Week 17

So, I've fallen behind a bit on posting here because..well...life. I'll explain in a bit.  However, let's play catch up and get things up to date!  Week 17!  What is going on with the pregnancy this week?

For baby
Baby is now the size of a turnip or a pear.  The baby is now practicing sucking and swallowing to prepare for life after birth.  Also, on their tiny fingers, fingerprints are starting to form. Baby continues to grow and gain weight.  All exciting things.

For momma:

And me? Overall feeling alright.  Nothing exciting.  My weight is still dropping and I feel pretty decent.  Nothing terribly exciting at all. 

Week 16

Week 16!  The weather is freezing and they are calling for snow this week, after the ice storm last week, which is no fun.  Hopefully the storm isn't too bad.  I hate driving in the snow.  The new job is going well so far.  There is a LOT to learn but I like that challenge.  So that's what's happening on the mundane front.  What is going on with the pregnancy this week?  

For baby
Over the next few weeks the baby is supposed to double in weight and grow longer.  Right now baby is about the size of an avocado, or about 4.5 inches long.  The head is held more upright, ears are moved up from the neck, and the eyes are moved around onto the front of his face.  The eyes are still fused closed, but they can now also detect light, so that's exciting.  Baby has started growing toenails and the heart is pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day.

For momma:

So, what's new in my world?  Overall, things are going well.  I'm dealing with some small breakouts, which are super lame, but otherwise nothing exciting is going on.  I want to find some pregnancy safe facial cleansers to see if that helps.  I've also started looking at pregnancy announcement ideas so that in the nearish future we can make a public post.  How exciting! 

Week 15

Week 15 brings with it not only some continued growth for the little one, but a brand new job for me, which is terrifying and exciting all at the same time, so let's get started. What is going on this week?  

For baby
Baby is growing steadily a this point, and has reached the size of an orange or avocado.  Baby is looking more and more like a real, tiny proportioned human.  Ears are moving to the sizes of the head from the neck and eyes are moving from the sides of the head to the face.  Right now, baby is spending quality time practicing breathing, sucking, and swallowing.  Orion was also very entertained by the fact that the baby can now pee about every 30 minutes.  He giggled a lot when he learned that the baby is peeing inside my body.

For momma:

So, what's new in my world?  Well the constipation seems less this week (yay!) and I'm very grateful for that.  Otherwise, as I said in my latest Dr update, my blood pressure is staying in the normal range, my weight has continued to fall, which isn't a bad thing at all, and my body temperature is still riding a degree lower than normal.  I'm not quite as tired as I was during the first trimester, but I'm still definitely ready for bed by 10pm no matter what.  Overall, things are a-ok. 

Dream #3

I haven't written down all of my dreams, but what I can tell you is that I haven't had any dreams yet about the actual pregnancy.  Instead, I'm having consistent dreams about sad or scary things that are vivid enough to stick with me and make me not want to go back to sleep.  I'm definitely ready for the nightmares to stop and the just weird to start.  Hopefully?  We'll see.  The last couple of nights I've been having dreams about Orion.  Two nights ago I had a dream that I was driving in a car with Orion and he was in his booster seat.  He was sitting up toward the edge of his seat so I told him to scoot back, and he did.  I then looked up in my mirror to see that his entire seat had collapsed and he was falling into the back of the car.  His arms and legs were sticking straight out, but he was being held by the seat belt across his neck.  I was terrified and instantly jumped and reached into the back seat to try to grab him and pull him forward.  Apparently I ACTUALLY jumped and reached in the real world as well because I slapped Seth upside his head and woke up to him yelling "What the hell was that for?"  :)

