4/14/09 - Gretchen is here!

Gretchen Sophie is here and we are all doing well. She was 21.25” long and 8 lbs, 14 oz. My labor and delivery was fast and we are so in love with our little cuddlebug. :) :)

I started having painful contractions at 1am Tuesday morning. They woke me out of a sleep and I got up, walked around, and tried timing them. They started about 10 minutes apart and within 30 minutes they were 5-6 minutes apart. I was in such disbelief that I really was in labor. I’d had so many fake ctx and cramps the past 4 weeks; I just could not believe it was the real deal. Jay woke up at 2 am and asked me why I was up. I told him I thought I was in labor but I was afraid to wake him up or call my mom or my doula because I just could not believe they were real. I didn’t want to wake everybody up at 2am and have it be a false alarm. LOL. But I timed a few more and they were 5 minutes apart, 1 minute long each, and they hurt! None of my previous ctx had hurt that much, which was a pretty good indicator that it was the real deal. I called my mom and she got to our house about 2:30 to stay with Grant. I called my doula and she told me to check into the hospital and then call her when I found out how I was progressing. The ctx were really starting to hurt and I could not walk or talk during them. We got to the hospital about 3am and when the midwife there checked me, I was 4 cm. (I had been 2 cm Mon afternoon at my 41w visit) They got me checked in and into a gown. They fussed around with the monitors and all of that for about 30 mins while I just sat and breathed thru the ctx and by the time my doula got there about 30 mins later and I was checked again, I was 6cm.

I could not have had the experience I did without my doula. She was amazing. She was totally my rock in the room. She talked me through the pain and kept me calm and controlled. When I was 8 cm I started panicking and yelling for my dr and I didn’t know how I would know when it was time to push. Everyone assured me I would know. I knew the midwife could deliver the baby but I really wanted my dr there and I remember I kept yelling for her. She made it there 10 mins before I started pushing. They never even did a 10 cm check for me because I just started pushing when I felt I had to and the baby was born after about 20 mins of pushing. The nurses were so frustrated because I kept knocking my monitors off. Whoops. LOL! The labor was really hard but it was quick and it was how I wanted it. I am so happy how everything went. :) I wouldn’t have done it any other way. Gretchen was born at 5:39am Tuesday morning. She is such a snugglebug, nursing great, and we’re happy to all be home!

4/13/09

I had my 41w u/s and appt today. We have a little PROGRESS...I actually made it to 2 cm. :-D I am pretty excited about that, as I have been 1 cm for 1 month now, and I never even made it past 1 cm during my 1st pg until after they started the pitocin. I'm still 70% effaced. My OB still will not strip my membranes. She is just really against it. She said she especially does not want to do it with me because of GBS. Oh well, what can I do? It's just her thing I guess. She is being very accomodating and cool though re: all of my other "requests." LOL.

Since Gretchen is 100% happy and healthy in there she sees no reason to induce me at 41w so we are giving it 1 more week. So Plan A is still for her to come on her own, and Play B is that I have my induction scheduled for 7:30am on Monday!!!!

If it comes to be Monday... If Gretchen will DROP a bit, my OB is willing to break my water before giving me pitocin, to see if my ctx will kick in on their own. If G is still high, my OB will go right to pitocin. She's definitely skipping the cervadil stage altogether since I'm already 2 cm.

The ultrasound is estimating her to be 8 oz, 13 oz. We shall see!!

I am getting really excited. I can't believe I finally have an end date in sight!

4/11/09

Still pregnant!

I should have known better than to be hopeful that this baby would come early or even on-time. Arg. ;-) Even based on her conception date, which would have put her EDD at 4/9, she is still late.

I'm tired of the comments more than anything else: the "You're still pregnant?!" and the "When is that baby going to be born?!" and the "You don't have an induction date set?!" and the "Enjoy these last days before the baby comes" - Yes I am still pg, and I have no idea when she's going to be born, and I don't WANT to be induced, and I'm DONE enjoying these last days. I just want her here. Everybody all around me just acts so annoyed that I am still pregnant. Heck, I guess I am annoyed too.

I'm also very tired of how uncomfortable I am. The Braxton Hicks contractions, the cramping, the groin pain, the peeing... This is for the birds. I wish all these irregular labor signs would turn into something "real."

Time to come out Gretchen!

Tomorrow is Easter. Jay's parents are in town. It would be so nice if she'd come out while they are here.

OK that was a pretty whiney post. I'll stop now. I just hope soooooooo badly I am not post on here Monday about my 41 week sonogram and OB appointment. :P

4/7/09: Gretchen's Due Date

Happy Estimated Due Date, Gretchen... now where are you??? ;-) Yesterday was my 40 week appointment - definitely an appointment I was not hoping to make it to. LOL. I am still barely 1 cm dilated and still 70% effaced. I will go back in on Monday April 13th for a 41 week ultrasound and appointment. Hopefully I will not make it to THAT appointment, but we'll see. It's all up to Gretchen! I know she will come when she is ready. I'm still really hoping to not be induced and I am willing to go up to 42 weeks as long as she is safe and sound in there.

