Week 13: Belly Shots

A bit late, but here is my picture when I was done with week 13 and the old pictures for comparison:

Week 13 done!




















Week 12 done!




















Week 11 done!

Week 12: Dr's apt & 1st Trimester Screening

So, this past week I had both my second doctor's appointment and my 1st Trimester Screening. I have Care First (Blue Cross) which doesn't allow for procedures like the 1st Trimester Screening to be covered in my doctor's office, so I went to the Genetics & IVF Institute to get that screening done on Friday.

But, my regular doctor's appointment was on Wednesday and everything went pretty quickly. I had a mid-morning appointment which meant that I waited about a half hour to get in. Then, I did my urine sample, blood pressure (good) and waited in the room for my doctor. She came in and it was pretty quick where she just listen to the heartbeat - in the 160s/minute, good - and then just asked if I had questions. I really do think that they figure there is so much for people to read out there that they don't need to really tell us a lot of stuff... Or they figure we will ask. Which makes me think that really, in the end, not too many things will hurt you! At least in moderation.

Anyways, it took her a bit of searching to find the heartbeat, but that really didn't freak me out. I mean, I always get a bit nervous before these things, but I don't feel like anything is WRONG, so I guess that doesn't worry me. :) She may have thought it was a bit higher because my belly is kinda' sticking out, but really it's still pretty low.

So, I asked about my weight - ie, I have gain about 8 pounds already - and she said no problem - it's probably a lot of water weights and gas. :) I said I got a bit dizzy last weekend and she said to drink more water and it's probably because I'm starting to produce more blood. I also brought up how I trust her opinion and for the most part I'm healthy, so if I have questions and it's really normal - just tell me it's normal and not to worry about. She said that most things in pregnancy are kinda' like that! lol. And finally, I brought up how I have bad ankles, shoulders and knees (tendinitis and almost no cartilage in my knees) and how when I gain weight my knees usually hurt - can I take Alieve, Motrin, etc. Nope - I can only take Tylenol, which doesn't help. :( She said that a brace may be helpful, but also that sometimes pregnancy makes women get more lubrication in their joints, so I may be fine. Cool - I hope that's me (if you saw on twitter, my knees are hurting today, but I think that's because we have an atmospheric front coming in tomorrow - yes, I usually feel those... I have a bit of arthritis too)!

After that, I got 2 vials of blood taken out so that they can test for EVERYTHING (including HIV and blood type). I love the nurse - I barley felt the needle! :)

So, that appointment is all good and my next appointment is Sept 2nd. :) I really did think that they would do an ultrasound each time - they don't unless you ask - which is kinda' sad, but I understand. I don't think I'll request the ultrasound, but I hope I get one next time :)

So, my second appointment was Friday for the First Trimester Screening. This screening is an option in Virgina, however something that is recommended. They are testing for Down syndrome, Trisomy 18 and/or 13. English? Well, we know that Down Syndrome is not a fatal mutation, but *can* result in the child having any range of mental retardation. They can't tell how much the child may be affected (or in the end if the child WILL have it), but they give a range of probability. Likewise, Trisomy 18 and 13 are cases when a child has extra chromosomes (18 or 13) in their DNA which more often than not, results in them not surviving past the first few hours or days of birth. This screening does an initial test for these defects:
"The First Trimester Screen (FTS) begins with an ultrasound examination measuring the tiny fluid filled sack at the back of the fetal neck, called the nuchal translucency. An increased measurement may indicate a chromosomal disorder, a congenital heart defect or other birth defect, but can also be seen in normal fetuses. A maternal blood test that measures pregnancy hormones (B-hCG and PAPP-A) is combined with the ultrasound measurement and maternal age to calculate a specific risk for Down syndrome and for Trisomy 18 or 13." from Genetics & IVF Institute webpage

They also look in the ultra sound for the development of the nose... I never heard about that! :)
So, looking at the ultrasound, everything looks ok for now. Before the ultrasound, they took a little bit of blood - I was surprised because it wasn't a vital, she just withdrew some into the needle... I thought they would take more. Of course, because I took blood on Wed, she had to use my other arm and I knew it wasn't going to be good because she choose an outside vein... Nurses NEVER choose outside veins. You can see it better, but it never gives blood as well as those on the inside. She put in the needle and then is like, "Oh, that was a mistake" and started to move the needle around a bit. So, starting Saturday, I got a bruise. :) Actually - I was surprised - I'm a big wuss when it comes to needles (I don't cry, but I don't really like it), but I didn't really feel much for either shot. Does your pain level get higher while pregnant? I hope so :)

