34w0d

Holy cow, I didn't realize it's been 6 weeks since I've blogged. Life has been so busy preparing for my little man. He'll be here in 6 weeks, give or take. Gulp.

 

How Far Along: 34 weeks, 0 days!

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of a cantaloupe. He should be 5 pounds or more. Crazy!!

Continuing Symptoms: Heartburn (killer!), hip pain at night, extremely swollen feet and hands (goodbye, wedding ring. I actually stopped wearing my ring at 28 weeks when I flew to San Diego...and after that, I just couldn't put it back on. I'm looking forward to wearing it again!!)

New Symptoms This Week: No new symptoms, just the normal "I'm as huge as a whale" symptoms. I can't get out of the bathtub or from any sitting position easily without Jeremy's help. Embarassing.

Sleep: Sleep? I don't sleep anymore. Ha! I get up around 4-5 times to use the restroom, and I can only sleep on my sides now, which is annoying. One side gets sore, so I wake up and switch sides. Then the other side gets sore....and it continues all night. Sigh.

Cravings/Aversions: All of a sudden, I want to eat chocolate. I've never been a huge chocolate person, so this is surprising. It's probably why I'm gaining all this weight. Seriously, I'm as huge as a house now. I'm counting on breastfeeding to help me kick all this enormous weight!

Movement:  Little boy kicks all the time now - he rolls, plays, hiccups and kicks all day, every day now. It's hilarious to watch my belly change shape. Last night Jeremy and I were laughing, because he stuck his butt out so far on one side of my belly that I looked incredibly lopsided. He doesn't give too many rib kicks yet. (Thanks, little buddy!) We can't wait to meet him.

Gender: IT'S (still) A BOY!!! I'm getting more and more excited to meet my little boy. I can't wait. I just want to see his chubby cheeks and feel the little feet that have been poking me for weeks.

Maternity Clothes: Even my maternity clothes feel tight around my belly. My belly has dropped really low because little boy has been head down for awhile. So, my belly is so low that not many maternity shirts are covering it all. Embarassing. Such a change from most of my pregnancy, since I was carrying so high before.

What I Miss: I miss my pre-pregnancy body. I feel bad for saying it, because I love this baby boy so much, but I miss my body. I hate feeling so large. And my chest is huge, and I hate that. I miss my slim pre-pregnancy feet!

Special Pregnancy Moments: Just feeling and watching him kick. I think that's the only thing I'll miss about pregnancy, is feeling that special bond with him that noone else gets.

What We Are Looking Forward To: We didn't get a 32 week ultrasound. (apparently, everything is going very well, super textbook, so I don't need a scan. Which I'm grateful for, but I still wanted to see his face!) I'm looking forward to 37 weeks, when he'll be full-term. You can come anytime after that, little boy!

 

I can't wait to meet you in 6 weeks, my little love.

Valentine's!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I sent this to Jeremy.

Obviously, I was only kidding.

Kindof.

28w0d....third trimester!!!

I know, I missed weeks 26 and 27. I'm bad. It's been such a terribly busy week, and I haven't been feeling super awesome. And not too much has really changed, up until 28 weeks.

How Far Along: 28 weeks, 0 days!

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of Chinese cabbage. Well, now. I've never eaten a Chinese cabbage, but my baby book says the kidlet should weigh about 2.5 pounds (!!!) and be almost 15 inches long. So, so crazy.

Continuing Symptoms: Same old.

New Symptoms This Week: I've had little bouts of hip pain, which isn't awesome. Mostly when I'm in bed, though. I've developed some super-sexy swollen feet. If only I could wear slippers to work every day.

Sleep: I'm waking up about 3 - 4 times a night now. I can easily go back to sleep, but it leaves me feeling more tired during the day. The fuzzy body pillow is a life-saver, though. While in San Diego, I was achy and didn't sleep well. Last night, in bed with Jeremy and my body pillow, I slept really well.

Cravings/Aversions: Besides the fact that I'm hungry.all.the.time??? I just want food. All the time. I can almost eat as much as my 15 year old brother, who is super athletic and active. I've got to force myself to stop eating. So that's why I'm gaining to much weight....

Movement:  Kiddo kicks all the time now. He's not a violent kicker; I can just feel him thumping around. During the afternoons he's pretty quiet. He goes crazy at night, which I love.

