Bloomin' Onion

Today officially marks 17 weeks into the pregnancy - which according to the Baby Bump app, I only have 161 days to go.  


As of this week, the baby is the size of an onion!  5.1 inches, 5.9 ounces. And just like onions and ogres, babies have layers.


My books say that between weeks 16 and 22, most moms are able to feel the baby moving and kicking for the first time. So far, I haven't felt anything yet - but every night I lay there and wait for a little while just to see if I can feel anything. Maybe this week, maybe next week... stay tuned!


We have an appointment next week for another ultrasound and are really excited to see the baby again. Its been a month already since the last visit and I will just be counting down the days until Fridays appointment.

Baby's first trip to Asia

 




We are back from our trip to China and are happy to report that we all had a great time!  We got to see the Forbidden City, climb the Great Wall, pose with the Terra-cotta Warriors and everything was amazing!  The trip was exhausting but I didn't feel any added stress because of the pregnancy.  


And since the rule of pregnancy is whatever you do, your baby does - congrats baby, you just had your first trip to Asia!

It's Official!

News of the baby has been spreading like wildfire!  We posted our announcement on Facebook and within 24 hours, we had over 150 "likes" and more than 70 comments.  I feel so lucky that everyone is so excited for us and must admit, I enjoyed the rock star status too!  We can't wait to share more of the process as we get further along.


This morning I went to the doctor for a check-up and everything is looking great!  They listened to the heartbeat and said it was a strong 155 and they could tell that the baby was moving around a lot based on the sounds.  This little wiggle worm is ready to party!  

Babys second photo shoot

We went to the doctor's this week and got fantastic news that they baby is growing well and everything looks perfect.  We got to see the brain hemispheres, the heart beating, the tiny little arms and legs and even its face.  The doctor was pointing out all of these things and at first it was hard to see what he was talking about but then, we were able to better understand the ultrasound and see what he was talking about.  


The picture above, for those of you who are new to ultrasounds, is a picture of the baby from the side.  On the left, you can see the face, then in the middle you can see the arms and the spine and to the right, the little legs.  The ultrasound tech was trying to find the best spots and the baby was being super squirmy, flailing its little arms and legs all around, which just made me laugh and then they had to go find the spot again. 


Its amazing how detailed you can see a baby at this point, knowing that its only 3 inches tall and still weighs less than an ounce.  I can't wait until the next time we get to do an ultrasound - so far its my favorite part!

Growing a baby - according to Stacey

As we progress from week to week, the baby is growing and changing - eyes appear, fingers develop and a heart grows stronger.  Stacey has been following along throughout this process and has decided to give her own blow-by-blow based on the research that she has done.  In her very own words, here is what our baby (nicknamed "Blueberry") has been up to over the past few weeks.

Week 7

- looks like a porpoise

- with "pudgy extremities"

- with a tail

- your baby has two brain hemispheres

- you have more than 10% more blood than you normally do.  by the end of your pregnancy you’ll have 40-45% more!  woah!

Week 8

- your pourpose has turned into a rhino

- with webbed fingers and toes

- dont worry, the tail is almost gone now

- but at this point no genitals

- it is the size of a kidney bean

- is your bra more snug?  it said i can go up 4 cup sizes!

Week 9:

-  looks like a squid (without the tentacles)

- the tail is totally gone, finally!

- full eyes (will they be blue???) but they're fused shut so don't bother trying to figure out what color they are

- are you mood swinging?  i bet Chris likes that

Week 10:

- your baby is now an alien

- tap-dancing is normal now so shine up those patent leather shoes

- peach fuzz is there now - see if you can see a teeny jew-fro on the ultrasound!

- translucent skin, still creepy

Week 11:

- looks like a walrus

- practicing water ballet (tiny shoes?)

- may have the hiccups - but probably only when she laughs

Week 12:

- alien again, and if you prod your belly, blueberry will squirm in response (but you cant feel it)

- blueberry starts urinating - enjoy that

- eyes are now in front of its face instead of on the side 

- do you have heartburn yet?  that's not fun

Week 13:

- baby? wow, it looks like a baby!

- the body is starting to catch up with its head, thank goodness

- if blueberry is a girl, she has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries - whaaaat?  get that girl on the pill!

Thanks for the feedback Stacey!  

Can't wait to see what you come up with for the upcoming weeks!

33% done already?

Well, today officially marks 12 weeks!  


According to my pregnancy app, the baby is now the size of a plum, is 2.1 inches long and weighs a whopping 1/2 ounce.  Its funny - sometimes I forget that I am even pregnant because it has been so easy so far and then I look and see the ultrasound and remember that there is a little baby growing inside of me.


The other thing that reminds me that I am pregnant is that my pants are starting to get a little tight...  Today in particular, it was more noticeable than it has been so far.  Maybe its the fact that I haven't worn this specific pair of pants in about a year, but 10 minutes after sitting down at my desk, I knew it was going to be a long day!


Besides that, everything is going really well!  We have tests and doctors appointments set up for the next few weeks and we are hoping to just continue getting good news!

Pregnancy Top 10

This week, my mom shared with me her Top 10 reasons she loved being pregnant.  With her permission, I thought it would be nice to share (thanks Mommy!).  So here you go, the Top 10 reasons, according to Malori, why it's great to be pregnant...

10) I had a healthy glow for 9 months

9) People held doors open for me

8) I got to eat whatever I wanted - guilt free!

7) I felt healthy - inside and out

6) My hair grew very fast and was so thick and shiny

5) I loved having a life inside of me, one which I alone could nurture

4) I loved feeling the kicking 

3) I felt special

2) It was such an emotional time - I had so much love to share 

1) I knew this was a moment in time that I would remember always...and I have!

Some of these I have felt already, some of them I look forward to celebrating in the future.  Either way, I feel lucky to have 200+/- days of pregnancy to look forward to.  Any others that should be added to the list?  Feel free to share!