BabyT: 39 Weeks

I'm officially 5 days away from my due date and still feeling great. I get the normal aches and pains. The event that is me getting up from the couch gave our friends a good laugh the other night. But all-in-all, I couldn't be happier with the way things have gone, and I haven't reached that "over it" point...yet. For being 39+2, I'm counting my blessings because I know a lot of women have it much worse this far along.

The last few weeks, we've made a major push to get everything finished up. We're such last-minute people, we were really walking a fine line there. But it all came together and pretty much all that's left is to pack our bags.

The nursery is completely done, and I'm so happy with how it turned out!! I'll make a separate post with pictures on that later. The carseat is installed, just need to get it checked out by the state troopers (doing that tomorrow). Thanks to my parents, we've got freezer meals to last us a while (the chicken spaghetti, ham, and tenderloin are already calling my name!).

This is my last week of work, and my boss and my boss's boss will both be in a meeting out of town. So basically all I really plan to do is some last minute training with my replacement and leave early every day. :) I'll work from home on Wednesday, the day of my next appt with Dr. T, and I'm debating just not going back after that except to turn in my computer. It's so weird to think about being off for nearly 3 whole months. I'm hoping there's a way I can keep in contact because no one really knows how to do what I do, and I'm afraid my programs are going get all jacked up and be a nightmare to fix when I get back. Oh well. Job security.

Yesterday, we met with our doula, Pam, for the final time before the big day. Or as my mom calls her, our Paula Abdoula. Or as my dad calls her, our witch doctor. Hey, I get it honest. 

We walked through a couple labor scenarios, and I think it helped us better prepare for what we'll do in early and active labor. She gave me a scenario, then she gave Jason a scenario and we both described what we'd do in early and active labor for those. It helped us kind of see where we were comfortable and where we might need suggestions on what to do. For me, I have a list of things I can do in early labor, but when active labor hits, I wasn't really sure what I should try as far as relaxation and coping techniques, so it really helped to walk through that.

Today was pretty great. Both my parents and Jason's parents came up to visit. It was the first time we've had them over together, and I loved having them both here. We talked a little about what to expect when we go into labor. I think both our moms are worried we're not going to call them when everything starts to go down. I would never keep them in the dark like that. 

But our labor will be completely different than a typical labor. I've only ever been to a few labors but they were all pretty similar - family and friends are in the room, hanging out and visiting until it's go time. Which is great...if you have an epidural. Or if you're not me, an introvert who gets overwhelmed with a lot of people around.

That's not really a possibility for us. By the time we get to the hospital, I'll be in a lot of pain. I'll probably be vocalizing a lot, and hopefully everything will be looking good so I can be up walking around, bouncing on my ball, hands and knees position, maybe in the tub if my membranes are still in tact. Best of all...minimally clothed. Believe me, no one wants to see that. ::shudder:: And I know I'd be highly uncomfortable being observed while in that state, even by my own mom.

I've been really lucky with how supportive our families have been. I know they are worried about me and might even think I'm a bit crazy. I'm okay with that. But none of them have said that to me or have told me horror stories or tried to talk me out of anything. It means a lot to me to not have to worry about being met with negativity and pessimism. So while I'm sure they think I'm out of my gourd, they've shown me nothing but support, both sides of my family, and for that I'm so grateful.

My dad has the utmost confidence in me, and today simply said "You can do it. You'll do fine." It's something he's said to me my whole life because that man believes I can do anything. They're words I'm hanging on to because I know he truly believes in me and believes I can do it, and that gives me so much motivation and encouragement. I know I'll think back to that moment when things are getting tough and I'm wanting to give up. Jason believes in me. My dad believes in me. They know I can do it. I can do it.

Sorry, this whole natural birth thing has been dominating my thoughts lately so that's obviously spilling over into these posts. Let's move on to the usual.

 

How far along: 39 weeks (8/16/13)

Fruit: Watermelon

Symptoms: Nothing new. Heartburn and not the best sleep most nights.

Weight Gain: It's so funny. I'll gain 2lb one week and none the next. I think right now I'm right at 30lb.

Food cravings/aversions: None this entire pregnancy. I wish I would've gotten some random craving and sent Jason to the store at 2am, but alas, nothing.

