Helllllooooo from Chatham...

Just a quick hello from Chatham... we're thoroughly enjoying vacation. Although I don't know if the little peanut enjoyed the high-speed ferry from hell to Nantucket yesterday. But so far, all is well.

I also think I survived First trimester morning sickness but developed it in the 2nd trimester - thankfully it's very sporadic.

We're heading to P-Town today and since the weather is beautiful (yet again), I think we'll have a fantastic time!

Hope everyone is having a nice day...

love, us & the peanut...

14th Week Journal...

*Posting a day early due to the fact Dan & I will be on vacation...*
How far along? 14wks (On Monday 9/25)
Total weight gain/loss: 5 1/2 lbs since my last "normal" weigh-in July 11th
TP Test: 8 squares of toilet paper
Maternity Clothes: Definitely going to need to get a few things soon because I'm sick of feeling uncomfortable. I did buy a new dress for Mom's party and it's comfy and it's something I'll be able to wear when I start to get a belly.
*New Category* "Morning" Sickness: I have been quite lucky to have experienced a pregnancy filled without morning sickness. I thought I'd be the one to have it because I don't like a lot of food to begin with, smells already made me nauseous, and I have a horribly easy gag-refleck (just talking/writing about it brings it on). So when we've been telling people that we're expecting, the two major questions we get are "How are you feeling?" and "Any morning sickness?" The first one I answer with "Tired, exhaustion, and then some more tired" and that's pretty standard. The second answer has been "Thankfully no". With that said though, I have gotten sick and up until last night only 3 times. (Please remember that I typed this up Friday night & in the wee small hours of Saturday morning) And then the 4th time happened Friday night. For dinner, I had my remaining pizza from lunch so I don't know why that made me sick, but it did. I think it's just the anticipation of the upcoming party. At least I hope it is because as I sit here on Saturday morning at 6:05am, unable to sleep, I feel like I could be sick again.
Stretch marks? No new ones
Sleep: I haven't had a full night sleep in a while, but I'm trying to condition myself to sleep with my body pillow so I'm on my side.
Best moment this week: Hearing the heartbeat again, having the doctor say that everything looks & feels good
Worst moment this week: None - this was a very good week.
Concerns/Fears: Right now my two concerns are sleeping on my back (I still wake up on my back) & if there are no symptoms, am I to assume everything is fine
Movement: N/A
Food cravings: I think my craving is potatoes... I will eat potatoes, any style, any time. French fries, mashed, baked, hash browns - love my potatoes - I am Irish!
Gender prediction: I'm not sure
Labor Signs: N/A
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Weekly Wisdom: Try not to let little things get to you - otherwise it'll keep you awake
Milestones:

• Mom's party has come & gone and was a success (I'm assuming it was as I'm typing this the Friday night before)... and Alyson & I survived all the craziness! :)
• 13wk Doctor appointment was very good - love my doctor! She's fantastic! I got to hear the heartbeat (doing well at 160 bps) and everything is progressing nicely.
• Everyone knows (family, friends & work) so it makes it easier not trying to hide anything anymore

14th Week Growth...

*Posting a day early due to the fact Dan & I will be on vacation...*
How your baby's growing: Head to bottom, your baby's 3 1/2 inches long — about the length of a lemon — and weighs about 1 1/2 ounces. Her body's growing faster than her head, which now sits upon a more well-defined neck. By the end of this week, her arms will have lengthened and will be in proportion to the rest of her body. (Her legs still have some growing to do, though.) She's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair all over her body (called lanugo). Her liver starts secreting bile this week, a sign that it's already functioning properly, and her spleen starts contributing to the production of red blood cells. She's also producing and discharging urine into the amniotic fluid, a normal process that she'll keep up until birth. You still can't feel your baby's movements, but her hands and feet (which are now half an inch long) are more flexible and active. Thanks to brain impulses, her little facial muscles are getting a workout as she squints, frowns, and grimaces. She can grasp now, too, and she may be able to suck her thumb.

