17 weeks 0 days! Bump Shot. Baby PLEASE Move!

 

17 weeks today! Yiippeeeee! While some days time seems to be speeding by...other days, not so much. I'm doing well and just taking it one day at a time. My new craving is A-1 steak sauce! I wanna smother everything in it! Yummaaay!

I went in for my 16 week check-up last week. It went well but hearing Sprouty's heartbeat is all I really care about during those quick monthly appointments. It seems SO long between appointments and I just need to know that he/she is alright in there! Which leads me to movement.

 

I WANNA feel the baby move!!!! It's driving me crazy. My wife felt Baby C around the 14-15 week mark. I read of others feeling movement that soon as well...but here I am SEVENTEEN weeks and nadda! Zilch. Well, at 13 weeks 4 days I thought I might have felt the baby but I'm not sure. I guess it's like the old sayings go, "A watched pot never boils" & "A watched phone never rings." lol

 

Oh, funny story: So, I go in for my appointment last week and my OB walks in the room all chipper and happy. She asks me if I have any questions but before I can answer she says, "Oh and you need to schedule your anatomy scan within the next two weeks." My reply to her was: "yeah I'm going to BUT I don't want to know the sex of the baby yet!" With a shocked look on her face she shouts, "OH NO, WELL WHY DO I KNOW??! I don't want to know if you don't! Let me scratch this off of your chart! I'm so glad I didn't come in here blabbing the results!!"

I then {{{GASP}}} lol

 

So apparently the genetics center sent her the results of my Maternit21 test and that included the gender portion. She documented the sex of the baby in the sleeve of my chart. lol I'm SOOO thankful she didn't tell me. While I'm dying to know...I would have been devastated and crushed to find out like that, before our big reveal party.

 

We have an appointment for the anatomy scan on 02-07 and we also have an appointment for a quick gender ultrasound on the 29th of this month. However, I'm not sure if I'm gonna keep this appointment. The only reason I even scheduled it was to "verify" the Maternit21 gender results and to make sure they match. It's probably a waste of money {$75 bucks for 10-15mins) since the MT21 is genetic but you know how it is when you just have to be sure............Did any of you do both genetics and u/s? I still have some time to cancel. But I havent.....yet. *sighs*

 

Anywhoo.....here is the 17 weeks bump shot! Almost to 20 weeks. Whoohoooooo!

 

 

 

 

Meditations:

 

Stop saying if and start saying when....

Although you don't know what's going on on your womb...GOD does!

Embrace & enjoy the journey. All of it! Not just the "good" parts.

Every woman's journey is different. Trust that this is the one specifically crafted for YOU.

13 weeks 1 Day! Skull Theory Gender Preditions?! Whaaat?!

 

 

I'm telling you....surfing the web will uncover some crazy things about pregnancy! lol I learn something new allllll the time. Well, last week I stumbled across something called the "Skull Theory" as it relates to gender predictions. Skull theory?!? Never heard of it! Well, according to the "Resident Google fetal Development Scholars" aka BabyCenter chicks (hehehe) you can predict the gender based on the skull structure.

 

 

Sooooooooooooo.............armed with this intriguing piece of information I did a pic-stitch of Baby C's NT scan (Baby C is a girl for those who do not know) and Sprouty's. lol {Sprouty top - Baby C bottom}. Any Skull Theory Specialist in da house wanna take a guess at it? If i were to guess, I would have predicted Boy for Baby C and Girl for Sprouty. lol Of course I would have guessed wrong so I think I will leave this one A-Lone! lol Now, Baby C's NT was done at 12 weeks 1 day and Sprouty's was done at 11 weeks 1 day (but Sprouty was measuring 12 weeks 5 days) not sure if that makes a difference but it's worth mentioning. What do ya'll think? I think this would be a good thread for my secret group :-)

 

 

How Far Along? 13 weeks 1 day!