Movement: I actually got worried for a day or two there because his movement decreased significantly, but it's back to normal now.

Labor signs: Had a few contractions the other night, but they weren't intense and they went away when I got up.

Nursery status: Done! Whew!!

Rings On/Off: Band on my pinky.

Doctor appointments: Last Tuesday I was 1cm and 60-70% effaced. It wasn't much of a change from the week before. I'm also GBS negative so that is awwwwesome!

Most memorable moment: Definitely having both sets of parents in our home today. It'll be the last time until we see them all at the hospital when Levi is here. The last time to see them before we become parents too. ::sings "The Circle of Life"::

Most anxious moment: Those couple days when I wasn't feeling him move as much. I even whipped out the doppler, which I have done in months probably.

Things purchased for baby: Got a few last-minute items. Bought my K'Tan and I'm sooo excited to use it. I even tried it out on Kitkat. She wasn't quite as excited.

Milestones: I think every day is a milestone now. :)

Next appointment: Dr. T on Wednesday.

Looking forward to: I guess the only thing left is birth. That's kind of a big deal, yeh?

Sandi Goes Granola - Part 2

I wrote about why I decided to switch to a new OB in Part 1. So now let's talk about why I'm attempting to go med-free in the first place.

While we were still trying to conceive, a friend got pregnant and started posting on FB about how she was doing a natural home birth. I recall making a comment to Jason that I thought that was absolutely crazy and that I would gladly be taking my epidural as soon as possible. The friend also recommended a documentary, The Business of Being Born. 

I was bored one day so I streamed it on Netflix, completely skeptical and fully expecting to walk away even more sure of my criticism of the crunchy, granola type women who attempted childbirth without pain medication. I mean, you wouldn't get a root canal without some drugs, why push a kid out of your vagina without them?

Let me just say, I didn't walk away from it screaming that all hospitals and OBs are the devil and that I was going natural, baby!! Umm, no. In fact, I was still pretty confident I'd get an epidural.

What the documentary did, however, was open my eyes to a multitude of issues with modern practices regarding child birth in the US, and it left me with enough curiosity to do more research on my own. 

Then it became painfully obvious how difficult it was going to be for us to even get pregnant, so I just put all that on the back burner. No need to dedicate time and energy to something that may never happen for you.

As you know by now, it did eventually happen for us. Now that we finally had a baby on the way and we got out of the ultra-scary 1st trimester, it was time to consider how I wanted the birth to go down.

I started reading more and more about child birth, or at least about what a typical child birth in the US is like. I read so many birth stories that would start with inductions or early epidurals which would lead to a cascade of interventions and very often c-sections. The statistical data is alarming, especially when compared to other countries or even birth centers and midwifery practices in the US. Nearly half of all first-time moms receive inductions (doubles risk of c-section), and 27% get c-sections. Not to mention, Louisiana has the highest c-section rate in the country. I decided that was NOT the route I wanted to take.

So I started researching natural birth and evidence-based maternity care. It didn't take me long to realize that this was the right method for me. For various reasons. 

Avoiding the unnecessary interventions was a key factor. Unless it's medically necessary, I don't want to be induced before 41 weeks and if my BPPs and NSTs looked good, I would be willing to push it to closer to 42 weeks (ACOG guideline). And I definitely don't want a c-section because I tried to force my baby out before he was ready and was slapped with a failure to progress tag. ACOG also states that suspected fetal macrosomia (big baby) isn't a reason for automatic induction or c-section in women who do not have gestational diabetes or some other medical factor where the baby might be larger. 

I also don't handle pain meds well and the general idea of an epidural is unsettling to me, how it's administered and the effects.

Those weren't the only reasons though. It also boiled down to how our entire process to get pregnant was so....clinical. It was one intervention after the next with so many doctors and nurses and medical procedures and invasions of privacy involved. It wasn't "natural" in the sense that it wasn't how I ever dreamed of it being. That intimacy in creating life together was taken from us and replaced with speculums, catheters, and ultrasounds. It wasn't how it was supposed to be. 