My co-workers are driving me bonkers because I am still working. What they don't understand though is that if I were home, I would be packing and boxing and chasing after Grant all day! Being at work is so much less stressful than being at home. Plus, I want as much time as possible (the full 12 weeks) AFTER she is born for my maternity leave. And hey, the longer she hangs out in there, the more maternity leave I will have in the nicer weather. Heck, it is SNOWING today! Grrrr... where did Spring go?

My one coworker said to me, What if your water breaks at work?? I said, That would be fantastic! Bring it on! Ha ha ha...

I am having a lot of groin pain and cramping going on today. Who knows if it means anything though. I remember lots of cramping at the end with Grant too, and I never went into labor on my own with him - I was induced 8 days late. I don't remember being QUITE this uncomfortable with Grant though. I feel like I can barely walk around anymore. I need one of those electric scooters. LOL!

Another new belly pic...

Week 39: 3/31/09 - 4/6/09

We closed on our new house this week!!!!!!!!!!!!

I cannot believe I am 39 weeks - wow!!!!!! This pregnancy really has flown by. I am still working. Honestly I think it is more relaxing being at work than being home. If I were home, I would feel obligated to be packing (since we are moving) and cleaning, plus I'd probably have Grant home with me and I'd be chasing after him. Oye.

I had another appointment this week with not much to report. I think she said I am up 43 lbs. Still 1 cm dilated, 70% effaced, still high. If my ultrasound from 2 weeks ago was accurate, that would make Gretchen approx. 8 lbs, 5 oz this week.

The Braxton Hicks contractions have been INSANE. I literally cannot stand up and take 1 step without my uterus turning into a rock hard canon ball. As soon as I sit down or lay down though, they go away. I never had these with Grant. I had some cramping with Grant at the end, but not this tightening. They are driving me nuts! But they are also making me very hopeful, because maybe this means I will actually go into labor on my own with this pregnancy??? Who knows, though. I don't want to get my hopes up, but we will see. I am drinking tons of red raspberry leaf tea and eat lots of fresh pineapple. LOL.

I finally bought a manual breast pump this week (since my electric one from last pregnancy's motor burned out, and I threw out my old manual one because I didn't know if they had that old BPA plastic or whatever) and sterilized it. I am not going to spend $$$ on a good electric breast pump until I know for sure nursing is going well and/or if I want to pump FT for her once I go back to work like I did with Grant. I also washed one of her bottles this week just in case we need it, and some binkies. Grant never liked them but maybe Gretchen will. (Grant is a thumb man!) We are going to try the Playtex Nursers with Gretchen. I used the Vent Aires with Grant but I had to throw all of his out because of the BPA.

Another new belly pic...

Week 38: 3/24/09 - 3/30/09

38 weeks! My appt this week was good. I am up 42 lbs and everything looks great. Still 1 cm dilated, 70% effaced. Dr. Erk says she is still high. I've been getting a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions when I am up moving around.

I'm having trouble sleeping this week... so much on my mind. We're closing on the new house next week. Eeeeek!

There really is not much to report this week!

Another new belly pic is up...

Week 37: 3/17/09 - 3/23/09

37 weeks!!! I had my (hopefully) final ultrasound this week. I got the most amazing 4D ultrasound pictures of Gretchen. She is sooooooo chubby and so so beautiful and adorable. I cannot wait to hold her in my arms. I am already so in love with her. The technician estimates her to be approximately 7 lbs and 5 oz as of right now. If she goes to her EDD, that will put her at approximately 8 lbs and 13 oz.

My 37 week appt went great, too. I'm up 39 lbs, blood pressure is good, heartbeat was good, and everything looks great.

I am getting really geared up for labor and delivery! I am actually really excited about it and I'm thinking very positively about how the experience is going to go. I'm very gung ho about making it a better birth experience than last time. I just have to keep hoping that I will go into labor on my own so I can avoid all of the interventions this time... We'll see what happens. I would really love an empowering, natural birth experience.

I have another new belly pic up...

Week 36: 3/10/09 - 3/16/09

36 weeks already - Time is flying by!!!

I had my 36 week appointment this week. The internal exam was cake: didn't hurt at all like I remember them hurting. Nothing too exciting to report. She said I was barely a fingertip dilated and 60% effaced. Baby's head is right down there. I'm up 36 lbs total so +1 per week which I believe is pretty average. She said everything looks great. Her heartbeat was around 150. My bp was good. I asked her about the numb skin around my belly button and she said it's very normal.

