Baby is a….

BOY! I got to go in for an ultrasound a little bit earlier than expected, and with that came the joy of knowing that we're having a little boy. Before the ultrasound tech told me, she busted out laughing. Apparently little boy was grabbing himself…. ahhh starting so early. Luke was quite proud to hear this. I also got to see him yawning, which was adorable, even if he looked like a skeletor. Little boy moved around non-stop during the entire ultrasound, so I guess I have that to look forward to in the future. I guess that means I'll get lots of exercise chasing him around! I'm going back in 4 weeks to check in on his growth.

15 weeks

I had my first appointment with the midwife this week. I was so stressed by the time I got there; I had 30 minutes to get there after work, and both the weather and traffic were terrible. I got to the office about 5 minutes late and was panicking because on all the forms, they state, "ARRIVE 15 MINUTES PRIOR." I irrationally felt sure they were going to cancel my appointment and send me away, but of course, everyone was very nice, and everything was fine.

I spent a total of about 10 minutes with the midwife. I'm not sure what I was even expecting from this appointment, but I felt like it was a very short meeting. She felt around and used the fetal doppler. She said everything felt great - I'm glad it felt great for her because it didn't feel great for me with a semi-full bladder! It took her a couple of minutes to find the heartbeat, but she said everything sounded great at 170 bpm. I am having the anatomy scan in about 4 weeks on February 10, so I will know if I will have a new Valentine next year or if Luke will! I'll see the midwife again in 8 weeks!

For only having a 10 minute appointment, it feels like a lot of waiting to not see the midwife again for another 8 weeks. Normally I would spend the next 8 weeks worrying, but this week I am trying to focus on Psalm 40:1, 3-4. "I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise…Happy are those who make the Lord their trust." With Luke deployed, there is a lot of quiet time around the house, and it is easy to fill the quiet with worries. But I am making a conscious effort to turn those worries into praises while I wait!

I missed a few weeks of photos due to my trip to the mainland and due to the beach behind our house being closed for the President's visit to the base. I went down to take my 15 weeks picture and was surprised to see that the beach had completely washed away again! I did find one spot on the rocks that had some sand to get one. I'm not sure how much of this is baby and how much is bloat, but it's fun for me to look at anyway :)

13.5 weeks

Not too much to update around here. I'm still feeling great and have made it to the second trimester! I finally got to share the news with my family in person. Luke really wanted me to wait until Christmas Day to tell them, but I knew there was no way I could make it 5 days with family without someone offering me a glass of wine or two, so they knew the day I arrived.

I wasn't able to take my weekly pictures before I left Hawaii because our beaches were closed due to the President's upcoming vacation. When I am able to take my 15 week picture when I get home, I'll have quite a "blump" to show off :) 

Dressing for mainland winter weather has been a challenge being as none of my jeans fit anymore, so for now I'm wearing lots of leggings and maxi skirts. Luckily when I get back to Hawaii I can continue my trend of waistband-less maxi dresses! I am looking forward to that as well as my next appointment on January 10 with the midwife! 

11 weeks

Luke and I went to Tripler on Wednesday for our first appointment with the OB clinic. We met with an awesome nurse practitioner who was a wealth of information and encouragement, and she even offered to do an ultrasound so Luke could have a picture to take with him on deployment! Obviously he was thrilled. We got to see the baby wiggle his/her little arms and legs, which was amazing. I wasn't expecting to see baby move, so this was really exciting. I have been giving Luke a hard time since then about this being our first clue that the baby is a girl. Considering the baby waved around like a crazy person after being woken up by the ultrasound, I told Luke this was a sign that baby has one of my characteristics. All in jest of course :) We also got to hear the heartbeat, and it was super strong. My next appointment will be with the midwives in 4 weeks! Like the first ultrasound we had, baby was measuring 6 days behind the estimated due date the providers have in my file (June 27), so I am sticking with the due date of July 3, 2014. Maybe we'll have a little Independence Day baby!

10 and a halfish weeks

I'd love to drop these "halfish" week guesses. I have my first appointment this week at the military hospital where I plan to deliver. Military medicine abides by the "only one necessary ultrasound" rule at 20 weeks, so I'm not expecting to have one this week, despite the fact that I'd love to nail down a more specific estimate of when this little one will make his/her appearance. Plague of the planner, I suppose.

Anyway, I read this awesome passage in the book Nine Months and Counting by Alice Chapin that really has me reeling. "Sit by yourself today and imagine God at work forming the new life inside you, cell by cell: baby's head, eyes, inner parts, skin, legs, and feet. Surely, if we could watch it happening with our eyes, we would fall on our knees at our heavenly Father's feet!" How true this is for me! As I read week by week all of the miraculous progressions that baby is making, it really just leaves me awestruck with wonder about this whole process. How amazingly true is Psalm 139:13-14 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." I can't wait to see the fruit of these wonderful works!

9 and a halfish weeks

I don't have anything really new to report about this little one who is absorbing all of my energy. We had a second ultrasound that confirmed baby is measuring a few days behind what we originally estimated, so that is pushing my due date back to about July 3. Obviously I wouldn't hate it if baby decided to come the next day and seek independence from my womb on Independence Day. Fireworks all around. 

As of today, I am about 9 weeks and 5 days along and still feeling pretty great. I haven't really had any nausea or vomiting. The only real nausea I've had reared its ugly head on Thanksgiving, which is obviously the day I'd like to stuff my face the most. It just wasn't meant to be, but at least I wasn't left with eater's remorse. 

This week, I've really loved reading this verse over and over and reveling in the awesome blessing that we're experiencing! 

"Behold, children are a heritage from The Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward." -Psalm 127:3

8 Weeks

On Tuesday, we went in for a dating ultrasound. We were guessing baby was about 8 weeks 4 days, but he/she was measuring 7 weeks 5 days. My doctor wasn't the least bit concerned by that, so I won't be either! We had quite the crowd for the ultrasound, as 3 MAs were training, so there was a lot of excitement in the room! My doctor pointed out the heartbeat on the screen. I didn't actually see it, though. Once we got in the car, Luke started talking about how cool it was to see the heart beating, and I had a Rachel Green moment of, "I didn't seeeeeeee it." But doc says it's there so that's good enough for me!

As of this appointment, I have officially been released from the care of the fertility specialist and will be going to Tripler Army Medical Center (the only military hospital on the island) for all of my appointments here on out. Despite the obvious strife of needing to be treated by a fertility specialist, I am glad we got to go there for a dating ultrasound because Tripler does one and only one ultrasound at 20 weeks. I am not that patient. Also, I am certain Luke would have paid big bucks for an ultrasound out in town to have a photo of baby to take with him on deployment. For now, our little pictures are posted on the refrigerator!