18 weeks and 1 day Ultrasound....what IS it???

Great profile.  The ultrasound tech took lots of pictures and tried to get it to move around a bit so she could determine the sex....and she is 90% sure it's a girl.  I called it at 9 weeks. ;-P  She's got a huge cranium.


Two nights ago I dreamt I had a baby girl and Jacob and I had not yet decided on a name together.  He didn't like my name (who knows why, it's beautiful), and so he suggested we name our daughter Lorax.  Yep. That's right. Lorax.  And no, I was not amenable to that name. I told Jacob the next day and he said, "That's a terrible name for a girl." To which I thought, so it's a GOOD name for a boy?  Hahaha.  So, no names have been discussed yet because we were waiting to know what it would be.  I have a few favorites, so we shall see what we come together and agree on.


I had a bit of a panic/anxiety attack after learning the sex because I sort of wanted boys.  But I think the anxiety is based on the fear I will have a sour relationship with my daughter and she will grow to loathe me.  Hopefully that won't happen.  At any rate, I know she will be a heartbreaker with the boys (unless she's gay).  She'll probably be tall, athletic (if she takes after like her parents), and smart.  Possibly a smart-ass.  


The results of the ultrasound showed a very healthy development. She weighs 12 ounces (normal), has both arms and legs, hands and feet, good cranial structure, intact cerebellum and brainstem, and appropriate amounts of fluid around her.  She's also approximately 7 inches from head to toe.  She likes to perch on my bladder, too.  Hence the peeing every hour.  I sighed a BIG sigh of relief knowing that she looks healthy.  


For me, I now weigh 152...a good 16-17 pounds more than my starting weight. Yikes.  I am now the heaviest I have ever been and I feel it all - like a fat suit strapped to my ass and thighs.  I don't look that heavy, though. It's very strange.  My blood pressure was nice at 104/62.  


That's all for now, I think.  Good news all around. :)  My sister-in-law and I will be starting the year off with two baby girls to enter into the Slife clan...an abnormality to say the least.  Can't wait to hear what name they decide on. (it better not be the one I want.)  ;-P

A BM? (baby movement)

I don't know for sure, but every once in a while - when I'm fairly certain my colon is inactive - I feel what I can only describe as a bubble popping.  Sometimes it's several in a row, other times it's only once, but they're always in the same area - central and low.  I thought maybe it was too early to be able to feel movement, but apparently it's not (according to all the baby websites).  It feels weird, and I thought maybe when I first felt it I would either be freaked out or totally stoked.  Oddly, I'm neither.  I guess I'm just taking it all as it comes, happy that he/she is still alive. :)

16 week pics

sleeping baby....

More pictures on hold for now

Typically, at this point I'd have a 16 week photo (been taking them every 4 weeks since 8 weeks), but my camera decided to stop working. :(  So as soon as I get a new one, I may not have any more pics to post.  I'm working on trying to figure out transferring my pics from my phone to the computer, but I have to find my manual cuz it's not as simple as I had hoped.

More to come...

Round TWO....details to follow:

OK.  Before I found out I was pregnant (again) I got a horrible UTI which affected my kidneys to the point that I couldn't stand up.  The pinnacle of my pain was on my birthday - which, incidentally, was the day this baby decided to burrow into my uterus.  I vowed I would be super super clean, drink lots of water, cranberry juice, et cetera so that I would never go through that again.  WELLLLLLL.....after all that, I, yet again, have a UTI.  This time, though, I have no symptoms (that I can tell) other than peeing a lot, but I thought that was more the pregnancy and drinking lots of water than anything else.  Clearly I must be doing something wrong.  I close the lid on my toilet before flushing, so no e. coli is getting on my toilet paper unless it leaps out of the crack and travels upwards of a foot onto my sink. 
At least, though, I am not in pain this time.  So, I'm off to the pharmacy to get  more antibiotics - which I'm not a fan of any meds, but this can't be avoided. 

If anyone knows other tricks to staving off more UTIs, PLEASE PASS THEM ALONG TO ME.  I've never had one before this year, so I don't know if it's just because I'm pregnant, or what. 

Oh - and I was called by the nurse case manager TWO weeks after my last appointment at the OB/GYN.  Does it usually take two weeks to get the results of a urinalysis?  NO.  I got results within 30 minutes at the walk-in clinic.  **shakes head**  Yet another reason why I am displeased with my care there.  What if I got really ill between my appointment and now?  I'd have to have paid for another visit to the urgent care for the same diagnosis. 

I'm sorry, everyone. I've turned this into a venting rant.  Steps will be taken tomorrow to change this. I swear.

Thanks for bearing with me!!!

I'm posting these all out of order - Sorry! This was taken at 12 weeks - just one week before the end of my first trimester. I've gained about 8 pounds at this point - yikes. Hoping the nausea dies down soon so I can curb my eating. Planning on getting a gym membership too, which should help the cause.

2nd Trimester

So I'm finally into the 2nd trimester and only one thing has gotten slightly better - the big C. Constipation has finally tamed down a bit, but I still have to watch what I eat, make sure I exercise, drink plenty of water, and take my fiber....but at least it's under control. It also may be because I'm not traveling right now and have access to all the regular food in my kitchen.

Last Thursday I had my 14 week doctor appointment. Little did I know I'd be sitting in the waiting room for 2 hours and 15 minutes before I was seen!!!!!!! I have been more than patient with this office and each time I give them another chance to redeem themselves, but NO MORE. This was the last straw. The midwife who saw me was nicer than the actual doctor, but I don't believe that is enough. I will be calling another office next week to see about changing locations. Hopefully they will have their act together more.

The one thing that was good about the visit was that the baby was still growing strong. The portable US machine detected a strong heartbeat and fetal movement. I have to say, knowing that it still thrives (with or without defects?) is comforting. I am, however, still the pessimist and often think that this baby will have some sort of detrimental defect or disorder. Maybe it's me thinking I don't deserve to have "the American dream family" with perfect 2.5 kids. I still can't believe I found such an amazing man who actually loves me and it's been nearly 4 years of marriage, 5.5 years of being together. I continue to pray that this baby be healthy and normal, but there's always a little voice in the back of my mind playing devil's advocate. If this baby turns out normal, I suppose I'll feel even more blessed. :)

As far as how I'm feeling - I'm now into my second trimester, which is supposed to be less awful than the first. HOWEVER, I continue to feel nauseated throughout the day. Today I almost wretched because we are planning to go out to breakfast and I only ate a banana. But I shoveled some dry cereal down the hatch and got it under control.

My belly is now looking more like a baby bump rather than just being chunky. It's becoming increasingly more difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position, as I am used to sleeping on my stomach or back. The WTE book says I shouldn't be sleeping on my back past the 4th month, so......i have only my sides left to sleep on for the next 5 months.

I am DEFINITELY looking forward to not feeling sick, but again, I am not optimistic that that will happen. Maybe I'll get lucky though.

I'm thinking more and more about names. I have a favorite girl name picked out which I hope Jacob will be good with. And I'm kicking around Leonidas for a boy. Hahaha. How badass would that be to have a Leonidas Slife running around?