Oh my goodness, I'm a really, really bad blogger...

So, I'm now 21 weeks pregnant and we found out yesterday that our little peanut is most likely a girl!! Now comes the hard part...names.
I've still been feeling good and I bought some new bras that should expand enough so that I don't have to buy any more until it's nursing time.
I think the coolest and strangest thing by far has been feeling her move around. Sometimes it tickles, which was the most surprising part to me. Daniel hasn't been able to feel the kicks from the outside but I think it's only a matter of time.

What else? Let's see, yesterday during the ultrasound the peanut was moving around a lot and the technician measured her heart rate at 156 beats per minute, then later at the doctor's office we listened to her heart rate and it was about 136bpm. Apparently babies like to work out too :)

I still need to scan the latest ultrasound photos but here are a couple of pictures of the bump:

From week 17:


From Today:


And a bonus photo of the strange lump I can make with my stomach muscles:


I hope I can be better about updates in the future... but no guarantees until finals are over on the 17th of March.

Happy March everyone!

Another week...

Well, here we are somewhere around the beginning of week 15. According to the Mayo Clinic this is the week when the peanut begins to grow hair, like eyebrows, pretty cool. I'm feeling pretty good this week, just tired and I've been getting mid-back aches at night. I pretty much can't sleep for more than 6 hours before I wake up. I'm sleeping with extra pillows but it still hurts, so if you have any ideas...please pass them along.

I wanted to answer Cindy's question about food. It seems like the pregnancy diet is more about what I'm not eating. I avoid the usual no-no foods, sushi, hot dogs, alcohol, coffee as well as my own personal ones, chicken and potatoes. I am trying to drink more milk and eat a balanced diet even when nothing really sounds good.

I still haven't managed to take any new belly photos...I promise next week I will! But I do have the ultra sound photos as previously promised!

Here's the classic photo:



And here is one capturing the acrobatics we saw that day:



I love this one... check out those gams!

The family came over this weekend to start brainstorming plans for our backroom which we are turning into the nursery. We also found out that Daniel's parents' neighbor's daughter has a bunch of baby things that she is willing to give or sell to us. There is the baby carseat that Daniel's grandparents gave to her when her son was born and a changing table, diaper pail, and baby gym. With the dresser that was mine in high school it means that we will have spent $100 on furniture for the nursery...I'm feeling pretty good about our frugality. It also means I have more money to spend on decorating!

I think that's all for this week...I'll take some tummy photos for posting next week.

xoxo

Beginnings

I think it is fitting to start this blog the same week I threw up for the first time during this pregnancy, entered into the final week of the first trimester, and discovered that my favorite jeans no longer button (thank goodness for the genius of the bella band). Oh yeah, and we also had our first ultra sound appointment!!
The ultra sound meant more than I thought it would. It seems weird to say, but it really did feel more real once that little profile popped up on the screen. What I didn't know was that, at this stage, the fetus can be really active. Our little peanut was kicking and punching and arching its back...cool and weird all at the same time. Daniel made a crack about how it wants to go running already (hell yeah!). In my mind I had the classic image of the curled up baby with a fuzzy outline not a thrashing shrimp! But the ultra sound tech wasn't phased and actually mentioned how it's great when they move around because it makes taking all the measurements easier. We have two images which I plan to scan this weekend and post (I promise!).
I know that I'm not really showing yet, but I am getting a pot belly, and for those who know me that's not usually the situation. It's cool, because I know that it has a purpose, and frustrating all at the same time. Here's a lovely picture of last week's bump:


And a closeup:


I do think that my nausea is passing since now I only feel ill when I haven't eaten for a few hours. So, I suppose my job now is to relax and gain weight :)

I have nothing to complain about and feel very, very lucky.

Welcome

Hello and welcome.

My goal, for now, is to use this blog to paint a realistic picture of my pregnancy for friends and family both near and far.

I think pregnancy is both strange and wonderful and I want to share as realistic a portrait as I can. I hope that you all ask any question that pops into your head...I will do my best to address these questions as I ruminate on my own feelings and observations.

So far the characters in this little story are my husband Daniel, our little fetus who will be known as "the peanut" until a better title is suggested (hint, hint) and me, Eliza.

Now, let the fun begin!

xoxo,
Eliza