I asked my OB about the Group B Strep thing - like how long can I labor at home before I go to the hospital, since I'll need the anti-biotics, and she told me as long as my water isn't broken I can stay home as long as I'm comfortable. She told me it's no big deal how long they give me the ABX as long as my water hasn't broken. So that is a relief.

Another new photo...

According to babycenter, Gretchen is the size of a crenshaw melon (?????) this week. She now weighs almost 6 pounds and is more than 18 1/2 inches long.

Week 35: 3/3/09 - 3/9/09

I cannot believe I am 35 weeks already!!!!! That is 7/8 of the way! Gretchen's due date is only 1 month away now!!! Although... I'm seriously trying to figure out how I'm going to make it another month. LOL. My stomach skin is stretched sooooooo tight, it's actually numb! It feels like somebody injected novacaine into my belly button. I NEVER had this happen with Grant. Maybe because I carried him so much higher and more spread out? She is kind of like a watermelon, all out front. And where it isn't numb, it hurts!!

I am getting bigger and bigger... LOL. I uploaded a new photo this week. :)

I think my nesting instincts are finally kicking in. I am so relieved that we finally found a buyer for our condo. We're closing on our new house 3/31 and closing on our condo 5/4-ish so we will have all of April to move and get the new house painted, etc. Hopefully it will all work out as perfectly time-wise as it seems like it's going to. :) Now if only I knew the exact day Gretchen was arriving, I could plan everything even better. LOL.

I washed her first load of laundry this week, and I dedicated one of Grant's drawers entirely to her. Hee hee. She has sooooooo many clothes already, thanks to Amber, Justine, and Katie. I am so excited!!!!!

I cannot wait to be moved into the new house so she will have her own bedroom to put everything in!

I also started packing my hospital bag this weekend... finally!!! Jay's big jobs this week are to get the car seat bases in and to carry up the swing, bouncy chair, and diaper champ from the storage unit.

I also made 2 meatloaves for dinner Saturday so I could freeze some. Nesting much, ya think? LOL!

According to babycenter, Gretchen is over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds - about the size of a honeydew. :-)

I cannot wait until my final (hopefully) ultrasound in 2 weeks!!! (3/17)

Week 34: 2/24/09 - 3/2/09

I hired a doula! I really really like her and I hope that having her there with us in the delivery room will make this labor and delivery the best experience it can me. I am not expecting a miracle and I am totally open-minded about getting an epidural if I need one, but I just want to make this the best experience that I can, and I really think having a doula there is key. :-)

According to babycenter, Gretchen now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. I was very happy to read that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

Week 33: 2/17/09 - 2/23/09

7 more weeks until my due date!!! I cannot believe this is my last full week in February, and that next week goes into March already! It's unbelievable how time is flying. Absolutely unreal.

I interviewed 1 doula already and am meeting with 4 others this week. If I really love one of them, I am going to have them be with Jay and I during the labor and delivery. I really love the idea of a doula but if I do have one, I want to make sure it is the right person.

I just hope sooooooooooooooooo badly I do not need to be induced this time around. Grant was 8 days late and 9 lbs, 5 oz. I wonder if Gretchen will come on her own? I really really really hope so!!!

According to babycenter, Gretchen is over 4 lbs this week!!! She is the size of a pineapple. I can't believe she is that big already. Well actually, I can believe it. She FEELS like even more than 4 lbs in there. LOL.

I snapped a new picture this week - do you think I look bigger? ;-)

I seriously think I am just as big NOW at 33 weeks as I was at 39 weeks with Grant!!!!! What do you think?

Week 32: 2/10/09 - 2/16/09

Hello! Happy Valentine's Day! Do you want to see Gretchen's coming home outfit? Awwwwwwwwwww... I can't believe in just 8-ish weeks she is going to be wearing this!

I am feeling great. Gretchen is moving sooooo much. I can't believe I am down to under 2 months now!

According to babycenter, she is the size of a jicama this week... What the heck is that? LOL!

I gained another 1 lb these past 2 weeks, bringing me up to +33 lbs total right now.

I read a book about the Bradley method of natural childbirth this week, and I also scheduled an interview with a local doula... I am contemplating having one with me at the birth. I am starting to think it would be really beneficial in going drug-free.

Week 31: 2/3/09 - 2/9/09

Another week down! Another week closer to meeting Gretchen. I am dying to know when she will be born. Before her EDD? Induced late? I am going to try to labor this time without an epidural. My whole labor and delivery experience with Grant (which included an epidural) was just so horrendous, I would like to do everything I can differently this time to make it better. With Grant, my 1st epidural fell out. Then for the 2nd one, he put so much tape on my back to hold it in, that it RIPPED SKIN off my back, which hurt for weeks afterwards. Also, I had a really weird tingly feeling in my back for months after my delivery, where the epi was, which my OB said was "normal." Yuck, that just freaks me out. Plus, it only worked on my 1 side anyways. And the icing on the cake was that I feel like it really hindered my pushing. I never had an urge to push and couldn't feel what I was doing. I imagine that is why I had to push for 2.5 hours. It was just terrible. I am hoping this time I can just go without and just push her out! We'll see what happens. If I feel that I need one, I will CERTAINLY get one. Trust me I am not trying to be a rock star or anything here. I just want to have a better labor and delivery experience this time around. I just have to wait and see how everything plays out. If I am induced, I will absolutely get an epidural again, because those pitocin contrax were GODAWFUL. I just feel like I am more terrified of an epi this time than the laboring itself, and I feel like I should listen to my gut on this.

