23 weeks.. and something a little scary

Feeling pretty good? Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed now, your baby can feel you dance. Those dainty fetal movements have progressed to karate kicks. You may even be able to see your baby squirm underneath your clothing. You may notice throughout your pregnancy that some symptoms subside while others surface. These days, for example, you may find that any tension headaches you'd been getting are a thing of the past, but your feet may start to swell soon. (Time to get out your roomiest, most comfy shoes or invest in a new pair.)

How your baby's growing: Your baby is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound. His skin is red and wrinkled. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare him for breathing. He can swallow, but he normally won't pass his first stool (called meconium) until after birth. Loud noises heard often in utero — such as your dog barking or the roar of a vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze your baby when he hears them outside the womb.

How your life's changing:
If you dealt with headaches in your first trimester, they might be subsiding now. (Many women have headaches in early pregnancy, thanks to pregnancy hormones, changes in circulation, and/or sinus congestion.) You may notice some mild swelling sometime during your pregnancy, especially in your ankles and feet. It's called edema, and it happens because changes in your blood chemistry cause fluid to shift into your tissue and because your enlarging uterus puts pressure on the veins returning blood from the lower half of your body, slowing circulation in your legs. Edema is often worse at the end of the day and in the summer. Your body will eliminate the extra fluid after you have your baby (which is why you may urinate often and sweat a lot for a few days after delivery). In the meantime, put your feet up when you can, stretch out your legs when you sit, avoid sitting still for long periods, exercise regularly to increase circulation, and wear support stockings (put them on first thing in the morning). You may be tempted to skimp on liquids, but you need to drink plenty of water, because keeping hydrated actually helps prevent swelling. If you notice severe or sudden swelling in your hands and face, be sure to call your midwife or doctor because it may be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia.

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I had a doctor's appointment on Monday. Had my gestational diabetes test. . that wasn't too bad. . . gained 2lbs for a total of 7.5 so far. .blood pressure 110/78-ish . . that's good too

Bad news - I have to have a Level 2 ultrasound. The ultrasound tech saw something called intracardiac echogenic foci on the ultrasound in/on(??) her heart....honestly .. it's probably nothing. .the ultrasound tech said in 13 years she's never had one come back from a Level 2 ultrasound with any problems (when there are no other risk factors present - and there aren't). It's a soft marker for Down's Syndrome but again. .without any other markers it really means almost nothing. .BUT if you could keep us (and especially Ellery) in your thoughts it would mean the world to us. I'm so so so so scared and trying to be okay. . but I'm not. John is staying very positive but I'm sure he's a little scared too.

Anyway....her heartbeat is fantastic and everything else looks just great :)

Doctor's Appointment Day and Super Shopper!!!

What are all those clothes you ask?? Ellery's current Gymboree wardrobe....Oh.MY.GOD. i'm going to be poor. .but man will this kiddo be well dressed! I've been haunting ebay and done pretty well for myself - the top three items are from John's dad and stepmom (Papa and Mimi to Ellery) aren't they just precious. The orange and blue outfit is one I am currently on the hunt for. . it's from the "my pet goldfish" line from about 2005.....ebay hasn't yielded much...but i'm still looking.. the last three items are from the "my favorite things" line . . i got all of those pieces for about 22.00 (all new with tags) . . retail about 40.00 or 50.00. . please note the orange kitty .. .belle needs to be represented :)

I also won (on ebay LOL) the old navy 3, 6, 9, and 12 month shirt set brand new for (drumroll please) 4.25 plus 2.00 shipping. . new in the store (well on the website. .) it's 10.50 plus 5.00 shipping. .yeah. .i'm psyched about that!!

In OTHER news we have our next doctor's appointment today!! I have to have the gestational diabetes test (hope this comes out okay), and a follow up ultrasound so the tech can get the proper heart pictures this time (and confirm that Ellery is a girl still ROFL), and then my regular appointment with Dr. F! :)

I said to John last night "we get to see the Ellery bean again tomorrow". .never gets old :)

22 Weeks - it looks like a baby!!!

:)


Your baby's beginning to look more like a newborn now, with more distinct lips, eyelids, and eyebrows. He's even developing tiny teeth buds beneath the gum line. Your stomach may become a hand magnet — people will touch it without asking permission. It's okay to say no. And if people are telling you that you look smaller or bigger than you should at this point, remember that all women grow — and show — at different rates. What's important is that you see your practitioner for regular visits so she can make sure your baby's development is on track.

How your baby's growing: Your baby now looks like a miniature newborn, checking in at 10.9 inches and almost 1 pound. Her skin will continue to appear wrinkled until she gains enough weight to fill it out, and the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her head and body is now visible. Her lips are becoming more distinct, and the first signs of teeth are appearing as buds beneath her gum line. Her eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks pigment. Eyelids and eyebrows are in place, and her pancreas, essential for hormone production, is developing steadily.

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YAY!!! Ellery looks like a baby now :)!!! We have our next doctor's appointment on Monday. I have to have my 1-hour glucose test (FUN) and we're having another ultrasound since Ellery was not in the best position for the tech to see her heart last time. Should be fun to see her again. . and confirm AGAIN. . that Ellery's an Ellery :) . .. . LOL

Let's talk about. . . .

Orange Juice . . . (totally NOT what you were expecting I'm sure!!!!)

Okay. . .I've never been an OJ fan (the juice. . not Simpson). . however for about a month now I can't get enough of the stuff ... it's so weird!!!!

I literally saw a Tropicana truck on the highway a few weeks ago and wanted to HIJACK it.. . seriously. my mouth was WATERING thinking about it.

