17 weeks – picture!

Here’s my 17 weeks’ picture!  I can’t believe how all of a sudden I am just popping out.  That gray shirt used to be so long on me.  Not so much anymore. I am really enjoying watching my body change and grow.  I really didn’t think it was possible.  While TTC for so long, I often wondered if my body would even know what to do if we ever did become pregnant. Apparently, I underestimated myself quite a bit.

In my earlier post, I failed to mention that I have been feeling the baby move for just over 2 weeks.  It has been absolutely amazing and I just rejoice in this little life within me! : )  It’s kinda hit or miss, but it is obvious and something so very different from anything I have felt before.

Take care and thank you all for the support!

 

 

17 weeks! So much excitement in the air…

Hello all!

I have missed blogging. It has been a very eventful 3 weeks since my last post. From a trip to the mountains (picture to right) to attending a marriage retreat to a day trip to Seattle to all sorts of nesting projects and some intensive book writing…busy, busy, busy and I have loved each moment of it. Especially given that fall has finally settled into the northwest. Cozy sweaters, warm beverages and ALL things PUMPKIN have been in order.

My pregnancy continues on uneventfully. We had another OB appointment last week and I really think we could have accomplished most of it (minus the vital signs and weight measurement) via the phone. She listened to the heartbeat but couldn’t quantify a number and then went over with us the food dos and don’t of pregnancy (which I thought was a little late given we are in our second trimester). That’s it and sent us on our way. Oh well, I imagine our appointments will become more involved the further we get. One important thing did happen though and that was that the order was placed to schedule our big 20 week ultrasound! We are SO excited about that one. This will be our first ultrasound in over 10 weeks.

On a side note, we opted not to have an NT scan or do any genetic testing. We chose not to because I have always heard about the relatively high rate of false positives. This truth became a reality just over 2 years ago when a dear friend of mine received a false positive that sent her into a state of anxiety and depression for the remainder of her pregnancy. Of course, at the time, she didn’t know it was a false positive. Instead of enjoying her pregnancy, she prepared herself emotionally for a child with Down’s Syndrome and processed through long established expectations of what she had hoped this baby would mean for her. Bottom line for us is that no outcome of these tests would cause us to terminate a pregnancy. So rather than deal with the small chance of a false positive, we would rather just leave it all in God’s hands. What will be will be! Of course, this is just the right decision for us. I know myself and know that I would most likely respond in a similar manner as my friend. This is an area where I am choosing ignorance over knowledge. Perhaps, instead of ignorance I am just going to call it faith. I am learning that all parts of infertility, pregnancy (and very soon I will be adding parenting to that list) include releasing control and having increasingly more FAITH.

Other than that, things have been going pretty smoothly. I guess the biggest thing I have had to deal with is a whole lot of constipation. There have been moments throughout the last few weeks where I didn’t think my belly could stretch any more, the pain and discomfort close to unbearable. As a result, last weekend, our household initiated operation FIBER and that has really turned things around. My husband has been trying to help me eat 30 grams of fiber per day. He has been making all sort of fiber rich meals and breakfasts. Let me tell you, that is a LOT of fiber and my body is responding appropriately. Praise God though! I feel so much better.

We are busy planning our gender reveal party that will be coming up after our ultrasound…actually 9 days after. This was the earliest that we could find a free weekend night to plan it. Though it means a little more waiting, it will give the baker a chance to make our cake and for us to get all the last minute details together. SO FUN! I will definitely give you more details as it comes together.

Also, we are planning to finally announce our pregnancy to the world (aka facebook) sometime in the next week or 2. We are meeting up with a dear friend on Sunday to take some pregnancy announcement/holiday pictures. Another thing I am VERY excited about. I keep using that word over and over again, but there are just a lot of great things going on right now. I feel really blessed to be where we are at.

Here are a few more photos from our weekend in the mountains.

Tonight I will post a 17 week picture and a few more updates. Blessings to all!

2nd TRIMESTER!!! Woweeee! 14w1d

October 1st marked the first official day of my second trimester according to babycenter.com!!!  I am so excited to reach this point.  I have been feeling great.  I couldn’t have asked for a healthier, more feel good pregnancy thus far.  So, I decided to celebrate and post my first bump pic.  This was taken at 5:30am, before breakfast.  I get so bloated by the end of the day, so I wanted my bump pic to be tried and true – not the late evening bloat belly.

I feel that I have really settled into my pregnancy and don’t find myself anxiously anticipating my next change day as much as I used to.  It’s a real joy carrying our little “half pint” as my husband so affectionately refers to them as.

I look forward to writing more.  It has been a busy fall thus far.  Tomorrow we are headed to the mountains for our annual FALL get together with our dear friends.  It’s always a wonderful time for some R&R and a WHOLE lot of the great outdoors.  Last year they were pregnant during our trip.  How I remember dreaming that we would be on similar journey of our own this year and HERE WE ARE!  Such a blessing.