So this birth, the birth of the son we tried so hard to conceive, a son we waited so long to meet, this birth will be just about us. Jason and I, together. Me being in the moment and focused on my body, him coaching me and supporting me as we experience this incredible, momentous event in our lives and welcome our son into the world.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those people who say epidurals are horrible and natural is the only way to go. I don't side-eye any woman for wanting as little pain as possible during what will likely be the most pain she's ever experienced. (Medically unnecessary inductions before 40w or planned c-sections for convenience may get a side-eye.) I absolutely believe medical interventions can be necessary and life-saving in certain situations. If those types of complications arise in our labor and intervention becomes necessary, then interventions will be had. Or if I'm at hour 34 and I'm completely exhausted with no energy or will left, bring on the epidural.

I'm not trying to be a wonder woman or prove anything. I just believe this is the best way for us. And I believe we will succeed. I'm so lucky to have Jason by my side, who has not only agreed to my nontraditional notions, but has come to embrace them and want them as badly as I do. I know that having him there to coach me and give me encouragement and love me no matter what the outcome, that is the most important thing that will help me when I feel like giving up. 

At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is that Levi arrives healthy. If I get my perfect birth in the process, that'll be icing on the cake.

Sandi Goes Granola - Part 1

I mentioned last week that I decided to pull my OB late in the game and blindly go with another one I had never met before. Here's the skinny on that.

We, yes I say we because Jason plays a huge role in my success or failure, want to have an unmedicated, "natural" birth ideally with as little medical intervention as possible. This means no induction, no epidural, just me, Jason, and the uterus+vag doing our thing. Nice, huh?

I brought this up to Dr. G around 20 weeks or so, and she was very encouraging. To my fault and her credit, I didn't really lay out exactly what I had in mind. To be honest, at that time I didn't really know what I wanted or didn't want.

After more research and deciding on the things that were important to me, I talked with Dr. G about it again, this time in more detail. I asked about a heplock instead of an IV. She squirmed. I asked to be monitored intermittently so I can have free reign to move about the room. She was concerned. I asked when she likes to induce if I go over my due date. 40w4d. I was thinking closer to ACOG's guideline of 42 weeks, especially since first-time moms tend to go past their due dates anyway. If my water broke, do I have to come in immediately? Yes, for fear of a prolapsed cord. If they checked me at the hospital and confirmed the cord wasn't prolapsed, could I be released to labor at home then come back? I'd have to sign a waiver stating I was released against medical advice.

She was very open and honest with her answers, and even though it wasn't what I was hoping for, I was very glad she wasn't giving me lip service and just telling me what I wanted to hear only to go against that during crunch time. She even told me I'd probably be better off at the birth center in the next state (about an hour away), and she wouldn't be offended at all if I decided to go in another direction.

I walked away pretty bummed because I really liked her, but I knew I wouldn't be able to even attempt the birth experience I hoped for if I stayed under her care. So I started looking elsewhere. A couple doulas in town and friends who had gone natural gave me recommendations. One doctor's name seemed to continue popping up.

Dr. Tynes. 

I googled her and found a lot of NB-friendly comments about her. By this time, I was 31 weeks and didn't have time to dilly dally so I set up an appointment with her, transferred my records (which was a nightmare), and now have a new OB! She does a lot of natural births and is very comfortable with every I want. Even the new hospital I'll be delivering at is NB-friendly and they have tubs which is awwwesome. Although, I'm really hoping to labor at home so long I won't have much time to use the tub there.

It was a little bit of a whirlwind at first, and a little unsettling trying to find a new provider so late in the game, but I know it was the right decision in the long run. Just knowing that the L&D nurses and my OB are on board is such a weight lifted off my shoulders and I already feel like it gives me a little extra push to succeed.

So how did I come to the decision to go med-free? That's a whole other story...See Part 2.

BabyT: 36 Weeks

How far along: 36 weeks (7/26/13)

Fruit: Honeydew

Symptoms: Achy joints at night. Heartburn is still hanging in there. My belly is starting to feel super heavy and hurt when I walk around too long.

Weight Gain: A few lbs shy of 30. I don't really care at this point though. It's more than I wanted to gain, but because of my history, I honestly thought I was going to blow up like a balloon so I'm actually pleased.

