17 weeks… and a couple days…. of pregnancy

Wow… I guess we have a lot of catching up to do!

Today, Tuesday, I am 17 weeks and 2 days pregnant.

We found out I was pregnant about a week before Thanksgiving.  I was tired all week and was pretty moody also 🙂  (Sorry William… I love you!).  I had a suspicion I may be pregnant.  I took a pregnancy test earlier in the week and it was negative, but a few days later, those life changing words appeared on the screen of that little stick…. “pregnant”.  That one word causes about 10 different emotions to overtake you from fear to joy (joy being predominant).  I debated on how to tell William and since it was close to bedtime, I left the test on his nightstand so he would see it before he turned his lamp off….or so I thought.  When William came in the room to go to bed, he somehow missed it, turned his light off and got in the bed.  🙂  So, I had to tell him I left something on his nightstand for him to see.  After turning the light back on and squinting to see what was on the screen, he was excited and had s big smile on his face.  Then he realized he was mad that I didn’t tell him that I was going to take a test, but he got over it.  I took a few more tests just to “confirm” I was really pregnant 🙂

When we went for our first OB appointment at 6 weeks, we were able to get an ultrasound and see and hear the heartbeat!  It was amazing and made everything feel real.

A few weeks later, on Christmas, we shared the good news with our parents.  They are of course, very excited.  This will be the second grandchild for my parents and the first for William’s.

Since then, the weeks seem to be passing slow and fast at the same time.  One the one hand, I feel like… wow… I am only 17 weeks pregnant.. why is this going so slow.  On the other hand, I think… OH MY GOODNESS… in less than 23 weeks, we will have a baby!!

Anyway… I have been extremely blessed with a drama-free pregnancy.  I remember thinking after getting the positive pregnancy test that my morning sickness would kick in any day.  Week 5 rolled by… nothing.  Week 6, I heard this is where it may start to kick in… nothing.  Week 7, 8, 9… still nothing.  By then, I am thinking I only have a few weeks left in the first trimester, so perhaps I just won’t be sick, and that is exactly what happened.  I may have had a few minutes of nausea here or there, but that usually occurred when my stomach was empty and a granola bar did the trick.

I have experienced a few symptoms, but nothing to really complain about.  One symptom I had is extreme exhaustion.  The first few weeks were ROUGH.  I was tired all the time.  It is AMAZING how much energy such a tiny being can suck out of you, but after all, my body was literally working hard to form an entire human being.  They equate it to your body running a marathon.  Your body is forming organs, pumping more blood and causing your heart rate to increase.  I fell asleep on the couch almost every night (seriously) until about 2 weeks ago.  It seems to have calmed a bit, I assume symbolizing that the major development (organs, skin, limbs, etc.) is complete.  It’s almost 10pm and I am still awake!!  This time a few weeks ago, I would have been long gone with drool coming out the corner of my mouth and William tapping me on the shoulder and telling me to go to bed.  Oh… that reminds me of another pregnancy symptom William claims I have.  Snoring.  Apparently hormones are to blame for just about every pregnancy symptom you have, including the bloating and gas I had during the first 10 weeks or so that caused me to look pregnant already in the picture William posted on New Years! 🙂  William thought it was the craziest thing ever that in the morning, I looked “normal”, but at night, I looked “very pregnant” because I was so bloated.  I still get a bit bloated after meals, but not nearly as bad as before.  I am actually developing a baby bump at this point that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, so now I get to hear “you are sooo pregnant”, every day from William 🙂  I can’t imagine what he is going to say at 40 weeks.  He seems to notice the changes more than I do, but I haven’t been able to get him stop looking at me since August of 2002, so I guess it makes sense.

My plan is to make new post each week on Saturday when I begin a new week along with my “bump” photos and any exciting new developments for the week.  We have taken a few already (not as consistent as we should have… I didn’t want to take pictures of my bloat… lol).   I think we have pictures from Week 13, 14, and 17.  I am hoping to stay faithful with the weekly photos for the rest of the pregnancy.

The next big announcement will of course be the baby’s gender.  We are hoping we will find out next Monday when we have another ultrasound.  William is convinced we are having a girl (even though he would love to have a boy and would probably feel more comfortable with a boy).  I think we are having a boy (mainly because I think I secretly want a girl).  I seem to automatically think of a girl when I think about our future baby.  Both of us will be excited no matter what.  As clichéd as it may sound, all we truly want is a healthy baby.

I think that covers the highlights for now.

According to BabyCenter.com, here is what’s going on this week for baby and me:

How your baby’s growing:

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He’s busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you’ll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they’re still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he’s born. If you’re having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you’re having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

How your life’s changing:

Hungry? An increase in appetite is pretty common about now. Make it count by choosing meals and snacks that are rich in nutrients instead of empty calories (chips, French fries, candy, and other sweets). Bigger, more comfortable clothes are a must now as your appetite and waistline grow.

Your cardiovascular system is undergoing dramatic changes, and during this trimester your blood pressure will probably be lower than usual. Don’t spring up too fast from a lying or sitting position or you might feel a little dizzy.

From now on, when you do lie down, it’s best to lie on your side — or at least partly tilted to one side. (When you lie flat on your back, your uterus can compress a major vein, leading to decreased blood return to your heart.) Try placing a pillow behind you or under your hip or upper leg for comfort.

If you haven’t already had a second-trimester ultrasound, you’ll probably have one soon. This painless procedure helps your practitioner check how your baby’s growing, screen for certain birth defects, check the placenta and umbilical cord, determine whether the due date you’re working with is accurate, and see how many babies you’re carrying. During the exam, you might see your baby moving around or sucking his thumb. Bring your partner along, and be sure to ask for a printout for your baby’s first photo album!