That is SOOOO weird ROFL :)

Baby Ellery - what is it about OJ that does it for you??? why do you make Mommy want it?? :)

21 weeks

Over halfway there!!! I can't believe how FAST this whole pregnancy is flying by!!!! wow!!!

From Babycenter:


Your baby now weighs about 12 ounces, and you may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. Some babies are restless in the evening, for example, just as you're trying to fall asleep. Others get busy during the day


How your baby's growing: Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long. His eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. And you can certainly feel him move. He's oblivious to your schedule, though, so don't be surprised if he starts working out just when you're settling down for the night. If you're having a girl, her vagina is formed now, though it will continue to develop until birth.


How your life's changing:
You're probably feeling pretty comfortable these days. You're not too big yet, and the usual aches and pains associated with early pregnancy are, for the most part, gone. Relax and enjoy it while you can — the third trimester will bring some mild discomfort from carrying a baby who is nearly full-term.

That's not to say you don't have some minor glitches to deal with now. Increased oil production may have given you a mild case of acne, for example. If that's the case, be diligent about washing well with a gentle soap and water twice a day, but don't take any oral acne medications — or even use any topical acne products — without checking with your practitioner first.

You're also prone to varicose veins now (especially if your mom has them). That's because pregnancy puts added pressure on the veins in your legs. (Your blood volume is increased and your uterus puts pressure on the inferior vena cava, the large vein that returns blood from the lower half of your body to your heart.) As if that's not enough, an increase in the hormone progesterone causes the walls of your blood vessels to relax, so as your baby and uterus grow, the veins can become more and more prominent. Varicose veins tend to worsen with each pregnancy, and while they're most likely to show up in your legs, they can also appear on your vulva.
If your legs ache, put maternity support hose on first thing in the morning. Increasing your circulation with a brisk walk each day can also help, as can elevating your legs and sleeping on your left side with your feet propped up with a pillow.

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I'm feeling pretty good. . . . Ellery moves around A LOT during the day when I'm at work. . but she's pretty quiet at night. . . we'll see if she keeps up that pattern or if it changes

I love getting to feel her move (she just did as I was writing ROFL) it's like a private little moment that I get to have :)

Painting!!!

John and my fabulous brother in laws (and father in law) are painting tomorrow!!!! YAY!!!!

We wanted to do it while it was still warm so the windows could all be open :)

Ellery's room is going to be painted in Pale Daffodil (from Behr). I think John mainly wanted to paint so that I couldn't go back and forth about her bedding anymore :) Now I won't really have a choice!!! :)

After it's all painted my wonderful husband is going to install a white chair rail all around the room :) Ellery will be sharing with my scrapbooking stuff but she doesnt' care does she?? :) hope not!!!

I'll be sure to post pictures once the paint is done . . .our bedroom is getting painted too. . but no one really cares about that one :) rofl

20 weeks - from babycenter

How your baby's growing: Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom, and about 10 inches from head to heel. (For the first 20 weeks, we use measurements taken from the top of the baby's head to her bottom — known as the "crown to rump" measurement. After that, we use measurements from head to toe. This is because a baby's legs are curled up against her torso during the first half of pregnancy and are very hard to measure.)A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats her entire body to protect her skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. (This slick coating also eases the journey down the birth canal.)Your baby is swallowing more, which is good practice for her digestive system. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance that's the result of cell loss, digestive secretion, and swallowed amniotic fluid. This meconium will accumulate in her bowels, and you'll see it in her first messy diaper (although a few babies pass it in utero or during delivery).

How your life's changing: You've made it to the halfway mark — Congratulations! The top of your uterus is at the level of your belly button now, and you've likely gained about 10 pounds. Expect to gain an average of about another pound each week from now on. (If you started your pregnancy underweight, you may need to gain a bit more; if you were overweight, perhaps a bit less.) Make sure you're getting enough iron, a mineral that's used primarily to make hemoglobin (the part of your red blood cells that carries oxygen). During pregnancy, your body needs more iron for your developing baby and the placenta, and to keep up with your expanding blood volume. Iron-rich foods include lean red meat, poultry, fish, lentils and other legumes, spinach, and iron-fortified cereals.If you haven't already signed up for a childbirth education class, you may want to look into one. Whether you're a first-timer or a pro, you can benefit from a structured class that helps prepare you for the rigors of labor and delivery. Most hospitals and birth centers offer classes, either as weekly meetings or as a single intensive, all-day session. Ask your doctor or midwife for a recommendation. At 37 weeks, you'll be considered full-term, so plan to be done with classes by then.

20 week picture

here you go!!!

20 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy WOW!!!!

Can you believe it??? I certainly can't. As of today I am halfway through this pregnancy!!! WOW. Seems so crazy. It seems like yesterday I took the test and John and I realized that we were going to be parents.

wow.

Halfway.

I just can't believe it. I'm sure that the second half of my pregnancy will fly by just as fast. Now that we know we're having a girl the anticipation becomes SEEING her. . and getting to meet her live and in person. yikes!

I feel fantastic still, which I am so greatful for!!! Today was our first day back to "business casual attire" and I have to wear maternity shirts ( I can still wear *most* of my regular pants though!!!).

I'm going to have John take a picture tonight when I get home so I will update either later tonight or tomorrow morning with a new pic (i know the .5 readers out there are VERY excited :) )

Ellery is moving a lot more now .. .sometimes. . I swear. . right now she's soo mellow I wonder if i'm going to get those crazy kicks and stuff people talk about. I'm sure I will. . once she runs out of room in there *grin*