Team Green it is!

Sorry to disappoint folks!  I went to the ultrasound school this afternoon for attempt three at gender determination, and naturally the baby was still in breech position.  I told you I wasn't hopeful, and I meant it.


Believe me, WE TRIED EVERYTHING.

• Full bladder
• Half-full bladder
• Empty bladder
• Jumping jacks
• Eating and drinking
• EVERY POSITION IMAGINABLE
  

I have experienced few sensations more uncomfortable than a half-full bladder, but it was worth the effort. 

We would have loved to have known who is in my belly, but its not the worst thing in the world.  While the tech was trying to catch a money shot, the baby was kicking in response to the probe, and it was the cutest thing to watch the kicks on the screen and feel the kicks at the same time.  That moment made me fall even more in love with our little one. 


So we're officially batting for Team Green, and that means...GREEN COOKIES FOR EVERYONE!  Yay!  I'm going to list all the peeps I have down for a bet either way: 

Casey, mama, dad, Fallon, Cole, Bonnie, Alan, Derek, Zack, Julie, Meg, Stacy, Jenn, Kristie, Liz, Carrie, Shelby, Emma, Georgette, Denise, Beth, Linda, and Rebecca.  (If I missed you, email/text/comment and I will surely get you your cookie)

And now, I will leave you with a pic of Baby Shelton:

Good night peeps!

PS - Today marks the day we announced Baby Shelton to the Facebook world.  Crazy stuff, its like official now.  LOL

23 Weeks

Baby is now the size of a:  large mango!  She is over 11 inches long and weighs over 1 pound.  Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the daily sounds she hears are preparing her for entry into the outside world.  Thats why dog's barking, vacuuming, and other common loud sounds don't startle babies; I find that kind of interesting... 

How I'm feeling:  Pretty good.  I'm still ravenous, my back still aches, and my belly itches all the time; but all in all I'm used to these sensations and they don't phase me anymore.  My feet are starting to swell towards the end of the day, and as a result my shoes are usually off when I'm at my desk.   

Physical differences from last week:  I don't feel any bigger this week; I keep waiting for my second tri growth spurt.  I'm starting to toss and turn more during the night, and I get short of breath more often than before, so there must be something going on in there.  Here is your weekly pic: 

What's been on my mind:  Same old, same old.  I'll spare you all the redundancy of me listing everything on my to-do list. 

What I'm looking forward to:  Viability Day!  V-Day is next Sunday, and I cannot wait!  V-Day (or 24 weeks) means that the baby is viable to survive outside the womb, should I go into labor exceptionally early.  Its kind of a big deal for pregnant ladies ;)  Not that I want to go into labor yet, NO NO NO!  Our little one needs to do some more growing, and Casey and I are far from prepared.

Random thoughts:  I hope everyone had a nice Turkey Day!  Ze bebe and I thoroughly enjoyed all the food and time with family!  Now its time for the Christmas baking frenzy to begin!  Oh, and, Casey felt the baby kick!  Eeeee!  We were relaxing on the couch, and the baby was kicking away, so I yanked his hand and he felt two little thuds. 

Tomorrow is attempt #3 at gender determination.  So if anyone has any spare thoughts or prayers you'd like to send our way, it'd be much appreciated!  We're hoping for our money shot, but not expecting one.

22 weeks

Baby is now the size of a:  spaghetti squash!  She is eleven inches long and weighs one pound; she now looks like a mini newborn - not an alien.  The facial features are completely developed, however her irises are still without pigment.  That totally just got me thinking about who's eyes she'll have.  Apparently the pancreas is under construction this week, developing lots of essential hormones.  Ah yes, and nipples have sprouted (good for you, dear!).  She has settled into sleeping cycles; she sleeps about 12 to 14 hours a day.  Her most active time is usually mid-day (after lunch) and occasionally late evening (right when I crawl into bed...ideal).

How I'm feeling:  large, hungry, veiny, bewildered...  My fingernails grow at the speed of light; I get bloody noses almost daily; and Casey and I counted five new freckles on my belly this morning (ew!).  Apparently blood flows through the umbilical cord at a rate of 4 miles per hour, hence my big BLUE veins.  I still have lots of back pain and its definitely unpleasant to bend down, but, overall, I still feel pretty darn good.  

Physical differences from last week:  still not weighing, and still not planning on starting.  I still wear my size two pants, but now there is a full belly panel in them.  Hehehe.  I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't totally hate my body (yet).  Here is your weekly pic:

What's been on my mind:  pff...uh...school, nursery decor and furniture, master bedroom decor and furniture, our black hole of a master bath, Thanksgiving, all the baking and cooking that Thanksgiving entails, Black Friday, Christmas baking, Christmas shopping, registering, reading my damn pregnancy book (haven't done that since week 15 - ha!).  Too much to do, and absolutely no time.  Three more weeks of school and I'm a free woman!

What I'm looking forward to:  school being over, finishing the house, same old-same old.  You'll notice I'm not looking forward to the gender determination ultrasound #3.  This is because I have become a complete and utter pessimist about the whole thing, and I doubt we'll find out the gender before March 28. 

