Ahhhh...to Feel Normal Again!

We're in our 15th week and (knock on wood) I'm feeling soooo much better!  I no longer feel like I'm going to faint right out of bed, I don't have to eat every two hours, and I'm not dry heaving a dozen times a day - yay!   Our baby is now 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple).  His or her eyelids are fused shut, but they can still sense light.  I'm waiting anxiously to feel the first recognizable movements of the baby!

Growing Uterus Shrinking Bladder

We're starting in on week 14 and my second trimester!  The baby is looking more and more like a "real" baby, although it's only about the size of a lemon!  He or she can now squint, frown, grimace, and possibly suck their thumb.  Jason and I were in awe when we heard the baby's strong and rapid heartbeat last week at our first prenatal appointment.  Our midwife was also able to massage my lower abdomen and find the location of the baby (on my right side).  She guided our fingers so we could feel the little marble-sized head which made the presence of the baby that much more real.  My belly is becoming hard as my uterus grows to make more room for the baby.  And my bladder is definitely being crowded out as I'm making more and more bathroom runs around the clock.  Still waking up on occasion with intense hunger pangs in the middle of the night - although those late night snack times don't bother me as much as they used to (I guess that's my maternal instinct kicking in:).  Morning sickness is still lingering - I'm crossing my fingers it will be gone within the next few weeks!

Whoa! There's a Belly!

Still struggling with morning sickness.  But it seems that the nausea is lessening (or my coping skills are improving).  Apples and strawberries taste AMAZING, as does ice cream... Surprisingly, all of my pants still fit me despite my new belly.  Admittedly, sometimes when I sit down I have to undo a button and a zipper, especially after eating.  My belly is definitely not all baby because they are only about the size of a plum.  Despite it's size, the baby is now capable of making deliberate movements and is particularly interested in exploring its head and mouth with its hands because the palms now have sensation.  The baby has fingernails and is starting to grow hair - how strange and wonderful at the same time!  Jason and I are so excited for our visit with our midwife next week!

Nine Weeks: Are we there yet?

The past few weeks have been filled with more nausea and lots of time on the couch - I'm so happy I work from home!  Every day seems to be a little bit different, sometimes I'm sick in the morning, sometimes at night - sometimes I'm bloated other times not, sometimes I feel like real food and sometimes I just want toast and apple sauce.  I had a little bit of spotting a few days ago and just about lost my mind.  It's amazing how attached I've become to this start of a person who makes me so sick!  However, all appears to be fine and healthy now.  

Jason and I have been interviewing care providers over the past few weeks and we feel so great about our decision to have Dolly Browder as our midwife.  Dolly has been attending home births in Missoula for the past 30 years and after ten minutes with her it was clear to both of us just how knowledgeable she was about pregnancy and the process of labor and delivery.  Our first official prenatal visit will be on Dec. 2nd when she will do some blood work and we'll listen to the baby's heartbeat!  I'll be about 12 weeks at that point (and hopefully feeling less nauseated).

The Last Two Weeks

Morning sickness set-in very early!  Hugging the toilet bowl makes it tricky to be too joyous about my pregnancy.  My heart is saying "Yesss!" and my stomach is saying "Noooo!"  I'm trying to sneak in protein whenever I can and I'm starting to eat smaller meals more frequently to prevent further indigestion and potential hunger (which means nausea!).  Grandpa Ed made me a glorious pot of chicken soup that I've been eating several times a day.  My body really doesn't feel like my own anymore.  I'm waking up in the middle of the night STARVING unless I eat a high carb meal right before bed - how weird!  We're currently about 7 1/2 weeks pregnant and the baby is about the size of a blueberry!  Jason and I are going on our first care provider interview tomorrow...

We couldn't be happier!

Tada!  Early morning on October 7th we received and welcomed the exciting news that our world would soon be turned upside down by a very small yet overwhelming addition to our lives - we're pregnant!