I wonder if this is their good side?

So, do they have my nose? Neil's? MY DAD'S??! (shudder)

The u/s was SO much more dynamic and clearer than these stills are. But my mom showed me a picture of her ultrasound and it was even blurrier. She gave me my baby book. I was exactly 7lbs. I was born at 6:16am. The rest? Not really filled in... but I am sure she had her arms full.

I keep forgetting I am pregnant. Other than the complete loss of my waist, I am doing obnoxiously great. It makes for little interesting to type in a blog.

Except today Sprout has decided to make all food taste horrible. I spit up my lunch wrap today, like a three year old would. It was just so unappealing. And then I tried some leftover food I had here. Also gross. So I am having water. Which tastes weird. That confirms it's just me. And I think I lost the taste of garlic again. My mom made more garlic toast (on sourdough bread). It tasted like... sourdough.

I just hope I am un-broken tomorrow at Heritage Days. I LOVE the food there and would be very unhappy if Sprout made the good-food taste disappear on me.

Week 13

Week 13. One place calls this the last week of my first trimester, another says week 1 of the second trimester. I dunno... I just know we've made it this far!

We have a new fruit! A little PEACH! A peach with teeth forming and vocal cords starting.



Sprout continues to grow and develop and move around (I can't wait to feel it!). And things continue to be going well. Next doctor's appointment is August 19th in the morning. Until then, we just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. Plus, get a WHOLE BUNCH of stuff done. We need to get the door casings in, and the baseboards before Sprout appears. Find furniture we like for Sprout, get it, put it together. Choose a baby seat. Stroller. Sling. Get bottles etc. Choose diapers (cloth? disposable?) Get cute little baby clothes. And all by February! And then when nesting kicks in our house may actually be CLEAN.

I have been watching baby shows on TV. The amazing one is Baby Story. I cry everytime I catch that show. It all looks so amazing... and labour looks like it HURTS. But to have the purple, slimey little person placed on my chest will be amazing. I also read Brooke Shields' book on post partum depression. It sounds so frightening and overwhelming. I am not sure if I have a propensity for depression, but I will definitley be asking friends and family to watch me closely after the birth, in case.

There is so much to learn, so much to know, so much to read. The other day it hit Neil, we will be the first to introduce chocolate to Sprout. Grass, sunshine, baths, cars... everything. We will be this childs' everything for a number of years. And all we can do is be honest with Sprout and ourselves, try to learn from mistakes and do our best to raise Spout to be a loving and respectful person.

We saw Sprout!

Today I had the Nuchal Scan done (the test for chromosomal disorders). The first part was an ultrasound, followed by a blood test. And it's official. There is a PERSON inside there! Only one person, thankfully.

It took about 45 minutes for the tech to get a perfect profile shot of Sprout. The doctor is measuring the thickness of the fluid at the nape of the baby's neck. And while Sprout was perfectly in profile, s/he was also nestled right up against the uterine wall, which made picture taking harder. But in the end, Sarah got the pic and the doctor had a chance to look it over. The doctor was wonderful, and came in to talk to Mr. & Mrs CH-rap-ko (hehe) and reassure us that the thickness of the fuild looks to be in the normal range. But the bloodtest may say something different. But for know, it looks good. We'll hear the definitive answer in 7-10 days.

But we saw him/her. Neil got to watch Sprout move and wave and shimmy and jump for the full 45 minutes, I got about 30 seconds after the pics were taken. But I saw Sprout. I saw him stretch, I saw his little tiny heart beating. I saw 2 arms and 2 legs. Neil saw more, like the brain. Which is nice, because when teenage years hit and Sprout does something stupid at least one of us has definitively SEEN a brain, even if they aren't using it *grin*

Again, 158 beat per minute. Making Neil even more certain about a girl. I am still unsure. There was a time I was confident it was a boy... but I am still waiting for the dream I hear women have, that they meet their child and get to find out the gender. Although so far they are looking healthy and that is what matters most to me.

We ordered copies of the ultrasound pictures, so soon we'll have the first baby shots of Sprout.

And we have told my family now! It's officially out there, we are PREGNANT.

Crazy...

Officially 12 weeks!

Well, I made it! Starting my 12th week. I have known about Sprout for 7 weeks now. Crazy.

We have (officially) a new fruit! Sprout is now plum sized. Most bits and pieces are in place, at least the start of them, and it's now a matter of maturing them until he's ready to come out. Sprout's digestive system is now working. Which means there is someone IN my body pooing. And last week Sprout started to taste... poor little fetus (we are no longer an embryo, I am now carrying a fetus).