How your life's changing: As early discomforts (nausea, fatigue, breast tenderness) begin to fade, you may start to regain some energy and feel more comfortable with how your body's changing. (Although the top of your uterus is only a bit above your pelvic bone, that growth may be enough to push your tummy out a bit.) Starting to show is an exciting pregnancy milestone and it will likely give you and your partner the visible evidence of a baby that you've been waiting for. Take some time to plan, daydream, and enjoy this amazing time. It's normal to worry a bit now and then, but you can also breathe a little sigh of relief knowing that with the start of this trimester your risk of miscarriage has dropped significantly. Now try to focus on taking care of yourself and your baby and having faith that you're well equipped for what's ahead.

Update from Appointment...

So as you may have noticed it's 6:06am on Saturday morning. I couldn't sleep. I guess too anxious for the party. I really don't know why I didn't go into Party Planning - I live for this stuff. Anyway, I digress.

Thursday we had our doctor's appointment and everything went VERY well. First off - I love (love love love) our doctor (I'll call her Dr. E) . She's very nice, laid back, informative, and comforting. Weight & blood pressure are on target. Once Dr. E came in (she had laryngitis), she whispered that we can do this in stages - listen to the heartbeat, the entire exam, and then questions. But she likes to do the fun stuff first so we listen to the baby's heartbeat. She said that sometimes it takes a while to find so to just lie back & relax. However, our little overachiever peanut popped up immediately. Dr. E smiled and said "well that didn't take long at all - sounds good, sounds strong - 160 bps". Then we did the exam were she checked everything. She asked how I felt and how different areas of my body felt and explained what was normal. Then she did the internal exam and said that everything feels good and feels like it's growing normally and that overally things look great.

Then she asked if I had questions. And she did it so naturally & comfortably that I didn't feel at all that I was putting her off. I told her I had a bunch and if that was okay. She said if my doctor said no, then I should find a different Obstretician. It made me feel relaxed. We got out the questions - she did more so, because I had a flimsy gown on. I opened my book and her first comment was "well, aren't you organized". To which I just replied "almost to a fault..."

I went thru my questions - I thought I had a lot and she was very good about answering them. Most of my questions were just basic ones but the main ones were about testing & frequency. She said that I will only have 1 more ultrasound (around 18-19wks) unless something happens. I can't wait for that and I just hope the little peanut is cooperating that day so we're able to find out what he/she is. She said at my next appointment, we'll have an AFP test (description below) and that will determine what risk group I fall into and if additional tests (amniocentesis, CVS, etc) will be necessary. There was one question I forgot to ask and I can't believe I forgot because it's been my biggest question - is sleeping on my back harmful??

I had more blood drawn, again I'm a pro. But this time it was because they wanted to screen for Tay-Sachs Disease. I have never heard of this before but they screen if you have French-Canadian or Jewish backgrounds and since I have family in Newfoundland, I thought it be on the safe side to be screened. And I walked away with the biggest bruise in my arm - good thing I don't have to worry about hiding them anymore. Our next appointment is scheduled during Week 17 & then the ultrasound will be scheduled for the following week or two. But overall, things went very well and this appointment really help put me in a state of mind where it truly feels real now. Since the beginning I always knew it would be this appointment that would help me feel more relaxed & excited - and it did just that!

Descriptions for your reading...
Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP)
This is a plasma protein normally produced by the fetus' liver. AFP eventually finds its way into the mother's blood and the amniotic fluid. When too much or too little AFP enters the mother's blood stream it can be a sign of fetal problems, such as birth defects. High AFP levels in the mother's blood indicates an increased risk of fetal spina bifida, anencephaly, or other malformations. Low AFP levels are associated with an increased risk of Down Syndrome (trisomy 21) and other chromosomal problems. AFP testing is offered to almost all pregnant women in the U.S., ideally between 16 and 18 weeks gestation. Measuring the AFP level is not sufficiently accurate in screening for Downs- AFP testing should be combined with other tests. Don't assume your child has Down syndrome or spina bifida just because you had an abnormal AFP test result. The AFP test assesses risk, it does not diagnose disease. Unfortunately, many abnormal test results are falsely abnormal and do not reflect a problem with the fetus or mother. If the AFP test is abnormal, additional testing should be performed.