Food cravings/aversions: Nothing really.

Movement: Less kicking, more rolling. He's getting cramped.

Labor signs: Nothing yet.

Nursery status: I have a feeling this is going to be a last-minute finish type thing. We've worked in it a little this weekend and I hope to have everything completely done in the next week or so.

Rings On/Off: Band on my pinky.

Doctor appointments: I saw Dr. T's NP on Wednesday. Holy ball of chat. That woman did not hush the entire time she was in the room. I did the GBS test so I should get those results this week. She also did a cervical check and my cervix is closed and high so Levi's hanging tight for now. Originally, I was going to decline all cervical checks and I may still until closer to my due date, but I actually like knowing my progress. It doesn't really tell you anything - I could be closed and 0% effaced and go into labor the next day or I could walk around for weeks at 3-4cm. We'll see what I decide.

Most memorable moment: Not really baby-related, but we took my parents out to eat for my mom's bday. It was nice to just spend some time with them without it being at a shower, which is the only time I've seen them lately.

Most anxious moment: I'm not a patient person so waiting for the GBS results isn't very fun. Other than that, nothing noteworthy that I can recall.

Things purchased for baby: We bought the supplies to make the bookshelves. We decided to nix the rain gutter idea and make some wall shelves that can hold book and other nicknacks. I'm excited.

Milestones: None really this week. We're in the 20s on days remaining. A little scary.

Next appointment: Endo on Monday and Dr. T on Wednesday.

Looking forward to: I'm seriously ready for that massage. From last week to this week, my body has just gotten tired so I'm hoping a little relaxation will loosen some of the tightness in my muscles. My parents are also coming up next weekend to help me cook some meals to freeze. That'll be fun.

BabyT: 35 Weeks

I took a little hiatus on the blogging front. No particular reason except that things are going great, and I’m horrible at consistency. Jason's gotten on to me many times that I’m way overdue for an update so here it is. Probably going to be long and not so interesting, but I've missed a good chunk of time so here are the last 15 weeks in a nutshell.

First, let's see that bump! A recap of my bump growth from 14 weeks to 35 weeks. I'm definitely feeling pregnant these days, but I don't feel as bad as I was kind of expecting. My ankles come and go, my rings aren't fitting, but I don't feel gross...yet.

Like I said, things have gone pretty great so far, but we have had a couple minor scares along the way. Not so minor in the moment but in the grand scheme of things, they were nothing. 

I was admitted to L&D for contractions around 27 weeks. They monitored me for a few hours, gave me some meds to stop the contractions (I figured out I still don't handle pain meds well), and released me once things quieted down. The whole stay was around 4 hours, and my cervix was closed so no real emergency, just a little scary...mostly for Jason. It was cute to see him worried.

I also had my first public panic attack. My heart has started racing like crazy after zero physical exertion (still does nearly every day). One day it happened in my office, and I felt like I was going to pass out behind my desk and no one would find me. And I freaked. I ended up in my boss's office hyperventilating with several people around me. After what felt like forever, but was probably 30 minutes, I was walked to my boss's boss's office, put on a couch, and Jason was on his way to come get me. It was so embarrassing, but everyone was really great about it. My poor boss, I freaked him out to high heaven. It's funny looking back.

I'm also writing this with a piece of toilet paper in my nose because I woke up with a nose bleed. Normal but annoying.

We've had 3 showers - my family, Jason's family, and my current/Jason's old work. They were all so awesome, and we got a lot of great stuff. It makes us feel so blessed to have all these people around us that love us and are excited about Levi's arrival.

We've got less than 5 weeks until his due date, and I'm still not done with his nursery. In fact, everything we've gotten from our showers is piled up on the floor. It looks like I'm a hoarder of all things baby. I'm going to try to make a dent in it today so we can figure out what we've got and what's left to buy. I did make the cutest crib skirt, I'm working on the mobile, and we're doing rain gutter bookshelves kind of like these below. I don't know when I turned into a crafty, DIY-wannabe but I've had a lot of fun working on all these little projects. I'll upload pictures when everything's finished.

