17 weeks

Since our midwife is using November 3rd (a Wednesday) as my due date, I'm switching to Wednesdays for updates! This has been a very busy week- we had our semi-annual neighborhood garage sale and we now have a very decent start on neutral baby clothes for very little money. We also found the jogging stroller we wanted on craigslist and were lucky to be the first responders! Grandpa and Grandma Imholt were very generous in purchasing Baby B's mode of transportation...don't worry, I'm sure we'll say thank-you everytime we use it! We also got a carseat and two bases along with a double electric breast pump from the family Janae (Sarah's sister) nannies for. Unfortunately the car seat is red and the stroller is orange...not the prettiest combination but worth it to save a couple hundred bucks:) Thanks to amazon.com we're trying out a baby gate...we got the "extra tall" version and although we like the look are not so sure on the height- going to try it at the bottom of the stairs and see if that is any better. But the extra height when you're going up the stairs makes it very hard, if you're say, carrying a baby in a carseat! (We found this out yesterday when Jessica and Pax came home...it's quite handy having an 11 month-old to practice on!!)

I'm pretty sure what I've been feeling and continue to feel are tiny little baby kicks and I'm definitely "thickening" up around the middle. I've decided I'm looking forward to the first time a complete stranger asks me when I'm due- I think it will finally feel real then. Right now I could just be a "thick" person... or fat, depending on your word choice:)

16 weeks for real?

Saw the midwife today...she's putting the due date at November 3, which would make today my true 16 week mark. But since I've gotten into a good routine and have time to do updates and pics on Sundays, I think I'll just stick with Halloween:) Besides, it doesn't matter to Baby B what day I do my updates, he/she is going to pick whatever day they want to for a birthday!

Baby's heartbeat was strong. My blood pressure and weight are good (I've gained 6lbs total). No protein or glucose to worry about. We go back in a month. It was fun to hear the heartbeat and kicks again. (Much louder and stronger 4 weeks later!) Ryan still hasn't heard the heartbeat but he should be able to make the next appointment (school will be out!).

16 weeks

What a busy week we just survived! I've been house-sitting for some friends in Lake Stevens for 2 weeks. It's so nice to be back in my own bed:) Today was Janae's bridal shower (my sister). It was lots of fun and turned out great...but things like that wear me out fast! Subbing this week has been busy with the state MSP (Measurement of Student Progress) testing...and I work everyday this coming week and we'll be doing two more days of testing. I bought a Buggy Bag this week off craigslist, I got a great deal on it and I love the gender-neutral bright colors. I'm definitely going to keep my eye out for deals this summer! We're loving our new roommates (Jessica and Pax) and having a baby in the house is getting us even more excited for our own. (Pax is about 11 months and just plain wonderful!)

I still think I'm feeling movement...but since this is my first time around, maybe I'm wrong. This morning I rolled over on my tummy and it was the first time I felt a firm bump in the way- that was kind of neat. If you know me well, you can tell I'm gaining weight and have a small baby bump...if you don't know me, I just kind of look like I need to watch what I eat and get to the gym more:) Our next appointment is Wednesday, looking forward to checking in with our mid-wife, this still isn't feeling "real" yet.

15 weeks and BUSY

What a busy week! We had new roommates move in to our two spare bedrooms. Jessica and Pax are the daughter and grandson of some friends of ours at church and we're super excited to be helping them out while they help us out! I've been house-sitting in Lake Stevens for some friends who are in England for a wedding and work is picking up, like it always does at the end of the year. Our friend's daughter Ashlynn turned 1 and Ryan's friends from college welcomed their first child, Sienna. Plus we celebrated Mother's day with two soon-to-be grandma's and enjoyed some beautiful spring weather.

Nothing too exciting or new with the pregnancy this week. Still feeling occasional movement but not really showing much. I'm starting to look forward to looking pregnant but trying not to hurry it along by eating too much:) (This week was a VERY hungry week!)

14 weeks and movement

14 weeks! I'm going to try and wear a similar outfit each picture until the baby bumb gets really obvious:) These are still my regular jeans...and on days when I'm not too gasy I can even keep them buttoned while sitting! Ah, the joys of pregnancy:)

I'm pretty sure I've started feeling movement this week, although I woudn't quite say it feels like butterflies (since I've never swallowed live butterflies). It does however feel like something inside of me is moving AND it feels different than gas.

I've finally been able to get back to the gym this week. I've been swimming and spinning (bicycling) and need to start some weights into the rotation. This weekend I bought a new swimsuit that I'm hoping will last through the whole pregnancy...or at the very least through summer. I'm planning on participating in the Fat Salmon 3 mile swim in July (http://www.fatsalmon.org/) and the Swim For Life 2.5 mile swim in August (http://www.psbc.org/news_archive/swim2010.htm). Not sure if running will make it back into the mix (although I'm getting the itch) but it would be nice to throw in a sprint triathlon before I get too big (or it gets too hot).

kick?

I might have felt the first kick today! It definitely felt different than all the gas and bloating I've had. Caught me by surprise and made me think..."was that just a kick?"

13 weeks and a heartbeat!

What a week this has been! It sure seems like the nausea is fading, although I still get mild waves of it- but nothing debilitating like the last 7 weeks. Instead, I've discovered pregnancy headaches, lower back pain, and sleep deprivation. Thank goodness I can at least take Tylenol, and spending some time flat on my back on the floor seems to help a little (and my midwife recommended a great pregnancy chiropractor...going to try him out soon!). As far as sleep goes, I'm hoping getting back to the gym this week will help me be more tired, well I'm pretty tired every night...you could even say stupid tired most nights...but it doesn't seem to be enough to get me through the whole night. Somewhere between 2 and 3am I end up wide awake for about an hour or more. And everyone says...it's only going to get worse?!

Tuesday we had an appointment with out midwife and she had trouble finding Baby B's heartbeat with the Doppler, which is perfectly normal this early in pregnancy when Baby is so small and has so much room to move around in. BUT it still caused us some worry. I went back to the midwife on Friday, just to put our minds at ease and she found Baby B's heartbeat right away...going strong and even showing off by kicking a lot (kind of sounds like when you tap a live microphone).

Threat of miscarriage has always been a big concern for us considering my maternal history (both my mother and grandmother suffered multiple miscarriages) and not hearing the heartbeat Tuesday night made me really think...and do a whole lot of praying! First I was upset that I had made it so far but then also grateful that I was still in the first trimester and hadn't felt Baby B move yet. Speaking only for myself, I know it would be easier (not easy) to lose a baby early on rather than after "quickening". I know more than one person who has lost a child in the third trimester, after delivery or lost a young child and it may be selfish but I pray that I'm spared that particular pain. Second, I realized I do really want this Baby. I'm the type of person who keeps others at a safe distance (often a couple arm lengths away) until either I know they are safe or I love them enough to let them hurt me. And Baby B, who so far has only made me miserable, is slowly working his or her way closer to my heart. I really am looking forward to whatever other terribly painful or annoying side effects come my way- especially the kicking and crowding and later the pooping and crying. So...this is me, opening up my heart and trusting God...that no matter when he takes my child home, be it before my death or after, that He is a God of promise.

Jeremiah 29:10-14 'This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."