I am also dying to know what Gretchen is going to look like! Like Grant? Not like Grant? What will she weigh? OMG I just cannot wait to meet her! 9-ish more weeks! 9-ish more weeks! 9-ish more weeks!

I had my 2nd MONSTER round ligament pain experience this week. Just like last time, it woke me up out of a dead sleep in the middle of the night and hurt so badly that I had tears in my eyes and didn't know what to do. I never experienced this with Grant. It's terrible - hurts so badly!! Thankfully I've only had it twice now, and it only lasted about 15-20 minutes each time. It felt like a period cramp x100 in my lower abs. The 1st time it happened, it was just on my right side. This week when it happened, it was on both sides.

I have been feeling great overall! A bit of heartburn here and there but nothing major. I cannot complain. Overall this pregnancy has been much better than my 1st. My 1st 16w or so with both pregnancies were rough, but at least this one has been pretty good since week 16. I have to admit though, I am really looking forward to having her and not being pregnant anymore!

So this week, Gretchen is the size of 4 oranges. LOL. She FEELS like 4 oranges too, rolling around all over the place in there. She is so very active!!!!!!!! I love feeling and watching her move around. :o)

Week 30: 1/27/09 - 2/2/09

WOO HOO ~ I am 30 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I took a new picture for you to see - click here or click on "Bellyshots" up above.

Here is a comparison of me at 30w this pregnancy to me at 32w with my 1st pregnancy. You can see how much differently I'm carrying this time!



Gretchen is the size of a green cabbage this week! LOL. Gotta love all the funny food comparisons from babycenter...

Week 29: 1/20/09 - 1/26/09

Hi - not too much to report this week. I got my Rhogam shot and pre-registered at the hospital.

Our house construction has officially begun! Thursday we had a hole and Friday they poured the foundation! We may even have boards up by this upcoming Friday or Monday! It is amazing how fast they work!!!

I have my next appointment next week and then I will start going every 2 weeks already. I can't wait to be 30 weeks and officially 3/4 of the way to meeting Gretchen!

Gretchen is the size of a butternut squash this week! I can't believe how big she is getting. She is going to be here before we know it!!!

Week 28: 1/13/09 - 1/19/09

Hello! Another week down! Gretchen is very active; it's fun to watch my stomach moving around. :-)

I am very excited - I picked out her bedroom theme/bedding/decor this week! I am going with Lambs and Ivy's Raspberry Swirl line. I looked at lots and lots of choices and this was definitely my favorite; it's so darling. Gretchen's crib and dresser will be brown wood though, and we didn't bother with the rug or chair, since her room is carpetted. I got all the other fun accessories though!

They're supposed to start digging out house THIS WEEK! (Weather permitting.) So once that happens, the countdown begins. Construction is typically 90 days.

I imagine Gretchen will be born and then the house will be ready about 3 weeks after that! April is going to be a VERY BUSY MONTH! We've got Grant's 3rd birthday on the 27th, too!

According to babycenter, Gretchen weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) (??? - LOL!) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through the womb.

I have to go get my Rhogam shot next week...and REGISTER AT THE HOSPITAL! I can't believe I am this far along already! It came so fast!!!

Week 27: 1/6/09 - 1/12/09

Happy 3rd Trimester to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe how fast these weeks are flying by! I can't believe I'm in the 3rd Trimester already. It is just nuts. :-) 3 more months until we get to meet Gretchen!

She weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now.

I'm feeling (and seeing) lots of kicks every day. I just love to feel her moving around. She loves when I eat chocolate. ;-)

I am doing pretty good, other than dealing with a pesky sinus infection! I got amoxicillan so hopefully that will help me out!

Week 26: 12/30/08 - 1/5/09

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the year I am going to have my baby girl! Grant is going to be a big brother... we are going to be a family of 4... we will be moving into our new house... Eeeeeep! ;-) It's all so awesome and so exciting.

I am feeling great, although I think I might have a sinus infection. I need to go see my doctor. Arg!

According to babycenter, Gretchen now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches! Apparently that is the size of a hot house cucumber, whatever that is! LOL!

Week 25: 12/23/08 - 12/29/08

Merry Christmas!!! I hope everybody is enjoying the holidays. Gretchen got a few adorable outfits for Christmas from my mom, my Aunt Sue, and my friend Amber. I can't wait to see her in all these cute clothes!!!

