19 Weeks

Your baby equals a large heirloom tomato in size and weighs 8 1/2 ounces. (length: 6 inches, head to bottom)

18 Weeks

Your baby is as big as a bell pepper and weighs almost 7 ounces. (Length: 5 1/2 inches, head to bottom.)

This Weeks Happenings

I guess it's about time I give a prego update. I'm feeling.... just feeling. I thought I was sick for a while, but discovered that it's common for pregnant women to get congested, more importantly, a chronic stuffy nose. Sucks! And it wouldn't be so bad, but I can't sleep at night. I'm snoring horribly, and I don't know about you, but I hate, HATE, dry mouth when I sleep. So I went on a mission to figure a way to get over this. I didn't have this problem with my first pregnancy, but I was also pregnant during different seasons. So I bought saline spray for my nose thinking maybe if it wasn't so dry it might be less stuffed. I bought two different kinds, one is plain saline, the other has that stuff that vicks has in it. Menthol? That sounds like cigarettes. Anyway, I didn't like it at first, but I've grown to like it because I think it helps! I also thought, maybe I should try those breathe right strips. So off to the dollar store I went, and found some for cheap and thought that if I hated them it wouldn't be too much of a waste. I also figured that the air was too dry in our house so I'd keep the humidifier next to my bed. I started all this 4 nights ago and have slept pretty good each night. For the most part I can breathe pretty good. And even during the day I'm less stuffed up.

Food is a constant battle. This pregnancy is so different from my last. Last time I didn't really fight with food. I wanted what I wanted. That simple. This time, I find something I like and after about a week of eating it straight, I don't like it anymore. Now you may think this is because I've eaten it too much, but no. I'm the kind of person that could eat the same thing day in and day out forever. But being pregnant, after a week of eating that food, it actually tastes different.

With my first pregnancy, there was a handful of things I could've eaten the whole time. Diamond back hotdogs from Circle K (which I ate almost faithfully for breakfast every morning on my way to work), Taco Bell anything covered in mild sauce - LOTS of mild sauce, Subway with extra pickles and extra mayo, and salad with ranch dressing. I could've lived off that menu. I've tried all those things this time, and they just taste different. One constant I've found that is a usual good thing is corndogs, but not hotdogs. Taco Bell is okay, but I'm trying not to go out to eat, so this is just a treat. I was really liking cucumbers last week dipped in Thousand Island dressing, but alas, this week it's gross.

Good news is that I'm almost half way, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel as far as going back to eating anything. I'm still under weight, which I'm finding very interesting. I will probably go to my 20 week appointment and weight what I did when I started. Is that possible? I gained so much weight with my first one; technically 55 pounds, but I only count 40 because I had lost 15 in the first trimester and then gained it back plus the extra 40. I'm interested to see what happens this time. I hope not to gain that much due to the fact that I'm eating at home, rarely eating out, and trying to exercise (just being on my feet, not sitting all day which is what I did with my first because I worked in a office).

Pretty soon I will start a poll about what you think I will be having. I find out what it is the first of January. I'm nervous and excited. I know there is pro's and con's to both, but it would sure be easier to have a girl again - I wouldn't have to buy more clothes. But the adventure a boy would bring would be fun too. Our 3-year old has decided to name the baby. If it's a boy she's named him "Rex". If it's a girl her name will be "Goodnight Suzie". I'm continually amazed at the imagination of kids. ...I hope she's not disappointed when we don't name the baby what she wants... ☺

17 Weeks

Your baby weighs 5 ounces this week -- about as much as a turnip. (Length: 5 inches, head to bottom.)

16 Weeks

Your baby measures up to an avocado, now, and weighs 3 1/2 ounces. (Length: 4 1/2 inches, head to bottom.)

Long Awaited News

Well, the verdict is in. And I have to say I'm a little disappointed. After the last doctors appointment, they really built me up to think my pregnancy might be anything but normal. Well after an ultrasound yesterday they informed me that there is only one baby, which I'm okay with, it would've been exciting to have twins, but one is good. And I'm not any farther along, bummer! I'm actually about 4 days behind. They decided not to change my due date from May 26th because the difference is so small. I enjoyed the ultrasound, it is always a relief to see the baby on the monitor. To me it takes a long time to feel real because you're not feeling the baby kick all the time. The ultrasound tech did make the comment that the baby was a little strange, well that's not the right word, but I guess the baby was sleeping on it's tummy, and usually they sleep the other way I guess. So when she started the ultrasound the baby was asleep, after some prodding she got it to move and it moved like crazy for a couple minutes and then went back to sleep right in the same position on it's tummy. It's still too early to tell what the sex is so I have another ultrasound in a month for that. The tech didn't even make a guess, I guess she didn't want to give me a false answer. Here are the pictures that she gave me. She said because of the funny position of the baby it was harder to get a good picture.

