32 Weeks

So it seems there was a growth spurt in the last two weeks (no, I am not sticking my stomach out for the camera. Mini-Lee has definitely gotten bigger, and is moving around much more. I'm able to feel where exactly it is in my body now, and so can Jacob (and I suppose, anyone else who happens to man-handle my stomach). It's kind of fun, but is uncomfortable at times. I'm certainly more awkward when I move - but move I must! We're starting to work on the nursery (yeah fun!), with some of the big furniture already in place (crib, changing table, rocking chair, and rocking horse!) 

The next few weeks will involve a lot of walking/swimming/yoga (I can almost do a squat while keeping my heels down, which I've been working on this week, despite having a pretty nasty cold). There will also be a lot of family and friends, Jacob's former employer holiday party in Monterey (basically, our baby-moon), and continuing to get used to my ever-changing body. Hope to see you during the holidays!

30 Weeks!

So I got a little behind with posting bi-weekly photos...between thanksgiving and doctor's appointments I don't know where the time seems to go. Anyway, In the last month I seem to have exploded somewhat belly-wise. Lots of very strong kicks and tummy rumblings Kick Kick Kick!

26 Weeks: November 7

Things are a-changing! (but thankfully, not my due date - Nurse Mary says I'm right on track). But, I feel like I've grown faster in the last two weeks, and this week baby was moving a lot more (hence, mama  is not getting a lot or very high quality sleep). I also started some new exercises - Prenatal Yoga - and have been doing some swimming at the Y (which has been great for more sore, aching muscles).

Here's how a looked this morning:

October 24: 6 Months/24 weeks

Big milestone, accompanied by big belly. 

  

Also, confused cat by kicking baby. 

October 14: 22 Weeks, 5 days

Happy Columbus day!

October 1: 20 Weeks, 5 days (UC Davis Anatomy Scan)

We got lots of good news yesterday, and saw the baby from almost every conceivable angle. They measured everything, and told us that it currently weights 15 ounces (almost a pound). It was measuring at 21 weeks, 3 days (and there is a week or so of error in the estimate due date - so we're right within range). It's supposed to start getting familial traits in the third trimester (which is when we'll start to see those long legs and arms I think.

We played peek-a-boo with it a little bit while the sonographer was checking out its face (so amazing to see the face so close up). It was swallowing, opening and closing it's mouth, hiccuping, and moving all around. I was getting head butts and butt-bops repeatedly during the scan. It was all very exciting. It's legs were crossed at the ankles, which gave us a really cute picture of the feet, we saw fingers, hands, knee-caps, heartbeat (140), arms and even the inside of its brain. Fun-time photos are below.

  

Profile 

 

 Mouth Open

Feet

Hand (upside down)

Hearing the heartbeat

Got a nice recording of the heartbeat on the dopler at the appointment this morning. You can hear it too: start around the 18 second mark.

Click Here to Download Heartbeat Audio

September 24, 2013: 19 weeks, 5 days

It's my birthday, I've got my new sweater on, and my belly just really popped out over the last few days. It also seemed like a good time to go ahead and share more widely:

I've got a doctor's appointment this week (check up) and the anatomy scan next week - which i imagine will give us some really great photos of the not-so-little-anymore-mini-Lee.

September 19, 2013: 19 Weeks

The numbers for today are fun. It is September 19, I'm 19 weeks pregnant, and it's our fourth wedding anniversary. I started to feel the baby move and kick maybe last week sometime, but wasn't sure what if that's what I was feeling until yesterday. Starting about 10:30, baby was kicking and thumping and it was... well just really neat and reassuring. I couldn't ask for a better way to celebrate being married to Jacob.

So here's what I looked like yesterday (the bump grows little by little):

September 11, 2013: 17 Weeks, 6 days

The doctor's appointment went well today. We heard the heartbeat again (150 BPM) and that's always reassuring. The results from the ultra-sound two weeks ago were good, everything looked like it was supposed to (although due to fetal age and position they weren't able to check on some things). They didn't see anything alarming or off though. Also my second trimester screening came back just fine.

I do have to do a glucose test next week to check for gestational diabetes. It's a three hour blood test and you can't eat for 10 hours before hand (OMG, how will I survive?) While I'm not really looking forward to the test, it is encouraging to be taking a test that I haven't had before - because I never got far enough along to take it.

The following week we have a check up, and the third week out is the 20-week anatomy scan at UC Davis Medical center in Sacramento. I'm very much looking forward to that milestone. No pictures to share today, but that's the update.

August 29: 16 Weeks (1st bump photo)

I always look bigger at the end of the day, so I took this last night. Not sure if I just look fat, or if I actually look pregnant:

August 28: 15 weeks, 7 days

Had an ultra-sound this morning, and a first look at Mercy Hospital here in Redding. Everyone seems exceptionally nice (even though I had to wait 2 hours, and keep filling my bladder). The technician did a lot of looking at the sonogram that I couldn't see, so it wasn't quite as satisfying. But I did see her track the heartbeat, and at one point she showed me its arm and hand and told me it was waving at me (just like a few weeks ago, when I swear it gave me a 'power to the people' fist). Afterwards she showed me a little onscreen action. It was laying horizontally across my torso, facing my back. She said it was moving around a lot too. 

These photos are a little fuzzier than they were on screen, but you can clearly see the spine, and a little outline of the face. It's always reassuring to see the little bean. I'm sure I'll hear more about how it looked to the doctor's in the next few weeks.

facing my back

You can almost see it's open mouth below

Closer view

August 27, 2013: 15 weeks, 6 days

We had our first appointment in Redding today (long but good). Heard the heart-beat for the first time, and it sounded good and strong (140-150 rate). Mary, the nurse practitioner, was very encouraging. I go back tomorrow for a sonogram, and will have another appointment in two weeks. We'll also have our 18-20 week scan soon (either with the UC Davis team that comes up every two weeks, or we'll have to go down to Sacramento to see the UC Davis team there - just a matter of getting onto their schedule.

Things are looking good, and I remain hungry all the time. More soon!

August 9, 2013: 13 weeks, 2 days

At our last appointment with the Berkeley/Orinda doctor, she took these great photos, and thought it looked like the baby was making kissy faces at us.  I asked if the movements it was making looked like hiccups to her, she said that that they do get the hiccups in there, but it was a little early for that. Then, off the cuff she said "you just have an advanced baby." Trying not to read too much into that, but its still made me feel good about this pregnancy.

Jamming to some tunes?

Kissy face?

July 30, 2013: NT Scan photos & video (!)

Just about the same time that Jacob found out he was going to get a new job, we also found out that I was pregnant. I've been seeing the doctor every two weeks, and things look good. At the NT scan a few weeks ago (11 weeks, 6 days), the technician got to record a really active baby. Kicking up a storm (I of course, felt nothing). I kept thinking - none of the others looked this active! We saw some movement before, but nothing like this (and that's incredibly reassuring). It looked like early attempts at butterfly kick. And it's legs and arms are really long. These were amazingly clear pictures that don't quite translate as well here - but you'll get the idea.

Perfect profile

 Kicking those crazy-long legs

Giving us the High Five!

Two wiggle-worm (with heartbeat) videos:

July 1, 2013: First photo

 7 weeks 4 days

Close up