Bouncy Baby

We finally got your heartbeat on tape! After I heard it the first time I tried every other day or so and finally had some success. This time I automatically hooked the doppler up to the computer to begin with so I could just press "record" quickly if I found you. Which I did! You sat relatively still for about 2 minutes and I was so excited to capture it that I sent it to about 500 people after you decided to swim away again. I have it saved on my phone too so I can listen to you anytime I want :)

Not only did we get to hear you, but we got to SEE you again too! At least I did... Daddy had to work, so he wasn't at the doctor with us. I brought him home some pictures though so he at least got to see you that way. The ultrasound wasn't planned - I went for a regular check-up appointment on Tuesday for your 12 week monitoring, and they were just planning to monitor you by your heartbeat using a doppler... But true to your pattern, even the doc had trouble finding your cute little 2 inch body. He told me not to worry because it was just hard sometimes to find it when you were still so small. He sent me across the hall for an ultrasound (which I didn't complain about!) and I hopped on the table happily anticipating getting to see you again! The tech found you right away, but it took her a few minutes to get the right angle to find your itty bitty heart. I won't lie, I started getting a little nervous, but I still knew God had you in His hands no matter what.


When she finally found your heart I could see it pumping away on the screen even before she turned the volume up. It measured a healthy 169bpm... Even stronger than your first ultrasound! You were laying perfectly still again so she was able to move around and show you to me at different angles. I saw your tiny little legs and feet - sticking up in the air like you were perfectly comfortable. She pointed out your eyes, nose, and mouth... Which to be perfectly honest do still look a little alien! Your skin is still transparent so it was very easy to see your skeleton and it looked like you were wearing a mask ;)


Just when I thought the ultrasound should be over and I would have to wait for another appointment to see you move, you bounced a single time to show us you were awake! The tech kept watching you to see if you would move again and you didn't stop for another several minutes. You would push off the side of my tummy, wait until you floated back down, and do it again. So much fun! It's like a built-in trampoline in there, isn't it?! Then you started "talking" to us. She zoomed in on your face and we could see you moving your mouth like you were just chatting up a storm. You did that for a while and then you started to hiccup... Or at least that's what it looked like! You brought your hand above your head like you were waving at us before you covered your ears and turned over to go back to sleep. I asked her if you could hear the ultrasound and were covering your ears to get away from it, and she said that was actually very likely. I felt bad that I was enjoying something so much that you possibly hated...

She turned off the machine after that and printed out your pictures so I could take them home. There is no evidence in any of the pictures that your favorite button still exists, so that may be why my nausea has started to fade over the past few days. I have no appetite at all, but at least I don't feel like throwing up all day long! More good news - Your placenta has developed enough now to take over the progesterone production that I was having to supplement with pills since week 5. The doctor told me to finish out this round and then I can stop! Hooray!

Nausea is going down, but fatigue and hormonally-induced breakdowns are increasing. A few nights ago your Daddy "mailed" me a date night (He rented a movie and put it in a box with a teddy bear, some candy, and a card - then had UPS print up a fake label so it looked like I got a package when I went outside with the puppies after I got home from work). It was very sweet, especially since he rented a movie I wanted to see ("Toy Story 3"). It's a kids' movie so I figured it would be pleasant enough to watch... I was SO wrong! I ended up bawling my eyes out at the end to the point that I couldn't breathe. It went on for a good 10-15 minutes. I had to use Vick's VapoRub just so I could get to sleep! Your Daddy thought it was hilarious, but I assured him through my sobs that it was NOT funny and we would NOT be watching that movie EVER again! At least while I'm pregnant... I even threatened that we were going to adopt brothers and sisters for you since I couldn't handle the drama of pregnancy hormones.

We're still working on names for you and can't wait until we can call you by one! Your grandfather is still calling you "Lester" and probably will even after you're born - even if you're a girl. ;)


I love you always!


Love,
Mommy

Sugar Baby

You're getting so big! You're still very tiny (about the size of a sugar packet - and weigh the same as two sugar packets) but considering you were the size of a poppy seed just 7 weeks ago, I'd say you're growing by leaps and bounds... At 11 weeks you are actually fully formed and just need to keep growing exponentially over the next six and a half months. You're considered a "fetus" now by the medical community instead of just a blob of tissue - But you've always been a "baby" to me even when you were microscopic!

You gave me a much needed break from your favorite button over the weekend and I was thrilled! Not only was I able to think about and look at food without wanting to throw up, but everything I ate tasted SO good... I was surprised that my symptoms were fading so "early" and did let myself worry a little bit (I know, I know... Bad Mommy!). My mind was put at ease though when I found your heart beat on the doppler Daddy and I got last week. When I finally found your sweet little sound I was afraid to move because I just wanted to listen as long as possible - But I also really wanted to record it! I hooked the doppler up to the computer, but you swam away and I couldn't find you again. I'll keep trying as you get bigger.

The break from nausea ended on Monday. I'm now back to constant food aversions and heartburn. I bet the makers of Tums make their fortune on pregnant women. Oh well, we're getting closer and closer to the second trimester every day, so I'm hoping that'll be the key to more permanent relief. Time will tell! In the meantime I'm finding myself getting very impatient with the amount of time before I get to see you again. I wish we could see you at every single appointment... If we had chosen to let the doctors perform diagnostic tests on you we would get to see you a whole lot more often. But we decided not to because the results wouldn't matter to us anyway. We would love you even if you came out with a pumpkin for a head.

We are, however, considering going to an "ultrasound spa" when you're 16 weeks old to see you again and see if we can find out if you're a boy or girl. There is a place nearby called "Peek-a-Belly" which offers affordable ultrasounds for parents who are impatient like us. They offer the 3D/4D ultrasounds too, but those are much more expensive and have to wait until you're much older anyway. The one we're considering is an old-fashioned 2D one designed just to give us a little peek at you and try to determine your gender. It's "only" $59 so it's relatively affordable, but we are also trying to save every morsel right now so it's still a good chunk we would have to give up. I don't get any maternity benefits through my work, so Daddy and I are saving as much as we can now so I can stay home with you for a good amount of time when you're born. We already know I will have to go back to work, but I know it's going to break my heart to do so... Every extra day we can save for will be worth it!

Since we may find out what you are in about a month, Daddy and I are busy picking out names. Girl names seem to be easier than boy names - which may be a good thing because I'm starting to think now that you may be a girl! According to all the old wive's tales there's a 65% chance you are. It sure will be nice to know for sure :) For now it's still fun to give people mini heart attacks by suggesting outrageous names for you (like "Fabio"). Daddy and I have pretty good taste so I think you'll like your name when we finally do give you one. Just leave all that name business to us and you just focus on growing stronger every day. Oh, and if you want to swim to the middle of my tummy to take a nap so I can easily find your heart beat again - that would be great!

I love you always!

Love,
Mommy