Want to keep reading....

I have moved the blog, so leave your email in a comment and I will give you access to the new family blog.

Thanks!

Moving...

Many of you who have been reading this (or "following") know that I am not posting as much... well... posting anything! LOL!!

There are some various reasons;

1. New mom paranoia (I know I'm not a mom yet, but still). I am getting scared of having too much information available to God only knows who on the internet.

2. Just don't have that much to say... nothing new, or exciting.

3. Busy with the semester ending

4. This was my TTC/TTTC blog... and now that I'm pregnant... it doesn't feel 'right' anymore... like I have nothing to say (again)

5. Various comments left on the blog... have... well... left a sour taste in my mouth for allowing people I don't know, or don't know well commenting on my life and my feelings.

With all of that said, I will me moving my blog!! I will set up a new private blog that will be available for baby and family related things. I want to post personal information and baby photos for everyone to see, but only with my permission : )

(Nesties- I will need your email address to grant you permission to view the blog, but don't worry! I will post a thread when it gets going!)

Updates...

I KNOW that I have been slacking in the Blogging department... sorry!

Part of it was being busy (it's now spring break) and the other part was just not wanting to post.

Here is the picture for 21-24 weeks


Watch what you say -- baby is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby's starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop.

We met with the specalist the other day and he says that the baby is RIGHT ON TRACK!! He said that I have a 90% chance of everything turning out OK at this point!!

We still don't know the gender, and don't want to find out.

I won tickets to The Ellen Show, for her Mother's Day celebration!! WOOT!!!

I'm feeling bigger and bigger (sorry, no belly shots yet) and have been nesting like crazy!!! (the maternal, around-the-house nesting, not on thenest.com)

The baby's room is empty, and waiting for daddy to paint! Crib will be here in 6 weeks. I sewed the crib bedding and a few birp cloths and a blanket.

I'm about to start making the shower invitations : )

I'm keeping busy!!

Goldfish...

This is what I have in my belly... it's quite odd.

I have heard that you feel "flutters" or "gas-like" feelings, but not painfull... I hear you can feel "tapps" or muscle twitches... I haven't felt anything like that.

I feel goldfish swimming.

20 weeks...

Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, speaking of the diaper situation... baby's genitals are now fully formed!

19 weeks...

Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might actually get to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature.

18 weeks...

Your fetus has become amazingly mobile (at least compared to you), passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby's finally big enough that you'll be able to feel those movements soon.

Worry...

WOW.... you just can't understand how much that you are going to worry through this TTC, pregnancy, birth, and motherhood process!!

It seriously starts the minute that second line pops up!

I got ANOTHER bad blood test on my 2nd trimester screening and have to go in for a level 2 u/s to check and make sure that the baby doesn't have a birth defect.BLEL!!

In addition to that a good friend of mine on the boards had an urgent OB appointment because they didn't like what they saw on the u/s (about 8 weeks) and are worried about the HB. I COULD REACH THROUGH THE COMPUTER AND SMACK THAT GUY!!!! From what I can tell he didn't put a positive spin on any of it, like; "We will take your blood, and make sure that everything is still going good, come in if you feel funny over the weekend, and we will see you next week!" : )

NOOOOOOOO!!!! It was all; "Your beta has to double by early next week and you may have a miscarriage over the weekend"~! YOU FUCKING ASSHAT!!!!

Don't you know that worrying a pregnant lady (and me too!!) isn't good?!?!?!

On a positive note~ Reasons that I feel that this little baby (and it's momma, will be just fine)

- Saw a HB (always a good sign)
- 8 weeks (nice milestone)
- My doctors (RE, OB, NP) didn't tell me my baby's HB till last week (16weeks)
- Many DRs like to be overly cautious and set you up for the WORST, so you will be ready and more importantly- not sue them!

So please send good thoughts!!

17 weeks...

Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. The umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes are now topped by one-of-a-kind prints.

Pictures...

I have been slacking on these!!! SORRY~! One of them is a profile of the baby looking up and to the left, and the other is a full-body shot!

More dreams...

I had one the other night where I was having trouble breastfeeding and my baby had a VERY cartoonish mouth and movement, including the mouth of a somewhat "Hungry, Hungry Hippo" effect.... OH GOD!!! I jumped when the baby latched on, in the ways that those stupid hippos do in the game.

I had a dream where I "woke up" from a nap, or surgery or something and my "baby" was 15 months old!!!! That's not the problem.... it was my SECOND child that was 15 months... this baby that I'm pregnant with now was almost three!!! OMG!!! I actually cried, because I felt that I had missed such an important part of my baby's life.

I had one last night, after talking with my NP about contractions that I'm having and learning the L&D process at my hospital. I was told that I won't get to have MY OB, but whoever is on call... bummer.... I think that I will talk to my OB about a scheduled C-section for my various reasons, and that inspired my dream.

