Introducing ..... little Fletch!

For those of you that don't know - Jason's dad, Jason, and Jason's brother have all gone by the nickname "Fletch." I have a feeling that our son will probably follow in that tradition. Yes, you read that right - I said "son." That's because WE'RE HAVING A BOY!!!!

We had an amazing ultrasound yesterday, compliments of Kim (family friend and my old infertility nurse) and one of her friends who is an ultrasound tech.

It was absolutely incredible. We saw the little bean waving at us, scratching his head, kicking, sucking his thumb, arching his back, moving around .... pretty much anything we requested, he did. He's already listening to what his momma tells him. :)

First for some of the pictures:

Hi everyone! Check out those 5 perfect little fingers waving at you! (You're looking at the side of him - so that's also the side of his face that you see.)


Some of the side views, with his legs bent. From butt to the top of the head (so everything but the legs/feet) he measures about 3.5 inches. Right on track!




Just chilling out - with his legs sticking up. You can see his feet here too.


Speaking of feet - here is one perfect little foot!


This one looks like he's peering out at us. That's looking up at his chin/face (you can't see the top of his head very well) and on each side of his face is a hand!


And now for the money shot! She was first able to tell that he is a boy from the side view. Both boys and girls have a little nub sticking out from that view, but the angle is what is important. His was perpendicular which is what means a boy. It was funny - right when we were talking about it he decided to arch his back and start doing what looked like pelvic thrusts. Such a show off.

And if that weren't enough to convince us - here is a shot looking up between his legs - note the little part sticking out in between them. Jason is quite proud. :)


We were pretty nervous trusting something now (at essentially 15 weeks) but Jody has been doing this for years and wasn't questioning it at all. She said that we could go ahead and paint the room blue if we wanted! We didn't go that far, but did buy a few outfits:


And now, if you're still with me - here are some videos from today! Please ignore the talking in the background. Jody's kids were with her so you hear a lot of them.

First, here he is scratching his head and waving at us:



Here you can see his heart beating in his chest (the flickering thing), she points out how you can see him swallow, then he arches his back to show off his goods.



The money shot:



Here you can see his face (it's ok, we know he looks a little bit like an alien right now), his umbilical cord, and then some kicking.



Here is was just chilling with his legs up and then he did some more kicking.



He's sucking his thumb!

2nd trimester :)

The big news since last week is that I'm now in the 2nd trimester! Yay!

"This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck the thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, the facial muscles are getting a workout as the tiny features form one expression after another. The kidneys are producing urine, which releases into the amniotic fluid — a process that will keep up until birth. The baby can grasp, too, and is probably sucking its thumb.

In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he/she measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and weighs 1 1/2 ounces. The body is growing faster than the head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of the body. (The legs still have some lengthening to do.) Ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, is starting to develop all over the body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and the spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel the tiny punches and kicks yet, your little bean's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active."

We took another belly shot today and I'm definitely getting a bit rounder. :)


I didn't update after our appointment last week, but everything was great! I met with the nurse practitioner this time and we found the heartbeat with the doppler right away. (We've also been doing it at home, but it was nice to have a professional do it.) Heartrate is slowing down a little bit and was at about 169.

I found a quiz that I think I might use most weeks when I post my updates. Some of it isn't exactly relevant at the moment, but it will be one day!

How far along: 14weeks, 0days
Total weight gain/loss: -2.6 (overall)
Maternity clothes: Yes to maternity jeans! I can still button my other ones, but it's uncomfortable and NOT a pretty sight. I've also been wearing some maternity shirts, but can also still wear some of my regular ones.
Stretch marks: I don't think I have any yet!
Sleep: I no longer want to go to bed right when I get home. I've been slightly uncomfortable at night, mostly because I'm really trying to sleep on my side (especially the left) as recommended by the OB. I'm looking into buying a Snoogle - it's a body pillow but looks like it works a little better.
Best moment this week: I was actually hungry today! I haven't been getting sick for awhile but I still dreaded meals as I was never hungry and nothing sounded good. Today I was hungry. :)
Movement: Apparently the little bean is moving around a bunch, but I can't feel it yet.
Food cravings: See above - no cravings yet. Although I do seem to really like hotdogs - so maybe we an count that.
Gender: No idea yet! What do you think? Here in a couple of weeks I'll post results to some of the Old Wives Tales and you can make guesses.
Labor Signs: None!
Belly Button in or out: In
What I miss: Alcohol - haha!
What I am looking forward to: We're having an ultrasound this weekend - I can't wait!
Weekly Wisdom: I have no good answer for this one
Milestones: We're in the 2nd trimester!

To finish off this long post, here are some pictures of Cali loving on the baby one night. She really did get all curled up and hugged my belly all on her own.

Baby is a peach!

For some reason, this is my favorite week so far - either because I like peaches, I'm finally feeling better, or because it means I'm just about in the 2nd trimester!

"Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, veins and organs are clearly visible through the still-thin skin, and the body is starting to catch up with the head — which makes up just a third of the body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long and weighs nearly an ounce."

I love that our baby has fingerprints!

We happened to have a peach in the house - measuring just under 3 inches one way - so very close to the size of our baby! It's crazy to hold it in my hand and picture the baby that size.