I am doing good and feeling great. I think I pulled a muscle in my groin/thigh, though, which is a bit aggrevating. I slid on a wet floor and my right leg slid a ways in front of me (picture me going halfway into a right split) and OUCH did that hurt. I had been having a little groin pain, like maybe a 2/10, before I slipped, but now it feels more like a 7/10 pain. I'm also still having that pain in my ribs when I am in a bra too long, upright too long, or if I eat too much. Honestly though, I cannot complain. Compared to my last pregnancy, this one is so much easier. Ever since the morning sickness (finally!!!) went away around week 16/17 I have felt very good.

According to babycenter, she now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she is starting to look more and more like a newborn. :) :) :)

She is still moving a lot. I feel and see her moving several times per day. It still blows my mind that there is a little person growing/living inside of me. It's just so unreal... I cannot wait to meet her!!!

I uploaded another new belly pic (25.5 weeks) so feel free to check it out if you want. :)

Week 24: 12/16/08 - 12/22/08

Again - not too much to report! These weeks are just flying by! I can't believe my pregnancy is 3/5 done already!!!!! Gretchen is about a foot long now, about the lenth of an ear of corn this week.

I broke down and bought some adorable baby girl sleepers at Kohls ~ They were buy 2, get 1 free, and I jut could not resist. Hee hee. :)

Week 23: 12/9/08 - 12/15/08

Not much to report here. I'm feeling good! Apparently, Gretchen is about the size of a mango this week and she probably weighs a bit over 1 lb!. :-) She moves a lot now, and I can SEE my stomach moving when I lay down now. It's definitely the best part about being pregnant: seeing and feeling the baby moving. Awwww... I still can't believe I'm actually going to have 2 kids! It's just amazing. And this pregnancy is just flying...

Week 22: 12/2/08 - 12/8/08

I can't believe I am 22 weeks already! My ultrasound and appointment went great! Gretchen is 14 oz and measuring 21 weeks, 2 days. Her heartbeat was 152. And she is still a girl - LOL! She was very active and everything looks perfect. I got a DVD of my ultrasound which is very cool. I have 2 neat 3D photos of her that I added to the Ultrasounds section (link above). She is sooooooooooo beautiful. :o)

I gained another 8 lbs this visit, bringing me up +18 total so far - WHOOOOOPS.

According to babycenter, she is the length of a spaghetti squash this week. Hee hee.

Justine gave me a HUGE lot of adorable 0-6 month clothes this past weekend - I am soooooo excited. Everything is so cute! THANK YOU JUSTINE (if you are reading this)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Week 21: 11/25/08 - 12/1/08

Happy Thanksgiving!

Not much new to report! Still feeling good. Still feeling lots of kicks. Still having the rib pain in the evening if I've been upright/sitting too long.

Our next ultrasound is next week on 12/2 - I can't wait to see her again!

So apparently Gretchen is the length of a carrot this week. :)

I am wearing my contacts again, without any problems - thank goodness!

Week 20: 11/18/08 - 11/24/08

I'm officially halfway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Jay felt the baby kick from the outside this week! She is kicking more and more every day. It is so awesome: definitely my favorite part about being pregnant. I am still feeling really good, which is a relief!

Grant loves to talk about his baby sister, which is so cute. The other day, out of nowhere, he said to me, "So how is Gretchen feelin' today?" and then he started talking about how he was going to read books with her and watch videos with her and share his toys with her. OMG so cute ~ it melted my heart!!!!

Gretchen is as big as a banana this week. She is getting so big!

Week 19: 11/11/08 - 11/17/08

These weeks are just flying by! I am still feeling great. No complaints!! (except the occasional rib pain I get if I'm sitting in an uncomfortable chair for too long at a time, or if I eat too much...)

Only 1 more week until I am halfway!

According to babycenter, Gretchen weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. (What a weird food to compare her to!) Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now.

I started feeling some kicks this week!!!!!!! I am so excited to really start feeling her moving. She is getting big and strong. I can't wait to meet her!

2 more weeks until my next ultrasound, on 12/2!!

Week 18: 11/4/08 - 11/10/08

Hello! I can't believe I am already 18 weeks. I feel like just yesterday, I was 6 weeks and busting at the seams to tell everybody the big news!

I am feeling surprisingly great! I think this is the best I have felt out of BOTH of my pregnancies so far. No morning sickness, no heartburn... and I am feeling more and more movement every day. No full-blown kicks yet, but lots of flips and blips. Aww. :o)

According to babycenter, Gretchen is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and she weighs almost 7 ounces.

I posted a new belly pic this week if you are bored and want to check it out!

