23 weeks

Whoops! Missed a couple weeks. We've been busy and my photographer has been gone a lot helping at the farm. I'm feeling great and getting bigger but I don't feel huge yet. Some things are starting to get more difficult (bending to tie shoes, rolling over while sleeping-which I do a lot), but I know it'll only get worse!

I've been walking a lot, but I get winded easier than I used to. My appetite is normal. I even ate cheesecake with maple syrup and it was delicious. I'm up 15 lbs from pre pregnancy weight which is right on track.

Since I last posted we had a doctor's appointment and a follow up ultrasound. The doctor's appointment went well, they're all fairly quick. We went over the first ultrasound (they're done at a pathology center) and the only thing she had to say was that baby had choroid plexus cysts on her brain. She told us not to worry and they're quite common, especially on a scan before 20 weeks which ours was. She said they form when the brain is developing. (I even googled them which one should never do and I couldn't find anything too scary.) She said baby was a little too active to get all the shots of the heart they needed, so at 22 weeks we went back for another scan. Our doctor said the cysts themselves wouldn't be reason for a second scan, it was just to get a better view of the heart. The tech showed us the cysts and said she sees them a lot. She got much better views of the heart. And she double checked and said it still looks like a girl. Baby is 1 pound, 1 ounce and her heart is about the size of a dime right now, so tiny!  Also, we got to see her kick on the screen and I, of course, felt it at the same time.  Pretty neat!

We're making progress in the baby room. The closet is mostly cleaned out and filled with baby stuff now. There is plenty left to do though!

I think people who are subscribed to this get it by email and may not come to the actual website to read it.  I'm adding this part after the fact, so hopefully someone reads it and responds.  We already have a stroller (standard Graco stroller that will fit with our car seat), but I'd still like to register for one since we don't have much for bigger items on the registry.  I was thinking either a single jogging stroller or a standard double stroller (since it won't be too many years between baby #1 and #2, ideally).  Any input on how to decide?  Or, a suggestion other than those two?

That's all for now. More next week!

21 weeks

Woah. So I skipped a week, the big halfway mark! I was out of town and Trevor had drill, that week turned into two and here we are.

In general, all is well. I'm feeling kicks (punches? Who knows what really, but something) and seeing them now, too. Trevor hasn't seen it yet, but he felt it a month ago. Last weekend when he was at drill I caught a kick on video so he has seen that, pretty cool. We both got to feel some pretty strong kicks tonight. I'm feeling good, still have mucous in my throat but it doesn't seem as bad. I gag occasionally, but not often. For the most part, I have plenty of energy. I get winded a little easier but I'm back into walking as usual. I've been suffering through diarrhea all day, but Trevor has, too, so I'm not sure I can call that a pregnancy symptom. He has, at some point, had every pregnancy symptom I have though so maybe!

The nursery is coming along well. Since we moved here it's been a giant storage closet, but the clutter and junk is slowly finding its way out. And just as soon as we clear a spot, baby stuff filters in. The crib is put together, looks good! The dresser is set up and quickly filling with clothes. It's all starting to feel more real now that the room is coming together and my belly is actually looking pregnant.

This week's pregnancy question: registry item tips? Must haves? Over-rated stuff?

-A

19 weeks

This was a big week for us! I'm a couple days late in posting but Trevor's been pretty busy on the computer and I keep forgetting to take the weekly photo.

Let's see...feeling really good! The throat mucous is still there but not as bad. I get winded and back pain fairly quickly these days. I'm still feeling kicks, actually saw one today. My appetite is improving. According to my records I'm up about 8 pounds right now which is okay but I've got some room to gain. We've made some progress in cleaning out baby's room and Trevor started putting together the dresser tonight. I'm back to walking regularly which feels great. I tried to walk at least a couple times a week when I was feeling crappy but now it's much easier.

And for the excitement of the week...we had the big ultrasound Friday. We weren't planning on funding out the sex, but Trevor changed his mind and I figured he could win this one. He said knowing the sex would help him picture/plan for baby better; he wanted to know if this is his son or daughter. Coming from my very medical and scientific husband who has always just used the word "fetus" until now, I couldn't say no. We didn't actually get confirmation at the ultrasound that everything is okay, the techs can't really tell you that, but it was pretty cool to see baby in there! Trevor got to see it all, she only turned the screen for me every so often. Side note: my instructions were to arrive with a very full bladder. I had to pee so badly I peed half an hour before my appointment and slammed more water to fill it back up. When they called my name and asked how I was doing I said, "good but I really have to pee!" Then she told me I didn't need a full bladder and the clinic should have known that, so I got to use the bathroom, phew! Baby was moving all over during the ultrasound so it took a little effort to get all the shots she needed. She told us she would tell us the sex as soon as she could tell but baby wasn't making it easy. She even showed us the 3D image - wasn't expecting that. Honestly I think it's a bit weird, but it was kind of cool to see a real face...and a cute little Gibbs nose (I was hoping for that). Anyway, the photos below are the 3D image, a thumb sucking shot, and, for those of you who are familiar, the "three lines" money shot showing IT'S A GIRL!

After the appointment we almost forgot we planned to do our registry, so we headed to Target. I had done some research online, talked to friends and come up with a pretty good list of what we needed. Luckily we've been blessed with some wonderful friends and family who have gotten us some things already, and some friends who have been thrilled to get rid of no longer needed baby items. Even having a lot of stuff already and a list and lots of experience with babies, registering was a bit of a headache. I know how easy it can be to go overboard with cute baby things or stuff you think you'll need but actually never use. Plus I'm not very girly, thus, so far baby girl is getting lots of gender neutral type things. Which is fine anyway because someday there will be a Baby Gibbs #2.

I think that covers the highlights of the week! That and I'm on my phone and sick of typing this out, time to relax!

-A