Thump, thump, thumping away!

We had been searching way low and off to the right. We eventually found it after putting a rolled up towel underneath my lower back (trying to push my uterus more to the front) and focusing on the left side about an inch below my belly button. And that is where we heard it!!! And lots of thump/scratch/static which is the baby moving. Sounds like scratching a record. It is a RUDE sound when you have the volume all the way up! Both times we have heard it now it is measuring pretty consistently at 152 BPM. Always in the 150's so far!  We always seem to listen in though after I've had my coffee so today at the OB I am going to not drink my afternoon coffee before I go and see if the heartrate is lower. Of course, then I'll be nervous, my blood pressure will be up, and the baby's heart will be racing anyway!  We are going to play stupid at the OB and not tell him about our doppler. We are hoping now he WON'T find the heartbeat and we will get another ultrasound. The chances are slim though because now we are finding it pretty fast.  Afterall, I'll be 15 weeks on Saturday!

Hopefully today we will also schedule the BIG ULTRASOUND! Everyone at work is saying GIRL GIRL GIRL because of the heartrate, but soon we shall now for sure!

This last week has brought me a crazy onslaught of zits, some renewed tiredness, and even a bit of nausea. The last few days felt like a blast from the past (first tri). Sometimes I can actually feel when my hormones seem to be surging. I just wake up one day and feel 200% crappier than the day before. I couldn't eat pizza last night, almost threw up-had the super spit thing and all, it just tasted horrible. That has never happened with pizza! I don't know how I choked it back (the puke that is). Then the other night my head got that stuffy feeling again after work and I couldn't keep my eyes open past 8. I just felt sick. Things just seem "off". I've had more cramping in my abdomen, which I am sure just means things are progressing. I have been wanting lots of veggies...fresh salads and stuff. Maybe that is my body trying to control my weight for me!

In addition, last night it became very apparent to me that a Pregnancy Pillow is now essential (that would be one of those body rolls you sleep with). It feels uncomfortable on my stomach. I can sleep that way but now I feel guilty. It actually feels like I am squishing something. And my pregnancy books say no laying on your back flat after 16 weeks so...... but I wake up all crampy and stiff when I have laid on my side all night without pillows. Maybe one of those huge pillows would make things easier?? We saw one at Sears a couple weeks ago so we are going to go back and get it with our gift certificate (thanks kent and betty!)

When we get home today after the OB I'll update with what went down. We suspect it will be the most uneventful appt yet, sans the weight lecture, ha ha. See ya soon!!

The pic is in my photo album too if you want to (please don't!) make it biggie!

Well, Chad commented on how big my belly was last night (post-dinner) so jokingly I  told him we should take an AM belly pic and a PM belly pic, just to show the difference. In the AM I don't even look pregnant. At night, I look 5 months along....even bigger depending on what was for dinner!  And it was a light dinner last night! Gotta love the pregancy bloat! Chad even poked my belly like the pillsbury dough boy, giggled and commented on how it felt hard. It does at night.. The pic is really bad because we have an OLLLLLDDD digital camera. There is shading all over the place, the lighting sucks, cat toys in the background... It is really horrible. Sorry! We figured something was better than nothing but Chad is going to dig out his old school Polaroid from the back closet. Those should come out much better. And we will also take an AM pic. We will do that next week when Chad is off. I was horrified to see that I officially have a "back roll".  Grrreeaaat..

We did get the doppler but have been having a terrible time of it. We are hearing everything else..my arterial sounds, venous sounds, placenta....everything but that heartbeat. The digital readout is making no sense, jumping from 70 bpm (my heartrate) to 190 (who knows what that is), and everything in between. We thought that even if we did not hear the heartbeat it would register on the display but it is all over the place. The doppler came with this little CD with sample sounds and so far I can honestly say we have heard nothing that even somewhat resembled a heartbeat. It only came with 2 oz. of doppler gel so we are already running out. I won't order more until the Dr. finds the hb since this whole effort could be futile if we are destined not to hear anything until 20 weeks +. We are not *freaked* about it but we are *thinking* about it, if that makes sense. it is disspointing not to hear anything at this point. However, odds are things are fine and baby is just WAAAAYYYY back and flipping around in there. I have to say the doppler is pretty cool nonetheless, though. Some crazy noises in there! But you do have to have a master's degree to figure anything out!!