Week 17: 10/28/08 - 11/3/08

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :o)

We are so very very very very very very happy. I was very 50/50 about whether I wanted a girl or a boy this time. I'm familiar with the boy thing and I thought Grant would have so much fun with a little brother. But at the same time, this will be our last baby and I can't imagine not ever getting to experience having a daughter. We will be so very blessed to have one boy and one girl!

The ultrasound was perfect. Her heartbeat was 145 bpm. Everything looked perfect and healthy. I do have to go in for a follow-up ultrasound on 12/2 though because the tech could not get the right angle on her heart and her face to see everything she wanted to see. Fine by me -- I can't wait to see our little Gretchen again in 5 weeks!!!!! She did have 1 EIF show up in the ultrasound but I am not going to worry about it whatsoever. Grant had 3 choroid plexus cysts in his 18w ultrasound and they are very similar to EIFs - EIFs are bright spots on the heart and CPCs show up in the brain. Both, as isolated soft markers, are nothing at all to worry about. :o) Grant's CPCs were gone by his 24w ultrasound and most likely this EIF will be gone as well.

I am feeling great this week. I think I might have had a little morning sickness 1 day but I can't even remember. I am feeling WORLD'S better now. I am hoping the morning sickness is finally finally behind me!!!

Gretchen is the size of a turnip this week! :o)

Week 16: 10/21/08 - 10/27/08

Wow, I can't believe I am 16 weeks already! I am feeling pretty good this week. I got sick on Tuesday the 21st but it wasn't too bad. The early morning episodes are the easiest!!! There were 2 other mornings I almost got sick too but I willed it away. LOL. Hopefully this week will mark the END of my morning sickness, like it did with my 1st pregnancy. I'm still going to bed really early, but at least my energy levels during the day are better now!

The baby is already the size of an avacado this week - 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces! I can't believe how big he/she is getting! The baby also started growing toenails this week! :o)

So far I have gained 11 lbs. I am not going to stress about it!!!

Only a few more days until my ultrasound on the 30th!!!

Week 15: 10/14/08 - 10/20/08

Hello! I am doing well. I only got sick 2 days this week. Woo hoo! I got back the results of my nuchal screening blood poke and also from the blood test to recheck my thyroid levels and both were good! Woo hoo!

I am starting to finally eat more healthy, now that I am feeling better. I was craving salads like crazy this week, with lettuce, cukes, strawberries, fresh mozzarella cheese, croutons, almonds, and balsamic vinegar. YUM!

The baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces, about the size of an apple. His/Her legs are growing longer than his/her arms now, and he/she can move all of his/her joints and limbs. Although his/her eyelids are still fused shut, he/she can sense light. So amazing!!!

Week 14: 10/7/08 - 10/13/08

HELLO 2ND TRIMESTER!!!!! :) You know, even though some weeks seem go soooo slowly, and the morning sickness has made *many* days these past 3 months really drag, I am amazed that my 1st Trimester is actually DONE and now I am moving forward into the 2nd. I am 1/3 through this pregnancy already! That is pretty amazing. Maybe it is going fast after all!

The morning sickness comes and goes now. The days I do have it, it's usually just in the morning and that is a cakewalk since my stomach is empty. I will get through this!!

The baby is the size of a lemon already this week - about 3.5" long! And he/she weighs 1.5 oz. The baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, grasp, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his/her facial muscles are getting a workout as his/her tiny features form one expression after another.

I am counting down the days until my big ultrasound on 10/30!

Week 13: 9/30/08 - 10/6/08

Hello! I had my first ultrasound this week on 10/3!! I learned that there is an optional 1st Trimester ultrasound called the Nuchal Screening and I asked the NP if I could get it, and she said absolutely. The reason she didn't tell me about it up-front is because I am not 35+. It would have been nice to have been told about it. I had to do all the research myself.

The ultrasound went great! :) :) :) Everything looks healthy. I will get the finger poke results back in 7-10 days which will give me a 95% accurate reading that everything is healthy. The baby's heartbeat was 158. Baby was so cute and very cooperative. Grant got to see his baby sibling for the first time! The tech *GUESSED* girl for me, but she told me it is JUST a guess!!!!! Although she didn't hesitate at ALL when she guessed. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

My appointment with the NP this week went really well. I told her I stopped taking the Phenargan and she was fine with that, especially because I am +10 lbs. She isn't concerned at all with my weight, so I am not going to be concerned either. She feels that getting the calories in is more important than trying to keep weight off at this point in the pregnancy. She told me that some women with bad morning sickness lose weight, whereas others gain faster because all they can mostly stomach are carbs, which is exactly how I am.

I had to do more bloodwork this week to re-check thyroid levels. Hopefully they are OK!

I feel like I'm starting to really show a little bit, all of a sudden. All of a sudden my regular pants are just NOT cutting it and even my 1st Tri pants are getting too snug. But my maternity pants are way too big still. I almost need to go out and buy in-between pants.

Still getting sick most days. Blahhhhh. Although I did have a great weekend out in Rome and didn't get sick once! Hopefully it truly is tapering off!

