The New Arrival!!

Noah Allan was born yesterday at 2:44 pm. He weighs 7lbs, 1oz and is 19 1/2 inches. He is absolutely perfect and the most beautiful little boy. I am a very proud Aunt, and I am so absolutely proud of his mother who did an amazing job. Life is good. One perfect niece, one perfect nephew, and two little cousins for them on the way.

13 weeks, 4 days

I had my first round ligament pains this week. They scared me a bit. I thought for sure something was wrong, until I was reassured that those pains were completely normal. I have also been feeling Braxton-Hicks contractions, which sounds completely insane to some people since I am only 13 weeks. Rest assured that most women start them at 6 weeks, but don't start feeling them until later on. Some women, most of whom have had previous pregnancies feel them much earlier. I started feeling them around 8 weeks. They happen maybe once a day, and only last about 10-15 seconds. It's strange to feel your uterus so rock hard.
The top of my uterus is right up to my navel right now, which I think usually happens around 16 weeks in a singleton pregnancy. My belly is starting to pop out a bit more.
I am up to a 7 pound weight gain. I am still having little bouts of nausea, but it has drastically eased from earlier. Right now the babies are growing from about the size of a lime (13 weeks) to the size of a lemon (14 weeks). It's ridiculous that they're compared to food!

The greatest news of the day is that Joel and I will "officially" be an Auntie and Uncle again sometime today. Our sister-in-law is in labor, so we will be heading off to the hospital sometime soon to gather with the family and meet our new nephew. May the Lord watch over Beth and the baby as he makes his entrance into the world!!

12 1/2 weeks

I am inching closer and closer to the end of the first trimester. Looking back it seems to have passed rather quickly. I am starting to feel better, and I have a little more energy. Although I am waiting for that spurt of energy that some women talk about.
I am so excited that the nice weather is finally here. I think I got a little sample of what the hot summer months are going to bring in those few days this week. It was not pleasant and I can only imagine how bad it is going to get. Needless to say, I turned the central air on. I could barely manage to sleep with the air and two fans pointed at me.
There are lots of fun things going on this summer. I have friends' weddings, my sister-in-law's wedding, and my brother-in-law and other sister-in-law due with their first baby in June. I am thinking that it is going to pass rather quickly, as summers usually do.
I have the next few days off of work, and I have lots of thing to accomplish now that I am not so down in the dumps. I have flowers to plant, and closets to clean out for the garage sale we are planning next weekend. I want to head to the store to get a pre-natal yoga workout since I am already starting to have back pain. I would like to remain nice and limber. I also want to start exercising some more. It pretty much went out the window during the first trimester. Call me crazy!

11 weeks, 1st OB visit

I had my first prenatal appointment this morning. It was pretty uneventful. After peeing in a cup, giving a few vials of blood, and going through the huge checklist and family history or illness and diseases, I met with my doctor. We discussed the upcoming opening of the new birthing unit at the hospital (yay! I love new!) but more importantly we discussed the pregnancy.
No big questions, or concerns.
I got a quick check-up and she assessed all my girlie-bits. I'm measuring a few weeks ahead, go figure, I've got two babies baking.
We briefly discussed the delivery. I'll be assessed at 28 weeks for pre-term labor, if necessary, I'll go on bedrest, if all looks good I'll be able to continue with my regular activities. I can deliver at my hospital at 34 weeks and beyond, if I go earlier than that I will be transferred to the University, or Abbott. The doctor reiterated that I will probably have these babies around 36 weeks.
She used the doppler to check for heartbeats. We could definitely hear one baby. After some searching we found another heartbeat, it was in another area and slightly faster, but the doctor seemed to think that it still belonged to the first baby. I'm pretty sure it was the second baby, but I'm not the OB/Gyn. Who knows? She wasn't at all concerned about just finding one, since detecting two separate heartbeats at 11 weeks with a doppler is difficult. Both of the ultrasounds we had showed strong heartbeats, so I'll have to be reassured by those that everything is okay.
We head back in 4 weeks for another visit, and another ultrasound. I am going to be spoiled by getting to see these babies so much!

Belly Shots

Taken at 5 1/2 weeks.




Taken last week, at 9 1/2 weeks.

10 weeks, 2 days

From last Thursday through the day before yesterday I was feeling great. I was only sick in the mornings and the evenings, I thought the worst of my morning sickness was over! Once I spoke it, it turned on me. It's back, and I am actually really happy about it. Not being constantly sick makes me completely paranoid. I'd rather struggle through the day with some reassurance than fly through it being worried the whole time.
I had a great day! I went back to my old workplace and got to visit with friends and clients. It was great to catch up, but I really miss being there. I love my new job, and my new clients but it's not the same. I miss the friendships, the daily routines, the client's hugs, and their sweet, and sometimes naughty personalities. At least I got to leave with a couple of Scotcheroo bars, they cheered me up.
I've been taking belly pics to track my growth progress. I do seem to have a bit of a pooch going. I'll post some tomorrow. I have a feeling that in the next few weeks my stomach is going to drastically enlarge! I have managed to gain 3 pounds so far. Although with all the eating that I am doing, I am really surprised that it's not more!