Like I mentioned at the beginning, I'm almost out of the first trimester! You'll read anywhere between 12 and 14 weeks. One of the websites I frequent says it's when you hit 13 weeks, 4 days (dividing 40 by 3) - so we'll go with that one. That means that on Friday I'll be in the second trimester! I have no idea where the time is going!

I'm feeling so much better these days. I hardly ever get sick anymore and I'm not as tired as I was. I guess my biggest complaint would be that I've had a headache everyday for the past 4 - but I think it's more sinus related than pregnancy related.

I have my next appointment this week - it should just be a quick in and out - pee in a cup, check the heartbeat on the doppler, etc. Unless something else worthy of noting happens, I probably won't blog about it.

We took another belly picture this week - but it's not really worth posting. There doesn't seem to be much difference between now and 3 weeks ago. (Although I think 3 weeks ago was bloat, and this is more baby bump.) I sent my mom the picture and she said that I looked "fuller." I think she was just trying to be nice.

That's all for now!

Camping

Jason and I wanted to take a little mini getaway - so we went camping in Brown County this weekend. We really enjoy going and the weather was great this weekend.

As we were packing up the night before, Cali decided she wanted to go with us.


Our campsite all set up! You can't really see it, but the hammock made it's first appearance this year. It was one of the best things we had at the campsite. Jason did a great job on my Christmas present!


The baby and I posing in front of the tent.


Obligatory self portrait


The hammock in use. We just loved having it!


On Saturday we went hiking and drove around the park. The views were great!



Saturday afternoon we drove to Jason's parent's house and used their pool for a few hours. Such a great way to cool off! Then we went into Nashville where we both enjoyed huge scoops of ice cream.


Both nights we had some great food over the campfire. Potatoes with cheese, corn on the cob, hotdogs, hamburgers, smores ... not all at the same time!


This was Jason "helping" as I cut the potatoes.


Yummy corn on the cob!


And some great potatoes!


Saturday evening we were tired from an activity filled day and just sat around and played some cards. Such a great weekend!

Jason's birthday and Buffett

Like I mentioned in a prior post, we ARE doing things other than just waiting for the baby. :)

Jason turned 29 on August 4th. We kept the celebration pretty low key, but the kitties were excited to wish him a happy birthday when he got home.




The next week was the Buffett concert. We went with Anne, Kyle, and 4 of their neighbors. It was a great crowd and such a fun night!





I enjoyed a bottle of sparking grape juice. Somehow it just wasn't the same.

Baby Bean Cupcakes

We had a great dinner with some friends a few weeks ago and were surprised with some "baby bean cupcakes!" Annie is a wonderful cook and blogger and just posted about the cupcakes. Go check it out! (And check out all of the other recipes she has on there - lots and lots of good ones!)
And on a side note - they even sent us home with a box of some of them. They didn't all make it - the baby told me that it was time to eat another one before we even got back to the house. (And yes, I'm blaming the baby.) :)

Here is a link to her blog! Annie's Eats

12 weeks

Sorry I'm a few days late this week! I wasn't feeling well on Monday, and in proof that we do have other things going on in our lives besides waiting for the baby - we went to the Jimmy Buffett concert last night. (Not nearly as much fun when you're the designated driver!)

Anyways, our baby is a plum this week! (I would like to see a lime and a plum next to each other - I always thought a lime was bigger.)

"The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, toes will curl, eye muscles will clench, and the mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squrim in response although you won't be able to feel it. Intestines, which have gorwn so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into the abdominal cavity about now, and the kidneys will be excreting urine into the bladder. Meanwhile, nerve cells are multipyling rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously."

I read somewhere else that this week is when, if we could see the baby, we might see his/her fist opening and closing up by the face. So cute! I wish, along with the ability to hear the heartbeat at home whenever I want, that we could also SEE the baby whenever we want.

Food wise, I am feeling SO much better. I still have a few food aversions, but for the most part am eating again. Eating so much that Jason decided to tell me one night that I can't "use eating as two as an excuse because you're only supposed to add 300 calories a day when you're pregnant." Maybe I should take that pregnancy book away from him. :)

I'm still in the in between stage of regular clothes and maternity clothes. I did go through and clean out my closet to make room for the maternity clothes. Between garage sales and some awesome friends loaning me things - I don't think I'll have to really go shopping.

That's it for now!

Want to hear our baby's heartbeat?

We were able to record our baby's heartbeat yesterday! Here it is at 11 weeks, 2 days. It seems to fluctuate between 175 and 180. Sometime in the next week or so the heartbeat will slow down and eventually level out probably somewhere between 130 and 160ish. Hopefully the video works!

11 weeks

"Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and the size of a lime, is now almost fully formed. Hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under the gums, and some of the bones are beginning to harden.

The baby is already busy kicking and stretching, and the tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as the body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that the diaphragm is forming."

Not much new to report. I think the "morning" sickness is starting to get better. For awhile it was all day, every day. I still have bad days, but last Friday and then again today were great days. Not one nauseous moment, and I was actually able to eat!

Unfortunately constipation has hit in full force, so that's fun. In fact it was quite fitting that last week was "prune" week because I actually bought prune juice to try and help. I poured it into a glass, smelled it, starting gagging, and promptly dumped it out. So much for that home remedy. :)

I think that's it for now! The end of the first trimester is getting closer!