Still feeling little flutters occasionally!!! I have been feeling them for about 3 weeks now. Nothing like full blown kicks... just sweet little flutters. :)

Week 12: 9/23/08 - 9/29/08

Happy 12 weeks to me!!!! I just celebrated with my 1st cup of coffee in 8 weeks and it is DELICIOUS. I am not sure why I haven't allowed myself any since I found out I was pregnant. I drank it through my whole pregnancy with Grant. I am starting to wonder if coffee withdrawl is part of the reason I have felt so down in the dumps lately.

I am actually amazed that I am 12 weeks along already. It seems like just yesterday I was only 4 weeks along and calling my friends and family with the big news!

The baby is the size of a lime this week! I can't believe how big he/she is getting!!!

I am still unable to wear my contact lenses. My eye doctor has no idea why the pregnancy is messing with my contacts and my OB assured me it is "normal" - just wonderful. I wonder if I'll be in glasses right up through April. This is the pits. I hate wearing my glasses. Sigh.

I stopped taking the Phenargan. I have been having some good days and some bad days with the morning sickness, regardless of whether I take a Phenargan or a Reglan or nothing at all. It didn't make sense to keep taking medicine for no reason. By the end of this week, I started noticing somewhat of a consistancy with when I get sick. I seem to always get sick first thing in the morning, and then have a lot of nausea around dinnertime. Sometimes I get sick in the evening and sometimes not. I seem to be somewhat OK during the late morning and afternoon though. Hopefully soon it will stop completely! I went through these exact same kinds of morning sickness phases with my pregnancy with Grant, too. With Grant, it went completely away by 16 weeks.

Week 11: 9/16/08 - 9/22/08

Hello. I'm still hanging in here. Still choking down as much food and Gatorade as I can manage. I had a few good days this week and a few really bad ones... I got sick several times this week (even after taking the Phenergan) so I'm not really sure what to do at this point. I know there is 1 more pill I could try but I am sick of trying all these different things. I think it might be best to just ride it out, at this point. Getting sick is the pits. I am so sick of getting sick!

The baby is getting so big - he/she is already the size of a fig! I wish I could get an ultrasound sooner than 18 weeks. That just seems soooo far away at this point!

Week 10: 9/9/08 - 9/15/08

Hi ~ I can't believe the baby is the size of a kumquat already! I had a pre-natal appointment this week on the 15th and she found the heartbeat immediately! Awwwwwwwwww. 160 adorable beats per minute. :) :)

I am hanging in there. I'm still getting sick a few times per week and having trouble keeping food and liquids down on those days, so I am now trying Phenergan. I hope this works better than the Reglan! I will go back in 2 weeks to re-evaluate the new meds and see how the baby and I are doing. :) The good news is that I don't get sick every day now. At least I get some good days along with the bad ones. Hopefully this new pill will eliminate the bad ones completely! I bought a 24-pack of Gatorade to get me through the next week. Hopefully it will taste better and stay down better than water!

I keep craving SUSHI! God, it tastes so good to me. I had it 3x this week. I'm doing my best to avoid pre-made sushi and raw sushi, just to be safe. I've been sticking to mostly to cooked rolls and veggie rolls (ie. california rolls, spicy shrimp rolls, sweet potato tempura rolls) and only from made-to-order sushi bars with the freshest looking ingredients.

Week 9: 9/2/08 - 9/8/08

Hello! I am hanging in there. The weeks are going a little bit faster. In just 1 more week, I will be 1/4 through the pregnancy already! I've been feeling a little bit better and my energy levels are a little better. I think the Reglan is helping me. I'm eating mostly normal foods, although pretty heavy on carbs. I've also been drinking a lot of juice and iced-tea and having trouble getting plain old water down. Even flavored seltzer does not sound good to me. Even with the Reglan, I'm still getting sick 1-2x per day. Sometimes in the morning before I can even take a pill and also mid-afternoon, often in my car. Oh well! I am hoping I'll feel better in the next few weeks and this will all be behind me! :o) Gotta stay positive, right?

The baby is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce this week! He/she is getting so big already!!!

I am so excited. We picked out a lot site this week for our new house. It should be ready by the spring, just in time for the new baby. I am so happy he/she will have a bedroom!

Week 7: 8/19/08 - 8/25/08

Hello! These first weeks are still going extremely slowly, but I'm sure before I know it, Halloween will be here, and then Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years, and I will be over the halfway point!

Don't get me wrong; I really do not want to rush this pregnancy, and I most definitely do not want to rush Grant's 3rd year (which is so much fun!!). I am just extremely anxious to get through this 1st Trimester.

I am feeling pretty good. I have been having a bit of nausea, but it's much different than my first pregnancy! I was so sick and exhausted with Grant! One piece of good news though is that the weird pain in my side seems to have gone away! Thank goodness. I hope it stays away!

