Not Quite Week 8! Also, We Need A Scanner

We had our first appointment with the OB team today, and we loved it.  The office suite is very soothing, the patient room floors are woodgrained, and the doctor we met (Dr. Haberstroh) was a riot.  He started out asking us where we were born and teasing us mercilessly. 

First item of business was the ultrasound.  I was holding my breath while he rooted around looking for the little guy and all of a sudden, there it was!  I don't mind admitting I teared up a little bit.  Ivan had a great big grin on his face.  Dr. H. showed us the heartbeat and then told us that since Ivan was born in California, we had to worry about a congenital defect, and then made the little pinky sign that means "underequipped," which was why we couldn't tell the sex.  Ivan wasn't falling for it.

The little guy measured at 1.42 cm, which puts us at 7 weeks, 6 days.  I was supposed to be at 8 weeks, 3 days based on when I had my last monthly; but I had already told Ivan that was way too early.  By my calculations, we were at 6 weeks and 3-5 days.  So if we go off when I know we got pregnant, our little guy is slightly ahead of the growth curve already... which means a nicely thriving fetus.  And, I will add, two very relieved parents.

Our new due date is April 13th.

Dr. H. said I looked pretty good for an elderly gal.  Yes, it was good for a chuckle.  So hard to get used to thinking of myself that way, but we are considered part of the high risk group based solely on my age.  He felt that otherwise, blood work not withstanding, I was in fine shape for a healthy pregnancy.  He did seem to think a very large baby was possible, based on Kate and Savannah's birth weights (8 and over 9 pounds respectively), and was surprised that I didn't have gestational diabetes with Savannah.  My goal is to not have it with this one, either;  I'd already changed the way we eat shortly before we got pregnant, so with continued healthy food and hopefully, a return to my walking soon, I should be in good shape for things to come.

We'll have a Nuchal translucency screening in about three weeks to tell us the odds of having a baby with genetic defects.

So... we DO have ultrasound pictures, but we don't have a way to get them into the computer!  Ivan's scanner died a little while back and we haven't replaced it.  My digital camera is at the Nikon service center getting its USB port replaced.  So, much as I would love to share, we can't yet.

As soon as we can, we will!  If I can get them away from Ivan, that is... every time I said something about the baby, he'd pick the pictures up again and just grin at them.  It's adorable.

Week 8

Peanut butter is the most amazing substance on earth.  It's a protein, and it can be put on anything, and it doesn't make me nauseous.

I'm staying awake for longer periods now, which is nice.  Except I tend to try to get too much done and that wears me out, which isn't nice.

My stomach is kinda squishy; research indicates that this is normal.  I'm mildly frustrated that you can't tell I had worked hard to lose some weight just prior to getting pregnant, but I will adapt.

I miss coffee with a longing that is almost physical.  In a 2008 study, data suggested that caffeine intake increased the risk of miscarriage, so I'm taking no chances.

Savannah turned 18 on Saturday.  Kinda surreal; being pregnant with my grown children in attendance.  They're having a great time.  They've both been really solicitous.  I'm hoping I can parlay this into housekeeping.

Our first appointment is tomorrow.

Week 7

Last week, morning sickness hit with a vengeance.  Also, regular sickness hit with a vengeance, and the two together were incredibly debilitating.  The dogs haven't been for a walk since Thursday.  My bathroom has dust in it (the bathroom?  Really?) and I know I need to stop and just rest so I can recover, but the kids always seem to need me right when I'm about to take a nap.  I've discovered that driving, of all things, wears me out incredibly.  And that is, of course, what teenagers without their own vehicles need most.

I'm working on strategies for dealing with constant, low-grade nausea.  I remember the naive and callous days of my first pregnancies when I scoffed at the idea that a little nausea could be so exhausting.  I had lots of respect for mothers-to-be who were projectile vomiting, but anyone can deal with just being nauseated.