This last one is probably the best one. You can see the spine at the top, the head is on the right with the legs on the left.

The other thing the tech mentioned is that I have a cyst on one of my ovaries. They mentioned that to me when I miscarried in April, but they said it was probably from the fertilization of the egg and it was nothing to worry about. I guess it didn't go away. I was hoping my doctor would give me more information about it but she was really short about it, which was annoying. Unfortunately I have to go to two different offices for my ultrasounds and my actual appointments, so because of this the ultrasound office hadn't faxed over the results yet so my doctor had yet to see the cyst. I've known friends who have had cysts but none of them were pregnant. Has anyone out there had something like this or know anything about it? The doctor's short answer was that they would just watch it, but basically couldn't do anything until after the baby was born and then see where it's at. She said there is a possibility that it will just go away, but I've heard of them bursting, so what would happen if that happen while I was pregnant? She didn't answer that one for me, well it's not that she didn't have an answer, she just didn't answer. Frustrating. I liked her, but she was really rushed and that bothered me. I know that some appointments are just going to be short, but she should've at least asked me if I had any questions, right? And I know that this isn't my first pregnancy and basically I know what to expect, but I have had some different things happen this time. Like I have gotten more headaches, sometimes every day. Is that normal? I guess I can make another visit with her and if I don't like her, there are 4 other doctors to choose from, right?

The rest of the appointment with my doc was good I guess. I had to have blood drawn which is not my favorite thing to do. What surprised me is that they took like 6 vials of blood for different sorts of tests. I was like, "hey that's a lot, I think I might need that!". The other good news, well usually this isn't good news when you are pregnant, but I lost almost 10 pounds from the last visit. I would be worried about this, but I lost 15 pounds in the first trimester with my first pregnancy. This weight loss is a little later on in the pregnancy than last time, but I feel like I'm huge, so a weight loss isn't a big deal to me. I must be losing it in other areas. Score! All in all, things are good. Healthy baby, healthy mama, what more could you ask for?

15 Weeks

Your baby has grown to the size of an apple and weighs about 2 1/2 ounces. (Length: 4 inches, head to bottom.)

Guesses?

So I have my second doctors appointment on Monday, and I'm getting an ultra sound to find out just how far along I am. Anyone want to make a guess at if I'm farther along than I think I am, or if it's twins. That's Bo's vote, he really wants twins. Crazy guy! I'm feeling huge for almost 15 weeks, but that may just be that most people say their second pregnancy they were bigger. Who knows? So, any guesses?

Is Anyone Really "Normal"?

I know I said before that I thought I was feeling better and getting over being sick, well the day after I wrote that I was really sick. So I gave it some more time and I think I am really over it this time. With my first pregnancy, I was sick until around week 22 and I was more sick. This time around I haven't been as sick and for the last week I've been feeling pretty much back to normal. Well sorta. I got a cold just around the time I started feeling less sick so I have been battling a cold for about a week now. I also successfully got both the hubby and my 3 year old sick as well. The last couple days it's been better, just a little runny nose, but I'm feeling like I'm almost over this. Yea! It will be nice to be over the cold and back to "normal", well as normal as a pregnant woman can feel. I'm looking forward to getting back to eating normally and not feeling any food aversions.

On a lighter note, I had a weird question. I'm interested in your answers, so please answer! When did you first feel the baby move? I'm interested in everyone, but I want to know what week it was with which ever child. I'm interested to know if people felt the kicking earlier with their second or third, or more, child. Even if you one have only one, tell me that too. I didn't feel the baby move with my first until like week 25. I kind of felt defective because everyone was feeling something, and I wasn't. I'm sure now that I was feeling it, I just didn't know what it felt like. And I'm feeling now that I feel it, not all the time but a couple of times I've felt something but I don't know if it's possible that I'm feeling it at week 13 and 14. Because I mean, hey, it's hard to distinguish the difference between baby movement and stomach bubbles.

Oh AND, I was mistaken when I said I was done with my first trimester on week 12, you're not actually done until after week 13, so finally, yea!, I'm done! Now on to trimester #2.

14 Weeks

Your baby, now as long as a lemon, weighs about 1 1/2 ounces. (Length: 3 1/2 inches, head to bottom.)