Amniocentesis
Sometimes called an "amnio", is usually given to mothers between 15--20 weeks to women 35+, or to those with a family history of birth defects, as well as those with abnormal results in other prenatal tests. This minor surgical diagnostic test allows the doctor to obtain a sample of the amniotic fluid. The amniotic fluid is then analyzed to look for genetic characteristics of the baby or to check on the maturity of the baby’s lungs. The amniocentesis is a common way to obtain material for genetic and other testing of the baby. The doctor inserts a long, thin, hollow needle through the mother's abdomen into the uterus and amniotic fluid. Usually the doctor uses ultrasound imaging to guide the needle. The small amount of fluid removed should not affect the baby. The risk of complications from the procedure is low, but, as with any procedure, complications can occur. Be sure to consult with your doctor before the procedure is performed. Amniocentesis helps the doctor estimate the baby's lung maturity. Because babies often "breathe" amniotic fluid in and out of their lungs inside the womb, the amniotic fluid is chemically similar to the fluid within their lungs. As their lungs mature, the chemical composition changes. These changes can be measured from the amniotic fluid and used to estimate the maturity of the lungs.

Tay Sachs Disease: http://www.ygyh.org/tay/whatisit.htm or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tay-Sachs_disease

Dr. Appt...

I have my Dr appt today and then I'm on vacation! (Don't worry Mom, I'll post our next update before we go so you have something to read...)

I'm meeting with our actual doctor today and not a nurse. I'm not 100% positive as to what will take place at the doctor but I believe some tests, listen to the heartbeat (don't know if I'll see the little peanut or not...) and then I hope to have my questions answered. I made sure to write them out so I didn't forget anything.

It's weird - I don't know what to expect, I'm not anxious like I was at the first appointment. Even though I don't have a ton of pregnancy symptoms, things feel like they're progressing well so I'm not worried. I am curious to see what my weight is and if I'm around the recommended 5 lbs for the first 3 months. But I think that's just part of a woman's mind...

Oh, so not only is our doctor appointment today, but our news is also public. No more hiding. We told our families & friends last week and then we told work this week. We made sure to tell our bosses first and then spread the news around. It's such a nice feeling not having to hide this anymore. Everyone we told was so excited & happy for us, even guys who I would have thought would have been more "oh that's nice". Well except one person who was just crabby & self-righteous. Needless to say, I won't share any more good news with her. My team, however, was so happy & have been so supportive. They want to know all the details and what they can do to help, it's quite nice. I definitely have a good bunch...

13th Week Journal...

How far along? 13wks today
Total weight gain/loss: I'm guessing about ~4 lbs
TP Test: 8 squares of toilet paper
Maternity Clothes: Not yet - but will definitely need something shortly that is comfortable. I'm in the stage where my clothes still fit but they're snug and uncomfortable
Stretch marks? No new ones
Sleep: Still don't sleep all that well because I'm having a hard time training myself to sleep on my side. I use the body pillow Sharon gave me to start out and it's very comfy - it's just a matter of keeping myself on either side.
Best moment this week: Sharing our NEWS! Telling my nana was the most memorable - she told me the sweetest things about when I was a baby and how good of a Mom I'd be and how happy she was for us. I sat at my desk and was crying on the phone, just praying that no one would knock on my door!
Worst moment this week: Actually this was a good week - we started to tell our family & friends, and I had no major issues but started to experience the abdominal aches which truly feels like stretching.
Concerns/Fears: I do hope I remember all my questions for the doctor. Sleeping on my sides, I wake up and find that I've rolled onto my back (that's the most comfortable for me but the books says to sleep on your sides). If you don't have any symptoms, should you assume that all is well? :)
Movement: N/A
Food cravings:
Gender prediction: I'm on the fence
Labor Signs: N/A
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Weekly Wisdom:
Milestones: Being able to tell our family & friends was the best part of the week! Everyone was so excited for us which only help to make this whole thing a lot more real. But I never thought I would be so nervous & anxious to tell my family - but man, did I have hives! :)

13th Week Growth...