Gender: IT'S (still) A BOY!!! All the little boy clothes are so adorable. And I'm secretly thrilled that I don't have to deal with more pinks and purples. Sometimes I hope I'll only have boys!

Maternity Clothes: All my clothes are maternity. I am absolutely loving the maternity tank tops from Old Navy - I pair them with a cardigans and leggings and I'm ready for work.

What I Miss: I miss my pre-pregnancy body. I feel bad for saying it, because I love this baby boy so much, but I miss my body. I hate feeling so large. And my chest is huge, and I hate that. I miss my slim pre-pregnancy feet!

Special Pregnancy Moments: The baby shower on February 9th was so great. My sister-in-law did such an amazing job. I couldn't be more grateful for all the hard work she put into it; it was absolutely perfect.
Also, today is officially the 3rd trimester! We're in the home stretch!!! Eeek.

What We Are Looking Forward To: I'm looking forward to seeing his little face at our 32 week ultrasound (if the doctor says I can have one at 32 weeks). I really really really want to do a 3D ultrasound, but Jeremy is being a grinch...

25w3d

How Far Along: 25 weeks, 3 days!

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of an eggplant. Sorry, baby, but I've never liked eggplant. I think it taste slimy and bland. But an eggplant is good-sized! I can't believe how big the baby is really getting. It amazes me every day to think about it.

Continuing Symptoms: Same old!

New Symptoms This Week: Nothing new, which is nice. I know some women have sciatica and round ligament pain, and all kinds of ailments. I'm very lucky that I just feel huge - no pain for me, really.

Sleep: I wake up about 2 times during the night to use the restroom, which is not bad compared to some women. I bought myself a body pillow with a soft, fuzzy cover, and it.is.wonderful.

Cravings/Aversions: Jeremy and I comment all the time (knock on wood) that I haven't really had too many cravings or aversions. Just little things here and there, but nothing that I can't live without.

Movement: It's fun to see him kick all the time now. He kicks after every meal, but he kicks the most in the evening. He is pretty quiet during the afternoon hours, and I assume he sleeps. When I am sitting down, I can feel him kick very low, inches below my bellybutton. When I'm laying down, however, I can see his kicks way above my belly button. It's so fun. He seems to always be laying on my right side...I hardly ever feel a kick on my left side!

Gender: IT'S (still) A BOY!!! All the little boy clothes are so adorable. And I'm secretly thrilled that I don't have to deal with more pinks and purples. Sometimes I hope I'll only have boys!

Maternity Clothes: All my clothes are maternity, except the cute long & lean tanks at Target. I LOVE those tank tops!!!

What I Miss: I miss my pre-pregnancy body. I feel bad for saying it, because I love this baby boy so much, but I miss my body. I hate feeling so large. And my chest is huge, and I hate that.

Special Pregnancy Moments: Watching the baby kick is so, so fun. I love when even Jeremy can see him kick :)

What We Are Looking Forward To: I am looking forward to my baby shower in San Diego on February 9th. I know it's a long way away, but I haven't been home since my wedding more than a year ago, and I'm anxious to see all my friends and family. Plus, it will be fun to see all the cute baby things we get :) I've started to take peeks at my registries, and it's fun to see that items have been bought off them (even though I know it's my mom doing all that buying, it's still SO fun!)

 

I have my gestational diabetes test tomorrow, which I'm NOT excited about!

24w0d

I know, I know. I missed week 23. I can't believe it's going by so quickly.

 

How Far Along: 24 weeks, 0 days!

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of a grapefruit. Oh, lordy, I love grapefruits!

Continuing Symptoms: Same old!

New Symptoms This Week: My heartburn has come back with a vengeance. I managed to avoid it up until about 2 weeks ago (which was surprising because of my Crohn's!) but I've had to start taking 2 Zantac 75's a day. Sigh. If I don't, I suffer. Big time.

Sleep: I have been getting up a ton lately to use the restroom, probably 2-3 times a night. Lately I've been waking up at 3:30 or 4 and having a difficult time going back to sleep. I think it's because my belly has started getting heavy, and it's difficult to get comfortable. Also, the kidlet wakes up around then, and wants to kick and play. I'm still enamored by the kicks and punches, and want to stay awake to feel them.

