The 4th Dr.'s Appt: Ultrasound

We got to see Silly Baby for a good 10-15 minutes last night during the ultrasound. This ultrasound was to measure the baby as well as its organs to make sure everything is what it should be. This ultrasound, for some, is also to find out the gender - which we did not!
As soon as we walked into the ultrasound room, I blurted out that we did not want to find out the gender!
At first, Silly Baby was twisting and turning all over the place, making it very difficult for the ultrasound tech to see what she needed to. It was pretty funny seeing Silly Baby flopping all over the place in there! And laying still on the exam table, I could certainly feel the movements. I haven't noticed if 6pm is Silly Baby's active time, since that's usually when I'm doing things around the house, making dinner, etc. But it certainly was its active time last night!
Eventually Silly Baby calmed down and the tech was able to see all the organs, etc. that she needed for measurements. As she measured the organs she would tell us what it was, so we got to see Silly Baby's brain, heart, spine and abdomen. We mainly got to see its profile - but for just a moment, Silly Baby looked right as us! But it wasn't long enough for the tech to take a picture, because after a few seconds, Silly Baby seemed to become shy and turn its head down and bury it from us. That was my favorite part of the ultrasound :)
There was also a view when the tech was measuring Silly Baby's head size, that we were looking down from the top of the body, and the way Silly Baby's arms were - it looked like it was boxing!!! So we decided it's learning to play Wii Boxing since I was doing that a bunch on Sunday :)
Also, when Silly Baby settled down into the profile view we got to see the most, s/he kept opening and closing its mouth! S/he looked like they were smacking bubble gum! Very funny to see!
Even though we didn't want to find out from the tech the gender of the baby, of course it is hard not to look for the "boy part." I don't think I saw anything - not to say I don't think it could be a boy, just that I didn't see anything that would be obviously a boy part from what I could tell. Tim didn't think he saw a boy part, so kinda thinks it could be a girl, but again - I'm sure the tech steered clear of that area when she could so we never got a real solid long look at the area to know.
We won't see Silly Baby again until Week #35, which is the last week in April.

Now for some updates:

• Silly Baby currently weighs 10oz. (which is normal)
• Heart rate was 143
• All organ measurements were normal
• Monica has gained 8lbs. total since the beginning of the pregnancy
• Tim & I will begin our "Prepared Childbirth" classes at our hospital-St. Alexius-on Monday, February 9th. The classes are every Monday for 7 weeks from 7:30-9:30p.m.

Baby Bump Week #18

THE BABY BUMP WEEK #18!!!

Baby Bump Week #17

THE BABY BUMP WEEK #17!!!

Week #17!

Since 17 is my favorite number, I figured it's a good time for a Silly Baby update!
Here's some quick tidbits on Silly Baby and mommy:

• This week, Silly Baby is the size of an onion!
• Mommy began wearing maternity jeans last week. Even though I do still fit in many of my regular clothes, it was an exciting "milestone" to wear the maternity pants
• Mommy officially began showing last week! For several weeks, I had a little pouch that was only obvious to me, and not seen under my clothing. But last Wednesday I put on the maternity jeans and a fitted long-sleeve shirt and voila! Baby bump was there. While the general public still wouldn't view me as a pregnant lady, anyone who knows me should be able to see the difference
• I have started to feel Silly Baby moving around. Not a "kick" or anything you can feel from the outside, but I do feel little "pops" that are different from the mild cramps of ligaments stretching or gas.

Some FAQ's

How am I feeling?

Now that I am into my second trimester I feel just fine! The fatigue has gone away along with any nauseau I did get in the mornings. I cannot complain about my experiences with "morning sickness". I only actually got sick a few times and it was short lived. Otherwise, I would usually feel nauseous after getting to work, but nothing some saltines couldn't fix!

Eating for two

Just in the past couple weeks I've noticed an increase in appetite. It's nothing drastic, but I definitely need snacks on hand at work and my 'Smart Ones' frozen diet dinners I've been having for lunch may need a snack on the side now :)

Cravings!

I have no weird cravings. Anything I have a taste for are foods I've always eaten. I have noticed that I really like chicken these days. Again, I always ate lots of chicken, but now I feel I could eat fried chicken, chicken strips, chicken wings pretty much every night!

Well, that's pretty much it for now! Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! My next update will probably be the first week of January after the next Doctor's appointment. Stay tuned!