Hmm...what else. I passed my 1-hr glucose tolerance test (GTT), meaning I don't have Gestational Diabeetus. This was pretty huge because PCOSers tend to be more susceptible to GD since we already don't regulate our insulin well so I just knew I'd at least have to take the more in-depth 3-hr test. Nope! 

I also broke up with my OB. Don't get me wrong, I loved Dr. G. Great bedside manner, very personable, just a fun doctor all the way around. There are just some things I want in my birth experience that doesn't sit well with her, which is understandable. I'm going to dedicate an entry to this and get into all the details, but for now, I've switched to Dr. T and with her comes a new hospital that's 3x's further away. I'm not excited about that, but in the long run, I need a provider who is on the same page and comfortable with my hopes for my birth experience and Dr. T definitely is.

I was also released from the MFM last week. That means, unless something comes up, last Monday was the last time I'll see Levi until he's an outside baby. He went from measuring over a week ahead 3 weeks before to measuring 4 days behind, weighing in at 4lb 12oz. I'm not concerned (neither was the MFM) since these measurements are so subjective and can be off by so much. I'm just excited he's growing, and I can't wait to see who he looks like.

I think that pretty much brings us up to date. So now for the normal stuff. I've edited the list to gear it more toward late-pregnancy stuff.

How far along: 35 weeks (as of 7/19/13)

Fruit: Coconut

 

Symptoms: I've been getting the wonderful 3rd Tri heartburn and sleeplessness. I wish I could get a good night's sleep without waking up in pain every couple hours, but I have a feeling I'm not going to sleep well for the next several months. My ankles turn into baby elephant trunks if I spend too much time on my feet in this Louisiana July heat. 

Weight Gain: I really don't know. 25lbs? Since I switched OBs, I didn't ask like normal.

Food cravings/aversions: Nothing really.

Maternity Clothes: Yes indeedy! I've become obsessed with maxi skirts and dresses.

Movement: All the time. His feet/knees live in my ribs and his head is trying to teach me lessons on bladder control.

Labor signs: I've gotten tons of Braxton Hicks contractions but none of the legit ones.

Nursery status: In progress. Seriously need to finish this soon.

Rings On/Off: I wear my band on my pinky. My engagement ring quit fitting a while back but I could still manage the band until a couple weeks ago.

Doctor appointments: I'm down to only my OB and Endo. OB appointments will be every week starting next week and I my next Endo appt may be my last one.

Most memorable moment: There have been a lot in the last 15 weeks, but probably all my showers. I love spending time with family so it was nice to see a lot of family I haven't seen since our wedding.

Most anxious moment: Honestly, the panic attack was worse than hearing I was having contractions. The day after the contractions when the OB said my cervix was short and I'd need the steroid shots for Levi's lung development in case he came early was pretty nerve-wracking, but that ended up being a false alarm. With the panic attack, I seriously felt like I was completely losing control. It was scary.

Things purchased for baby: Lots and lots! If he came today, he'd have clothes, diapers, a place to sleep, food. He could actually survive. But we still have a few more things to get, like the stroller and the glider (which is paid for by the in-laws, just need to actually order it).

Milestones: V-day was awesome, even though I didn't feel more comfortable until around 28 weeks instead of 24. And 2 days ago was 35/35 - 35 weeks down, 35 days left to go. It's gone by in a blink and I can't believe we're in the home stretch. The last milestone is 37 weeks when he'll be term...then it's just waiting for him to get here!

Next appointment: I go see Dr. T's nurse practitioner on Wednesday for my 2-week check-up and Group B Strep test. Dr. T is on an Alaskan cruise. Lucky. It'll be weekly check-ups after that.

Looking forward to: I'm anxious to see if I'm GBS positive. Praying I'm not so I don't have to worry about those pesky IV antibiotics during labor. I'm also excited about 37 weeks being right around the corner and my prenatal massage I've got scheduled for that day. I need pampering. :)

BabyT: 20 Weeks

I was called out by Aunt Kelli for not posting lately. I didn't realize it had been 4 weeks! Ooops. A lot has happened in the last few weeks. First and foremost...

 

We are Team Blue and so excited that Baby Levi is doing great!!

