19 weeks and sore!

First, here's my belly pic, taken yesterday (Sunday) at 19w 1d.

Yes, I'm in my pajamas, lol. And I don't know why my face always looks so red in the pics...it doesn't look that way when the pic is taken : (. I don't see much change in my belly from last week, but I've gained another pound since then (and I feel bigger)! So far I'm up 7lbs. Not bad for 19 weeks, I guess! We'll see what the doctor says on Friday. I go for my "big" ultrasound and I can't wait to see how much the baby has changed/grown since the 11th : ).

I got my 3rd injection last Wednesday and oh my word does my hip/butt area HURT! This is the worst yet and I'm thinking it's a combo of it being the first time getting a 2nd shot in the same side AND it's the side where I got the first one at the doctor's when the nurse had me stand and it got pretty sore. Now it's about twice as bad as then. (Last week I hardly got sore at all!) I'm interested to see what happens after this week's shot. Oh well, it's for a great cause! ; )

My mom wants to throw me a baby shower and she has my sister, aunt, and Doug's mom in on it. Right now it's set for April 12th. I'm excited and really, really hope that I'll actually be pregnant for this one! I was thrown a last minute shower with Ryan one week before he came home from the NICU! I'll be 30 weeks exactly that day and hopefully have a big ol' belly : ). Last night I went to register at Walmart....that was fun and so cool to pick out pink things! LOL. My sister and her boyfriend went along (Doug didn't want to go...not his cup of tea). Tomorrow night my mom is going up to Toys'R'Us with me to make a small one there for things they didn't have at Walmart.

I've already bought the baby some clothes since we found out she's a she and we already have a decent size nb/small cloth diaper stash going. Maybe I'll post some pics of stuff later this week! : )

18 weeks already!

I am officially halfway there since I doubt my OB will let me go past 36 weeks....there's a slight possibility until 37 weeks, but I 'm doubtful. We'll see! Here's this week's belly pic, taken yesterday:

Once again, I've filled out more "up top". LOL. Baby girl must be pushing my organs up or something because she's down near my belly button. Total weight gain so far is 5lbs. I feel her move a lot now : ). About a week ago when I was laying in bed watching some TV before going to sleep, I had my hand on my belly and felt the tiniest little tap. Well, last night I was doing the same and she kicked (punched?) so hard that my hand actually moved! : ) It's a very cool, amazing feeling to feel her moving around, but once in awhile it give me the heebie jeebies, lol. Especially when she decides to bump my cervix. I can't stand that! Luckily it doesn't happen too often. We went to the movies Friday night to see Sweeny Todd (pretty good movie, by the way, but VERY bloody) and when it first started, the baby was going NUTS, probably wondering where we were and why it was so loud. LOL. She settled down pretty quickly, though. I think I might have gone nuts if I could feel her bouncing around in there the whole time ; ).

No name yet. My top pick, Oliva, Doug has said he won't cave on. He doesn't like it at all : (. Nor does he like Audrey or Lily, my other top picks. He skimmed through our baby name book and came up with Dakota and Brooke. Dakota is definitely a no-go for me and I could probably live with Brooke, but I don't *love* it. I said to him about Sophie, but he likes Sophia better and I'm not sure about that. I guess I could still call her Sophie. But right now between those 2 I'm leaning more towards Brooke. He still has to go through the rest of the book, so we'll see what else he comes up with.

I got my 2nd injection Wednesday night...Doug's aunt gave it to me. This one didn't get nearly as sore. It hurts like it's bruised, but my whole muscle doesn't hurt and it doesn't hurt just to move like the first side. I know it's because the nurse had me stand to get the first one and you can't completely relax your muscles (and it never occurred to me to shift my weight to the opposite leg) and I laid down for the 2nd one. I can't believe I can't feel that huge needle (or the medicine) go in! Yay for that! LOL.

It's a....

BABY GIRL!!!!

Doug and I are both still sort of in shock. LOL. The u/s tech looked between the legs right away after making sure we wanted to know and I didn't notice any boy parts, but thought maybe I was missing them. She was still looking and we were just kinda of chatting and all of a sudden, with NO warning, she says, "Well, it's definitely a girl!" I think both of our jaws dropped and we just looked at each other. LOL. It still hasn't sunk in! I will admit that I was a tiny bit disappointed at first because Ryan isn't going to have a brother, but at the same time I am thrilled to be having a daughter : ). The tech also checked my cervix and it was nice and long : ). Baby girl's head was actually measuring 17w 5d (and I was only 16w 6d), lol....we'll see if they end up changing my due date when I have my big u/s at the doctor's on the 1st. Here are some more pics we got:

Side profile

Side profile with her hands

Full body in 3D

Another full body shot. I think this one is my fave : )

Click here to see the close up of her face.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e310/Mommy2Miracle03/16w6d-7.jpg

I tried resizing this pic about 10 times and it was still showing up HUGE and half the pic was cut off, so this is the best I could do!

She still looks like an alien. LOL. We might go back later in the pregnancy for better pics and for the video : ).

