Week 15 and Baby Apple

No, apple is not a name, just the size of the baby this week! I am now in week 15 and feeling pretty good! Last night was the first time in a long time that I cooked a big dinner and was able to eat it too! There are still some foods that just sound gross, but for the most part I am able to eat mostly everything! (I made a Thanksgiving dinner last night because I was craving stuffing...it was the first Turkey I have ever made and it turned out pretty good!) I have still only gained three pounds total and I am starting to wonder where all this food is going! I have never really tried to gain or lose weight in the past and now that I am supposed to be gaining it, I am finding it kinda hard! (I know, I know, I am sure it will all start to happen and then I will regret saying this) I guess I am just confused because I am eating so much! I know that gaining weight in the first trimester is not that important, and most people don't gain anything. Now that I am in my second trimester I am supposed to be gaining 1-2 pounds per week...eek! I guess I will try to eat more protein!


I have my 16 week appointment Monday and I am excited to hear the heartbeat! I do not think we will be doing an ultrasound unless the MD wants to, but that's OK with me. 4 weeks from Monday we will have the 20 week appointment and find out if baby Moore is a boy or girl!!!


I was talking on the phone with Erica today and she asked me when we were going to register for baby stuff...I guess I thought we would wait until we know the sex of the baby, but really that does not matter. We plan to get mostly everything that is gender neutral so we can use it for our other children. So Erica brought up a good point...."Just do it now" she said. I guess since I am almost 4 months pregnant we should start thinking about the things we need. Thank God I have Erica to ask and she has been through all this. She can tell me what we need and don't need. Babies R Us is a VERY overwhelming place to me because there is SO much baby stuff and I feel like a lot of it is unnecessary! I know the basics are nice to have but there is so much out there and according to the people there you "Must have" 15 different contraptions to hold/swing/glide the baby. You must have 5 different car seats and 3 different strollers. You must have 3 different baby slings for different occasions. You must have 4 different places for baby to sleep....Yikes baby stuff! Babies R Us is where we will register because it is across the country and mostly everything is online...While I do love some things at Pottery Barn, they don't have nearly as much and its kinda pricey (I can't justify spending more on a baby crib than my own bed!) So now the journey of baby stuff begins...Any recommendations are welcome!


Baby Development This Week:
Baby is moving amniotic fluid through the nose and respiratory tract, which is helping the lungs develop. Baby can now sense light-although eyelids are still fused shut. Taste buds are forming. If we DID have an ultrasound we may be able to see if baby is a boy or girl...I guess we have to be patient!

Its hard to live by these rules!

Ever since the first day I learned I was pregnant I have been trying to "follow the rules" that are out there for pregnant women. Being a pediatric nurse I know may things that I should and should not do while pregnant...I have seen very sick babies born from mothers who were addicted to drugs and alcohol. I have also seen very sick babies who were born from mothers who did everything right. Some things are not up to us, and only to God. I know that even when you do everything perfectly, things can go wrong. So I have been trying to do everything I can to "follow the rules" and hope for the best. Some of the food rules are driving me crazy....like the fact that I cannot eat:

1. Lunch meat esp. turkey

2. Hot dogs (OK I don't eat them often, but they sound so good right now!)

3. Soft cheese

4. Coffee

5. DIET COKE

6. Cookie dough (raw eggs)

 All the other "Pregnancy rules" have not bothered me that much and to be honest some of them are nice, Like:

1. Can't change the cat litter:)

2. Really should not be lifting heavy things

3. Sleeping in is much needed

4. Excuse for falling asleep at 9pm

5. Being able to take extra little breaks at work to eat and drink 

6. Eating non-stop all day:)

I have been trying my best to eat well...but sometimes salty french fries sound so good. So I have been giving in to my cravings and then leaving some room for something healthy. So if I eat some fries, I will follow it with and orange! I have been really slacking in a gym department, OK I have not gone at all the past few months! My favorite class at the gym is a weight lifting class, and guess what---I am not supposed to lift weights. This is the worst excuse I have ever given for not going to the gym because there other things I can do there;) So I have been trying to go for walks and that has been successful. Even if my walk is at the mall, it is still a walk! I will try my best to do everything I am supposed to do, and if I slip a little, I will try not to lose any sleep:)   