 

We both felt we were having a boy and as you can see in our picture, we both inadvertently wore blue on the day of the Anatomy Scan. It was such a special moment. Tech Amanda quickly found the money shot and there was no question about it. I started crying, Jason even teared up.

 

The scan went well and everything looked normal except one small thing. The nurse said she thought I *might* have a slight placental previa, basically where the placenta covers the cervix. She did an internal and still couldn't really tell if it was over the cervix or just to the side of it. When the doc came in, he said he thinks it's to the side, especially since I haven't had any bleeding or spotting. He also said he wanted to see me again in 10 weeks to check out the heart in more detail just because I have pretty severe heart disease in my family, but the ticker looked great so far.

 

Afterwards, we went to the party store and filled some balloons with blue and "It's a Boy" confetti for the grandparents to pop. We drove 90 minutes and met my dad at my mom's work and made her pop the balloon. She hates balloons and screamed the whole time but it was fun. Then we drove an hour down to Jason's parents' house and did the same thing. His mom isn't a fan of her floor being dirty so Jason got a kick out of all the little bits of confetti that went everywhere. Everybody was so excited and of course I filmed the whole thing.

 

Onto the usual stuff...

 

How far along: 20 weeks (as of 4/5/13) - Half-baked!!!

 

Fruit:

 

 

 

 

Symptoms: Still nothing major or consistent.

 

Last week, I had an episode in T/BRU. We had eaten lunch and went to get Jason's niece a birthday present. We got her a Carebear and walked over to the baby area, just to get him familiar with some of the things we neeeeeed. I was getting a few cramps that had me stopping and leaning on aisle displays or furniture. After that, I started feeling off, a little nauseaus and dizzy and HOT.

 

As he was looking at LeapFrog games for his niece, I was leaning on a bin of DVDs and asked him if we could just get a gift card and leave, which is totally not like me because I love buying gifts for family. We started walking to the front of the store and I kept getting dizzier and more nauseated so I told him I needed a bathroom. Jason walked ahead to look for one, and I remember looking around and not being able to process anything, like I wasn't cognizant enough to even look for a sign that says Restrooms.

 

I finally called to Jason and told him I needed help, that I couldn't walk on my own. He helped me and we managed to get to the front of the store before I told him I had to sit down. I remember he basically had to hold my weight as I knelt on the ground. I had to keep my eyes closed because I couldn't see straight and I asked Jason to get me a trashcan, which he did. I remember thinking it felt like all the blood was gone from my face and later Jason told me I was very pale. I stayed on the floor for several minutes until it started to pass. I told Jason to feel the back of my neck and it was drenched with sweat. Yummy. When I finally was able to open my eyes and look around, I looked up and the first thing I saw was a huge "Restrooms -->" sign. I started laughing.

 

We got up, checked out, and called my OB. The on-call nurse told me to go to the ER but instead we came home and found the heartbeat, loud and strong, so we felt like a trip to the ER was overkill. Jason made me stay couch-bound the rest of the weekend, so we ended up missing his niece's bday party, which was the whole reason we were at TRU in the first place. He got a little crazy with the restrictions and one time when I purposely didn't take my phone with me to the bathroom, he came in and slid it under the door. He said I better be glad he's not making me wear a life alert. I love him. :)

 

Weight gain: Probably way too much. I was up +4 at my last appointment, which is a total of +5 according to the doc. I've stayed pretty steady since then but I think it's more like +10 from the very beginning. I feel huge and get out of breath all the time.

 

Food aversions: None.

Food cravings: I get minor cravings, like last week I was on a gummy kick, but still nothing major.

Maternity Clothes: I spent some time and money in Motherhood Maternity a couple weeks ago, and I'm waiting on shipments from Old Navy and Gap since they had some pretty good sales this week. I've still got 2 pair of jeans that fit but everything else is pretty much maternity now.

Movement? Yep!! You scared me for a few days when I didn't feel anything but you've been much more accomodating lately so I appreciate that. I can't wait until your pops can feel your kicks.

Doctor appointments: Nothing since the A/S.

Most memorable moment: In the past 4 weeks, seeing you again and finding out your our baby boy. Getting to tell your Nonnie and Pop Pop that they've got their first grandson on the way was fun too. Oh, and making your Nanny pop a balloon, which she is deathly afraid of, to find out what you are...that was awwwwesome!

