Week 13!

Jellybean, you are officially in your last week of the first trimester.  You are the size of a little peach, about 3 inches long.  Your head makes up half of that size right now.  Your intestines have been growing inside the umbilical cord, but now they're moving into you!  Your vocal cords are also developing this week.  We love you very much.

Wednesday through right now, I've felt almost no nausea.  I eat regular meals and snack just a little bit.  I'm cautiously optimistic that the worst is over!  Also, I'm not going to the bathroom as much as I was (yay, sleeping through the night!)  However, exhaustion has been pulling double duty in nausea's absence.

We have our first trimester screening (ultrasound and blood work) tomorrow.  Jared is coming and we are looking forward to medical confirmation that Jellybean is doing well!

Quiet

Jared and I hurried to Chapel Hill to hear Jellybean's heartbeat on Wednesday.  The midwife tried twice, but couldn't find that sweet sound we anticipated.  I understand that about 30% of women with healthy babies can't hear the heartbeat at 11.5 weeks, especially hefty women like myself--my extra padding gets in the way. :)  Still, it was very disappointing.  We already had an ultrasound scheduled for Monday, for our first trimester screening.  The heart rate should be on screen, even if we won't be able to hear it.  The midwife did tell me that I had gained 2.5 pounds so far, which sets me up for a good weight gain overall.  She said my blood sugar and pressure were both beautiful and all my labs looked great.  Like I've said before, everything in life takes faith, and pregnancy is no different.  We have faith that Jellybean is doing fine and was just hiding this week--she's an introvert, just like her parents! :)  

Coworkers, Small Group, Facebook, Oh My

On Monday, I went back to school after (a blessed) three and a half weeks off.  I caught up with the kindergarten team and then mentioned I would be taking some time off in December.  They immediately said, "we know, you're pregnant".  I knew they had figured it out before I tracked out, but I couldn't confirm it for them until I came back.  They were excited and have offered to give advice if I want it (I love that kind of advice!).

Monday night is our church small group night.  There's about eight married couples, three with children.  It was our night to bring a snack, so I baked cupcakes with pink, blue and white icing.  No one noticed anything at first, so I said, "smart folks might find a message in the cupcakes..."  Erin, who's pregnant with her second child, said, "blue for boy, pink for girl, white for neutral....YOU'RE PREGNANT!"  And all the women screamed and hugged me, and all the men made fun of their wives for screaming and hugging.  :)

And today, Jared and I put our news on Facebook.  Together (and if you count my mother's sharing of our news), I think we've had over 120 people respond with well wishes and congratulations.  Jellybean, the world wants to meet you!  :)  I posted our blog, and readership has skyrocketed in the last two hours.  I hope I won't disappoint in my updates.

It's strange to not have Jellybean as a secret anymore, but it's also somewhat of a relief.  And we're so thankful for all the support and excitement and love that has been poured out--we feel very blessed to have you all in our lives.

Twelve Weeks!

Jellybean, today starts your twelfth week.  You weigh a 1/2 ounce and are 2 1/2 inches long.  Most of your inner systems are fully formed.  Your bone marrow is making white blood cells and your pituitary gland in your brain has started making hormones!  We love you very much.

Jared and I are back from San Antonio and seeing Jared's family.  My family, his family, and some of our close friends now know our news.  Tomorrow, I'll tell my co-workers and we'll tell our church small group.  And Tuesday, the news goes up on Facebook.

Lots of Facebook friends have been announcing their pregnancies in the last six weeks.  This seems to be the year of the baby! 

In the last week, I think I've had two really good days and three fairly bad days, regarding nausea and exhaustion.  I'm hoping good days will soon outnumber the bad, and that my work won't be affected.  I'm ready for that second trimester, and feeling much better!  The first trimester is actually thirteen weeks long, so there's two weeks left.

Two days until we go public, and three days until we hear Jellybean's heartbeat!

Not a Secret Anymore!

It's Saturday evening, and we're in Texas!  We told my parents on Thursday night, Jared's at lunch on Friday, Jared's grandparents on Friday night, and started calling friends today.  Most everyone has been very excited and supportive, and it's been fun to see folks' reactions. 

I gave both my parents memory jars last year for their birthdays.  They were decorated glass jars full of strips of paper with good, funny or touching memories from our lives so far.  I also included things that I was thankful they did and that I appreciated about them.  So, for Mother's Day, Mom wanted more memories...my brother, Thomas, helped me fill up the jar again.  We also wrote some more for Dad.  We kept one or two out for each parent to read first.  Thomas had some great ones, and then it was my turn....both of their secrets said, "I'll always remember the look on your face when you found out you're going to be a mimi/grandad". 

We went to San Antonio's Riverwalk with Jared's parents after we arrived, and had lunch on the river.  After eating, we gave Jared's mom her Mother's Day gifts.  First, we had a card from each of us, with a gift card inside.  Then, we gave her another card, and the inside said, "I can't wait to meet you!  Love, your first grandchild". 

We're off to dinner to celebrate Jared's grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary.  It's expected to be a crazy, raucous event...we've rested up, so hopefully everything'll go well!  :) 

One More Day

Jared and I have been so glad to have had the last two months to enjoy Jellybean by ourselves.  I'm glad we have waited to tell people.  This way, we've had time to talk things out, bond, and make this the new "normal" for us.  Tomorrow, we'll start having to facilitate it being the new "normal" for others, and start having to hear all sorts of advice, questions, suggestions, and pregnancy stories.  But, we're ready now, because we're totally comfortable and secure in it.

I'll do my best to keep the blog updated over the next few days with pictures and reactions.  Jellybean, you're about to go public!

11th Week!

Jellybean, yesterday started your eleventh week.  Before the next one starts, family will know about you!  You are about two inches long and you weigh a third of an ounce.  Your hair follicles and nail beds are growing.  All your fingers and toes are fully, individually formed, as is your nose, ears, and tongue.  If you are a girl, your ovaries are developing!  We love you very much.

                                                                           Photo of an 11 week old in the womb


I am still dealing with fatigue, weakness and all day nausea.  Folding a load of laundry and putting it all away causes me to lose my breath.  Checking on my plants outside, with a little watering and bug-spraying, makes me need to sit down for a while.  It's a little frustrating that I used to be able to do so much, and now I feel very needy and "unable".  I have gained 3-4 pounds so far, which sounds good to me--I've heard stories of women who have gained 10 pounds or more by the end of the first trimester!

Recently, Jared and I have been coasting along, and not being overly concerned about being pregnant.  We talk about plans, do a lot of reading, and scheme for the best ways to tell our family, coworkers and friends.  I have a feeling that, once the secret is out, plans and talk will become action and everything will feel that much more "real".

Three days until the telling starts, eight days before everyone knows, and nine days until we hear the heartbeat!