16 Weeks - New Doctor!

So the way my doctors office works is kind of unique - I rotate between five doctors. That way, when it comes time to deliver our little munchkin, I won't end up with a "stranger" at the foot of the hospital bed. Before my sixteen week check-up, I had only met with two of the doctors, both whom I liked very much. So this week (yes, I am finally caught up to current time) I met a third. I had read very good things about this one - he's been awarded with a lot of recognition and accolades in the DC/Virginia area.



Normally when I visit the office, they are very timely. Jimmy and I have even shown up 45 minutes early (before we got good at timing our hour and fifteen minute drive) and they've taken us right in. This week was different. Not only did I wait over a half an hour in the general waiting room, I then sat in the actual room on that bed thingy (at least I got to put my feet up on the nice little foot rests they provide at the end of the bed;) for at least another half an hour. As I waited, I heard the doctor in the room next to mine. He was with the patient in there for the whole duration I was in there, and, instead of being an impatient patient, I appreciated the time he spent with this woman (too bad the walls are so thin, though) and figured I would get the same thorough treatment (luckily all verbal at this visit ;)



Anyway, finally I hear him knock at my door, and in walks the exact opposite of what I was envisioning in my mind. This guy's got his gray, curly hair pulled back in a pony tail, his tan is most enviable, his gold chain necklaces a-sparkling, and his grin is about the size of Texas as he introduces himself as "the old guy in the building". I kept trying to figure out who would play him in a movie (I mean, isn't this what we all do when we meet a new person?) and just couldn't come up with anyone. I guess if one of the Beach Boys starred in Goodfellas, I'd choose him.



It turns out I'm a huge fan of this doctor and think I might cry if the stars don't align and our baby is not delivered by him. He's funny, light-hearted, and before I could ask any of my questions (my doctors know already that I have a hand-written, bulleted list of concerns and curiosities in my purse) he read my mind and answered them all for me (okay, well, I did have to ask if brats and shrimp were okay to eat...turns out they are safe, but I got the feeling brats aren't really "doctor recommended" pregnant or not). I just feel like this doctor would try to make the delivery a fun and entertaining experience, complete with all of us singing "Good Vibrations" during contractions.


Anyway, as much I can gush about this doctor, obviously the best part was getting to hear "the little bugger's" heartbeat. What a sound. I know women who rent or buy dopplers and listen to the baby's heartbeat at home, and while this is so tempting, I would be the mommy-to-be who could do nothing else. Our little one's heartbeat was 160 beats per minute, which indicates a girl, according to the old-wives' tale ;)



Overall, it was a great visit. I wish Jimmy could have been there to hear the heartbeat and meet the new doc, but am glad he was spared all the waiting. We both get to go to the next one in two weeks during which we will find out if we are about to spoil the crap out of a little boy or girl. :)

Fifteen Weeks- Belly Update!

Email to the girls in the family:

I guess I get really excited to show off my belly because 1.) there is a baby in there... how cool is that? I'm totally in love with what's causing it to get bigger and 2.) I was always most self-conscious about my stomach area (as far as a lack of a four pack , let alone a six pack, goes) and have decided that I really don't want my old body back...I prefer this belly! I can finally be proud of its mass. I know, I know, that might change by month 9. Quick update: feeling the baby move! Coolest feeling ever! Like someone is lightly tapping/flicking the inside of uterus. Or a goldfish is swimming around in there. The flicks get me the most excited because they least resemble the normal gurgles of the food-filled belly. I can tell they are for sure the baby saying hello, or damn it, eat some pork falling off the bone, woman (my craving so far). Also, Down Syndrome tests came back normal - big relief! We have another appt this Friday to hear the heartbeat, and then we find out the sex March 5. Place your bets now. Right now I'm pretty much symptom-free... I hardly feel pregnant except for in bed when my belly weighs me down just a tad, rolling over takes a little bit more effort, and I'm not supposed to sleep on my back (this is hard for me, I'm a major back sleeper.) Jimmy got me a prenatal yoga DVD for Valentine's Day so I'm super excited about trying that in a few minutes. I did have to tease him that the past few holidays he has bought me work out stuff, and his reply was, "I'm just trying to help you!" If he weren't so freaking cute, I'd probably punch him in the face a couple times, but all I can do is just laugh. He always means well and they are the gifts that i get very excited about. :) I miss all of you so much and think about ya all the time. Hope everyone is doing great. Thanks for indulging me by reading my pregnancy emails ... I know how gripping they are. Love you!

Fourteen Weeks - Pork's Knee!

I definitely experienced my first weird pregnancy craving as is evident in this email I sent my sister-in-law, Nicole, at 6:14 in the morning.

So I'm quite sure that I am having my first weird pregnancy craving. It all started last night when Jimmy and I watched Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. He was in Prague, and indulging multiple times in pork knees and knuckles. I knew there was going to be a problem when I couldn't stop making sex noises as he ate them, and then I asked Jimmy to go out to get me a pig's knee... he didn't. I wanted them so badly I could cry. So then we went to bed, no problem falling asleep. I woke up at 5:00 this morning, stomach growling, and visions of pork's knee dancing in my head. And they just never stopped dancing. So now I am up at 6:00 with a juicy bowl of ... Cheerios. I'm scared that I actually might die if I don't get my pig's knee. And why would I get it? No restaurants serve them that I know of in Southern Maryland, and I don't know if I can get them at the store... and if I could, would I cook it myself? I think I might just. But in the meantime, I'm already thinking of substitutes to trick my body into thinking I'm getting pig's knee- turkey legs, spare ribs, etc. And the thing is, I don't even know if I had pork's knee in Prague. I think I might have, but I don't remember. Anyway, I'm very sad and now that I finished my bowl of Cheerios, I can confirm that I am still very unsatisfied and still starving. Normally women just go out and satisfy their craving. What happens to those that can't?!Love you!!!