Things purchased for baby: We finally got our furniture from Jody and Sam and we bought a changing table for $20 this week. I'm going to try my hand at antiquing it so if you don't have a changing table when you get here, something went wrong. I also scored a musical activity table - regular $45 but with price match and two coupons, I got it for $1.49. Aaaand thank you.

Milestones: Tomorrow I'll be half baked!!! I can't believe how fast this pregnancy is going by but I still have a near-daily panic attack from the realization that in just a few short months, I'll be solely (well, with your dad) responsible for another human and my life will never ever be the same. That's a little intimidating.

Next Appointment: I go back to the OB in a couple weeks and will go back to the MFM on 5/28 to check the heart. Your Nanny and Grandpa will be coming with me to see you on that visit. Nanny is super excited! Grandpa doesn't know he's getting to go so we're surprising him.

BabyT: 16 weeks

I haven't posted in a while so here are some pics showing the bump progression. I think I had an extra slice or two of pizza in the 15 week shot because that was pretty much the only day it's been that big.

How far along: 16 weeks 1 day. Time is flying by!

Fruit: Avocado

Symptoms: Still nothing major. I did have some intense lower back / tailbone pain that kept me out of work for a day, but I'm not really sure if it was pregnancy related because I've had lower back pain for the past couple years.

Weight gain: +1lb at my last OB appointment, but in reality, it's at least 5-7lbs, depending on the day.

Food aversions: Nada. I almost wish I had some sort of aversion so I would stop eating. 

Food indulgences: Nothing intense.

Maternity Clothes: I bought one pair of pants a couple weeks ago and they are heavenly. My plan was to spend this weekend shopping for maternity clothes, but there are two problems. 1) I'm cheap. 2) I hate shopping. Maybe I'll force myself to go...tomorrow.

Movement? I think I feel something every now and then. Last night, I laid in bed really still, muted the tv, closed my eyes, and jiggled my belly. I felt a little flutter right after that. Almost like a tiny thump so I think that might have been your way of telling me to cut it out, which of course I didn't. 

Doctor appointments: I had another OB appointment at 13w3d. It was very quick and painless. Well, almost painless. The gel they use to listen with the Doppler is heated and that mess was sizzling! Ouch! I'm also back to seeing an Endocrinologist for my thyroid so I met with her yesterday. Dr. V was running the necessary tests while I was under his care, but since I'm now pregnant, I get to go back to my very fun and bubbly endo. She was really excited to see me pregnant. Me too, lady.

Most memorable moment: Last time I went home, I took my Doppler with me so I could let your grandparents and great-grandparents listen to your heartbeat. They were amazed and so excited. Another perk of having you is your cousin, Reagan, who is normally very Anti-Aunt Sandi, is being nice because I have a baby in my belly. She even gave you a hug, which she never gives me. So you should feel special. It's also kind of nice being "out" at work because I get to talk about you now.

Most anxious moment: I don’t know if you’re just growing or what, but you’re causing some weird aches and pains in my belly that freak me out a bit. If you could somehow still grow at a normal pace without, ya know, stretching my belly like a rubber band, I’d be super thankful.

Things purchased for baby: Maternity pants and a cute "See/hear/speak no evil" set of owls. I saw this at a different store several months ago but couldn't force myself to buy it just for it to sit in a box in my closet waiting for the day you'd exist. When I saw it last weekend, it was like a sign from the heavens.

Milestones: Officially well on our way into 2nd tri!! I'm finally feeling like a normal pregnant woman. I know this seems silly, and the scars of IF run deep and definitely have not left me, but my mind is more at ease, and I’m able to sit back and enjoy what is taking place instead of worrying incessantly that something is going to go wrong. I honestly didn’t think that would ever happen.

Next appointment: My next appointment is in 9 days. I see the MFM in the morning for your anatomy scan and the OB in the afternoon for our regular 4-week visit. I'm so ready to see you again and find out if everything is okay anatomically. And that whole finding out if you're Levi or Emory. Your dad (and everyone on my side of the family) thinks your a boy, but I had a dream that you're a girl so we'll see who's right!