Sweet Little Turnip

Week 17 started yesterday and we have ourselves a 5 inch turnip-sized baby.  He/she can move their joints, and sweat glands are starting to develop.  Also the skeletal frame is hardening from cartilage to bone.  I just love marveling at everything going on in there - it just amazes me every week when I get the updates emailed to me. 

This morning I got great news from the doctor's office that our penta screening results came back just as we were hoping - negative to Downs, neural tube defects, and Trisomy 18.  Thanks be to God!!!

Last weekend we had Christmas in Maryville with Cody's family and his sisters and mom were so sweet to give us a few things for the baby....I have to say a highlight was Cody's baby bib that Rita Ann had managed to save all these years and I just love picturing our baby wearing it (even though it's embroidered with "Cody" on it!)  It was amazing to me how great of shape it's in as it's a cloth bib that I'm sure went through the washer countless times. 

This weekend we'll be in NE to celebrate Christmas and will get to spend time with both mom and dad's sides over the weekend.  I also have a super fun lunch date planned with my phi mu besties on Monday in Omaha - can't wait! 

Oh - and if you've got a spare prayer, please send one up for my Grandpa who was admitted to the hospital Monday afternoon and we're praying he'll be out in time for Christmas.  He has some fluid around his lungs as well as a painful infection in his legs and his legs were giving out on him when he tried to walk.  Makes me sad to think of him in the hospital - especially at Christmastime.

On a lighter note....2 weeks from today until we find out if we're having a boy or a girl!!  Anyone have any feelings one way or another?  It's always interesting to me to hear people who "just have a feeling" :) 

16 Week update

Today is the start of week 16, and I’ve been feeling really good lately.  I’m not quite as tired as I was in the first trimester and last night I was even able to jog a little which felt really good (don’t think I’ve even attempted since early October).  I was really surprised that I was able to make it even a mile because I have been so irregular with any form of exercise.  Like 1-2 times a week, sometimes not at all.  Oopsy. 

My goal for the 2^nd trimester is to be better about making time for exercise.  I’ve been working long hours and using that as an excuse, but I need to just make the effort.  I feel so much better about myself when I’m do.  I am really going to try to get in 3-4 days a week.  I’m not doing anything that’s high impact at all…just walking on the treadmill or doing the elliptical for my cardio, and then sometimes will talk myself into doing some light weights and toning work. 

This week the baby is 4 ½ inches, and they say the size of an avocado.  (Are avocados really 4 ½ inches long?  Week 15’s size was the size of my fist – an avocado seems like a regression, doesn’t it?  Maybe I just need to do more cooking.)  A lot of the reading I’ve been doing says that 16 weeks is about the earliest that movements from the baby can be felt, but that some moms don’t feel anything even until week 20 or so.  I hope I don’t have to wait that long!  Every night I lay in bed and try to figure out if I’m feeling anything and then I’m pretty sure I just start imagining feelings that aren’t really there. 

Yesterday I had a penta test which is a blood test that screens for chromosomal abnormalities (things such as Downs Syndrome, Spina Bifida, and other neural tube defects).  We have to wait for about a week to get the results back….in the meantime, I’m trying not to think about it because it’s not something we can change the outcome of and we’ll love the baby just the same no matter what the results.  Still – it’s a little unnerving thinking about the what-ifs, and of course no parent wants to hear that their baby is anything but perfectly healthy.  All we can do is continue to pray and put it in God’s hands.

January 6^th is the date of our sonogram and we’ll find out if we’re having a boy or girl….stay tuned!

So far still targeting May 31^st as our due date!

Maternity Pants = BFF

I am 2 days away from being at 15 weeks and already I caved and bought some maternity pants.  Am I depressed about having to do this already?  NO!!!!! I am in heaven!!  I am more comfortable than I've been for the past 3-4 weeks.  Granted, I probably didn't technically need maternity pants yet, but I needed a bigger size and didn't want to buy 2 rounds of new pants.  So, straight for the maternity pants I went this weekend (while I was supposed to be Christmas shopping for others).  Not sure if you can tell, but I am super happy in my new pants:

Here's a side pic...the bump looks bigger when I look down at it.  I was surprised when I saw the picture that it didn't look bigger.  At any rate, I'm getting there!!

Early Achiever

So my good friend Shelby gave me some great encouragement that has stuck with me regarding the advanced nature of my weight gain….she said she liked to refer to herself as an “early gainer” at that stage in her pregnancy.  I think I’ll do one better and refer to myself as an Early Achiever.  Yes, I do like the sound of that!

p.s. Thanks to many for boosting my spirits after the last post.  You helped a ton!