Thursday, May 31, 2007

Obgyn


Tomorrow is my first appointment with my obstetrician. I haven't seen her since my six week follow-up after having Gordon. I am looking forward to mostly just talking about the future and this pregnancy...when and how often we will have appointments, when the baby will be born, when I will have ultrasounds and non-stress tests...Ah when.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Kindred Spirits


At the beginning of May our school got the news that another woman had just gone through what I did losing Gordon. She too is a Jennifer. I got to meet her today. What a blessing! Our experiences were and are so similar. It was so good to share our stories and talk about our babies--she had a girl named Brooke. And so our little ones are buried probably near each other and their spirits live on. Jennifer and her husband are taking a trip soon just to get away. She is looking forward to the future and wanting to have another baby. She was so excited to hear of my pregnancy. I look forward to this new friendship. We share something pretty special.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

More developments


There are 221 days until my due date on January 06, 2008.
I am 59 days pregnant.
I am 1.9 months pregnant.
I am in my 2nd month of pregnancy. (huh?)
My 1st trimester: April 01, 2007 to June 30, 2007. (0 - 12 weeks)
My 2nd trimester: July 01, 2007 to October 13, 2007. (13 - 27 weeks)
My 3rd trimester: October 14, 2007 to January 06, 2008. (28 - 40 weeks)

By the end of my second month of pregnancy, my baby is about the size of a pinto bean and is approximately 14 to 20 mm long. My doctor can tell that my uterus is larger than normal. By 6 weeks of pregnancy, my uterus has grown to the size of a grapefruit!

My baby is developing at an amazing rate during these early weeks. Eyelid folds and ears are forming. My baby's eyes are still very wide apart on the sides of his or her head, but will eventually center themselves out. The tip of the nose is actually present at this time as well. The aortic and pulmonary valves of the heart are present. The tubes that lead from the throat to lungs are branching and my baby's torso is getting longer and beginning to straighten out. Just a few weeks ago, my baby's arms were tiny buds. Now the elbows are actually present and the arms and legs extend forward and have grown longer. Fingers and toes are becoming visible also.




The tiny person is protected by the amnionic sac, filled with fluid. Inside, the child swims and moves gracefully. The arms and legs have lengthened, and fingers can be seen. The toes will develop in the next few days.

Monday, May 28, 2007

8 weeks or 2 months



Well 8 weeks down and about 30 to go! I can't believe how different I look within a month...I think I'm just bloated in this 2nd picture. The first picture was 4 weeks and four days. Anyways I'll be going to see my obstetrician on Friday.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Seven weeks


Well...seven weeks. Only thirty to thirty-one to go!(I will likely be induced early.) Sometimes I cannot think that far ahead. Still a couple days ago John and I decided to buy some beaded booties at the Allen Sapp Gallery for our baby. I have to make myself think that our baby will use them. I have to make myself believe that the work I am putting in and discomfort I am feeling now will all be worth it. I have to have that hope.

My dear sweet baby...you are very real to me. I want you here. I do have hopes for you. For now my biggest hope is for both of us to make it to your birthday together.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Another letter


Dear Baby,
Everyday I am happy you are here. I think about you countless times in the day. Already I worry about you. Continue growing and being shaped. Stretch and move, rest and relax. There are so many things I am looking forward to with you. But I will wait, knowing you are why I am waiting.
Love Mom

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Six weeks

Dates and numbers:
There are 237 days until my due date on January 06, 2008.
I am 43 days pregnant.
I am 1.4 months pregnant.
I am in my 2nd month of pregnancy. (huh?)
My 1st trimester: April 01, 2007 to June 30, 2007. (0 - 12 weeks)
My 2nd trimester: July 01, 2007 to October 13, 2007. (13 - 27 weeks)
My 3rd trimester: October 14, 2007 to January 06, 2008. (28 - 40 weeks)
When talking about the size of a developing baby, most healthcare providers will discuss the size in terms of `crown-to-rump` length. Crown-to-rump length simply means the distance from the top of the baby's head to its buttocks. Because the baby's legs are usually bent or tucked inwards, crown-to-heel length is hard to determine. By the sixth week of pregnancy, my developing baby is 2 to 4 mm long.

I have actually been pregnant for an entire month now! Although I will not be able to hearmy baby's heartbeat with a doppler yet, I might be able to see it beating if I have an ultrasound now.

From week 6 to week 10 of my pregnancy, I will be in the embryonic period. This is a very important time of development for my baby and the embryo is most susceptible to experience developmental interferences at this time. Although the embryo is still very small, it is growing and developing rapidly. My baby's early brain chambers are forming and the eyes are also beginning to form. Buds will appear and will develop into arms and legs in later weeks.

The heart is starting up. The fetus` blood group may be different from my own!


Facial features are visible, including a mouth and tongue. The eyes have a retina and lens.

The digestive system starts forming, beginning with the first cells of the stomach and the intestine.