We have made new baby-book purchases (I think I have enough now) and a baby-name wizard book. I am still overwhelmed at the thought of NAMING a human being. And so far Neil and I do NOT like each other's choices. Ones he has completely "taken off the table" (or term for veto) is Nella. I have loved that name since University. He says it sounds like "Vanilla" and is a name of a cookie. Or Willa which is so pretty and feminine. Although Willa Birch kinda sounds like Willow Birch, with an accent and that is entirely TOO flora-ish. So any plant life name (Lily, Rose, Fern) is out. As are food names (Olive). And animals sounds. Neil tried to throw Quack on the table. I think he was joking but in case... OFF THE TABLE! *grin* We MAY have a boys name. Neil likes is, I love it. Actually, there are three boys names we're ok with. Which means it'll be a girl. That is just our luck.

Anyone have ideas/names they are willing to share?

We went to the doctor today

We went to the first OB appointment together today. Neil spent much of the time in the waiting room, well... waiting. I am not sure he needs to see me get all inspected (yet)! But I got weighed and measured. Even though my pants no longer fit and I have had to retire all my pre-preggo clothes to a box I have gained minimal amounts of weight. Let's say I have been heavier in the past than I am at this time. Which makes my "omg I am fat" rants have much less weight (pun unintended). Although my body IS changing. And I have to blame my higher-than-it-should-be weight on poor eating since my thyroid is just fine *grin* Another fun discovery, I have apparently grown 1/4 inch. I always thought I was 5'6" 3/4 and today I was measured to be 5'7"! Although they are using a new, fancy scale. That may be the issue. Or babies make not just my stomach and breasts grow. You choose. Otherwise mom is apparently healthy!

The most amazing thing happened today. On July 20, 2009 we heard, for the first time, a hearbeat. Actually, I got to hear it first. The doctor and I heard it during the check, then brought Neil into the room so he could hear it too. My first reaction was shock and tears. Which I think sped the heartbeat up, Sprout and me and are alittle linked right now. 158 BPM. Which according to "them", faster heartbeat means girls, slower means boy. Although my wonderful doctor (I really like her, so far) assured me heartbeats are faster early in the pregnancy anyway, so I shouldn't put too much stock into this.

Although Neil is absolutely convinced that we're having a girl. I was certain it was a boy. But now I am less sure. So many women have dreams that tell them, but I have not had anything. I think my belief it's a boy comes from the fact that I think it would be amazing to have a little boy, that looks just like Neil. He is the splitting image of his dad, from pictures I have seen, so if we had a boy it could easily look just like him. He sounded like such an amazing little man, adorable and sweet and smart... I'd love that in our child. But either a boy or girl, right now we're hoping that Sprout is healthy. The gender is really irrelevant. Although a daughter. That means dating. Boys. I am not sure I am strong enough for that!

It is real... I still sometimes struggle with not feeling pregnant. It's just (to date) been such a good pregnancy. Some nausea, some hormonal fluctuations, tiredness (but I am always tired). But I heard the heart beating. I heard evidence there is a PERSON growing inside of my body. And I have decided to stop cheating. The Bump link where I get the baby-size pics is down the last few days. And I am not officially 12 weeks until Wednesday, so we'll do that write up then. So I'll just hope they get working and in 2 more days I can celebrate the last week of the first trimester!

We have our first real ultrasound booked. September 28th, which is apparently about 2-3 weeks LATER than it should be, but the centres are just THAT busy, that we can't get in any sooner. I have to call daily to see if I can get into a cancellation. What a crazy medical system this is. But early September (ideally) we'll have some idea about the gender. Early September we go to Seattle with friends, we are planning to get married (quietly) and then we'll know if Sprout is a boy or girl. What a crazy month!

EDIT: Ultrasound is now September 2nd, but that is a almost too early. I'll keep calling daily until they get sick of me and I'll hopefully eventually get the time I want (September 10th through the 18th).

I may be cheating...

One of the many baby sites puts me at 11 weeks today. Which is YAY A NEW FRUIT! But I am pretty sure it's lying to me. I think I am 11 weeks on Wednesday (officially). However I have been going with the new week on Monday so... happy 11 weeks!

We have a new fruit - a LIME

Sprout has fingers and toes, and is starting to use them to explore himself... touching his head, mostly his face and mouth. His little tiny, no longer webbed hands can feel. And this week, Sprout will begin to taste and smell. Oh no! He, too, will be subject to the seemingly endless gas that momma is producing!

So much new has happened this week.