It was very cool to see the ultrasound (isn't it always?) and this was the first time that it looked more like a baby. The last ultrasound, we saw a blob and the heart beating (still VERY cool). This time, we got the close up and it really looks much more like a 'baby.' :) Also, he/she is moving!!!! Not as much as I thought, but kinda' these jumps every now and then. (seriously, it looked like it was being shocked with defribulatiors...) Then, it turned around and stuff - so neat!!! Our little guy/girl is jumping around! hehehehe!

So, when that all was done, we went into another room while the doctor (or whoever) looked at the ultrasound. Then, a councilor came in (I think her name was Mary) - SUPER nice women - and went over what everything is and how things look so far (good). It was very good because she really stressed how these are PROBABILITIES - there is always a chance for something to happen, but these test give us an idea of how at risk we are. If we are deemed to be high risk, we have the change to take further tests including the one where they take out the DNA. I *think* that test is pretty much 100% positive in those cases... My regular doctor said that if we find that the kid has Trisomy 18 and/or 13, she recommends terminating the pregnancy because the baby won't survive much after birth. They don't recommend terminating for Down Syndrome. I agree with that - everything I read says that you can't tell how bad Down Syndrome can be and it's not something life threatening. But, I understand that it would change your life COMPLETELY and so don't judge anyone who would. And my doctor didn't seem to either, which was very good...

So, now I am waiting for the genetics center to call with the probabilities for our baby. I'm positive with the ultrasound results and hope that everything will continue to go well! Wish us luck!!!!!!!

Week 12 Belly Shot and Baby picture :)

Here is my weekly belly shot (with week 11 and 5 next to it for comparison) and below pictures of our little guy/girl from the first trimester screening last Friday :)

So, I *think* I may be getting stretch marks. I'm not sure, but I have little red spots on my buttocks. :( I do have stretch marks (on my rear end again) from when I gained weight my first year of university so I guess it's too be expected. Hopefully it won't get very bad and I'm still not convience they are stretch marks, but I have a feeling they may show. I lotion up, but I know that the stretch marks come from deep in...

The other thing - my baby pictures are 2 ultra sounds and 1 3-D. They don't even ask me if I want the 3-D or not - they just do it! :) I'm not that crazy about it... however my mom - who didn't even have ultrasounds with us for the most part - thinks it's super cool because it's so in detail. I guess it'll look better as the baby develops a bit more!

Week 5 belly:



















Week 11 belly:




















Week 12 belly:




















Doesn't really look like that big of a change, huh? I actually think my weight gain this past week was very low. We'll see how things are this upcoming week... I don't think it's anything to worry about! I already seem to be showing earlier than some people!

Baby pictures:

Week 12: Dizziness!

Apparently, I'm pretty right on time for this! This weekend, I went shopping for a pair of maternity jeans and some longer shirts (I hate buying clothes that I will only wear for 6 months; well, again when I have another kid, but still- I'm trying to buy 'flexible' tops) and after trying on the clothes, I got so dizzy and felt like I was going to pass out! I had to sit down on the floor of the shop while F finished paying for the clothes. I then had to sit down and ate and had water for a bit before feeling better. I thought it was because we ate kinda' late on Saturday, but then I got a bit dizzy on Sunday as well! No where near as bad, but still kinda' dizzy! And this morning, I'm feeling kinda' dizzy, but that could be just because I'm tired :)

So, I opened my emails this morning and got in at least 2 of the daily pregnancy updates that this week could see the start of dizziness! This is kinda' the first week where I have been on track for my symptoms matching the emails :) This is what they say:

What to Expect.com
Week 12 of Pregnancy: Dizzy Spells

During pregnancy, progesterone increases the flow of blood to your baby, resulting in lower blood pressure and reduced blood flow to your brain — giving you that dizzy feeling all over.

Here's a quick tip: If you feel dizzy or faint, lie down or sit with your head lowered between your knees, take deep breaths, and loosen any tight clothing (like that button on your jeans you struggled to close in the first place). As soon as you feel a little better, get something to eat and drink.

