20 weeks...half way there!

Today I had my 20 week appointment (a few days early) and everything went really well! I was kind of anxious to get on the scale...but stopped worrying when I saw that I had finally gained some weight! I am now +8 lbs since the beginning:) Other than that, everything was pretty much the same. Blood pressure was normal, no protein in urine, and belly measured what it was supposed to. I got to hear the heartbeat with the doppler and it was about 155 bpm. Usually the heart rate is between 120-160 bpm, so baby Moore's heart rate is on the higher side:) Some people say that girls usually have higher heart rates....and others say the opposite...We will just have to see on Thursday!  

Baby Development This Week:

Baby is now around 10.5 ounces and 10 inches long from head to toe, the size of a banana! Now baby will be measured from head to toe instead of head to bottom. Baby is starting to make meconium in the bowels...which we will get to see in the first dirty diaper! (I will let Derek be the first to change the baby:)

Week 19 + feeling baby move!

Today is the start of week 19 and I am so excited that I started to feel the baby move inside me! At first I thought it was just my stomach growling because I was hungry, but then I realized that it was a little different....now completely different! About 3 or 4 different times throughout the day if I stop what I am doing and sit still I can feel little jabs and movements...Such a neat feeling! If I press on the side of my belly, the baby will move:) I can't feel anything from the outside, but I can't wait until I do so that Derek can feel it too!

I have my 20 week appointment on Monday, where we will most likely listen to the heartbeat and get my weight and urine checked...I have completely ignored the urge to weigh myself so that I don't worry about not gaining any weight. (Although I am pretty sure I have:) Then on April 2nd we have the 20 week anatomy ultrasound where we will get to see the baby and know the sex:) I still can't believe that I am almost half way there!

A few nights ago Derek and I went to Barnes and Noble and I picked up a few baby books. One of them is called "The Vaccine Book" by Dr. Sears. I have heard from many people that I work with that this is a very good book about all the vaccines. It breaks down each vaccine and describes the different brands and the ingredients. Dr Sears describes how important each one is for the baby and how important it is to keep these diseases under control. Then it weighs the pro's and con's of each vaccine and whether or not it needs to be given right away or not. He is not against the vaccines, he just believes that there are alternative vaccine schedules that we can use so we don't have to give our babies up to 6 different vaccines at once. I am very interested in his alternative schedules, and hope to find a pediatrician that is supportive of this...the baby will still get most of the vaccines(not sure about a few, like the Rota, influenza, and chickenpox vaccines) but they will be spaced out. 

 

Baby Development This Week:

Baby weighs around 8.5 ounces and is 6 inches in length, the size of a large tomato! Baby can hear my voice now and may even respond to it:) Baby's arms and legs are now in the right proportion to the rest of the body. Hair is starting to grow on the scalp. A protective coating of vernix is forming on the skin to prevent it from the amniotic fluid. Can't wait to see baby next week during the ultrasound!

Derek and I decided that once we know the sex of the baby we will start to think of names...I am excited and nervous at the same time! I do want to give a heads up that we will be keeping it between us until baby is here...Sorry guys:)

So far I have been craving lots of different things...so many that I just figure it is my love of food and not the baby....Lately I have been craving salty things like pickles, cheese, peanuts, french fries, and olives. Also craving chocolate shakes for desert. (OK, all the time)

18 Weeks

18 Weeks today! Although I have been feeling good physically, I think it is really starting to hit me that Grandma is really gone. Its been almost a week since she has been gone and almost 2 weeks since we have had one of our daily phone conversations...and I miss that so much. While driving to work this morning I just wanted to hit speed dial #5 and talk with her. Now I have all the memories to look back on...

Other than that, everything is pretty much the same here. Tummy is sticking out through most of my shirts so I have been wearing the maternity shirts that Erica and Mom gave me. (Thanks guys!) I have decided to stay away from the scale because it is only making me worry about my weight gain. I will continue to do what I am doing and get weighed at the Doctors in 2 weeks... I am pretty sure that all the Skyline in Cincinnati helped me out a little:)

Baby Development This Week:
Baby is now about 5 1/2 inches, the size of a bell pepper and weighs almost 7 ounces! Baby is busy flexing arms and legs...although I have yet to feel them. The blood vessels are visible through the skin and the ears are now in their final position.

