9 weeks!

We're back to being fruit this week....a grape. I have to admit I ran into the kitchen and grabbed one out of the bag just to hold in my hand the actual size. Funny to think that baby is so tiny, yet this week has fully developed eyes, has all 4 chambers of the heart, has lost it's tail and is developing tiny teeth. I get carried away imagining my little grape...starting to move..floating in my pretty active belly. I think about when I drive over bumps in the road, if the baby feels it. I think about the baby constantly, with every move...every stretch...with every pair of tight pants. I am starting the awkward "can't get in the old clothes...don't have any new" stage. I guess I'll just have to look sloppy for a month or two until maternity clothes actually fit right. Hmmm, that would require me buying them too. I hate shopping.

Today's Checkup

Baby has really gotten big over the last two weeks. I've included our 2 photos from today's sonogram. If you look closely, you can see a circle: that's the yolk sack. Then there's a line coming from the circle...that's the umbilical cord. Then you see the baby. It's amazing how different the pictures are from today compared to two weeks ago. Also amazing is the strength of heartbeat. During the 6 week sonogram, it was about half an inch on the monitor. Today the beats stretched about 2.5 inches. I keep staring at these photos in utter amazement.

Found out some exciting and coincidental news tonight. My friends Cliff and Amelia are also expecting.....they are 8 weeks along. Our due dates are within a week of each other. How's that for neat circumstances? Congrats you two. We get to travel this journey together now.

New website

This is so cool...found a website that shows actual photos of fetuses that are developing.

Head and shoulders, knees and toes.....

We have knees and elbows this week! Oh, and eyelids too. We're at 8 weeks today, the exciting size of a kidney bean. It's so fun when you graduate from fruit to legumes...hehehe. Have I mentioned that I'm soooo tired. Oh well. It would be nice if I could take a nap every 2 hours, for about an hour. I don't guess I'd get too much done then huh. Got another question...did any of you have these cramps. Every day and especially at night I get the worst cramps down low. Doc said not to worry, but it's always worrisome when you're hurting. Here's my little alien at 8 weeks with his arms crossed over his chest thanks to those new elbows.

I'm tired

After 3 weeks of pulled muscles and severe head colds, I finally am recovered.....and now I'm tired. Is this normal to want to just lay down in the floor and take a nap every hour or so? I don't get to of course. People keep telling me..rest, get some rest. How exactly do I do that? Nothing has changed...work is still there. Actually its more than ever. The world is not stopping for me to sit around and be pregnant. Blah! Here's the baby rendering at 7 weeks. I like to call this the Manatee stage..lol. Just a few more days and we'll have reached 2 months! Just one more month to go till we get out of the scary part and the end of the first trimester. Yay! We go back to the doc on the 24th for our next check-up. Hopefully if everything is still looking good, well have a 10 week visit and then I'm shipped off to Dr. Joseph, my normal OB/GYN.

Amazing is an understatement

Yesterday we went to the doc. Our sonogram at six weeks was the most amazing thing I've ever seen...or heard. We were able to see our baby's heartbeat and HEAR it. The nurse apparently knew the reaction that would ensue because she immediatly threw two tissues my way. Michael stood there holding my hand as tears rolled down our faces; we watched our little life be...alive. Yes, this did narrow it down to just one baby. I'm sad about the loss of one of my little eggs. I stared at that picture for days just imagining. However, I am ecstatic about our little miracle that lives inside of me. The thought is still so unfathomable. Attached are two pics..one shows what the baby looks like at this stage and the other is our sonogram from yesterday. If you look close, you see the lines surrounding the baby. To the right is the rhythm of the baby's heartbeat. So very cool!!

4 weeks and counting

This is the sonogram we took monday. What do you see? It's kinda like one of those eye puzzles I think. How in the world docs read these is beyond me. However, there is one amniotic sac that is visible on the left side.

I am loved

Here's a pic of my honey being sweet.

If it's not one thing, it's another

I have been riddled with muscle cramps since Thursday. I think it's just muscle spasms at least. It has been difficult to breathe because of the restriction on my right side, high up, chest level that feels like a knife in my lung. Today the pain wrapped from the front to my back shoulder blade, up my arm and into my neck. Michael and I tried stretching and massaging it out, but nothing works. If I sneeze it's excrutiating as well as if I twist or bend or reach. Good grief I'm tired of having issues! I'm worried I might be really low on potassium or worse, have a swollen gallbladder. I had to call the doc today because I couldn't stand it anymore. He gave me 5mg of Valium to hopefully get me through the weekend and then I'll see him Monday. I think it's helping. If anyone has had similar experiences, I'd love some advice. I'm eating bananas like a monkey and drinking lots of gatorade.