What's in a Dream?

I had a baby dream last night. Keep in mind, I normally have really weird dreams. Sometimes I wake up and just have to shake my head because my dream was just so weird. But last night I had my second baby dream of this pregnancy, I had one a month or so ago and don't remember what it was about, but I do remember it was a baby boy in the dream. Lasts nights dream was just funny. I went to the hospital early one morning, an hour later had the baby, and then left the hospital to go home an hour after that. Who wouldn't want a delivery like that?? Then I got home with the baby, which was a boy, and he started talking. Then I woke up. ... I'm just amazed at the weirdness of dreams. But I can't say this means anything, I had a couple baby dreams with my first child that were all boys, and I had a girl. Go figure. With my first child, I do remember most of the baby dreams I had were about breastfeeding. I think I was really worried about that, that my subconscious thought about it while I slept. Any weird baby dreams for you?

13 Weeks

Your baby has reached the size of a medium shrimp and weighs nearly an ounce. (Length: almost 3 inches, head to bottom.)

Exercise?

I'm slowly starting to feel better. I hope in the next couple weeks I will feel a little more like myself again. I told myself that once I felt better I was really going to work on exercising. When I was pregnant with my first I was working and didn't do much exercise, but I did walk a lot. I had the walk to and work from my car, I walked to the cafeteria at least once a day and sometimes twice, and then the walk back to my car after work. So I would guess I walked at least 15 minutes each day. I know that's not much, but it was more then I'm doing now. So I'm looking for your advice on exercise, what did you you or do you suggest for a good, safe, pregnancy workout? I know walking is always good, probably the best prego work-out, but it can get boring, and chilly since we're entering winter time. So, ideas?

1 Down, 2 To Go

In honor of being 12 weeks, I thought I would post a belly shot. But my belly isn't the only thing I will be measuring while I'm pregnant. When I was pregnant with my first, I never cut my hair, I didn't have anything to compare it to at the end because I didn't take any before pictures. So this time, I did. So here is my 12 week belly: (ignore the fact that I look.... awful... horrible... no make-up...)

And here is my 12 week hair: (It actually looks pretty good. My hair is usually pretty healthy looking... it also helps that I haven't dyed it in over a year and I guess it will be about another year before I do again...)

Yea for being 12 weeks and being done with the first trimester! Only 28 weeks or 2 trimester left to go...

12 Weeks

Your baby is, by this time, the size of a lime and weighs 1/2 ounce. (Length: just over 2 inches, head to bottom.)

Almost there?

Yea! Under 200 days to go! Ü

1st Doctors Appointment

Well, I had my first doctor's appointment yesterday. We spent an enjoyable day in the big city, and went to my appointment after having some fun. My appointment was the last appointment of the day. ...I'll never do that again! My appointment was at 4:30 and I didn't see the doctor (and not even the doctor I signed up to see) until after 5:00 (we didn't leave the office until almost 6:00!). I've decided I don't really appreciate nurses, no offense to anyone who is a nurse, it's a noble job, but the ones I've met lately have just rubbed me the wrong way. The nurse yesterday took me into the room and started to ask the normal questions and then informed me that I was going to have to have a pelvic and a pap. What! I had one done 6 months ago when I miscarried, why on earth would I need another one! So I told her that to which she told me, because apparently she thought she was the doctor, that it didn't matter that I had had one then, that I was going to get another yesterday. So I shut up and waited for the doctor. The doctor came in and was as nice as peaches, she told me that the nurse had informed (told her that I was a grouchy prego woman, and that I complained) her that I was "concerned" about getting a pap and went into a lengthy explanation on why she needed to do another one. "If it's been more than 6 months we like to do another one"... What really would've changed?! Honestly? I've become more aware as I get older that I have the right, no matter what it is, I have the right. I've also learned that if I don't speak up and say what I want or what I'm thinking, people will walk on me. So, I "politely" told her "no, I had one 6 months ago, I don't need another one, and frankly I'm not feeling like inflicting any bleeding on myself which may cause me to miscarry". Call me paranoid, but I am with good reason, I just had a miscarriage 6 months ago. I don't want to lose this pregnancy, so it's my right. And ya know, she was as nice as can be about. She said "that's totally fine, your last labs looked great, and there's no need for any concern about anything". Okay... so if all that was okay, why were you insisting on me doing one! Whatever. She still had to do a pelvic, which is not my favorite part of pregnancy. If I could just get pregnant, enjoy feeling the kicking baby, and deliver without ever showing my parts off, I would sign up for that! After the exam she informed me that my uterus was showing bigger than 11 weeks, so yea! I could be farther along! Then she went on to try and find a heart beat. Let me tell you, usually this is fun for me to hear the heart beat but she wasn't finding it. Alarming to me, but she said she kept hearing glimpses of it, and then the baby would move. She looked for about 15 minutes, a painful 15 minutes of her pushing on my already sore tummy. Only after that time did she locate it for about 3 full seconds and then the baby moved again. Her comment, "You have a wild one in there! The 'little cutie' just didn't want to be found!" Great... I hope this doesn't show the future personality of Lee Baby #2. After the exam the doc when into explaining genetic testing and that if I wanted to do that it would be done at the next appointment or two. I didn't think they did that unless you were older than 35? Did any of you do that? I'm scheduled for an appointment the first of December, but I should be getting scheduled for an ultrasound before then. Since I'm measuring a little big, she wanted to find out exactly how far along I am. It will be nice to get pictures as proof. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm always a little nervous about the first doctors appointment, I'm afraid they are going to tell me I'm not pregnant or something that it was all in my head. So finding the heart beat or getting an ultrasound is always a relief for me.