After we were done at the u/s place, we went to T.G.I. Friday's for lunch and I could barely eat because I was so shocked and excited. LOL. I was able to talk Doug in to stopping at the mall quick. I had a $10G.C. for Gymboree so I went in there and found these 2 adorable outfits! With my G.C., I only had to pay $4.97!

Her first dress! : ) It comes with matching bloomers, too.

We stopped at Doug's mom's work on the way home to tell her (and her coworkers were dying to know). We put the pink onesie that we bought not long after I found out I was pregnant (we bought one pink and one blue) in a baby gift bag and had her pull it out. She cried. I knew she would. She was really hoping for another granddaughter (she currently has one, plus 5 grandsons including Zachary). My mom and dad were really happy, too : ). I should have known it was a girl with how different this pregnancy has been! My morning sickness came later and lasted less time, I've had heartburn which I never had before, I'm more tired than I was during my other pregnancies, and my belly is filling out differently! Doug says I'm moodier and b*tchier, too, lol (I am!). Here's this week's belly pic (17 weeks already!) taken today:

I got my first 17p injection on Wednesday at the doctor's office. I was soooooooo nervous and it ended up not hurting at all! In fact I only felt a tiny pinch when the needle went in and that was it. Boy, is my hip/butt sore now, though. LOL. Oh well. Doug's aunt will be giving me the shots every week from now on : ). Well, I think that's all for now!

16 week belly pic

It was actually taken at 16w 2d b/c we forgot to take it on Saturday, but better late than never ; ).

If you look back at last weeks, you can see I've filled out right below the boobs. LOL. But my bottom bump hasn't gotten bigger yet, I don't think. I feel bigger, though!

I go tomorrow morning for my 1st injection. We talked to one of Doug's aunts over the weekend and she explained to me how to give the shot. My mom and I still weren't comfortable with her just giving it to me without being shown, so yesterday morning I called the doctor's office to see when my mom and I could come in so they could show her and they then told me they don't recommend anyone give it that doesn't have a nursing background and experience giving shots b/c if it's not given right I could get cellulitis. I wish they'd tell me all this up front so I knew what the heck was going on! We have to call Doug's aunt tonight and see if she'd be willing to give them to me every week if we go to her house. I'm thinking it won't be a problem...she's super nice. I'm so tired of all the hoopla surrounding this shot and who's giving it that I'm not even scared any more and just want to get it over with! LOL.

Doug and I are being insane on Friday and going somewhere to get a 3D u/s done to find out the sex earlier. We'll get pics and a video. It's kind of insane to go pay money for something like that, but I'm really impatient, lol. And this is the last time I'll be pregnant, so I figure why not! I'll be one week shy of 17 weeks. The lady I talked to who does the ultrasounds said there won't be a problem determining the sex and if there is, she'll have us come back in a week free of charge. I hope we can find out Friday, though! Anyone want to put in their votes now on if it's a girl or a boy? LOL. A friend pointed out something in my last u/s pic that she says looks like could be a vaginal canal and some other online friends have said the same. Guess we'll see! Here's a pic with arrows pointing to what they're referring to (the dark lines in the crotch/butt area):

15 (and a half) week appointment

First, here's my 15 week belly pic, taken Saturday!

My appointment was yesterday and it was boring! LOL. I thought I was getting an u/s, but I didn't. Mostly I was just excited about possibly finding out the sex, but it's a bit early for that anyway. Total weight gain so far is 3lbs. and my blood pressure was good (108/66, I think). Before the doctor came in, the midwife was in to talk to me (and Doug was there, too). I got some clarifications from her on how easy I should be taking it and she said normal routine shoudl be fine, but avoid lifting and any type of pushing/pulling activity (like vacuuming). I questioned her on how I would know if the cerclage wasn't holding and she said I would probably have pink or red discharge. Let's hope for none of that! We got the medicine delivered the other day for my weekly injections and I took that with me because I wasn't sure if I would get my first dose or not, being only 15w 4 d and they're supposed to start at 16w. The nurse asked if there was anyone at home that could give them because they charge $21 to give a freaking shot! We're going to check with a couple of Doug's aunts who do home health nursing and see if they can show Doug how to give them, although he's not sure if he *can do it. LOL. Hopefully we'll figure something out so 1.) I don't have to find a way downtown every week and 2.) we dont have to pay them $21 a week! When the doctor came in he said it would be good for us if we can give them at home (and lots of his patients do), but if need be I can go in there for them or possibly to the hospital here in town. I have to check what they would charge, though. OMGoodness, the needles are freaking HUGE : X. I'm going to TRY not to be a baby about it. LOL. Oh, and they have to go in the butt. Joy joy ; ). I go back in 4 weeks on February 1st and that's when I'll get my "big" u/s and we'll find out the sex if the baby cooperates (and s/he better, lol)! They'll also check my cerclage at that point. So I guess that's all for now! You'll probably "hear from me" again before my next appointment : ).

P.S. Forgot to say the midwife found the baby's heartbeat pretty quickly with the doppler (it was 138bpm) and it was in the same spot I've been feeling movement : ).