Total Weight Gain: The Last time I built up the courage to check I was up 5lbs. So based on my weight BEFORE I got pregnant I'm going to say up 8-9-10ishlbs. At this point I'm just trying to not deny myself BUT be mindful that I have a long way to go before I'm due. Slow Ya roll Nell :-)

Maternity Clothes: Nope. But I'm noticing my boxers are leaving visible marks across the lower region of my belly. Not cool. Still wearing my regular clothes thet just don't fit/hang the same way they used to.

Symptoms: Same as last week ---Heartburn. Exhaustion. But still no morning sickness. Last night my wife thinks I had my first Braxton Hicks. I had a tightening across my stomach and once she had me drink some water and lay down on my left side it went away. It didn't hurt it was just a very weird and uncomfortable feeling.

Stretch Marks: No more than I already had on my stomach.

Belly Button In/Out: Nothing yet. Still in.

Sleep: Great and all the time.

Best Moment Last Week: Getting good news about my MaterniT21 genetic test results and hitting the oh so wonderful 12 weeks! That call from the genetics counselor meant everything to me! It was an amazing moment.

What I Miss: Being active, not requiring as much sleep & Bud Ice Beer. Well, all kinds of Beer. 

What I’m looking forward to: Feeling the baby move. Hitting 13 weeks I'm on pins and needles as to when I'm going to experience that awesome moment! My 18-20 week BIG ultrasound.

Food Cravings: Same ---Salads, pineapples, apple sauce and oranges! Salads make the belly soooo happy. Here lately I've also been craving Mexican food!

Food Aversions: Although I still can't eat them scrambled I did eat a fried egg. But eggs are still a bleh for me. Ick!

Gender: **Confession - I hit 12 weeks and all of a sudden it really doesn't matter what se.x Sprouty is. I realllllly just want to take a healthy full term baby home** ------Team Green……for now……But internally I feel like this is a calm, cool and very chill BOY! 
  
Movement: None

My Concerns or Questions:  I guess it would be cervical issues. I've read stories (I know I know I shouldn't be reading anything at this point) but reading things about early cervical shortening and dilation I just wonder if there are any signs or things I should be looking out for in the coming weeks.

Goals for the week: Have more se.x, Maintain my healthy diet & don't stress over when I will feel the baby move.

Now that I've reached my focus goal of 13 weeks I will now re-shift to focus to 20 weeks! As I've stated in previous blog posts focusing on 40 weeks is too overwhelming for me so I have to focus on incremental goals. 20 weeks! The half way mark, Feb. 13th, 2014!!!!!! My coworkers officially know I'm pregnant so that too is a heavy burden lifted off my shoulders. Plus I'm appreciating the little gestures of HELP I'm getting since no one wants me lifting or doing too much :-)


I hope you all are having a peaceful, loving & blessed holiday season! Until Next time.....

Meditation:

Surrender.

You cannot control the outcome of life or death so instead of worry, opt to Pray.

Your body was created for this so trust it & Trust God.

12 weeks 0 days. The results are in: Genetics Testing Update.

Update: (This May be Long)

 

So, on 12-13-13 my wife and I went for my genetic counseling appointment and we decided the night before that we were going to have the NT scan as well. I initially wasn't going to do it. After speaking with the counselor we also decided to move forward with the MT21 instead of the Harmony. I just never really felt comfortable with the Harmony and after going over several items we opted to just pay whatever it will cost out of pocket, whenever the bill comes. I was at peace with this decision and so was my wife. I was kinda turned on how my wife was, "Mrs. Full of Questions" during our counseling. lol It felt good to see just how into this process she really is. It was comforting to me in that moment.

 

They initially thought I was too early for the NT. Based on my LMP I was 11 weeks 1 day. But the Tech said that depending on my measurements they may just ask me to come back in a few days. There was no need. This appointment was so AWESOME!!!!!! They weren't busy on the day I went so I felt like she was taking extra long and we loved it! Seeing Sprouty for almost an hour was amazing. I cried so hard when she first started. G's cry too ;-)

 

The baby measured 12 weeks 5 days!! Whoa! The NT measurement was 1.14. Normal & good. The Doctor & the Tech said that everything looked perfect, congratulated us and sent us to the lab for the Maternity 21 Plus blood test.