Cravings/Aversions: Agh, all I want to eat is pink grapefruit, and it's so expensive here in Chicago. Boo.

Movement: I feel him all the time now, definitely more pronounced than it used to be. On Saturday, January 12th, Jeremy and I got to actually see him kick, which was fantastic. It's weird to look at your stomach and see it pop up and down, and know that it's a baby kicking in there. (normally, my stomach moving is because of my wacky intestines, haha!)

Gender: IT'S (still) A BOY!!! I'm starting to get so, so excited about all the little boy clothes and blue blankets at the store. While Jeremy and I haven't bought much, my mom has just been going crazy, and I can't wait to see all the adorable little boy things she's gotten him.

Maternity Clothes: All my clothes are maternity, except the cute long & lean tanks at Target. I LOVE those tank tops!!!

What I Miss: I miss my pre-pregnancy body, even though I hated it because of the steroids. Oh, I miss my old clothes and I miss being able to get up from a laying position without assistance! :)

Special Pregnancy Moments: Seeing the baby kick from the outside was so fun. Today is the baby's viability day, which means that if he was born now, the hospital would do everything in their power to keep him alive, and he would have a 50% or better chance at surviving. Obviously, I want him to cook until the bitter end, but it's also a relief knowing that if he was born now, they would help him. So happy V-Day to me!

What We Are Looking Forward To: I am looking forward to my baby shower in San Diego on February 9th. I know it's a long way away, but I haven't been home since my wedding more than a year ago, and I'm anxious to see all my friends and family. Plus, it will be fun to see all the cute baby things we get :) I've started to take peeks at my registries, and it's fun to see that items have been bought off them (even though I know it's my mom doing all that buying, it's still SO fun!)

2013.

From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I kept thinking to myself, "Next year I will be a mother, someone's Mama." Even though I knew I was pregnant, the idea seems years away. I couldn't really grasp it. Next year always seems far away, even if it's only a few months.

And now, I will be a mother this year. I will be someone's Mama in 4 short months. A tiny, wriggly little person will need me for their entire existence. This year. Soon.

***********************************************************************

I was ready to see 2012 go. I started off 2012 continuing with my terrible Crohn's flare-up. I was on steroids, terribly sick and not getting better. After x-rays, CT scans, exams and a colonoscopy, I was ready to start Remicade. Aka, the Big Guns for Crohn's. I started Remicade in April, and was in immediate remission by May. Not before I used all my 2 weeks of vacation time at work for hospital visits. Shouldn't there be some kind of "hospital time?" Because using your vacation time for hospital visits is certainly no vacation.

In April, Jeremy and I went to New York City for Eric and Barrie's wedding. Even though I was super sick, it was still so much fun. I loved New York, but I would never want to live there. So crowded and expensive, but beautiful and so much fun to visit.

On August 21st, the very best thing of 2012 happened - I found out I was pregnant. Even though I wanted a baby, it was still a huge shock to see those 2 pink lines. It was overwhelming and wonderful and scary and shocking and beautiful.

In September, we moved to a new, bigger apartment in Evanston. Even though we miss living in the city a little, we love Evanston. We have a 1 bedroom apartment, so this baby won't have his own nursery, but I'm not concerned. He's a baby. Our new apartment is airy and big, and in a lovely and quiet neighborhood. With a park right around the corner.

In November, right before Thanksgiving, we found out this little kid is a boy. I knew it was, but my feelings were confirmed. We are over the moon.

So 2012 hasn't been the worst year, but I am more than ready for 2013. I know it's going to be one of the best years of my life.

22w0d

How Far Along: 22 weeks, 0 days!

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of a papaya. That seems so large!

Continuing Symptoms: Same old, same old.

New Symptoms This Week: My backaches have miraculously gone away, and I'm feeling good.

Sleep: I have definitely been getting up numerous times to use the restroom. It's obnoxious, but I haven't had too much of a problem getting back to sleep. I have been feeling a little bit more tired when my alarm goes off at 5:30 am however!

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing crazy lately. I always want to eat pineapple. And anything salty.

Movement: I feel baby boy all the time now. At my 21 week appointment, the doctor asked me to start taking note of his movements, and told me I needed to make sure I felt him at least 3 times per day. I almost laughed - I would definitely notice if I didn't feel this kid move - he is bumping around all the time now. I love it.

