34 Week Update, Bed Rest and Ultrasound Pictures

Last time I posted we were just halfway there! Now we are counting down the days! We are expecting baby Grate in 2 weeks and 6 days. This is just a little earlier than we anticipated, but last week I found out I have Pre-Eclampsia and I am on strict bed rest until delivery which will most likely be at 37 weeks!

I was put into the hospital last Sunday and they gave me two injections of steroids called Celestone to develop the baby's lungs, so that baby will be as ready as it can be whenever it has to be delivered. I was finally able to go home on Wednesday.  

Now I get to go to Non Stress Tests (NSTs) twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays. At today's appointment baby G was doing great, but I was having contractions every ten minutes. I am starting to make some progress and when I am checked again on Monday, if  I have made more progress it could mean more time in the hospital for me or that we will have a baby really soon!!

A few weeks ago we had a 3D/4D ultrasound done, here are some of the amazing pictures of our little baby:

Baby G's room is almost complete! Thanks to our friends and families baby has everything here waiting for his or her arrival! So Thankful to everyone who is bringing food, running errands, staying over when Andrew works, and helping out! We are so appreciative and can't wait to welcome a healthy and beautiful baby!!

Maybe now that I am on bed rest I might be able to post on my blog more often!! :)

Ultrasound:142 Days to Go (Halfway there!)!

Today we had our ultrasound! Baby Grate looks great (hahaha).... Everything measured perfectly, everything looked wonderfully developed and baby even showed off its skills by swallowing, stretching , opening and closing its fist and of course hiccuping!!! Our little bundle is quite active and was punching and kicking a lot too! It was so great and reassuring to hear that the baby was developing correctly!

Baby is about 7inches crown to rump but about 11 1/2inches from head to toe
Our baby weighs exactly 11 oz  that is in the 51% for weight. The ultrasound tech said we are on par to have about a 7 pound baby! The Baby's size is measuring 19weeks and 4 days which is just one day less than I am actually am!
We still don't know if it is a boy or a girl, daddy didn't want to know, and mommy let him make this VERY VERY important choice (he better remember that!!)

I am feeling fine, other than complete exhaustion after a VERY long week/weekend at work this week. Summer is a pretty busy time for me and I am still very worn out from all the work that went into the Backyard Bible Clubs and the Summer ICE program! It was a blast but very exhausting!  I have also gained just over ten pounds now.... which means I gained almost eight this past month... I think I better slow down... Here's a pic of me today...

19weeks 5 days

And more importantly, here is baby Grate

Only 161 Days!!!

The past two weeks have greeted me with backaches and impatience. I find myself impatient because I want to know what this little person looks like, acts like and who they will be! I also am impatient because I would really like to wear all my summer clothes that I have, ride rollercoasters, and go to waterparks.... With so many changes going on, it's easy to get caught up in all the negativity of what I can't do or how out of control I feel of my body!

Although I have a few grumbles, I am thankful for the little flutters that I lay awake at night feeling, or the soft movements I feel when I am eating lunch or dinner. Those moments remind me to be patient and to remember that this takes time! It is hard to believe that I am nearing the halfway mark! It's going by so slow and so fast at the same time.

Next Wednesday I am supposed to call the hospital and set up an appointment for my preadmission paper work, then the following Wednesday we will have a checkup! Then the next Monday (July 18th) Andrew and I will get to see our baby because I have an ultrasound scheduled that day! We have also finally agreed on names! What a relief!


Baby Stats:
Length about 5 1/2 inches (the size of a large orange)

Weight: just over 5 ounces

Fun fact:  Although baby probably cannot distinguish between different sounds,it is able to sense sounds like music or my voice.

My Stats

Considering I don't get on a scale in between doctor’s appointments, I can still say I have only gained around 3 pounds. I have more energy but I still run low and get exhausted easily. Also lately I have been HOT! (This is amazing to me because I am always cold). Other than that nothing new to report, I think I am settling into the "easy" phase of pregnancy and I have to say, I kind of like it now.

175 Days to Go!

Today I had my 15 week appointment, and baby Grate is doing well! The doctor said that everything looks great and that we are right on track! The baby's heartbeat was high 150s to 160. After he was finished poking around on my belly and listening to the heartbeat, he asked me if I had any "maternal instincts" of what kind of baby we are having. I told him that I have a feeling its a girl, he said, "I agree with you.... I don't know why but I do!"