In the dream last night, I was sleeping, at like 4am and I was, I guess asleep during it, then I woke up and delivered my baby (a boy this time) and the problem was, the "baby" was normal size and looked just a little small... a miracle because I delivered him at like 20 some weeks! But the kid was an infant size, but was really a 5 year old! It talked and everything!

16 weeks...

Watch what you say... tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean the little one can now pick up your voice. Eyebrows, lashes and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming. And, if you're interested, an ultrasound might be able to determine gender.

Randoms...

Today was a weird day, but I loved it.

I woke up early to get to my ON appointment and the sky was covered with dark clouds (almost about to rain) and it made me think about the weather.... I LOVE when the weather changes!!! I love it when you come out of Winter and into Spring, and then into Summer!! LOVE it!!

Talked to my OB about the PAPP-A problem and told him that DH was a full term 4lb baby and I was a pre-term 5 lb baby and he talked about the additional monitoring (more u/s and non-stress tests) and talked about knowing the signs of pre-term labor and hypertension.

Met a friend at my house and we went to lunch and the mall and on other errands had lots of fun!!! We set her up on an online dating site, and that was fun too!!)

I'm feeling a lot of pressure in my abdomen (like the uterus is growing and pushing everything in there) and some cramps, a little morning sickness but nothing like before. So far, so well!

Dreams...

I swear that since I got pregnant that I have had the WORST dreams!!!

- The world came to an end, through a flood

- I started lactating at 5 months pregnant and was pumping BLOOD

- I was sent back to work with my terrible 2nd graders when I was 9 months pregnant

- Because of the economy (and 2 pregnancies within 2 months of mine) that we won't get anything, or anything comparable to what we have given at baby showers and our kid was sleeping in our bed till 5!!

- I was 9 months pregnant and was dating some guy (he was hot) who already had two kids (I hate dreams where you wake up feeling like a cheater! LOL!!)

- The US tech ruined our surprise baby by telling me it was a GIRL (foretelling?!?!)

BLEH!!!! DH doesn't seem able to sleep very well either!!! I keep tossing and turning all night and I'm sure I'm keeping him up.

15 weeks...

Continuing the march towards normal proportions, baby's legs now outmeasure the arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. Your fetus is squirming and wiggling like crazy down in the womb, though you probably still can't feel the movements.

Cousins...

are great!

14 weeks...

Your adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, and (not so cute but equally amazing) making urine and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over the body for warmth.

Dr. Called...

The hormone that I'm missing is called Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protien A (PAPP-A) and while I now understand why the DR said not to worry about anything, because it doesn't mean that something WILL happen, but that I am at a higher risk.

I know that all moms try to convince themselves that "that will never happen to me" but it MUST happen to SOMEONE!!! Otherwise, there would be no studies done to show the risks involved!

My Downs Syndrome risk cam back as 1:1000 and they say that they like to see better than 1:220.

My Trisomy 18 risk was 1:2706 and anything better than 1:100 is good.

BUT.... according to my age I should have a 1:750 risk for Downs.... I thought that at 25 there wasn't a big risk... maybe they put 35 in instead???

Either way, I'm still very nervous but am becoming more aware of what this means for me; Pregnancy induced hypertension, slow fetal growth, fetal demise, pre-term labor, and the need for a c-section.

From the best that I can tell, I have some control over a few of these things; by knowing the warning signs of hypertension and pre-term labor, and not pushing my OB for a natural delivery if a C-section is better for my baby.

I guess I'm a mom already ; )

NT Scan...

I had my NT scan today and everything looks good as far as my risk for Downs Syndrome.

Other than that... I am waiting to hear from the specialist, to tell me more of what he already told me, which wasn't that great as far as my risk for the baby not growing, blood pressure problems, and still birth.

I'm apparently missing a hormone that is causing this all, and may have been the reason we weren't getting pregnant (and the fertility drugs helped).

Now I'm sitting on edge, trying to not worry, but I need to hear this information again so my brain can process it all.

UGH...

13 weeks...

Your fetus is forming teeth and vocal cords... savor this, their non-functional phase. Baby is approaching normal proportions, with a head now only one third the size of the body. Intestines are in the process of moving from the umbilical cord to baby's tummy. (Much more convenient.)

Higher risk...

So... got a call from my OB this morning and he wanted me to come in today... that's enough to scare you.

I needed another U/S to check and make sure that everything is still fine with the baby (it is!!)

But, my Dr called me a "High Risk" patient because of the bleeding... I don't think of myself that way, but appatently HE does! SIL had the same thing happen to her, and it only happened once, and everyone was fine, and there wasn't a mention of "high risk"

I'm going to think about SILs pregnancy and remember that infertility doesn't mean a high risk pregnancy, because I just want to be happy and pregnant (hint, hint...morning sickness... GO AWAY!!)

Besides... I have enough to worry about, with DH going all "conspiracy theory" on me after the President of Russia says that the US has only 6-12 months left to exist. I actually had that "psycho pregnant chick" emerge... and she SHUT HIM RIGHT UP!

::smacks DH!:: Don't scare the pregnant lady! DUH!