Gender: IT'S (still) A BOY!!! This kid was definitely still a boy at the ultrasound on Friday. No chance of being a girl. Even though I knew it was a boy from our ultrasound at 16 weeks, it was still a relief to hear the ultrasound tech say, "Oh, definitely a boy. No chance about that."

Maternity Clothes: I can still wear certain stretchy non-maternity tops, but I mostly wear maternity clothes. I'm carrying really high, and my chest is quite larger than it was before, so I needed maternity clothes.

What I Miss: I miss booze. I really do!
Special Pregnancy Moments: The ultrasound on Friday was so awesome. He was so much bigger than 5 weeks before, and starting to look more and more baby-ish. She measured all his bones and organs, and we saw all 4 chambers of his tiny heart beating away. He is currently breech right now, but the doctor said that's totally normal at this stage, and he will definitely flip by delivery. But it makes sense for him to be breech - I have been feeling him kicking so low! He had his legs all tucked up by his head, and he is squished up nice and comfortable. It was really, really adorable.

What We Are Looking Forward To: I am looking forward to my baby shower in San Diego on February 9th. I know it's a long way away, but I haven't been home since my wedding more than a year ago, and I'm anxious to see all my friends and family. Plus, it will be fun to see all the cute baby things we get :)

21w0d

How Far Along: 21 weeks, 0 days!

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of a banana. I don't know when I started disliking bananas, but I do. I like banana flavored foods - I love banana bread. But raw bananas? I'm not the biggest fan.

Continuing Symptoms: Same old, same old.

New Symptoms This Week: My backaches have miraculously gone away, and I'm feeling good.

Sleep: Sigh. Saturday night I couldn't get to sleep until 3 am, and then I woke up at 5 to use the restroom. Last night I had trouble getting to sleep. I really hope insomnia doesn't come to stay!

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing crazy, but I always crave salty over sweet. Old wive's tales say that I'm definitely having a boy since I crave salty things, but that's been the only old wive's tale that's been accurate for me!

Movement: This kid thumps around all day now! There's no denying that he's moving around in there. Jeremy felt him kick for the first time yesterday during Sunday afternoon football. Obviously, this is a sign that our baby already loves sports.

Gender: IT'S A BOY!!! I've been irritated by some people's reactions lately when I tell them it's a boy. It's always the women - I think most women think it would be more fun to have a girl. When I happily say "It's a boy!!," I've had a few women say things like, "Well, as long as it's healthy, that's all that matters!" Uh, ok. I've longed for a little boy from the beginning, and I'm ashamed to say that I might have been a little disappointed if the ultrasound tech told me it was a girl. I can't wait to meet my little boy.

Maternity Clothes: I can't deny it. I need maternity clothes. I'm pretty sure Jeremy got me some cute maternity clothes for Christmas that I desperately need. My mom got me an adorable comfy maternity cardigan that I've been living in all week.

What I Miss: I miss booze. I really do!
Special Pregnancy Moments: Feeling him kick like crazy this week has been awesome. When Jeremy felt the baby kick for the first time, we both got giddy. It was surreal and amazing.

What We Are Looking Forward To: We have our 20-week ultrasound on Friday (I know, 2 weeks late) and I can't wait to see how big he's gotten in the past 8 weeks!!! :)

20w0d

How Far Along: 20 weeks, 0 days...Half-way cooked!!!!

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of a cantaloupe. That sounds huge. Actually, baby is only about 10 inches long (that does seem big!) and weighs almost 9oz.

Continuing Symptoms: Same old, same old.

New Symptoms This Week: My lower back has started to ache a little. Nothing terrible, but if I stand too long, or sit too long, my back aches. I try to get up and move a little from my desk every day.

Sleep: Sigh. I'm waking up more often in the middle of the night to use the restroom now, and I find that it's harder to get back to sleep. I usually fall back to sleep within 15 minutes, so that's not bad, but I usually never even wake up at all! So this tends to make me a little more tired and grumpy throughout the day.

Cravings/Aversions: These past couple weeks I've been wanting to eat ruby red grapefruit. It's not in season, so I can't. Boo. But every yummy Christmas treat that comes through the office building looks delicious, and I can't resist. Soooo...I'm going to start going to the gym tomorrow. Hmph.