 

 

I wasn't worried at all while waiting for the results. The NT scan did give me some comfort & peace. I'm glad I had it done. I was however concerned about how long it might take for the results to come back. With Christmas being next week I was really praying to get "the call" before the holiday. I had the test done around 10am on a Friday morning, 12-13-13 and I received "the call" this afternoon, 12-19-13, at 12noon. Pretty damn fast! 5 business days. I was impressed & so glad we decided to go with the MT21 instead of the Harmony.

 

Results: The Baby is perfectly healthy. Negative for T21, T13 & T18. Also we opted to have ALL the additional testing done that looks for mutations etc (MaterniT21 Plus) and all were negative! Thank you JESUS! She did ask if I wanted to know the se.x but I declined. I just told her to seal the results and mail it to us. We are planning to have a gender reveal party in late January/early February. I don't want to know the se.x until then.

 

This is really all I wanted for Christmas and my heart is ever thankful. I can enjoy my holiday knowing this little life inside of me is okay. I give thanks and Praise. I'm truly blessed and there are really no words I could use to describe my feelings and emotions right now. Thanks so much for ALL the prayers, light, love and amazing energy you all have sent my way. I feel it & it's working :-)

 

Have a Happy Holiday everyone!!!!!

11 weeks 0 days! Pregnancy Updates.

 

 

Today I'm officially 11 weeks 0 days. I'm so very thankful to have made it this far. Things have still been uneventful and I'm thankful for that as well. I'm almost done with my progesterone suppositories and that will be a major milestone for me. I'm so over those messy things! I should be finish in a few days! Thank God! My wife and I have lots of se.x to make up for once they are out of the equation! Helllllz yeah! I'm telling you...I think those suppositories have sleeping components in them because as soon as I insert two I'm gone! *sighs* Did I say I will be so glad when I'm done with those things?!? lol

 Since my last post I discovered my health insurance will not cover the Maternit21 test...they will only cover the Harmony. So, harmony it is. I'm scheduled for tomorrow morning at 9am. It's still up in the air as to whether I'm going to have the NT tomorrow as well and the ONLY way I will get it is if they assure me that 11 weeks 1 day is not too early annnnnd it will not impact the measurements/results. I have my 12 week OB follow-up on the 18th.

I think I'm going to tell my coworkers in a few weeks. Like, after I get the results of my genetics testing. I wanted to tell them at our Christmas party on the 17th but i'm not so sure now. Either way I plan to tell them in the next 2 weeks. Jaws are gonna hit da floor! lol

How Far Along? 11 weeks today! Yippee!

Total Weight Gain: Only the Good Lord knows but I’m still fitting my work uniform cargo pants & I don’t particularly feel like I’m huge, yet.

Maternity Clothes: Nope. I wouldn’t wear girly maternity clothes anyway. I’ve already invested in some comfy jogging bottoms and I have my “Big Belly” wardrobe already picked out courtesy of the men’s department at Target.

Symptoms: Heartburn. Exhaustion. But still no morning sickness. I’m starting to believe that the pregnancy gods have smiled on me. I think I’m one of those lucky women who escape the dreaded morning/all-day sickness. This is a super awesome kid I’m carrying! *knocks on wood*

Stretch Marks: No more than I already had on my stomach.

Belly Button In/Out: Nothing yet. Still in.

Sleep: Great and all the time.

Best Moment Last Week: Hitting double digits at 10 weeks.

What I Miss: Being active and not requiring as much sleep. I miss having the energy to do more than just go to work and come home. I will be so thankful if the second trimester brings me some much needed energy. I'm sure my wife will appreciate it also.