This doctors office is a group practice, so I won't know who I'm going to deliver with until I deliver. That's how my last doctors office was, and it really wasn't a bad experience. I'm going to make an effort to see all the different doctors just so I know who I like and maybe don't like so much. The doc I saw yesterday was only a nurse practitioner, so she doesn't deliver, but I wouldn't mind seeing her again. I'm still a little peeved at the reception area of this doctors office, they seem so disconnected with the doctors. There is a huge lack of communication between them. In scheduling my next appointment she tried to schedule me for the wrong appointment with the wrong doc, so I corrected her which made her very unhappy with me. Oh well, it's my right to speak up, right?

11 Weeks

Your baby is now about as big as a fig. (Length: just over 1 1/2 inches, head to bottom.)

Food is the Enemy

I'm so frustrated. Eating is such a chore. I'm not puking or anything, but nothing, and I mean nothing, ever sounds good to eat. I swear, I'm eating less now that I'm pregnant. I'm probably losing weight... Every time I find something that agrees with me, if I eat it more than twice, it's goes on my yuck list. Basically, the list of things I can eat or that sound good to eat, is getting shorter everyday. Have I told you, I'm tired of being pregnant... ...I'm thankful, I'm thankful, I'm really thankful.... Any suggestions?

There's more truth than poetry to that!

Gender Predictions

I have been surfing the net to see if the all-knowing Internet could tell me what we're having. Here's what I came up with.

Old wives tales:
I carry my extra weight out front: boy
The hair on my legs isn't growing any faster than before I was pregnant: girl
I'm carrying high: girl (it's actually more in the middle, but it's higher more than it is lower)
My pillow is on the south side of my bed/bedroom: girl
My feet are colder than they were before pregnancy= boy
I don't like to eat the heel of a loaf of bread: girl
Bo hasn't gained any weight: girl
My mom has grey hair: boy
I've had morning sickness: girl (it's been less than last time though)
I feel like I'm not looking so hot and the test said "You are not looking particularly good during pregnancy. Therefore, it must be a girl, because girls steal their mother's looks." : girl
My chest hasn't really changed all that much: boy
My urine is a bright yellow color: boy
I crave sweet more than salty: girl
My nose hasn't changed during pregnancy: girl
I've been craving fruits: girl
I have no desire for orange juice: boy
I have headaches: boy
My stomach looks like a watermelon: girl
I show my hands palm up: girl
I grab the handle of the mug: boy
I have less acne than before: boy

Chinese Gender Prediction:
I'm 26 and I'm pretty sure I conceived in September. My lunar age is 27 and the lunar month is August. According to this chart I'm having a boy.

Mathematical equations:
The sum of the my age at conception (26) and the number of the month of conception (9) is an odd number: girl
My age (26) and the year I conceived in (2008) are both even numbers: girl

Other Internet tests:
Old Wives Tale Test : girl
Will you baby be a boy or girl? : girl
Gender Tool : girl - This test also gave us a list of girl names to think about:
1. Emily
2. Emma
3. Madison
4 .Isabella
5. Ava
6. Abigail
7. Olivia
8. Hannah
9. Sophia
10. Samantha
11. Elizabeth
12. Ashley
13 .Mia
14 .Alexis
15. Sarah
16. Natalie
17. Grace
18. Chloe
19. Alyssa
20. Brianna
What do you think? Any of those names sound good to you?