How your baby's growing: Your belly may soon be big enough to announce to the world that you're expecting, but your baby is still tiny. In fact, he's only about 3 inches long crown to rump — roughly the size of a jumbo shrimp — and weighs just about an ounce. Despite the small proportions, there's a fully formed baby inside your womb now. Much more proportional than it was a few weeks ago, his head is now only about a third the size of his body. His tiny, unique fingerprints are already in place. His kidneys and urinary tract are functional, and he's starting to urinate out the amniotic fluid he's been swallowing. As you start your second trimester, most of your baby's critical development will be completed, and your odds of miscarriage will drop considerably.

How your life's changing: Time to celebrate! This is the last week of your first trimester. Next week you'll be in your second trimester. That's great news for two reasons: One, your risk of miscarriage drops dramatically, and two, many women see early pregnancy symptoms, such as morning sickness, subside. (In some cases, though, heartburn replaces the nausea.) Birth is still months away, but your breasts may have already started making colostrum, the nutrient-rich fluid that feeds your baby for the first few days after birth, before your milk starts to flow. Many couples also notice a distinct libido lift in the second trimester as nausea abates and energy returns.

Yah, the word is out...

WHEW - what a huge relief!

We've been able to tell most of our family (Catherine - where are you??) and this is so exciting. Being able to talk about it makes it all feel more real.

I'm so happy to have been able to share the news, but man, let me tell you - that is nerve-wracking! I broke out into hives a few times!

Not only was is so great to share - but now we have babysitters lined up for the next 10 years!

Now that you're checking out the site for updates about the upcoming baby - please leave comments! I love reading comments and it makes me sad when I see that people have visited but not left comments. And you don't want to see a pregnant woman cry, do you??

Word is starting to spread...

So I've already called Moira & Sharon to tell them the news ... and I'm trying to figure out who else do I call today and how I go about doing so!

I have an email that I've drafted up that includes a cute link to an ecard that Alyson found. The ecard says "Now Accepting Applications for Babysitters - We're expecting"... it's very cute.

I'll call Gary, Cissy & Sue when I get home tonight just because they're all working. I can tell BL at work - that's the easy one. I think I'll call some more people before I send out the email so I can actually tell them rather than them reading about it.

But this is exciting!

Word from Dad...

So the word from Dad (Dad = Dan for those of you confused) ...

We can tell!

He's ready to share the news. I didn't think he was, I thought he wanted to keep it underwraps some more but when I asked him this morning, his response was "Sure, let's tell... who do you want to tell?"

So I'm not sure when or how I'm going to do this yet, but when we start to tell people we'll give the grandparents the word. I promise.

Getting antsy...

So now that we're finally into the 2nd trimester, I'm getting antsy. I want to tell people. I don't want to keep this a secret anymore! I know that we're never really out of the woods but I feel a bit more like we passed that first hurdle.
However, there is this battle that is currently playing out in my mind and the winner changes often. I'm battling between wanting to tell people now and waiting until our doctor appointment next week. I want to tell because I don't want to keep this in anymore. But it would be nice to have another appointment under our belt to make sure everything is still fine.

UGH...

But I'm so antsy...

I'll have to speak to Dad and see what he says...

12th Week Journal...

Looks like we made it!!

We're finally out of the first trimester! Out of the woods, so to speak. Wow, the 2nd trimester - the one that people say is the best time. Guess we'll just have to see what the 2nd trimester brings us. And yes, within the next two week we'll be telling people so then you'll be able to spread the word as well.