What I’m looking forward to: My genetics screening tomorrow (maybe the NT scan) and most of all getting the results. In a few days....NO MORE progesterone suppositories!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Food Cravings: Salads, pineapples, apple sauce and oranges! Salads make the belly soooo happy.

Food Aversions: EGGS! Ughhhhhhh! I hate them now. *gags* I used to LOVE eggs. Now they make me so sick! Ewwwwwwwwwww

Gender: Team Green……for now……can’t wait to find out! I've said this from the moment I found out I was pregnant....I think this is a BOY! 

Movement: None

My Concerns or Questions: I have elevated blood pressure readings at the OB’s office so I’m going to ask the nurse if they can take my pressure at the end of my visit instead of at the beginning. Oh, and I just need to hear Sprouts heartbeat. I haven’t heard it since 8 weeks 1 day and I need reassurance. 

Goals for the week: NOT stress over waiting for the genetics results. 


Anyway, that's all for now. Prayerfully I will have good news/updates next time. I'm hoping it won't take long for my results to come back. Until then....continue to send positive energy, light & prayers my way.

Meditation

 

Surrender.

Relax.

Enjoy.

 

9 Weeks 6 Days. Belly Shot & Second pregancy feelings.

I'm thankful to announce that my pregnancy has been pretty uneventful. Thank God. Besides the few episodes of heartburn, hip & butt bone pain and still lots of exhaustion, I'm doing very well. Thank GOD for my wife. She's been amazing helping me, letting me rest and explaining things along the way. I have no idea how much weight I've gained and I don't intend to find out. As long as my work clothes still fit.....I'm good. Well, I did get the next size up shirt yesterday but I feel so much better! It's amazing how simply having a shirt that fits comfortably will change your entire mood. I'm happy at work today :-)

I was thinking the other day about just how different this pregnancy is compared to when my wife was pregnant with Baby C. When she was carrying everything was so new and so damn exciting! We were so new to the whole process and in some areas so naive. Oh to be naive again. *sighs* We couldn't WAIT to buy stuff, tell people, go for ultrasounds...just everything! It was just different, the first time.

Now onto baby #2, my pregnancy. Me being the oven. While we are so happy, very thankful and excited....there are different sets of dynamics in place now. One - my age and having to submit aka worry about, genetic testing...blah. Two - we are caring for a busy infant who demands a lot of time & she's so stinkin' cute! Three - it's just not new, the whole lesbian couple having a baby thing. lol Like, we've exposed all of our family & friends to it with my wife so it's not so much a shocker this go'round. lol

I'm really trying to think if we felt these feelings in the beginning of my wife's pregnancy. Like, maybe as the months move forward it will be all exciting and new. Perhaps when we find out the se.x of Sprouty or when I start to really get big. Up until this point it honestly just feels like I'm going thru the motions. Crossing off the days, counting down til the big 12/13 week mark. Kinda like the jailhouse pictures of calendars when inmates are counting down til release. *sighs louder*

Going thru the motions is the best term for where I am right now. I think I will feel more present once we get the results of my MaterniT21 genetic testing. Or, maybe once I feel flutters. Or, maybe when I get big....arghhhhh! Going thru the motions. I'll accept that. One day at a time. I'm scheduled for genetic testing on Dec. 13th.

I really hope this entry isn't reading in a down tone. Because I'm really not. I'm in a good place emotionally, spiritually and physically. I just have to trust God. I guess I'm still in this place of, "I know I'm pregnant, I've heard the heartbeat, I'm getting bigger....but I still just don't feel like I have a human inside of me!" It's really weird. Maybe I should go buy a Doppler? lol I wasn't going to have the NT scan done. I was just going to go for my MaterniT21 test and be done with it all. But now I'm starting to feel like I want to have the NT scan {AFTER I get my genetic results} just to SEE this little baby again! I need to see him/her in there because as I sit here one day shy of 10 weeks pregnant. It still doesn't. seem. real.

 

Double digits tomorrow! Whooohooooo! Grow Sprout, GROW!