Movement: Well, well. I've finally got some kicks. Some real kicks. This is a good story. I was having some strange symptoms last Thursday, and called the on-call doctor because I was worried. I was only mildly concerned, and figured it was better to be safe than sorry. Well, Miss On Call Doctor got really clinical and over-helpful, saying words like "threatened miscarriage." Obviously, everything is fine, and I guess she is a doctor, but I freaked out. I stared hysterically crying (and I'm not a crier) and laid in bed, sobbing at the prospect of losing my little boy. I hadn't felt him kick yet, so my crying turned frantic as my thoughts raced all over the place. Right when my crying was at its peak, I felt a huge kick, right where my hand was resting. It was such an obvious kick that I immediately stopped crying, and started to laugh. I couldn't believe it - this kid must have known I needed some reassurance, and gave me a good, hard, true kick to let me know that he was just fine. Since then, I've felt some thumps and bumps and flutters when I'm sitting still, or laying in bed. It's the best feeling ever.

Gender: IT'S A BOY!!! I'm still over the moon that I'm having a boy. Sometimes just thinking about what he'll look like makes me feel weepy. It must be the hormones. Really.

Maternity Clothes: I can't deny it. I need maternity clothes. Sigh.

What I Miss: I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss my old body. I miss my thin(ner) body. I'm so, so happy to be pregnant and to be this little boy's mama, but let me tell you - I'll be working to get back into shape asap. There's ain't nothing that is super sexy about gaining weight, baby or not.
Special Pregnancy Moments: The first kick was amazing, pure joy. This kid has my heart already. And reaching the 20 week mark this week feels amazing. I'm half-way to meeting my boy!

19w1d

How Far Along: 19 weeks, 1 day

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of a mango. I used to love mangos. The summer after my senior year of college, I went on a trip with a few friends to Maui. It was my "senior vacation." We stayed in a hostel, and went on amazing tours for free. It was an unbelievable trip. One of the tours was the Road to Hana tour - along the way, we stopped and hiked through some bamboo forests. There were mango trees everywhere. We gorged ourselves on mangos and passion fruit, and I had an amazing day. Later, however, as I was laying in the hammock at the hostel, my stomach started kinda icky. Let's just say that I do NOT like mangos anymore. But I love this little mango!

Continuing Symptoms: Same old, same old. Nothing new. Actually starting to feel really great and normal! Which is strangely worrying. I'm sure everything is just fine, but I really forget in the morning sometimes that I'm pregnant.

New Symptoms This Week: No new symptoms. I'm managing my heartburn by taking Zantac 75, which has been great. I have also started to try and drink a bunch more water. Before, the taste of plain water made me feel extremely sick. Weird, I know.

Sleep: I have been waking up more often lately in the middle of the night. Last night I woke up at 2 am, wide awake after using the restroom. It only took me about 30 minutes to get back to sleep, but it was obnoxious.

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing really. Money has been tight lately with Christmas and medical bills, so I've actually only been eating the snacks my mom sends me. She sends me little packages of almonds and granola bars, to keep me healthy :)

I've noticed that if I have bad foods to eat, I will. If I have good foods to eat, I'll eat them. So I don't think I have real cravings or aversions too much.

Movement: I thought I felt the baby kick last week, but I haven't felt too much lately. Because of my Crohn's, I'm not sure if it's bubble gut, or gas, or baby. I'm getting a little anxious to feel real kicks. Not just because it will be fun, but because I anxious to know that he's alright. Every once in a while, I'll feel a jabby pain down there, but I can't say if it's baby or not. I'm waiting for real, true kicks.

Gender: IT'S A BOY!!! I still can't get over the fact that I'm going to have a little boy. It's what I've always wanted. I am not a hugely over-emotional person, but the sight of a tiny pair of jeans turns me to goo. Jeremy thinks I am going to spoil this little boy rotten. Probable.

Maternity Clothes: I need maternity pants, but I am still getting along with just a larger shirt. I'm only 5'3", so the baby really has nowhere to grow but OUT!

What I Miss: Nothing, really!
Special Pregnancy Moments: Nothing particularly "touching" this week, but every week I reach feels like a milestone. I never really thought I'd ever get pregnant and have a baby, so everything feels wonderful.