Week 14 and Second Trimester

Today I am officially in my second trimester! I can't believe how fast it has gone and how much better I feel:) It was not that long ago that I was referring to the baby as a blueberry and now its the size of a lemon! (I know, I know, that's still so small:) So far I have been feeling good and think that my appetite has definitely increased! I have started having some cravings and I have not been holding back. I think I better not go with my cravings every day because I might put on way too much weight! Lately it has been breakfast foods. Every morning I normally eat cereal or oatmeal...and the past week I have wanted eggs, hash browns, bacon, pancakes, bagels...When I am off work and at home I have not been giving into my cravings, but at work I do! (I figure I am on my feet all day at work, so why not!)

I think that the "baby bump" has started to show now because I can no longer suck in and pretend I "fit" into my regular pants. Its a good thing that most of them are low enough on my hips so I can just keep the rubber band on them. (Pics to come this weekend...I need D to be home to take them:)

Baby Development This Week:

Baby can now frown, squint, grimace and even suck his or her thumb! Baby measures 3.5 inches and weighs 1.5 ounces. The liver starts to make bile and the spleen starts producing red blood cells. Baby's hands and feet are flexible and active (Although I do not feel it yet).






Last but not least I bought baby's first Papasan Swing! I was looking through Craigslist and found this "gently used" swing. The woman who was selling it mentioned that her new baby does not like to be in the swing and only likes sleeping on her tummy...So I went to pick it up at her house and I ended up staying for 45 min and talking with the woman! She was really sweet and we had a really nice conversation...and the best part--I got a GREAT deal on the swing! Cousin Griffin really liked this swing, so hopefully our baby will too!

Chinese Birth Chart...Could it be right?

Legend says that a Chinese birth chart (supposedly predicting the gender of a baby with 93 percent accuracy) was buried in a tomb near Beijing for almost 700 years. It has you find your information in a chart (month of conception, age of mother, current year) and then tells you if it will be boy or girl! According to the Chinese birth chart we will be having a Girl...From the beginning my intuition has been boy, so we will see who is right!

Baby Moore will be born the year of the Ox...Grandpa Moore gave us a card with some characteristics of people born the year of the Ox...

"The Ox is thought to be the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work. They're quite dependable and possess an innate ability to achieve great things. As one might guess, such people are dependable, calm, and modest. Like their animal namesake, the Ox is unswervingly patient, tireless in their work, and capable of enduring any amount of hardship without complaint.
Ox people, according to tradition, need peace and quiet to work through their ideas, and when they have set their mind on something it is hard for them to be convinced otherwise. An Ox person has a very logical mind and is extremely systematic in whatever they do, though they have a tremendous imagination and an unparalleled appreciation for beauty. These people speak little but are extremely intelligent. When necessary, they are articulate and eloquent.
Traditionally, people born under the influence of the Ox are thought to be kind, caring souls, logical, positive, filled with common sense and with their feet firmly planted on the ground. The Ox, it is thought, works hard, patiently, and methodically, with original intelligence and reflective thought. These people enjoy helping others. Behind this tenacious, laboring, and self-sacrificing exterior lies an active mind."

Week 13 and Feeling Better:)

Tomorrow starts the beginning of week 13 and so far everything is progressing smoothly! I am starting to feel better most of the time...and eat ANYTHING and EVERYTHING! So far weight gain is still at 3 pounds...wondering when I will start to really gain some weight. (I am sure in a few months I will regret saying that:)

At our last appointment the doctor asked us if we would like to do any "prenatal genetic testing." There are so many "tests" that they can do these days and most of them need to take place between certain weeks of pregnancy. From the beginning I knew I would not want any invasive testing done unless medically necessary. There is also a blood test that can detect markers for "Trisomy 21" (Down's Syndrome) but it is not a very accurate test. There is a higher rate of "false positives." I fall under the "Low Risk" category due to age and family history. SO Derek and I talked it over and we decided that no matter what, we are keeping this baby and letting God decide the outcome. Even if we were to find out information now, we would still continue with what we were meant to do. So, no screening tests for us and baby. For now we plan to have the "Anatomy Scan Ultrasound" at 20 weeks where they will look at all the organs/fluid/placenta and make sure everything measures what it needs to. During this ultrasound we will also find out if baby Moore is a he or she! Yes, we will find out! After that, as long as everything is progressing normally, we will plan to have one more ultrasound in the 3rd trimester. I will go to the doctor every 4 weeks until delivery, so that she can monitor weight gain and listen to the little heartbeat.