I just realized last night that if we go to the doc on Thursday and he can't get the heartbeat that, once again, we will be waiting all weekend for an ultrasound (cuz remember the tech only works Mon and Wed). Note to self: DON'T schedule anymore appts on Thursdays for this reason! Depending how freaked we get, maybe this time we will ask to be referred out to the hospital for the ultrasound or something---assuming there is no extra cost. It is just hard to wait all weekend for that reassurance!

That's it for now all! Have a great weekend!

13 weeks, 2 days! I *think* that means this is the 2nd trimester!! Well, I'd like to say I feel like a new woman or even better, that most days I don't even remember I am pregnant, but naaahhhh, that's just not happening for me (who exactly does that happen to, does anyone know?). I am aware of it every second of every day, still. But most days, I am less tired than first tri but still more tired than I was pre-pregnancy. Morning sickness has abated I think since I have been saltine free for the last week or so! I have had more frequent and more severe headaches this week so I have had to resort to Tylenol. I have been trying to tough it out but it was too much yesterday. But Tylenol is A-OK. Instead of waking up 8 times per night now it is around 4 with only a few nightmares here and there rather than a continuous horror movie all night. I guess all that jazz is the pregnancy hormones, I don't know. I notice lately I am more emotional too. But the sleep thing is the #1 most annoying symptom right now since feeling so wiped makes all the other symptoms harder to take, you know? AND I can still sleep on my stomach!! My back injury or whatever I did to it has been better the last day.. I even hiked with my sister yesterday and I was fine afterwards. Go figure! I have no clue whatsoever what that drama is....

I weigh 161 lbs. Ugggh. I don't like the scale anymore!  I am gonna be in so much trouble at my January 31st appt. I might get the "talking to". It's all Chad's fault.   He is a bad influence in the food department. I think the only way I'll be able to halt the weight gain is if i actually "diet". My body is hanging on to every extra calorie whereas before I could eat whatever and pretty much stayed within the same weight range. Not so anymore.  I was thinking by the end of this, maybe 175 lbs. That'd be as big as a house. But now, thanks to this link (from baby corner.com), I now know that at a minimum I can expect to weight between 174 and 184 at delivery. I should now weigh 154-156 (oops).  What will I weigh?

I guess I have to keep in mind that the #1 goal here is a healthy baby.

It would be nice to actually see my belly grow a bit. Right now I just feel so fat. Mom and Sis took me out and got me some maternity clothes and baby stuff (Thanks Mom and Noelle!) (onesies, receiving blankets, etc). That was fun and I must say the maternity pants are MUCH more comfy than my old jeans (I feel like Joey from "Friends"- I tell Chad "Let's go! I got my Joey pants on" ha ha). Of course it cracks him up every time!

I have been looking at nursery stuff on and off online but find that I can't really get into it until we know the sex. I am just not a shopper. There are so many things that you can't buy anyway until then. Plus you feel like you are wasting your time walking down the girl isle or the boy isle, whatever the case may be. I figure postponing all shopping and name hunting makes sense until the BIG ULTRASOUND.  So that's our plan.

Chad and I are going to a party today at this boss's house for pizza, wings, hamburgers...should be fun! And now that I have maternity clothes WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A BELLY PIC!  And...ordered the baby doppler this AM. It's the kind they use in the doc office. It is month to month. I can't resist, at least to try. If not, we'll send it back...We shall see with my tipped uterus. Should be here by weeks end!

Next appt Jan 31st. Stay Tuned!

Week 12
Now that you are 12 weeks pregnant, your baby already weighs 14 grams, has reflexes and because of muscular development, can even move its limbs! You would now be able to hear your baby's heart beat with the aid of a Doppler, which your practitioner should have. Your baby's heart rate will be very fast, at about 160 beats per minute.

At this stage of your pregnancy, you should start to feel a little better. You'll feel less tired and your nausea will begin to subside. Expect compliments on your "pregnancy glow"; the increased blood volume and pregnancy hormones work together to increase oil gland secretion, resulting in flushed, plumper and smoother skin appearance. You'll also notice the appearance of the linea nigra, a dark line drawn from your belly button.

The risk of a miscarriage is now greatly reduced and sits below 5%. Your placenta is now taking over the production of hormones.

Just wanted to share Week 12 info in case you didn't click above! Look at the miscarriage risk! Going to the store today to get some healthier food...we ran out of basically everything and ate Chinese last night (yuck). And going maternity clothes shopping! even though I don't think I even have the semblence of a bump. But I think I am getting that dark line down my belly! Either that or I am just getting hairier and it looks like it! I think a belly pic is in order!