Kicks!

Well, hello there little one!

Today I felt my first official kicks! Around 1:30, I was sitting at my desk at work, reading a new book. (Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne)
All of a sudden, it felt like I had a muscle spasm or twitch, way down low. I'm so used to Crohn's stuff, so I ignored it. A few minutes later, 3 distinct little "pops" that felt very much like kicks!

My mom said she remember feeling kicks around 16 weeks, so I was patiently waiting to feel my first kicks. I know it's normal to feel kicks anywhere from 16 - 22 weeks, but I was getting impatient.

After the 3 little kicks, the little guy stopped. I tried to poke and prod him to get him to move, but this kid is stubborn. Jeremy is worried that he'll be just as stubborn as me - I'm sure he will be. :)

18w0d

How Far Along: 18 weeks, 0 days

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of a sweet potato or bell pepper. Those seem like totally different vegetables. Either way, it seems much bigger and older.

Continuing Symptoms: Same old, same old. Nothing new. Actually starting to feel really great and normal!

New Symptoms This Week: My GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease - it's a side effect of my Crohn's) has come back, which is NO fun. It's basically heartburn on acid (pun intended!)

Sleep: I wake up about once a night around 4 am to use the restroom, but that's it. I have no problem getting right back to sleep.

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing crazy. I've even stopped really wanting ice cream. I always have a box of Nilla wafers and Cheezits white cheddar crackers in my desk at work, though! I still love beef jerky. Weird mix of snacks!

Movement: Come'on, baby, I want to feel you kick!

Gender: IT'S A BOY!!! I still can't get over the fact that I'm going to have a little boy. It's what I've always wanted. I am not a hugely over-emotional person, but the sight of a tiny pair of jeans turns me to goo. Jeremy thinks I am going to spoil this little boy rotten. Probable.

Maternity Clothes: I need maternity pants, but I am still getting along with just a larger shirt. I'm only 5'3", so the baby really has nowhere to grow but OUT!

What I Miss: Nothing, really!
Special Pregnancy Moments: Reaching 18 weeks today feels very "official." Like I've reached some kind of milestone. I'm waiting for those first kicks :)

17w3d

How Far Along: 17 weeks, 3 days

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of an onion. What a weird comparison, right?

Continuing Symptoms: No symptoms anymore! I can see why every pregnant woman thinks the second trimester is wonderful. Because it is. I have energy back, I actually "look" pregnant now, no nausea, my appetite is back. It's great. Just a tiny bit of lower back pain, but it's managable.

New Symptoms This Week: Nothing to report. Yay!

Sleep: I wake up about once a night around 4 am to use the restroom, but that's it. I have no problem getting right back to sleep.

Cravings/Aversions: Nothing crazy. I've even stopped really wanting ice cream. I always have a box of Nilla wafers and Cheezits white cheddar crackers in my desk at work, though! I still love beef jerky. Weird mix of snacks!

Movement: I have felt tiny flutters, but no kicks yet. I can't wait for those!

Gender: IT'S A BOY!!! So, so, so thrilled about that.

Maternity Clothes: I need maternity pants, but I am still getting along with just a larger shirt. I'm only 5'3", so the baby really has nowhere to grow but OUT!

What I Miss: Nothing, really!
Special Pregnancy Moments: Am I a bad mother if I say that this past week has been hectic and boring and I haven't had a chance to think about pregnancy moments lately? Besides the fact that a woman in Dunkin Donuts told me yesterday that I was HUGE, and looked 7 months pregnant, not almost 5, and that my baby will be HUGE, and I might need a C-Section because my baby will be HUGE? Sheesh. I've gained 5 pounds in 18 weeks. Give me a break. I am not huge. Plus, HOW RUDE!!!

ps - I totally forgot that at the last OB appointment last week, I got to hear the baby's heartbeat. 160 bpm, like it's been for awhile. The doctor noticed that the little guy is sitting very low, underneath my belly button, probably right on my bladder. (which makes sense, since I always have to pee, but when I go, hardly anything trickles out. Ha!) I'd heard the heartbeat before, but for some reason, hearing it right there at that moment made me really feel like this was happening. It was very surreal and wonderful.