We scheduled the ultrasound for Monday July 18th, but before that I have my next OB appointment on July 13th. I also received the pre-admission stuff for the hospital..... ALREADY?? We already have some information to fill out for the baby's birth certificate!! WOW!!!

Baby is growing
s/he is about the size of an apple and weighs 2 &1/2 ounces
s/he is about 4 inches long
The baby is  now able to sense light, if we put a flashlight on my belly it would probably move away from the beam.

Mommy is growing
I have gained a total of 2.8 pounds which is pretty good, anywhere from 3-7 is normal
I have noticed that I am hungry all the time, I even wake up at 3am feeling like I have not eaten all day!!
I have been exhausted, even more so than I was before, this past Sunday I fell asleep on a friends couch, mid conversation!!!

Here I am the top picture is me today at 15 weeks and the bottom is me at 9 weeks!!

Second Trimester....an answer to my Prayers

Wow! What a difference two weeks makes! I missed posting last week because I was feeling really exhausted and there weren't many changes. I am feeling much, much, much better. I am not getting sick anymore, although I do feel waves of nausea here and there. I have not actually gotten sick in almost two weeks! I have been pregnant for 98 days (that's 14 weeks) and well, the secret's out..... in front of me! I was told several times this weekend that I am showing! It's still in the in between stage but there are moments where I definitely look pregnant!  No more regular clothes for me!

Also this week, I have felt what I think is the baby moving, only faintly and only a few times, but I am pretty sure I can feel it fluttering around in there. I know it's supposed to still be a little early for that, but I know I feel something (and no it's not gas.....). I have my next doctor's appointment next week! I might get brave next week and post a "belly" picture, but I haven't decided yet......

Baby Stats:
The Baby is the size of a clenched fist...or a lemon (3&1/2 inches)
It weighs 1.5 ounces
The baby now has fingerprints!!

Here's what baby Grate might look like :)

12 weeks down.....28 to go!

This week hasn't been much different than last. The baby is growing, I am starting to notice a little bit of a hard round bump that won't go down. Until now, I have had bloating that would puff my stomach up as the day went on, but by the next morning it would be flat again. This week there is a lot less of that and more of just a hard small section that pokes out a little!

Andrew and I have spent LOTS of time on names this week with very little success, we think we are getting closer to finding our little girl's name, we have one we both like (not sharing the name yet, Andrew really likes secrets and surprises so I have to keep my lips sealed.....) Still no luck at all on the boy's name, Andrew is holding out for me to agree on Rex, I don't think that is going to happen!



Stats on the baby:
The baby is the size of a large plum!
Approximate weight: 1/2 an ounce
Approximate length: 2 &1/2 inches
Most all of the baby's structures are formed and are just going to grow through the rest of the pregnancy!


Me:
Still battling all day sickness, but I am having longer periods of feeling better through out the day, I am hoping it all passes soon. I have had friends loan me lots of maternity clothes, I am slowly building as many of  those as I have normal clothes! My "pre-pregnancy" jeans still fit (well I can get them buttoned) but they are pretty uncomfortable though the day. I have tried out a few of the maternity tops that have been loaned to me, the smaller ones work great because they are longer and they don't make me look bigger than I am!

203 days!

Here is an idea of what baby Grate looks like today!

That's right, in just 203 days (give or take a few....) Andrew and I will be welcoming our new bundle of joy into the world! Today is our 11 week mark, and I was able to hear the glorious woosh, woosh, woosh of the heartbeat at my doctor's visit! I looked at the doctor and said, "Well, I guess there is something in there!" He laughed and  said, "Congrats! You're pregnant!" The baby's heart beat was between 150-160 beats per min, Dr. said that all babies heartbeats are that pace at this time, so no hint if it's a boy or a girl! Andrew says it’s a boy and I have a strange feeling it's a little girl! Well, I guess we will find out in 203 days... since my loving husband wants a surprise.... I am considering not finding out if the baby is a boy or a girl until its born! That means we have to decide and AGREE on two names (I guess technically four because of middle names.....) which is no easy task for our very different taste in naming!

Here are some stats:

Our baby is over 1 1/2 inches long (the size of a fig?)

Weight:  0.3ounce

According to the scale at the doctors I have gained 1.1 pounds on my "pre-pregnancy" weight. not quite sure how that happend since I have been getting sick around the clock! The Doctor gave me a few more "tricks" to try for the all day sickness and it seems to be helping a little today!