How far along? 12wks today
Total weight gain/loss: I'm guessing about ~4 lbs
TP Test: haven't done it in a bit - but since today is 12 wks, I'll check in
Maternity Clothes: Not yet - but I'm looking forward to when I can wear jeans that are comfy
Stretch marks? No new ones
Sleep: This is the biggest kicker for me - I'm always tired but when it's time to actually sleep, I don't sleep soundly, and I have weird dreams. I've found that on the weekends if I keep going from the time I get up then I can go all day. But if I take a break, then I loose all motivation
Best moment this week: Again with no spotting - and hitting the 2nd trimester mark!
Worst moment this week: Getting really antsy with not telling people yet
Concerns/Fears: Same as last week - I really hope I remember all my questions next week at the dr appt.
Movement: N/A
Food cravings: Since Friday night, I've been craving French Fries with salt & vinegar. And watching the Food Network yesterday didn't help with 2 shows about French Fries...
Gender prediction: I'm on the fence
Labor Signs: N/A
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Weekly Wisdom: Soon we'll be able to tell people - I'm just trying to figure out how to do it.
Milestones: 2nd Trimester baby!!!

12th Week Growth...

How your baby's growing: Your baby's hit the 2-inch mark (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce. Her face is beginning to look more human. Her eyes, which started out on the sides of her head, have moved closer together on her face, and her ears are near their final positions on the sides of her head. Your baby's intestines, which have grown so rapidly that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into her abdominal cavity about now. Her kidneys are secreting urine into her bladder. Her nerve cells have been multiplying rapidly, and synapses (neurological pathways in the brain) are forming. Your baby may have acquired more reflexes by now, including sucking, and she'll even squirm if you prod your abdomen, though you still won't be able to feel her movement for several weeks.

How your body changing: Your uterus is rising above your pelvic bones, and your practitioner can now feel the top of it (the fundus) low in your abdomen. Though you probably won't need maternity clothes for several more weeks yet, you've no doubt noticed that your waist is thickening and that you're more comfortable in looser, less restrictive clothing.You may also start getting heartburn (also called acid indigestion), a burning sensation that often extends from the bottom of your breastbone to your lower throat. It's caused by both hormonal and physical changes in your body — and can take the pleasure out of eating a meal or sleeping. Eating small meals and avoiding foods that make the problem worse, such as fried, spicy, or fatty foods, can help.

Grafton's Annual Chicken BBQ...

I almost forgot to mention!!!!

Today is Grafton's Annual Chicken BBQ! It's being held DIRECTLY in front of my house. I'm not exactly sure what's going on over there and being that it's chicken, I'm not walking over to find out! All I know is that there are a lot of tents, picnic tables, people, cars & a man with a microphone and a VERY loud speaker system.

This was held last year and I had no idea what it was. Dan was away in PA fishing so he missed out. But I remember trying to go to sleep around 11:30pm last year and the music was still blaring! This year, I've had Harry Connick Jr on since 11am, nice and loud so I can drown out their sounds! Let's hope it works!

And the kicker - I despise chicken. Oh Joy!

Mum's the word...

I made pun on the word "mum" - and I didn't even mean to...

So we are a FEW short days away from the end of the first trimester! And besides the 2 week period of spotting (thank god that is over with!!) and the exhaustion, this pregnancy-thing hasn't been all that bad. Of course, I'm sure Daddy will disagree with me because he's been the one to have to listen to me whine at night when I'm tired and can't sleep, or my hips hurt, or my boobs hurt or when I just burb for no reason. Which, by the way, Daddy already thought was gross, now I'm sure he's just horrified! But other than my complaining, it's been good.

The last two weeks has been difficult, only in the sense that I'm getting really antsy and it's getting harder not to say anything. When we see family or friends, I want to tell them. Especially those who know that this hasn't been easy for us, I really want to tell them so they don't give me the "I'm so sorry look". Not that they are doing that, but my pregnant mind thinks they could be. We saw Steve & Carolyn and Steve & Ann last week and I really, really wanted to say something. I'm actually finding that I'm not talking to a lot of people (specifically Moira, Sharon, Bridget, & Chris) for fear that I'll slip. Because those are the people on my side that I'm telling first, and I don't necessarily trust myself.