What We Are Looking Forward To: I'm looking forward to the first real kick. Come'on, baby, give me some kicks!

16w1d

How Far Along: 16 weeks, 1 day

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of an avocado! Yum :)

Continuing Symptoms: My symptoms seem to have all disappeared, which is wonderful! No nausea. I have a little lower back pain, but I think that's mainly due to the fact that I sit at a desk all day.

New Symptoms This Week: Nothing to report. Yay!

Sleep: I've been waking up more often to use to the restroom in the middle of the night, but have no problem getting right back to sleep. Thank goodness for that. I love my sleep.

 Cravings/Aversions: I have always been a sweets person. I like sour candies, and butter pecan ice cream especially. I also have a thing for beef jerky right now. Weird, I know.

Movement: Nothing concrete yet. I'm so used to feeling weird movements in my belly from my Crohn's, so I don't know if this is Crohn's or baby!!! I can't wait for a real kick, and neither can Jeremy.
Gender: IT'S A BOY!!! I knew it all along. I guess there is something to be said for mother's intuition!
Maternity Clothes: I need maternity pants, but I am still getting along with just a larger shirt. I'm only 5'3", so the baby really has nowhere to grow but OUT!

What I Miss: Nothing, really!
Special Pregnancy Moments: Seeing the smile on Jeremy's face when the ultrasound clearly showed that it was a BOY. We would have been happy with a girl, but I knew Jeremy really, really wanted a boy. He could not stop smiling. It was adorable.
What We Are Looking Forward To: I'm looking forward to the first real kick. Come'on, baby, give me some kicks!

Crohn's update...

So.....the Crohn's is back. Just a mild-flare up, but a flare-up nonetheless. I am plagued with abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Lovely.

I am angry.

I've only been diagnosed with Crohn's for nearly 3 years, but I can say that I hate it. I hate Crohn's disease. I'm not one of those people who will look up at the stars and say that I'm glad I have Crohn's, because it's made me the person I am today. Well, crap. I would get rid of my Crohn's in a heartbeat. I hate this shit.

I am angry that my body just can't behave. Normal pregnancy? Nope. Sorry, you get to see the high-risk OB and the GI! Normal life? Sorry, you can't eat food like a normal person without pain, diarrhea, weight loss, fatigue and skin problems. Awesome.

A lady at work told me that she's had the stomach flu before, so she knows how it feels. Um....unless your version of the stomach flu includes bloody diarrhea, excruciating pain and vomiting FOREVER, then don't say bologna like that. You don't know how it feels, and you never will, stupid jerk.

Sigh. This post sounds very angry. Sometimes I just have to let it out. I'm so stressed out that the Crohn's will hurt the baby, or cause me to have a late miscarriage. I know it probably will all be okay, but I hate Crohn's. I hate that it will never, ever go away. I hate that it is continuously messing up my life. Shit.

In other news....we find out in 2 days if this kidlet is a boy or girl.... :)

15w0d

I can't believe I forgot to do week 14! It was such a busy week, though. My company moved to a new office, and I was at work every morning early, and totally exhausted. I promise I won't miss anymore weeks! :)

How Far Along: 15 weeks, 0 days

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of a navel orange. The idea that the baby is the size of a navel orange makes me miss home. My parent's house has 3 navel orange trees, and I remember summers of delicious, juicy oranges in the dry, hot heat. Oranges just don't taste the same in Chicago. But I'm sure this will be one sweet navel orange :)

Continuing Symptoms: My symptoms seem to have all disappeared, which is wonderful! Every once in a while, I'll get a little nausea if I forget to eat, but that's not often.

New Symptoms This Week: I've had some lower back pain lately. I hope that goes away soon, even though I have a feeling it won't.

Sleep: My sleeping habits have seem to have gone back to normal. I no longer fall asleep at 8pm! I got to bed like a normal person nowadays.
Cravings/Aversions: Nothing, really. Strange, I know. I just eat what I want, and I don't seem to crave anything particular.

Movement: I thought I felt a little bit of a flutter the other night, but I can't be sure. Should be soon, though!
Gender: I'm still very convinced it's a boy. We'll find out on November 18th, at our early 16 week scan! :)
Maternity Clothes: I am starting to get a little bump! I've only gained 3 pounds in 15 weeks, but a lady at the grocery store congratulated me on my coming baby. That was fun.