13 Weeks - Growth Spurt!

I'm very lazy. I'll let this email sum up 13 weeks.

Had another ultrasound yesterday, and the baby was GREAT. The baby had a growth spurt in the last few weeks, as it now measuring a week ahead of schedule. I'm still confused on the due date...our baby keeps growing faster and faster, but they haven't changed the due date from August 8 (even though it should technically be August 1?) I don't know how all that works...I guess the baby just shows up when it feel like it and this speculation of the due date won't make on bit of difference!

The baby was kicking, flipping, wiggling, sticking out its tongue, making facial expressions, just having a party in my uterus! We had to take an "intermission" because it "wasn't cooperating" for the doctor (which I loved). The doctor pretty much beat up my belly with her little wand to try to get the baby to assume the right position (it can already react to touch), and so I got to watch it just play around (aka. dodge the scary poking device) for about 40 minutes. Coolest 40 minutes of my life! I so wish Jimmy could have been there (as does he) but he had to work.

The purpose of this appt was to assess Down Syndrome risk which included an ultrasound and bloodwork. They will put all the results in a formula to calculate the chances of the baby having Downs. We should know the chances in about a week, and then based on the results, we can either opt for more conclusive (but invasive) testing (which we will most likely avoid).

We also go back March 5 to find out whether it's a boy or a girl! (it's so obviously a boy, though;) haha, I can't wait to be the first one to kick me in the ass if it's a girl! Either way, we will be so, so thrilled!

I'm feeling much better now than I did during the first trimester. Belly is getting rounder ... I should be in maternity/bigger pants in a couple of weeks. Mine have to be a hazard to the baby by now ;) I get frequent headaches, still take a couple naps a week (but I don't feel like I am going to keel over and die because of exhaustion anymore - yay!), my seventh grader acne is clearing up a little bit, and I can't eat as much as I used to (probably not the worst symptom in the world.) No weird cravings yet; I just can't get enough fruit (which has been the case for this whole pregnancy). I've gained six pounds so far - I don't know if this is good or bad - I'm not counting my calories or anything. My main goal is just to not double my body weight during this pregnancy for fear of having a fifteen pound child.

Thank you all for being so amazing. I hope everyone is doing great, and I miss and love you all!

Paige and Frodo/Little Jesus/Hannah/Hakkah (it's already being miserably tortured.)

12 Weeks - Belly Bump!

Because my AWESOME sister-in-law, Nicole, got this blog started for me when I was 15 weeks, she included emails that I have sent out to update my family on my progress (she's so clever!) So for the next couple of posts, you will see text in email form. Here's what I had to say:

Hey, my favorite women in the whole wide world! Because a couple of you have asked, yes, my bump is beginning to form, and I thought I would share a picture of my new big belly (I've always had a big belly, but at least now I don't have to be embarrassed by it! I'm even showing it off!)

Jimmy took this yesterday, so it's at twelve weeks. I'm also standing in the nursery, so you can get an idea of the color. We painted it before we got pregnant, and now that I'm really going to have to use that room, I might repaint it... I haven't decided yet.

Hope everyone is doing great. I miss you all so, so much!

Love you,

Paige

P.S. Is it bad that I already feel HUGE??? I think so...

10 Weeks - "Growing Pains!"

Luckily, I have an amazing doctor who made the unfortunate mistake of giving me her business card, which is essentially, in my mind, permission to be able to call her with every little worry (and there were A LOT the first trimester). Being the wonderful professional that she is, she responded, as always, within minutes of an email I sent her complaining of some cramping. I wasn't TOO concerned and expected her to console me as normal, but she actually thought it would be best if I came in for a quick ultrasound that afternoon. I know, it sounds like I have a dream doctor ... she really does have a place in my heart for being so understanding and proactive to pregnant women's neuroses. Anyway, I called Jimmy and he was fortunately able to leave work early to go to Alexandria with me. We spent the car ride preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best. Of course, everything was great. The baby was even wiggling its little arms and legs at us. The doctor said the cramps were just "growing pains". What a relief.

Nine weeks - Little Jesus!

After a wonderful week in Detroit, we returned home on December 30 to have another appointment waiting for us on the 31st. This ultrasound was especially cool because it was the first time we were able to make out little arm and leg buds. Baby's heart was beating 190 bmp, a little high, but still normal. Maybe because of all the sugary sweets over Christmas?!

Seven weeks-Christmas Surprise!

When I was seven weeks, three days pregnant with Baby Dalton, Jimmy and I made our trek to Detroit for Christmas. We had not yet told Jimmy's family our wonderful news, so with a couple tiny snow white lies, we hid the fact that we our road trip began with an appointment in Alexandria to check on Baby.

Our ultrasound looked great, with our baby's heart flickering at about 160 bpms. We told our doctor that we were going to show Jimmy's family the picture as our way of breaking the news, and she was kind enough to type "Merry Christmas" next to the baby.

When we finally arrived in Detroit (after an eleven hour drive) we hung a mini-person stocking on the mantle with the others and put the ultrasound picture in it. Then, we waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, with a lot of coaxing, Jimmy's mom, Rose, was the first to peak inside and find her first Christmas present.

6 Weeks - First Visit!

At six weeks, we had our first doctor visit and got to see our baby on the ultrasound! Even though it was just a little bean, we could see its heart beating (at 120 beats/minute). Our doctor said everything looked great. Well, actually, she said, "Guys, everything looks, like, totally fine." Even though she is from Los Angeles and channels Rachel Zoe, she's a Yale graduate and brilliant, so she can insert however many "likes" and "totally's" into her sentences as she wants. As long as our baby, like, gets here totally okay.