Random thoughts:  I got my first "Congratulations" from a complete stranger, so I guess this means I really look pregnant now!  A big thank you to the friendly cashier at Safeway.  :-)

Mini Update

I wish this could be a HUGE update, but, sadly, its not.  We went to the ultrasound school last night for our second attempt at the gender determination, and it was a BIG.FAT.FAIL.  The baby was in breech position (AGAIN!), and she or he’s little leggies were closed up like a clam.  For those who don’t know what breech position is (as I did not know until yesterday), it is when the baby’s butt is against my belly and the noggin is up towards my ribs (i.e.:  not ideal for gender determination).  The baby was in this position at the last ultrasound, and that is why those ultrasound techs had such a hard time with the gender determination process. 

The game plan is to have another ultrasound in two weeks.  If the baby still hasn’t moved, I’ll go again; two weeks from that appointment.  If neither of those ultrasounds are able to confirm Baby Shelton’s gender, Casey and I are throwing in the towel, and joining Team Green.  Please don’t think I’m happy about this; I’m actually extremely bitter about being forced to be Team Green.  Don’t worry peeps, if it is Team Green to prevail, everyone that placed a bet will get a green cookie.  Ya, I’m sweet.

21 weeks!

Good morning, good morning!  To you, and YOU!  I am in a great mood for some unknown reason.  As I'm typing out this blog post, I'm digging into second breakfast and listening to Bobby Flay teach me how to grill a 25 pound turkey (idiot!).


Baby is now the size of a:  banana!  The baby weighs 10 1/2 ounces, and her length from head to rump is seven inches.  Fun fact:  10 1/2 ounces is also the size bear cubs are when they are born.  The baby has started to put on weight, her main project for the rest of the pregnancy.  She regularly drinks amniotic fluid for hydration and nutrition, urinates in the fluid and breathes in and out; have no fear...the fluid pool refreshes itself every three hours.  Eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed; her eyelids are still sealed, but her eyes are active.  Taste buds are formed and they actually work!  Apparently there are studies that show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid.  Clearly our baby will be a fan of flaming hot cheetos, rice cakes, and juice.  Yes, I am one of the 19% of pregnant women that crave citrus juices.  Kind of a weird craving (whatever!).


How I'm feeling:  Pretty good; I'd like to say my energy has returned!  My back still hurts, but I've accepted that won't be going away anytime soon.  It feels like there is a massive bubble in my lower back that needs to pop; I'd love to do a back bend for like a half hour straight.  There are lots of gross things happening while pregnant; just because I don't go into every dirty detail on the blog, doesn't mean they're not happening.  I recently said to Casey, "I think I gross myself out more and more everyday."  Um, lets see...what else...lots of baby kicks!  They still catch me off guard.  I can never tell if I'm feeling the kicks internally or externally; I'll call Casey over and put his hands on my belly, but he can't feel them.  Boo!

Physical differences from last week:  Well my uterus is now 8 1/2 inches long, and the weight gain range for this week is 10-15 pounds.  I'm more than confident that I fall within that range  :-/  Apparently many women start to get swollen feet around this time, I am happy to report no swelling has occurred to date.  Here's my pic:

What's been on my mind:  Our ultrasound tomorrow!!!  Everyone PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray that this little baby cooperates and gives us the money shot we need to determine the gender!  Can you imagine being forced to be Team Green?  That would suck.  Our appointment is at 6:30 tomorrow, and we are going to an ultrasound school.  My mama bear will be attending this visit; it'll be nice to prove to her that I'm really knocked up and not just a fatty pretending to be (not that she had any doubt, I am just weirdly self-conscious).  I shall report back tomorrow evening with the results of the ultrasound AND the official winners for the Baby Shelton Gender Bet!  You thought I forgot about the bet, huh?  No sir!

What I'm looking forward to:  See above.  Also, our home improvements.  With the return of my energy, we've set out lots of plans for the house, and we actually made some progress yesterday.  The garage is completely 100% organized; its a piece of art really.

Random thoughts:  Its officially time for me to start doing Kegel exercises.  Oh joy!  And...Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and OMG what a perfect holiday to be pregnant!  I am going to eat until our two hearts are content...and then I'm going to eat some more.  Yay for my mommy's amazing food!!!!!!!!!!!!

20 weeks - Half baked!

Halfway there friends, wahoooooooooo!  We even have a timely post to celebrate.  :-)

Baby is now the size of a:  cantaloupe!  Almost seven inches long and ten and a half ounces, my big girl!  Apparently she swallows several ounces of amniotic fluid a day (lots of good practice for that little digestive system); taste buds are up and running; permanent teeth are forming behind baby teeth; and she can differentiate between morning, noon, and night.


How I'm feeling:  overwhelmed (haha).  Okay, fine...I'm feeling large; lots of shortness of breath; lots of bathroom breaks; I have a very hard time getting out of bed and bending down; and HUNGRY (yes, even now at 9:22...).  Really, its not bad though; I hope I haven't been too whiny about this pregnancy or the symptoms I've endured.  I hope that I haven't freaked anyone out; ya know, in a way that makes them nervous for their future pregnancy.  Let the record show that I really love being pregnant.  It is an amazing feeling to have a little person growing inside of you; I especially love feeling our baby's kicks and flutters.  It really just feels special, and like a privilege.   