The last thing I wanted to talk about was a Birthing Documentary that I am going to go rent tonight! It is called "The Business of Being Born" and is supposed to be a really good documentary about how the birth process is handled in our country. I have heard that it is very interesting! Click the link above to check out the trailer.

Baby Development This Week:

Baby has fingerprints now, veins and organs are visable now, and the body is starting to catch up with the head...baby is starting to actually look like a baby! Baby is now the size of a medium shrimp! Hehe!

Baby Moore's Diaper Bag!

This is the very first "thing" that was purchased for baby Moore (Well his/her parents too!) OK I admit that I might be the ONLY one excited bout this gift! While Derek and I were home for Christmas my Mom gave us this beautiful Kate Spade diaper bag! Everyone knows that I am a very big "Purse" person and I have always loved designer bags...and why should that stop me once we have a baby?!? It has so many pockets and a built in diaper pad...and so cute! We went to the store to pick it out (When I was 5 weeks pregnant!) and I am IN LOVE with it! Thanks Mom:)

12 Weeks

Friday was officially 12 weeks, and not much has changed. I still am experiencing morning sickness, but it is called night sickness in my case. Every evening at about 6pm, I feel nauseous and don't want to eat dinner. I know I need to but it just sounds so unappealing. It is really not that bad anymore and I am hoping that it goes away soon! Everyone keeps telling me "Oh as soon as you start the second trimester it will go away" and so I wait. This IS the last week of my "first trimester" so I am keeping my fingers crossed that the "night sickness" may soon be over! I have also been having some pretty strange dreams....I mean really weird! Most are about the baby, and most are pretty much impossible in real life. Some of them are pretty funny....but again, weird! I guess its normal to go through this....must be the hormones?

Work has been going well, I recently started my role as "charge nurse" on my unit, and like it so far! It is probably one of the most challenging roles I have had as a nurse because it is a LOT more responsibility than just the usual 3 patient load. Having the responsibility of all the nurses and all the patients on the unit is sometimes overwhelming...So I have to put my trust in my fellow nurses and manager! I have been pretty busy in this new role, but I think it has been nice to get my mind off my queasy stomach! I am not sure if I have mentioned that there are SEVEN PREGNANT nurses at work! Yes, seven. One of them just had her baby a few days ago, the next 4 are due in June, I am due in August, and one due in October! It has been so nice to have fellow pregnant nurses around because we all can talk about everything...I mean everything! The four that are due in June are just 8 weeks ahead of me, so I am able to ask them lots of questions and relate to them....I also know exactly what to expect in the weeks ahead!

Last but not least I think it may be time to put away my "normal jeans." Normally on my days off work I am running around in yoga/sweatpants and they are nice and stretchy. At work I wear scrub pants that have elastic (hot huh!?) in the back to they are nice and stretchy. The past few weekends I have needed to wear my jeans to go out and have found that they are not very comfortable any more. So thanks to my sister I started putting a rubber-band around the button to make them bigger....until the other day when the rubber band BROKE! Haha kinda funny it happened right after lunch and I didn't have another one, so I just squeezed my belly back in...I think the solution is bigger rubber-bands:)

Baby Development This Week:

Developing reflexes! Fingers are opening and closing. Toes will curl. Mouth begins making sucking movements. Even though I cannot feel, if I prod my belly the baby will squirm in response! Last but not least the kidneys are excreting urine into the bladder. Baby is just over 2 inches long (size of a lime) and weighs 1/2 an ounce...