Missing him!

I did not bring a camera back to Cincinnati with me, so I took these from Baby Griffin's blog...I was so excited to spend time with him (Of course I was excited to spend time with all my family) but baby G just gets so much bigger every time I see him! He is such an easygoing baby and just LOVES attention and laughter. We played peek-a-boo quite a bit and his little laugh is just so cute!

Guardian Angel

Last Saturday Grandma went to heaven. We miss her so much. She is watching down on us and is our new Guardian Angel. Derek and I just got back into town after spending time in Ohio for her funeral. We celebrated her life and gathered all of our memories of her and all the time we were able to have with her. I know she is smiling down on us and happy to finally be at peace. I love you Grandma "DB" ~

Mary Elizabeth Donovan

May 5, 1923-March 14, 2009

Her favorite prayer ~ One we all hope to live by as she did

Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. 

Week 17

Today is the start of week 17, and I am feeling pretty good! Although I have not been sleeping very well, I think it is just because I have so much on my mind (Worried about Grandma). I have been on the phone with everyone back at home multiple times a day and feel a lot better when I have frequent updates...As of right now Grandma is sleeping all the time and not waking in pain. That's all we can ask for right now.

Other than that, still no weight gain! Kinda starting to worry me, but I am trying to just remain relaxed and keep eating all the time. I posted the first belly pics and there is definitely a little bump...Been wearing yoga/sweat pants all the time. Just hoping that I don't need to go anywhere that requires nice clothes any time soon! (Or I might just have to buy some. gasp. maternity clothes!) I am starting to see some really cute maternity clothes, but they are all spring/summer and its still so chilly here! I despise winter clothes to begin with so buying funny looking winter maternity clothes, no thanks! 

The neighborhood now knows I am pregnant:) I was outside today doing some yard work and stopped to chat with the neighbor...We talked for about a half hour about another neighbor (A crazy old lady) and she said to me in the middle of her sentence, "I don't mean to be rude, but are you pregnant? I know I am not supposed to ask, but you look like you have a belly!" I started laughing and told her that I was...She was so happy and says she can't wait to babysit:) I was just excited that someone who did not know I was pregnant asked me! Feeling so real! 

Derek and I spent a few hours at Babies R US last weekend and registered! Boy was that a task, but thankfully most if not all can be done online. Still need to pick the nursery furniture...

I bought this book before we registered and read it in about 3 hours....its a really great book called Baby Bargains and it has reviews for every baby "thing" you will ever need. It has safety ratings and tells you exactly what brands are worth the money. It also has a lot of little tips and helpful suggestions...this book is a must have for first time parents!

Baby Development This Week:

Baby weighs around 5 ounces now, and is the size of a turnip:) (Another site says size of a baked potato, and that sounds so much better:) Baby's weight will increase 6 times over the next 4 weeks! Baby is beginning to add fat so that he/she can keep warm once born. The fingernails and toenails are starting to grow from the nail bed. Baby's arms and legs are moving all around, can't wait to feel him/her:) 

Baby Bump part 1

Here is the belly at 12 weeks. (Notice I still fit in my jeans:)

Here is the belly at 16 weeks. 

Happy Birthday Dad!

Happy Birthday Dad! I really wish we could be there to celebrate with you... I hope you have a great day:) 

Praying

I have not yet talked about Grandma on this blog, and I think I know why. She has been sick, sick for a long time and its been so hard to be so far from her. Thinking about it hurts. It makes me so sad to even type these words because I just wish I could be there helping her and everyone else. 

When I used to live in Cincinnati I would talk to Grandma every day and spend a lot of time with her. We had a very close relationship. When I moved to California I knew that it would not stop us from talking every day. Sometimes when she was lonely I would call 2 times a day. We talked about everything and she has always been there for me. She has always given me advice and encouraged me to look to God for the answers. From the day I got married until the day we told Grandma I was pregnant, she asked. Daily. She asked me every time we talked, "Are you pregnant yet?" I would always laugh and hope that one day I would be able to tell her that I was pregnant. She has been so excited about the baby. She said from the beginning that it is a girl, and she will get to see the baby when she is in heaven.  