This weekend Neil and I went to celebrate his birthday by buying me preggo clothes (he did get some clothes and a dinner too!). So I now have pregnancy jeans and one pair of dress pants. And three t-shirts. The most amazing thing about the pants is that they have no buttons or zippers or other fastening devices. There is just a huge band of material then the pants, that you pull on like sweats. It's strange but also strangely comfortable. In the momma-clothes store there was a practice bump, so you can see how the clothes will fit later. I put it on (and warned Neil before I came out) and voila! And instant 2-3 months added. It's going to be pretty amazing when that bump is actually me and Sprout.

Although this may be too much info (TMI), but I will share anyway. I can't help myself... I also got pregnancy underwear and WOW! They are so comfortable!!! So stretchy, so adaptive to all those hills and valleys. I'll have to stock up on these for after. That or hover around the outside of the stores, begging pregnant women to bootleg me just ONE more pair... one more then I can stop! *grin*

Also, yesterday we had bookclub. And at lunch I shared that we're expecting (a few of the girls there knew already) and in a crazy sort of coincidence, 2 other girls are expecting too! Blessie is due Jan 27th, and Sheeba on Jan 3rd. Three babies, one bookclub, all in one month. But it's wonderful to have someone who is going through this at the same time as me. Someone I can share ideas/fears/discoveries with who finds it all as amazing as I do!!

Otherwise I continue to feel good. Around 3 pm seems to be when some very very minor morning sickness/nausea kicks in (I know this is starting late - just last week). Other times during the day I just continue to eat frequently (every hour or so) to keep any icky at bay.

One (of the many) thing(s) that scare me about this pregnancy is the judging. Women feel the need to judge other mothers for everything from gaining too much/not enough/not at the right pace to how they choose to raise their child. I know that this is our journey, Neil, Sprout and I, and other people's expectations should not play a part of this. But (BUT!) as a product of my society I wonder if I am gaining too much already (I have had to retire all my pre-pregnancy pants, they just do not come even close to doing up) and that this weight is hurting the baby. I am trying to eat reasonably healthy, and while I am still not exercising I wasn't really good at exercise before Sprout came along too. Plus, I am now at the phase where I am not sharing that I am pregnant with most people (I will in 2 weeks) and I am not looking truly pregnant but I am looking larger. Coming back to my old Ministry people have got to wonder if I have just completely let myself go during the time I have been away!

But I have to say this (again). Neil has been more than amazing with me, my emotions and my constant need for validation that I am not so fat that he has stopped loving me! He has been supportive, responsive and so unbelievably wonderful. In return I am trying not to be some sort of crazy-hormonal woman (with some success). For example, yesterday afternoon I started to feel nausea. Too much shopping/walking? Not enough water and food? Simple car sickness? Whatever it was, I was feeling green. Without asking, without me even THINKING about it he went and got me a ginger ale (the ginger is helping my belly a lot). I am such a lucky woman to have this amazing man in my life.

More time passes

It's amazing how quickly time is passing yet we're still in the first trimester! I am now 10 weeks along, making me 1/4 of the way through. Only 30 or so weeks to go!

I am still feeling really good and so my hypochondriacal tendencies having me assuming something is/will be going wrong. However I do believe I am just being a worry wart. Still no morning sickness, hormones back under control, weight gain not TOO much yet (although I am larger). I ahev to eat almost constantly to keep the nausea at bay. But if I eat too much? Nausea. It's a delicate balance of food quantity. I am still loving fruit and dairy products, but otherwise no other huge cravings. My only aversion is orange (especially fake orange) and there are still times I don't taste garlic... Whatever hormone is doing that to a Ukrainian girl is just MEAN! *grin*

And this Saturday is Neil's 35th birthday. Next year, at this time, there will be a family of three to celebrate... Sometimes it hits me how much life is going to change and how hard it will be at times. And that terrifies me... I am used to my selfish life. But then I think about this little person growing inside me, this blend of me and the man I love more than anything and I am already overwhelmed with love for him/her. It will be hard, of that I have no doubt. But I also think this will be the most amazing journey of my life to date.

We have the first OB/GYN appointment on July 20th and the Nuchal scan on July 27th. Once those are passed and everything is ok then I will start telling everyone. Until then, we've slowed on the sharing of the baby information.

I went back to my old Ministry today. First day back and it was almost like I never left... except for the fact that I am in a new office with a new job *grin*

And today we have a new fruit! I wrinkly little PRUNE

It's funny, today Neil and I bought some prunes (to aid in "digestion") and I held it up and looked at the size of Sprout. Then shared this information with Neil... that this is my hands was something the size of our baby. He grinned, leaned over, grabbed the prune and popped it in his mouth. That's even MORE cannibalistic than my raspberry longings! *grin*