The 3rd Dr.'s Appointment

December 10
This was a very quick and painless appointment! Much different than the first two. This was my 16-week check-up, and it was basically a follow-up from the bloodwork from the previous appointment.
So, onto the results! There was a very very long list of results as I had a boatload of tests run. To sum up, everything came back good and healthy.
The risk of Down's Syndrome went from 1-600 from my very first visit's test to 1-700+ when combined with the ultrasound measurements and the second blood test from this past appointment. Everything else - blood pressure, glucose, protein, was good. I tested negative as a carrier of Cystic Fibrosis and several other diseases.
But one thing I am not immune to is the flu/mono. So if you, your spouse, your kids have flu-like symptoms - sorry, I can't be around you! So please warn me if you are ever feeling sick.
We got to hear Silly Baby's heartbeat again, and it was much stronger/louder than the last appointment. I had read that it sounds like horses galloping, but the first time I heard the heartbeat it just sounded like "whoosh whoosh whoosh." Whereas, this time I understand how people compare the sound to galloping horses!
I did one more blood test for a tetra test. It was just one vile of blood and Tim was there to hold my hand so there was no fainting :) I'll get the results at the next appointment on January 5th!
This next appointment will be a big one! There will be another ultrasound - so yes that means more Silly Baby sonogram pictures! They will be measuring the baby's measurements. I also believe this is the appointment when SOME parents find out the gender. WE will not be finding out - so don't even ask ;)

The 2nd Dr.'s Appt

November 21
As I'm sure many of you know, I am *not* good getting blood drawn? Well, at the first appt, they only took one vile and Tim was with me so it was fine.
At this second appt, Tim was not with me, but since it went ok the last time I wasn't too nervous this time around. Well, this time it was a different story…
I had SIX viles taken and no Tim! So I had my head turned in the complete opposite direction reading about parrots on some calendar on the wall and I thought I was doing a good job distracting myself.
Finally, she's done taking the blood, but then I have to do a tuberculosis test, so they stick me in another part of my arm for a minute.
Then at last, it’s all done and I can leave. But I get really thirsty, I ask for something to drink so she gives me some apple juice. I take one sip and start feeling nauseous and tell her I might be sick. So she’s going to walk me to the bathroom right around the corner, but it’s a single person bathroom and someone’s in there. Next thing I know, I’m sitting on the floor and they’re putting a cold compress behind my neck!! I had totally passed out and they caught me as I fell to the ground! I think I was only passed out for a few seconds. But then I had that all over sweat going on. So then they have me lay down in an open exam room for 5min and then like that! I feel totally fine. I got up after a few minutes and come to work. So of course I was all embarrassed. And now I’m gonna be even worse next time I have to give blood!!!

But in GOOD news, I got to see Silly Baby again and hear the heartbeat! In the sonogram pictures from this appointment, it's amazing how much Silly Baby has grown in just three weeks. From looking like a little alien peanut, s/he now has a face and coming into true human form! Plus the technician was poking my belly to get different views of Silly Baby and said that s/he's very responsive and cooperative - another good sign! Plus its neck measured normal which is a good sign that s/he doesn’t have down syndrome. And the overall baby size is normal too. Even though I think s/he’s got a big head ;)

The next appointment is Wednesday, 12/10 and we will get all the results from the blood work.

The first Doctor's appointment

November 1, 2008
We had our first prenatal visit on Saturday, November 1. The doctor I've been seeing since moving to Chicagoland in '03 is in Elmhurst, is not a prenatal facility so I'd have to go to another office, and the hospital to deliver at would be in Elmhurst, which is about 25min drive from us. And as some of you know, we are walking distance to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates, which is where I would like to deliver.
So after some science-fair research and a bunch of calls to various doctors, I finally found one in our network who we could go to: Women's Health First . They have offices by Woodfield Mall and in St. Alexius, with evening and weekend hours so very convenient. There are 5 doctors that I will rotate having appointments with so I can get to know all of them, and whichever doctor is on-call the day I go into labor, will be the Doctor who will deliver Silly Baby!
So onto the actual Dr.'s appointment. Tim came with me, which was important to us for this first one. I had to fill out a whole bunch of paperwork, take a urine test (which I have to do at every appt!!! jeez!), then we went right in for the ultrasound to verify the pregnancy. I had an internal ultrasound and sure enough - no sooner was it in that up on the big screen in front of us, there was Silly Baby just hanging out! And that is how the name "Silly Baby" came to be. I was laying on the exam table, and my first thoughts seeing the baby was "Look at that Silly Baby! What is it doing in there! What a Silly Baby!" Some women are in shock, some women cry - but no, in my first ultrasound - I laughed!!!
Based on the ultrasound measurements they took, they determined the due date is May 31, 2009. Which is very cool, because that will be the 6th anniversary of the day Tim & I met at Josh and Tina's wedding! So at this appt, I was just about 10weeks along.
After that I had the usual exam and a blood test. I'm no good with getting blood drawn, but Tim was there to hold my hand and it went just fine!
So we went home with the now famous sonogram pictures that we used to share the news with everyone, and a copy of "What to Expect When You're Expecting" that I've been a very good student and reading often.
After the appt we went to Chipotle for lunch and threw out baby name ideas!