Last night's dream was more convoluted and strange.  Seth, Orion and I were on an airplane flying home from somewhere.  As we got closer to home, there was an announcement over the intercom that there was a big thunderstorm in Omaha so we couldn't land there so they were going to circle around until the storm cleared. I could see lightning through the plane windows and everyone was told to take their seats.  For some reason, Seth and I were sitting together, but Orion was several rows ahead of us. We all sat down, and I felt the plane take essentially a HUGE u-turn and suddenly our plane was flying in the wrong direction to get home.  We began to descend and eventually landed in the middle of a field, right in the center of a weird carnival.  We were all told to stay in our seats, but Orion snuck out of his and back to sit in my lap.  The lady beside us ran up and stole his seat.  So we sat there huddled together as these weird "carnies" paced up and down the rows making sure everyone was following instructions.  Through the windows I could see rows of carnival games and rides that were all broken down and turned off.  I tried to take pictures of some of the equipment with my cell phone, but one of the guys caught me and grabbed me, and that's when I woke up.

So really, none of these dreams are quite as gory as some of the dreams I've dealt with in the past, but they're still creepy and weird.  Who knows what my brain will think up next.

3rd Doctor Appointment

This doctor's appointment was pretty quick in and out.  As always, I peed in a cup, but there was no blood work or fancy tests or anything along those lines.   My weight has continued to drop, so I'm down about 11 pounds since I got pregnant.  My blood pressure was 120/80 which is fine and my temperature is still sitting at about 97 degrees, which is why I continue to feel cold all the time.  The most exciting part was getting to hear the baby's heart beat.  It was definitely loud and clear this time and beating at a steady 149 bpm.  The next appointment is in a month, at 18 weeks.  They will do another blood draw that day for some additional tests.  At that point we will also schedule the next ultrasound, which  is the big anatomy scan.  It all seems to be going so quickly!

Week 14

Welcome to the 2nd trimester!  Week 14 officially brings us into the next trimester, and I'm so happy to be out of the first.  My symptoms weren't awful, but it feels more real when you hit that 2nd trimester mark for sure.  So what is going on this week?  

For baby:
The baby is now about the size of a lemon, or a clenched fist.  Growing so quickly! Baby is now able to move a lot, and they are much more smooth and  intentional than they have been in weeks past.  The neck is growing longer and the head is becoming more up-right, making it actually look more like a baby than a strange, disproportionate alien.  I mean that in the most loving way possible, of course. 

For momma:
Constipation still has invaded my world. It isn't my favorite thing, but I'll survive.  I also have quite a bit of bloating some days, which definitely makes me feel like I look WAY more pregnant than I should.  I spend a lot of time trying to suck in my gut still :)   Not everyone at work knows, so I'm keeping things on the down low until I leave for my new job mid-week.  I also have felt pretty moody this week, so I'm hoping that's just a fluke.  On a more positive note, I think I felt the first little baby flutters in my tummy, definitely not feeling like gas!  I may be wrong, but I'm hoping the movement picks up soon.  I think that is the part of pregnancy I'm most looking forward to. 

Week 13

Week 13!  The FINAL week of the first trimester.  What a trip it's been so far.  At this point, our family all knows about this little stardust baby, so that's exciting.  Now to just keep things quiet for a little while longer before officially going public. I'd like to wait until Valentine's day, but we'll see if I make it that long before making a public post.  So what is going on this week?  

For baby:
The baby is now about the size of a peach, and the head is still about half of the body size. Eventually they should balance out, but for now the baby still looks a bit alien.  Vocal cords are developing as well, and baby now has enough movement ability to be able to suck their thumb!  Intestines are moving from the umbilical cord into the baby's body as well.  Placenta is also growing, making room for baby and providing the much needed nutrient supply.  Next, we jump into 2nd trimester.  Eek! 

For momma:
This week has been very interesting.  I received a job offer at our local Education Service Unit.  This is a promotion for me, which means better pay, but also something more in-line with my education and interests.  Even after I told them I was expecting, they were still very excited to hire me.  I'm thrilled with this opportunity, but it definitely makes things even more interesting in our household.  Pregnancy-wise, I feel good.  I don't have any real symptoms and I'm not absolutely exhausted right now, which is nice.  I have felt a little bit bloated, and have definitely been dealing with some constipation, gross I know, but that's about it at this point.