Rumble Rumble

Did you know that when listening to the baby's heartbeat with the doppler you can hear the baby kicking? You can, and did you know what that sounds like? Thunder! So neat! I got to experience this on Friday at my most recent doctor appointment, though only long enough for the midwife to calculate Baby M's heartrate... so maybe 15 or 20 seconds. I was definitely hoping that I could savor the moment a little bit longer, but oh well. SO, the heartrate has dropped down to 150 from the 180 it was about 6 weeks ago, which is completely normal. It was so neat to hear, it always is!

It's still so hard for me to truly comprehend that there is a little person growing in me! I mean think about it, I can't see it, I can't really feel him/her too much yet (just a few flutters a few times a day with a random good, strong KICK maybe two times so far) and the last time I did "see" this little guy/girl, he/she was the size of a raisin with little to distinguish other than the flashing of the heart beating. It's just so amazing to even conceive (mentally, that is... and physically, too.)

Not a whole lot to complain about at this point (THANK GOD!!!) other than my allergies, which would be here regardless. They are definitely less intense than when I wasn't prego, but very much here, too. Starting to feel pregnant, belly is showing and firming up as baby continues to rise up into my abdomin and less so in my pelvis... thus less bathroom trips (YAY!). Not only am I not supposed to lay flat on my back anymore (because when I do it can compress an artery runny down my back which feeds not only my lower body but also Baby) but when I DO lay on my back, it's quite uncomfortable. A very odd feeling for sure!

Well, all for now. Thanks for reading... my ultrasound has been scheduled for Monday, Sept. 11, so I'll be sure to scan in those images and post those so that the world can get a glimpse at our little ray of sunshine. :)
~jen & baby m

16 Weeks: Expanding...

Well, I'll be 16 weeks (4 months) tomorrow and I am feeling a lot of stretching. The belly started itching yesterday and Brendan and I both noticed this morning that I HAD a baby belly when I got up. Usually my tummy more or less just looks like it's bloated in the morning and then gets bigger as the day goes on, gravity takes effect and the stomach muscles relax. But, like I said, this morning it was still there! I can tell the 'ole uterus is slowly "rising into my abdominal cavity" as the books put it because I have been feeling a LOT of pulling and tightness, which explains the growing belly. Well, that and the fact that Baby is approaching 5-6 inches (from head to butt) this week. I'm still amazed how this whole pregnancy thing takes it's course and the different things that happen to my body throughout it all. Pretty darn cool and just miraculous, I think!

Well, all for now...

~Jen & Baby M

P.S. Brendan and I decided that I should take my belly button ring out when I was cleaning it and noticed that my belly button is getting bigger and shallower, also confirming the growing and stretching. Amazing!!! :)

Gone But Not Forgotten... :)

Don't get worried by the title... it pertains to my waist.

I tried to put on a belt yesterday and I've officially outgrown all of our belts (including Brendan's, but his are the same size as mine, so not a huge deal). I haven't measured my "waist" but our belts fit up to about 32". I was just showing B pics of the growing tummy and we got back to the one from the day we found out we/I was preggers. He just smiled, I took that as a good thing. Thankfully, other than the growing tummy, there's not a whole lot to report. The "morning sickness" has basically disappeared other than a few sporadic occasions that actually tend to occur in the evening, around dinner time and last through 'til bed time. Also, I've been experiencing a lot of headaches, which can be contributed to pregnancy and I think the approaching allergy season. I read, just the other day, though, that allergies actually tend to be not as bad during pregnancy. So I'm REALLY excited about that since my allergies really tend to just knock me on my bum... I basically lose all functions of my nose and nasal passages. I'm definitely praying that this blessing falls on me :)Well, thanks for reading. The next doctor appointment is Aug. 25... so I'm excited to get to hear the hearbeat again! Maybe it'll have slowed down a little (if you remember it was about 180 last time, which is a bit high, but it was early on enough that the doc wasn't worried at all).

Until next time...~J & Baby M