So the total is 10 chances for a boy (37%) and 17 chances for a girl(63%). And of course the internet it always right, right? Bo is guessing it will be a girl, he thinks we are only going to have girls. I don't really have an opinion yet. It would definitely be easier to have another girl, less things to buy. It won't be another two months until we actually find out, but until then you have information to make an educated guess on what you think we're having...

Yea for 10 Weeks!

Well I'm excited that I've made it to 10 weeks. I'm still a little nervous about miscarrying, but each day I feel a little less nervous. I'm still feeling sick, but a little less I think. I was sick all the way until week 20 with my first, so I hoping I don't go that long with this one. The sickness has definitely been less than last time, I haven't even puked. But I still have moments throughout the day that I feel like crap and have to remind myself to be thankful. It's such a hard thing to do; be thankful for being sick. I have found that I crave fruits. Last time it was all about the veggies, I loved salad with ranch dressing, but not just any ranch dressing it had to be homemade. This time, not so much, I like fruit. I find myself turning to fruit, and probably not getting enough protein. Although, yesterday I ate 3 artichokes, and they tasted really good. So I guess I'm not opposed to veggies. No weird cravings though. What were your weird cravings? Or even just cravings not necessarily weird?

10 Weeks

Your baby, now barely the size of a kumquat, weighs less than a quarter of an ounce. (Length: a little over 1 inch, head to bottom.)

9 Weeks

Your baby has grown to the size of a grape, weighs a fraction of an ounce, and is almost 1 inch long.

Sick

I'm starting to feel sicker everyday. And boy am I tired. I don't remember feeling this tired with my first. I only threw up a couple times with my first, and I have yet to throw up with this one. But I'm nausous 24/7. The worst thing about this pregnancy is that nothing really sounds good to eat. At least with my first, I craved salad. I could always eat salad and feel great. Not this time. Any foods work better for you?

8 Weeks

Your baby -- now comparable to the size of a kidney bean (just over 1/2 inch long) -- is constantly moving and shifting.

Doctors! And their Receptionists!

I'm so frustrated. I do remember being frustrated with doctors the first time around, so much that I ended up switching doctors because of it. But this new office I'm working with is just crazy. They seem unorganized, like the doctors don't talk to the reception area at all, so there is a big lack of communication. Trial and error I guess. If it doesn't work out I can always find another doctor. My big frustration with them was that they wanted me to come in now, at 8 weeks, and have an appointment. All they really would do at that appointment was a pap, which I had done in April when I miscarried so I wasn't going to get another one, and do a pregnancy test. It wouldn't be very much of a big deal if I didn't have to drive over an hour to get there. I mean, they wouldn't even look for the heart beat at 8 weeks, so why couldn't they wait to do the pregnancy test the same week they look for the heart beat? Does that sound so unreasonable? And I do understand I am not a grouchy, hormonal pregnant woman, but I'm not totally off my rocker. It's a long drive! I'll still be pregnant in 3 weeks, do the test then! So after a fight with the receptionist, I did get in for an appointment on November 3rd, I will be almost 11 weeks then. I'll let you know how it goes.

Baby Size According to Food

I've decided to keep track of the size of the baby a slightly different way. I found these images on babycenter.com, and thought I'd update the new one each week. These are the weeks I've missed:

4 weeks
Your baby -- now officially an embryo -- is about the size of a poppy seed.

5 weeks
Your baby has grown to the size of a sesame seed, looking more like a tiny tadpole than a human.

6 weeks
Your baby is as long as a lentil (about 1/4 inch).

7 weeks

Your baby, having doubled in size since last week, is as big as a blueberry(about 1/2 inch in length).

The Journal

Well I found out I was pregnant at almost 8 weeks. My cycles have been so off, that I don't really follow them. My body has been kind of crazy since my miscarriage in April that I just kind of tuned it out. When I was pregnant in April, I found out the Friday before conference. It was the exact same this time (October 3rd). I was on my way home from a week long venture to see family, and I had stopped at my sister's house and decided that I better get a test and see. Sure enough, and trust me, I was surprised it said Pregnant. I really had decided to take a test because I wasn't feeling very good. With my miscarriage, I felt great the whole time, that was not normal. So as sick as this sounds, I was a little relieved to feel nauseous.

Anyway, this is going to be a journal about my pregnancy. I didn't keep a journal when I was pregnant with my first, so I thought it would be nice to keep track. I'm looking forward to comments about your experiences!