There are small indentations in the head, ready for the development of facial features, eyes, and ears. The outline of the jaw starts to form.

The above information/text is from the I am pregnant website found in my links.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

first appointment


Well today is the first appointment since we found out. We will meet with my family physician today and from then on we will be referred to my obstetrician. I'm not sure how soon we will be meeting with my OBGYN. (With Gordon we met at 12 weeks but we shall see this time!) There is blood work to be done and that is pretty much all. My family doctor's office called and asked if my appoinment could be moved to the 15th when all the other maternity appointments are scheduled. NO WAY! I didn't quite respond that way. However I felt like this one wasn't soon enough. Anyways I'm sure if my doctor saw my name on the list when the rescheduling was being discussed she too would have said no. So we're off to see the doctor this morning.

Monday, May 7, 2007

5 weeks



I knew it was the right time to tell. As we were leaving the auditorium Sunday morning I read Helen's lips, (Helen is in our small group), "Are you pregnant?" So we were excited to tell both sets of grandparents and Uncle Andrew at lunch. After lunch I called Auntie Angela. Uncle Jim and Auntie Susan and Auntie Jessie found out Saturday. We had a great time telling family and then our close friends and our small group.

Baby:
Your heart will begin to beat this week! It's amazing how much is happening so quickly. (A transvaginal ultrasound will show about 90% of the yolk sacs). It is now possible to differentiate between your head and your tail now. By the end of the week that folic acid will be paying off as the neural folds begin to fuse. Baby, you are now an embryo! Average length is 1.5 - 2.5 mm.

Dates and numbers:
There are 243 days until my due date on January 06, 2008.
I am 37 days pregnant.
I am 1.2 months pregnant.
I am in my 2nd month of pregnancy. (Thismeanswhat?)
My 1st trimester: April 01, 2007 to June 30, 2007. (0 - 12 weeks)
My 2nd trimester: July 01, 2007 to October 13, 2007. (13 - 27 weeks)
My 3rd trimester: October 14, 2007 to January 06, 2008. (28 - 40 weeks)

Sunday, May 6, 2007

Today is the day


Today is the day we tell our family. I'm looking forward to that. I just wish that I had some sleep last night and that I wasn't so congested. Trying to get bloodsugars under control and I'm a bit frustrated about that. I'll add to this post after we share the news.

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Any news?



Another friend asked last night, "Any News?" I looked over to your dad. Of course! You are the news! You are our wonderful news baby. I count every day you are with us. I love knowing that you are in me growing, changing. Soon your heart will start beating! Oh how I long to hear your heart beating! Thank you for coming into our lives. Our baby, our news. You are a perfect gift on this my 31st birthday.

Friday, May 4, 2007

Dear Baby,


It is already getting hard to keep you a secret and it hasn't been a week yet that we've known you are here! Sweet baby we do not want to keep you a secret. We are so happy that you are here and we want to share our joy. But many like us, will be concerned about your safe arrival to our arms. I will just keep treasuring each day I have with you growing inside me. I will keep doing all I can to be healthy. I love you and I love that you are a part of me now.

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Symptoms


It's funny. At first when I wasn't sure I was pregnant "symptoms" were iffy: Well I'm might just be getting a head rush; my stomach has been doing strange things since I was pregnant with Gordon...Now I know that my occasional sore back, my increased tiredness, my runny nose and that slightly queasy feeling in my stomach when I haven't eaten yet (and of course the absence of a monthly visitor), are signals from a baby who is growing in me. Another miracle. Another life.

Dear baby,
I am so glad that changes are happening for us both! You are continuing to make your presence known. Soon we will be telling others of your presence. For now you are our precious secret!

God, Maker of the earth and all that is in it, Maker of this precious baby
I come knocking, I come fervently, I come repeatedly, you know my heart, you know its cry, you know my needs. Bring this baby into our home. Bring this baby into our arms. Give us peace.

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Four weeks One day


This is me yesterday at fours weeks and one day! I fit into most of my prematernity clothes and still have a bit of a tummy. So no I did not lose all the weight I gained. But I do feel fit. Well that bit of a tummy will start turning into a lot of a tummy. I may not be looking forward to that part but I am looking forward to baby growing.

Dear baby,
I am looking forward to the day I hear your hearbeat, to the day I feel your kicks, to the day I see you on an ultrasound...to the day I hold you and hear your cry. I'm waiting. I love you baby.

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Positive!


Dear Baby,
We are so excited that you will be part of our lives. Last night in swim class I was talking to you even though I wasn't sure that you were here. Well I got the answer this morning that you positively are! You need to know how happy I am that you are here. (I am worried and scared too.) You have an older brother Gordon, who we will all get to meet someday. In the meantime I just want to tell you I love you and I will do everything in my power to bring you into the world safely. I will treasure everyday that you are inside me--whatever time we have together. I just wanted to say "hello." You are a precious to me--My second baby.