Up until 3 days ago we still talked daily. Now she is in hospice and she wants to go to heaven. We all just keep praying that she can go peacefully...and not have to suffer anymore. I just keep thinking about the memories I have with her and I would not trade them for the world. I wish that baby Moore would get to meet Grandma DB, but I know that she will be watching from above. 

In the mean time all I can do is pray. Pray that her body and mind are at peace. Pray that she is not feeling pain. Pray for my Mom. Pray for the family. Keep praying.  

 

Week 16

Tomorrow is the first day of week 16. I had my "16 week appointment" on Monday and Dr. Jaki said everything looked great! I was a little anxious to get on the scale because I knew that I had not really gained any weight, but I was hoping that the scale would prove me wrong and jump ahead! I was right, and I am still only +3lbs from the beginning. I was concerned about this and Dr. Jaki said I had nothing to worry about. She said if I was still feeling sick and nauseous then it would be a concern, but I have felt better for a few weeks now. I told her I feel like I am eating all the time and she said that's good, and to keep doing what I am doing. She said that it might be helpful to eat more protein because that helps some women gain weight...or I could just add a milkshake to my daily diet....hmmm meat or Wendy's frosty! Hehe for now I will just continue to do what I know how to do....eat whatever and whenever I want:) (For anyone who knows me this is not really any different from my normal pre-pregnant habits) One thing that might help a little is the Skyline Chili that Erica sent me in the mail! I am so excited to eat skyline, it has been 2 months and that is WAY too long:) Thanks Erica!

After I talked with Dr. Jaki for a few minutes she brought out the doppler (the part I was most excited for) and we listened to the heartbeat. As she was squirting the jelly on my abdomen she said "It may take a minute or so to find the heartbeat." The second that the doppler touched my belly you could hear a very nice and clear heartbeat! She said "Oh wow, that was easy! See Michele the baby has a nice strong heartbeat. Everything sounds perfect!" It was such a comforting sound to hear...Everything is becoming so real and so exciting:)

This weekend Derek and I are going to go to Babies R Us and start our baby registry. It is not often that we have a weekend off work together so we are going to try to tackle this project this weekend. I have started to research some of the basics that we will need. I just hope that we can find what we are looking for and not have too many choices...I struggle with too many choices and then it takes me forever to decide on something...

I have been doing a lot of research on Attachment Parenting and all of the benefits. There are many areas where I agree and it is kind of neat to learn these things. Most of it seems like basic natural instinct. Some things I don't think are necessary, like never letting a baby cry. I guess we will see if I am really able to do that:) I do believe in instinctive parenting--doing what feels right, and sometimes that falls under what attachment parenting advocates. Things like lots of physical contact, slinging, co-sleeping, and breastfeeding. The one area that I was not sure about was whether or not I want the baby to sleep in our room or not. I plan to breastfeed exclusively and know that I will not be sleeping much throughout the night. I think the best option for us is to get a co-sleeper to put beside the bed. Hopefully baby will only need to be there for 3-4 months, or until baby is sleeping longer periods through the night. I just don't want to end up with a baby who will not sleep in the crib away from us!

Another thing that I am interested in learning about is baby wearing and all the benefits...(I know, I know, just because I moved to California does not mean I am a hippie:) I am just interested in the research and think some of it is kind of cool! A friend of mine at work told me about this baby sling/carrier and she HIGHLY recommended it over the Baby Bjorn. She has both and said that this baby sling is the best...very worth it! It is called the Ergo Baby and she said her baby LOVES it and it is very comfortable for her and her husband to wear. I really want one of these!

That's all for this week:)

Baby Development This Week:

Baby should be around 4.5 inches and weigh around 3.5 ounces. The heart is now pumping 25 quarts of blood a day! (Maybe that is where all the extra calories that I am eating are going!) The legs are much more defined and are moving on a regular basis. Between now and the next few weeks I may start to feel the baby move inside me:) This week the baby is the size of an avocado...yum:)