Physical differences from last week:  welp, my uterus is now level with my belly button; it feels pretty weird.  From now on, the top of my uterus will grow toward my rib cage at a rate of one centimeter a week - oh my!  My veins are noticeably (and freakishly) big and blue.  Oh!  And my boobs are disgustingly huge (in my opinion); I am actually embarrassed to look in the mirror anymore.

What's been on my mind:  school, home improvements, IKEA purchases, birthing classes, touring the hospital's labor and delivery ward, and registering.  Really people, that's just the tip of the iceberg.  Each of those things leads into their own wild and never-ending to-do list and/or reminds me of something else that needs to be done.  Today, my day consisted of lots of accounting homework and lots of home improvement talk.  After almost a year in this house - a year full of DIY home improvement projects - we're talking about renovations we never imagined for this house, AND even redo-ing some of the things we've already finished.  Well, friends, as of today we have about four months until our sweet baby's debut.  NOT A LOT OF TIME PEOPLE.  The excitement of meeting our little one is quickly trampled by that three page to-do list that is burned in my brain.   

What I'm looking forward to:  our next ultrasound, duh!  We're thinking about canceling our current appointment and going to one of those ultrasound schools (we're all about cheap people).  The ultrasounds are free, because they are done by unlicensed students.  No need to worry though, there is a licensed teacher supervising and confirming all observations made by the student.  I'm also looking forward to all of the nursery purchases and home improvements coming to an end (ha!  Like that'll ever happen...)!

Random thoughts:  Nada.  Its way past my bedtime, good night my devoted followers!  

19 Weeks

I'm late, I know, I'm sorry friends.  Lets face it, I'm ALWAYS late. 


Baby is now the size of a: mango!  She is over six inches long and weighs almost nine ounces.  Go baby girl!!!  At this point she has developed her preference for her right or left hand; her brain is working on getting the five senses functional; she can hear us loud and clear; also, she can apparently feel my stress (so sorry for that, dear; Lord knows I'm constantly under stress).  She responds to my stress by becoming more active - which I'm feeling thank you very much - lots of kicking, rib grabbing, flutters, etc.  I swear this baby is having a love affair with my lower left rib. 


How I'm feeling:  Oh lets see...I officially have an itchy belly; my back hurts 99.9% of the time, and I cannot stay in the same position for more than fifteen minutes without shifting or stretching; and ravenous.  Also, my office had a fire drill on Wednesday...we had to walk down 19 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS; I am still in agony.  I know this has nothing to do with my pregnancy, but you asked how I'm feeling... 

Physical differences from last week:  Umm...9 pounds heavier...ya...that just happened.  Really its not that bad (I keep telling myself that), its perfectly normal for 19.5 weeks.  If I gain a pound a week for the rest of this pregnancy, I'll cap out at 29-30 pounds; which I'm allowing myself.  Casey made this wonderful side-by-side comparison to show you all how large and in charge I've become:

What's been on my mind:  Baby names.  Now that we're pretty sure its a girl, I kissed Gabe goodbye, and I am on a quest for the perfect girl name.  I always thought that I wanted Lucy to be my first daughter's name, and maybe I still do, but at the moment I am consulting baby name finders in my (non-existent) free time.  You will all, of course, know her name just as soon as I do.  :-)

What I'm looking forward to:  Getting our butt's in gear and finishing the darn house!  We're starting to slowly chip away at our three-page to-do list on the weekends.  In another month school will be out of the way, and we'll be able to devote all free time to getting ready for this baby!  Yayayay!

Random thoughts:  I'll use this section to tell you about my most recent prenatal visit.  Lemme tell ya, these visits really lose their glamor after the first visit or two.  I met the OB, and I hate her.  Now, I know I tend to hate A LOT of people, but I think its totally deserved in this case. Strike one: she INSISTED that I get a flu shot.  I have never gotten one before, and I didn't plan on starting while I was pregnant.  People, my arm still hurts!  Strike two: she has decided that even though my baby is measuring with a due date of March 28, she wants to use my phantom menstrual cycle/the first OB's estimate and stick with April 6.  I am thoroughly annoyed by this.  The April 6 due date was calculated by my first OB; if I hadn't told my current OB about that visit, she never would've come up with it on her own.  Her logic was full of holes and unclear.  So I'm still counting based on the March 28 due date, why the hell wouldn't I?!  Strike 3: her lousy sense of humor, assumption that Casey and I are Irish (because of our hair), and her uninterested behavior.  She made bad jokes incessantly, many of which were about Irish people, because you know, all people with red hair HAVE to be Irish.  When I finally got around to asking my questions, she directed her attention to the TV behind my head.  Bottom line, this is not the person I want at the foot of my vagina on D-Day.  I'm not going to change doctors, AGAIN, but damn, can't anything work out in this pregnancy?!