The baby is about the size of a small blueberry this week - he/she has doubled in size!!! :o) And the exciting news this week is that his/her hands and feet are beginning to emerge. It's so amazing. Please stick and grow strong, sweet little blueberry!!!

Week 6: 8/12/08 - 8/18/08

I am finally 6 weeks... hooray! Officially halfway through the nerve-wracking first 12 weeks. :)

I had my first pregnancy exam this week. It was very uneventful. I filled out lots of paperwork and had a pap smear, which left me feeling icky and crampy. My next appointment will be September 15 and hopefully then we will hear a heartbeat!

I have been feeling quite nauseous this week, my back is sore, and I'm a bit tired, too. I knew feeling great was too good to last. I can't complain though. I am so happy to be pregnant. Jay says that the nausea is the baby's way of "saying hi." LOL! I have a new weird pg symptom to add to my list too: I've been having this strange pain in my left side - I have NO idea what that is all about. I called my OB's office about it and she did not seem too concerned. But if it gets worse, she wants me to come in. If I still have it on 9/15 they will do an ultrasound. (Which I am hoping they will do anyways!)

Our baby is a quarter of an inch long this week, about the size of a lentil bean. His/her nose, mouth, and ears are beginning to take shape. The baby's heart is beating about 100 to 160 times a minute — almost twice as fast as mine.

So, according to both the Chinese Lunar Calendar and the needle test, I am having a girl. Hee hee. Jay is so funny -- even though we are both impartial about whether we are having a boy or a girl, Jay says he hopes it's a boy, just to prove the superstitious gender prediction stuff wrong. LOL!

Friday morning this week, Grant woke up and was standing in his crib yelling, "I want a baby brudduh! I want a baby brudduh." Awwwwwwwww!

I officially announced my pregnancy this week to everybody at work. It's so nice to have it out there and be able to talk about it.

Week 5: 8/5/08 - 8/11/08

So far this pregnancy is going very slo-o-o-o-o-owly! I am very anxious to get through this 1st Trimester... or even to be 8 weeks would be nice! Or even 6! LOL!

I've still been telling too many people my news! I just have no patience. I told my boss and his wife at our work picnic on Friday 8/1. About 5 of my other co-workers know as well. I will probably end up just spilling the beans to everybody very soon. As much as I'd like to wait until 8 weeks, it will probably end up being 6 or 7.

Our little one is officially the size of a sesame seed this week! It is so amazing looking at Grant and how big he is now, and imagining that this new baby will be that big too in 3 years... and Grant will be 5 years old! It is crazy how fast time flies. Maybe it's GOOD that this pregnancy is starting off slowly! :)

I still don't really feel pregnant, which honestly, is wonderful! With Grant, I was very nauseous and fatigued during the 5th week. I can honestly say that I feel GREAT this week. I have energy and I don't feel nauseous at all. I think cutting out coffee cold turkey was the best thing I could have done. I was drinking way too much coffee before.

I am a little bummed because I pulled a muscle in my thigh and I am out of aerobics for a few weeks. But I am planning to start back up in September. I am hoping to stay more active and fit during this pregnancy! We'll see what happens...

My friend Mariah pointed out to me today that my EDD is just a few days before Easter 2009. That is fun. Hopefully I will not be 41 weeks pregnant at Easter! 
;-) I would love our little one to be born a few days early this time, instead of being induced 8 days late like I was with Grant!

I have my first doctor's appointment with one of the nurses on Sept. 6th - I'll be 9.5 weeks. And then I will see my OB for the first time on Oct. 6th - I'll be about 14 weeks. I can't wait until 18 weeks so we can find out what we are having! I am always amazed by those people who wait to find out. I would find out TODAY if I could! ;-)

Week 4: 7/29/08 - 8/4/08

I am so excited to announce that we are pregnant again - Grant is going to be a big brother!!! :) :) :) Our plan was to officially start trying in August but I guess this little baby had other ideas! We are very very very very happily shocked!

It's funny because Tuesday I was in Bon Ton and for some reason I actually bought the most adorable little 9 month girl's summer romper! I couldn't help myself. I was thinking that if I didn't ever need it, I could give it to one of my friends. But hmmmm now I am wondering if it was a premonition?? :)

I had just bought 4 pregnancy tests to put away for next month, but for some reason, I felt the urge to test this month... just in case... I was not expecting to see those 2 lines! I was, and still am, so very, very shocked! Very happily shocked! :)

I am having an even harder time this time around keeping my mouth shut; I have already told too many people! I am going to try to hold out until 8 weeks before telling anybody else, but I think by 6 weeks everybody at work is going to know. A few people already know and I don't want rumors going around behind my back; I'd rather just tell people myself.

My EDD is officially April 7th - Another April baby, unless he/she comes a little early. :)

Jay and I could not be happier!!!

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