other various internal happenings, so I wonder how much of it is actually baby. 

I'm getting more and more impatient about finding out the gender.  The first two or three months, I didn't really think much about it.  I guess with all the awful worrying, I just wanted any baby who would live.  I still worry [some days are much worse than others], but I'm finally starting to focus on other things.  After all,
"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
- Matthew 6:27

I've contacted my birthing center about natural childbirth classes and am looking forward to starting those at some point.  The particular one that my midwife recommended to me was the Bradley classes.  She attended those for her own pregnancies, and they come with her personal recommendation.  Here's a lengthy yet helpful summary of what the Bradley classes teach: 

The Bradley Method teaches natural childbirth and views birth as a natural process.  This method encourages mothers to trust their bodies using natural breathing, relaxation, nutrition, exercise, and education.  Class attendants learn a simple method of increasing self-awareness, learning how to deal with the stress of labor by tuning in to her body.  The Bradley Method is also known as “Husband-Coached Childbirth” and classes teach husbands how to be good coaches for their partners.  Classes are usually 10-12 weeks in length and cover:  nutrition, exercise, active participation by the husband as coach, stages of labor, relaxation, breastfeeding, unexpected situations, and preparing for your new family.

And I see I'm long overdue to include the link to our phenomenal birthing center and all the wonderful people who work there:

http://carolinabirth.org/

On another note, I'm wondering if I might be carrying a boy. 
Can't shake the feeling.. but I don't pretend to know a thing.  We'll see for sure in a month or so.

The size and length of our baby this week?

An avocado!

15 weeks, Part II.

My energy is definitely picking up this week!  

I've been struggling with some pretty regular headaches, but they're nothing a little caffeine and Acetaminophen can't cure.  And my nausea is almost a thing of the past!  However, a stuffy nose has come on within the past week or two, and it's hanging around.  As each week passes, my symptoms are almost textbook.  It's a very encouraging thing to feel "right on track".  I've gained roughly four pounds at this point, but I look like I've gained ten! 
The good news is it's all in my stomach.  

I decided to poll people on Facebook and get their gut instinct on whether we'll be having a boy or a girl.  I couldn't believe the overwhelming responses to boy!!  .. Do other people know something I don't?  I would really love to have a girl, but I think a boy would be neat for my parents and for Scott.  
We should be finding out in about a month.  

This past Saturday, Scott and I went to a huge southern Charlotte consignment fair and got some gently-used maternity clothes, as well as some gender-neutral baby clothes!  I couldn't control myself when I saw yellow chicky buntings for a dollar.  We got some chicky socks, and an "I Love Daddy" fuzzy pajama!  I love chickies, and I absolutely plan to inundate this child [and everyone else involved] with yellow chicks and baby lambs. 

Below is my first baby bump picture. 
It was taken at 15 weeks, but I look like I'm 30.  

How is that four pounds?!

15 weeks!

Yesterday was a good day!  

I had a third appointment with my midwife and we got a great heartbeat.  It had been a month since any empirical evidence that all is well, so I was extremely ready for encouraging news.  The past two weeks have been much easier physically than the first trimester, so it's crazy to think that our baby is growing faithfully in size.  How can it be that the larger the baby gets, the better I feel?!  I know that'll come to an end eventually, but I'm certainly enjoying the change for the better.  Scott and I even took the dogs for a walk last night and I wasn't exhausted.
That's a personal victory.

We went to Babies 'R Us for the first time last week and enjoyed walking around.  I wanted to talk to every pregnant woman there, but they all seemed more interested in strollers and crib sheets.  Oh well.  We parked in the "Expectant Mothers" spot in the parking lot!  I did the same yesterday at the grocery store and loved every second of it.

In two weeks I'll be going back for another heartbeat check.  It's a little bit of a haul to the birthing center down in Fort Mill, SC, but it's absolutely worth the drive.  I love being at the center surrounded by midwives and other mothers-to-be.  

It's a good feeling.

Below are some fun shots, including our first video:
Yesterday's heartbeat in the 150's!  

[The reading of 75 was mine.]

The size of our baby this week?

An orange!

14 weeks!

14 weeks today!  No doubt about it, I'm in the second trimester. 

This past week was a little rough, as far as symptoms go.  I think I got some gluten in my diet, and it completely wiped me out.  I had little to no energy for most of the week.  But the nausea has subsided a great deal!  Just minutes after my last post, the nausea came back for a day or two.  I spent the week at my parents' house in New York, so I was struggling to eat right outside of my usual environment.  I worried that I had too much sugar and not enough protein and nutrients. 
This poor baby!  

I've started to show a little bit in my lower abdomen, but nothing too noticeable yet.  I've also been able to feel my uterus when I poke around on my belly.. Feels like a hard knot. 

My mom and I went maternity shopping together at Kohl's and I got some really great stuff!  I think the plan is to wear as many dresses this pregnancy as possible.  Who wants to mess around with tight pants and elastic waist-bands?  Not me.  I was also given two beautiful handmade bonnets by an extremely talented friend and young woman.  [Thanks, Kalie!]  If she gets a website up and running, I'll be sure to share the site. 

Not too much else to report.  But later this week, I'll be going back for another check-up with my midwife.  We'll check for the heartbeat again and discuss nutrition and other pressing issues.

The size of our baby this week?

A lemon!