 

Meditation

God is in control.

It's all out of your control.

Lean on your faith.

This will be a healthy happy pregnancy.

Update: 8 Weeks 5 Days

Sprout at 8 weeks 1 Day

I'm a little delayed with updating but SO much has happened since my last post. Soooo much!

 

1. I was called for an interview (11/15) and it went really well. BUT....also in the same week my boss announced he is leaving so that means a BIG promotion for me with an increase in pay. Once I weighed all the pros & cons {and after researching the government agency I interviewed for} I came to the conclusion that it's in my best interest all around to stay put. At least for now. Yes, the new job would offer more money but my current job offers ALL the other perks of being a loyal employee for the past 7 years. Annnnd no worries about fmla, sick leave, vacation time, slacking because I'm preggers, stability and most importantly I know the culture here. I know the folks I work with and I know my job is safe. Nothing like the devil you know, huh? lol With the change in leadership I'm now second in command. I won't reveal the line of work I'm in because it will surely uncover my identity but second in command is a great place to be at this stage of my life and my career. I look at it as a blessing.

 

Soooooooooo.....on to the baby stuff!

 

I had my 1st OB appointment on my birthday, 11/22! I was officially 8 weeks 1 day. I was so nervous. I guess because the last time we actually saw the baby was during the 5 week 6 day ultrasound. I just prayed everything would be okay. Meaning there was still a heartbeat, since the last time we only saw it we didn't get to hear it since it was so early. The baby measured 8 weeks 3 days, 2 days ahead, and had a strong heartbeat. Yay!! Also the highlight of the visit was having an abdominal ultrasound and not an internal vaginal one. Double Yayyyyy! Now for the low-lights of that visit. I had to get a pelvic exam. Yes, with the speculum. Ugh! It was so painful. I thought I was bleeding! It felt like she was pushing a razor blade inside me. I'm so thankful I don't have to go thru that anytime soon. Prayerfully. My blood pressure was really high but I already knew it would be. I'm going to ask them if they can start taking my pressure at the end of my visit instead of as soon as I come in. I will continue to have high readings if they keep doing it first. I always have high readings during my OB/GYN appointments! They are a source of anxiety for me. Have any of you experienced this? Crazy thing is my pressure is always normal at my primary care and foot doctors offices. lol

 

She gave me a bunch of paperwork and answered all my questions. She also left my due date as July 03, 2014. I contacted the genetics department and I'm scheduled for the MaterniT21 test on December 13th. I will be 11 weeks 1 day. I'm not sure if I'm going to have the NT scan. I was thinking of having it done after I get the results of my genetics test JUST for the extra peek at the baby. But again, I'm not sure. All these appointments are kinda overwhelming so I'm just gonna take it one step at a time. I actually didn't realize how overwhelming it all was until this appointment. So many test, appointments, bloodwork etc! I just told myself I'm not focusing on 40 weeks. It's too much for me right now. I will only focus on day by day...week by week. That will keep me sane. So right now my eyes are on 13 weeks. That's my goal for right now. Then after that I will re-shift my focus.

 

I'm still feeling realllly good! Still no morning/evening sickness. I'm still feeling pretty tired but I feel like it's getting better. The only new thing I'm experiencing is hip pain when I'm sleeping. I have to constantly rotate positions at night because my hips hurt! I will be 9 weeks on Thursday so my wife advised me to go grab the body pillow from the basement. I'm so glad she's already gone thru this process!

 

We have told our families and most of our friends. Most folks didn't believe me/us. I still think they all assume I'm joking. Lol! They never thought I would actually go thru with it. Once I start showing I think it will become real to them. I'm still getting the, "I'm still in shock about your pregnancy and I don't believe you!" text messages! Lmao!

 

Please pray that my genetics testing comes back fine, my pregnancy continues to be uneventful & boring & that I continue to remain positive and healthy.

 

Meditation

 

Don't worry, Pray.

The Baby is fine. And so are you.

Enjoy the journey.