But our next Dr appt is Sept 21st. I checked with the nurse today and they'll do a few routine tests (pap smear) but then we'll also listen to the heartbeat. So that will be very exciting! And then once that appointment is over and everything goes okay - I'll be more than ready to tell people! Less than 2 weeks now...

11th Week Journal...

How far along? 11wks today
Total weight gain/loss: ~2 lbs
TP Test: I'll check in the morning since I just had dinner ...
Maternity Clothes: Not yet, but I know I'm going to need new pants (jeans) soon
Stretch marks? Just the ones I already had
Sleep: I wish I was able to get a solid night sleep - I keep tossing & turning because I want to sleep on my sides (according to the 'books'), but I love sleeping on my back.
Best moment this week: No Spotting
Worst moment this week: This week was actually pretty good - no spotting and no pains. However, it was very hard to see Steve & Carolyn and Steve & Ann and not say anything...
Concerns/Fears: The usual fears - going the bathroom, spotting, is everything progressing as it should, Will I remember all my questions at our next Doctor appt, When will the testing phase begin?
Movement: N/A
Food cravings: Eggo Waffles. I haven't had waffles in probably 20 years, but I woke up this morning dying for some eggo waffles. Thank goodness it was a holiday so I ran to Stop & Shop and picked up some waffles & stuff for dinner.
Gender prediction: Although I'd love a boy - I'm trying to remain neutral right now because it's 50/50
Labor Signs: N/A
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Weekly Wisdom: Try to get more sleep than normal, although I'm not always doing that, but on the weekends I try to stay in bed til at least 8:30am, which is very late for me.
Milestones: We're almost in the 2nd trimester - next Tuesday will be the start of the 2nd Trimester, then we'll be able to start telling a lot more people as going to Steve & Ann's house was difficult because we both wanted to say something.

We also saw Steve & Carolyn last night - and I'm convinced Carolyn knows. She asked several times what was new. And one time she asked, she had a smirk on her face. I tried to look at Dan's mom for a facial reaction but she didn't give any. We'll see...we're trying to figure out when/how to tell them as we'd like to tell them face to face.

11th Week Growth...

How your baby's growing: Your fig-sized baby is now fully formed — measuring 1 1/2 inches long and weighing in at a quarter of an ounce. His skin is still transparent, allowing many of his blood vessels to show through. Some of his bones are beginning to harden, and tiny toothbuds are starting to appear under his gums. His fingers and toes have separated, and he may soon be able to open and close his fists. He's already busy kicking and stretching, and his tiny movements are so fluid they look like water ballet. These movements will increase as his body grows and becomes more developed and functional. As his diaphragm develops, your tiny tenant may also start to get the hiccups. Because he's still so small, though, you won't feel any of his workouts or intrauterine gulps until sometime between weeks 16 and 20.

How your life's changing: At this point, you may be experiencing some strange symptoms, such as excessive saliva. Learn which of your symptoms are normal and which are a sign that something might be wrong. You're probably also wondering things like, Can I keep going to dance class? Could the air bags in my car hurt my baby? Which cold medications are safe to take now? Find out what's safe and what's not during pregnancy.Don't worry if nausea has made it impossible for you to eat a wide variety of healthy foods or if you haven't put on much weight yet (most women gain between 2 and 5 pounds during the first trimester). Your appetite will likely return soon and you'll start to gain about a pound a week.

Beached Whale...

Wow, I feel like a beached-whale and I'm not even close to showing.

I'm so bloated today and I just feel ugh. I have been burping all morning (I know, so classy) and then soup & salad from lunch is not helping me at all.

I just want to lay down and take a nap (exhaustion came back a bit) but laying down is no longer comfortable - whether it's on my sides, stomach or back. I tried using the body pillow my aunt gave me and that helped a bit but not completely.

I just want a nap... because the peanut is making me tired.