What I Miss: Nothing, really!
Special Pregnancy Moments: Having a stranger actually realize that I'm pregnant, not just fat!
What We Are Looking Forward To: In 6 days, we'll know if this little thing is a boy or a girl. Man, is your Grandma Susan getting anxious! She wants to start shopping!! :)

One more view....

I couldn't resist.

This was our second "12 week" nuchal ultrasound, as the baby didn't cooperate last time.

We got an adorable profile shot this time, where the baby looks totally human. As opposed to something out of Alien vs. Predator. Am I a bad mom already for saying that?

Anyhow, here's the little bug:

Cute, right?

Announcing...

I could not for the life of me figure out how to post the pregnancy announcement on Facebook. I mean, how should I announce it?

Just say, "Hey, guys, I'm knocked up?" I am not about to post pictures of my fat belly or slap pastel baby crap all over my Facebook wall.

I wanted it to be clever, yet not too sappy.

This is what I came up with, just in time for Halloween and fall. I lugged all 3 pumpkins out to the yard next to our apartment, and used my cell phone camera. I'm cheap. But I think it turned out rather adorable. We announced it on October 20, 2012.

The caption read, "Jeremy and I are pleased to announced that we are expecting our own little pumpkin, due May 6, 2013!"

13w0d

How Far Along: 13 weeks, 0 days

Size of Baby: The baby is the size of a peach, just about 3 inches. Getting big!

Continuing Symptoms: Exhaustion, sore breasts, crazy emotions, nausea.

New Symptoms This Week: The nausea virtually gone away, which is awesome. If I go too long without eating, I feel a little sick, but it's better.

Sleep: I am a sleep machine. I have started to take naps in my car on my lunchbreak. Yes, I really do. I'm not embarassed - I need me some naps!
Cravings/Aversions: I've noticed that I would much rather have something savory, like crackers or pickles or meat, than sweets.

Movement: Still way too early for that!
Gender: I'm still convinced it's a boy. I just can't imagine it being a girl - I will be shocked if they tell us it's a girl!
Maternity Clothes: I am starting to get a little bump! I actually lost 1 pound in the first trimester, but I know I will gain enough...

What I Miss: Having a waist! :)
Special Pregnancy Moments: Getting the nuchal screening done, seeing the baby's little profile, and getting a good report from the Genetics department!
What We Are Looking Forward To: In 3 weeks, we'll know if our kiddo is a boy or girl!

12w1d

How Far Along: 12 weeks, 1 day
Size of Baby: The baby is the size of a plum. The next-door neighbor girls used to have a plum tree in their back yard - I spent my summers swimming in their pool, only getting out to run to the plum tree to grab a plum. We would get back into the pool to wash off the sticky plum juice, and I remember having more than one bellyache from eating too many plums. This is one plum I won't be eating. Ha!
Continuing Symptoms: Exhaustion, sore breasts, crazy emotions, nausea.

New Symptoms This Week: The nausea has been very mild, but lingering. It ensures that I'm never that hungry. I haven't gained any weight yet, and I'm one week away from the 2nd trimester!

Sleep: I am a sleep machine. I have started to take naps in my car on my lunchbreak. Yes, I really do. I'm not embarassed - I need me some naps!
Cravings/Aversions: No food really sounds that good, except for cereal. I love, love cereal. I could eat Frosted Mini Wheats all dang day. But if a food doesn't sound good, you better get it away from me quick. And I do mean quick.

Movement: Still way too early for that!
Gender: I'm still convinced it's a boy. I just can't imagine it being a girl - I will be shocked if they tell us it's a girl!
Maternity Clothes: I don't understand why all women don't wear maternity pants. Hello....they are so comfortable! I don't need them, but they are unbelievably comfortable. No belly yet, sadly. I'm sure I will be as big as a house soon, though.

What I Miss: I miss the days of no nausea. Ha!
Special Pregnancy Moments: Seeing the baby look like a real little human on the ultrasound last week. So amazing.
What We Are Looking Forward To: To be honest, my Crohn's is starting to be a pain, and I can't wait to get my Remicade infusion in 3 days. It will help me feel so much better. I'm also looking forward to another peek at my plum on Friday, too! :)