Ah, youth.  I am well served for my veiled contempt of yore.  The moment anything touches my stomach (like, say, saliva), the nausea begins.  And of course, I'm always thirsty when I wake up.  At least I can eat... sometimes.  But I have to eat when I am ready or I won't get to; I wanted some BBQ from a local restaurant and was coyly trying to get Ivan to pick it up; he suggested he come home and pick me up so we could make our choices together instead of over the phone.  By the time we made the round trip and served ourselves... I couldn't eat.  He was crestfallen.  It made, however, an excellent breakfast.

I've found myself trying to get as much down as I can before the nausea calls a sudden halt to ingestion.  Navy boot camp mess hall practices serve me well.

So now I have my jello powder, two teaspoons to a glass of ice cold water, which I sip while cooking breakfast for us both.  It doesn't seem that spices bother me; we have a turkey vegetable egg-white omelet and whole grain English muffin every morning, and all of those components are compatible and appetizing.  Most mornings.  I don't seem to have a lot of heartburn (yet) although I do have two-Tums nights occasionally.

The girls are excited;  Savannah tells everyone we meet together ("Hi, Mrs. Webb.  You remember my mom.  She's pregnant.") and Kate has plans for wall decorations and baby books and clothes shopping.  I have been researching car seats and diapering options; I'm pretty certain I want to go with cloth this time, given our personal ecological ethics, although there are some biodegradable options that are attractive.  But I haven't let myself do too much planning, because I don't want to jinx us.  I know, that's silly.

Ivan and I are both worried, although about different things.  My nightmares are about trying to decide whether we should carry a Trisomy baby to term; his are about waking up finding me hemorrhaging to death in our bed and losing both of us at once.

We are some seriously grim people.

Alive! (Reposted)

So, I was prematurely happy to be well again... because for the past week I have been fighting dehydration and running a fever. I apparently picked up a nasty virus and it lodged itself in my head and chest. My "wellness" apparently was a result of sleeping so much, and as soon as I tried to go back to my normal schedule, the virus came roaring back.

So I got cleared for Tylenol and have found half a dozen new things to add to water to make it easier to go down and stay down. Everything stays down better when I am staying down, unfortunately. I have not been able to look at anything (including a TV) unless I am horizontal or I become indisposed (so to speak).

But now at least I can sit up now for longer periods of time and my kids and of course, The Best Husband In The World, are helping me a lot.

And as of yesterday's pee test and with no symptoms to indicate otherwise, I'm still pregnant, so that's the best news!

I'm still recovering, though. I have 352 (not exaggerating) emails to get through in addition to getting caught up here and I can only be online for 20-30 minutes at a time right now before I get nauseous and lightheaded so please bear with me.

Thank you all for being here.

Confirmed!

It hasn't hit me yet, but my doctor confirmed it today--we are pregnant. She wants me to see an OB because at 39, I am a high risk pregnancy, but she said my caloric intake should be just fine for supplying both me and the baby and that I could do my interval run-walk miles with the dogs. She even gave me some exercises to do for my big toes! And those same exercises will apparently help do away with my shin splints. So I can have my baby and my new healthy lifestyle too!!!

Okay, now I'm teary, finally... hahaha... I guess I just had to type it out and make it real...

A bit overwhelmed, so Reds, please forgive me--I can't focus on points today. I'll be back tomorrow with a vengeance and a plan and a new source of motivation. Right now, I just need food and a snuggle with my husband and to go to bed early.

I'm pregnant... I really am.

The Circle of Life (Reposted)

It is really interesting how things happen.

In a house full of chaos alternating between the joyful welcome of my house guest and good friend Daniel, and the shock and grief of losing Sonia, I missed my period.

At first I chalked it up to stress and the change in lifestyle (eating better, working out as close to daily as possible). But when someone lit up a cigarette at the viewing and I wanted to hurl, I kinda started to put it together.

I stopped by the drugstore on the way home. Ten minutes and two little pink lines later, I had my answer.

Tomorrow I go to the doctor for the official answer.

I can't help but think that Sonia was my age when she found out she was pregnant with her youngest.

I'm a bit scared, kinda waiting to be elated until I see the doctor. I know I won't breathe easily until I see an ultrasound.

And it doesn't feel right just yet to celebrate, even though I know Sonia would have wanted me to.

I think I'll go for a walk.