And guess who's to blame? Yup — it's your old friend progesterone again, which causes your blood vessels to relax and widen around 12 weeks pregnant, increasing the flow of blood to your baby (again, good for baby), but slowing the return of blood to you (as always, not so good for mom). Less blood flow to you means lower blood pressure and reduced blood flow to your brain. All of these can contribute to that light-headed, dizzy feeling — especially when you get up too quickly — which is why slow and steady wins the race against dizziness.

Another cause of dizziness during pregnancy is low blood-sugar levels, which can occur if you're not eating regularly (so don't try to run…or even walk…on empty). And looking ahead to later in pregnancy, dizziness in the third trimester can be caused by the pressure the growing uterus places on your major blood vessels, especially when you're lying on your back.

Babies Online.com

While your morning sickness and tiredness may be even less frequent, you may be getting lightheaded or have headaches again. This is from the increase in blood volume. Remember the safety precautions regarding dizziness? Well, those can apply here as well. Be sure to talk about any symptoms or illness you may experience with your healthcare provider. It is important for you to communicate any concerns, worries, or questions you may have.

So, I have my next appointment with my doctor this Wednesday and I'll be sure to mention that. I'm going to mention how tired I have been, but I don't think it's anything abnormal. I will bring up how I have had low iron in the past, but again - I don't feel like I'm low now (I can usually feel when I am - I get very tired and I crave red meat :))
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Anyone have any good questions to bring up at this time? Here is my list for now. It's not so much questions as just stuff to bring up...

1. General philosophy: Don't do anything stupid - what will be will be. But - I do read stuff and trust my doctor to tell me things I need to know

2. Background:
*I choose my new doctor because she is close to my house and tied to the hospital there, so I thought - great! I can use this hospital when I go into labor. But, she prefers to use Fairfax INOVA hospital (better anesthetic people she thinks) which is fine, except that without traffic it takes about 20 minutes to get there and I'm due in Feb which can mean ice, snow, rain and/or traffic which could possibly bump up the commute time to 1 hour or so. Why is that a worry? My mother gave birth to all three of us (her children) in under 3 hours (the first in 2 hours) and so I'm worried that I may be the same :) I read that there is nothing conclusive about this so I don't know how worried I should be - any advice?
* I am for the most part a very healthy human with very few problems. I have only had constipation once, I can get low iron and besides that, if I get a fever- there is something MAJOR wrong (ie, internal staff infection or something like that - lol). So, many things that may be 'normal' to other people can be new to me - if I ask about something, please just let me know if it's normal or not- I will only ask about things that are new to me. More than anything else, I just like to know if it's something that other people have and so no worries! :)
* Outside the above - I have some physical problems that I put in a different category and can already feel causing problems as I gain weight, specifically. I have tendinitis in my ankles and shoulders and most of my cartilage has been worn away from my knees due to the repetitive nature of swimming (I know, it's good, but when you train these problems are pretty common). I also have a bit of arthritis in my knee. Because of this, when I gain weight I feel it in my knees and legs - I used to take Naxprofin (hmm, I spelled that wrong), but now usually just take Motrin if they bother me - is this fine when it starts to bother me with the baby weight? :) Do you recommend any braces?

3. Weight gain: so, I gained about 5 pounds that first two months and have gained around 2/2.5 pounds this past month. I think it's mostly because I have been so tired, but this month I'm moving more and I'm not eating bad or really that much more (however, before I would gain about a pound if I ate more than 1,100 calories a day - I'm 5'7''!! According to charts, I should be able to eat at least 1,500) Also, I had gained about 10 pounds between last October and this May. I kinda' question if I have a slow hypothalamus gland, but I think my main question would just be if I should increase my exercise as I get more energy - does she think that will help keep things more on track? What do you think?

4. Dizziness: Got it a bit this past few days - just fyi more than anything else J

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Day after update: My doctor wasn't concerned about my weight at all and said it's probably mostly water weight and gas... whew! Also, she said that I should just drink more water to help if I get dizzy, which makes sense because I don't think I drink as much on the weekend. I get up later and so don't eat and drink until later. I have to start changing that :)

Also, no ultrasound :( just heartbeat. It was in the 160s/minute so looking good! Tomorrow we go for the first trimester screening and I'll get my ultrasound then. I hope that from here on out I do get an ultrasound every time I go to the doctor - anyone know?

Week 11: Belly Pictures!

Ok - so I went ahead and took a picture of my belly this morning. I did it myself and I don't think it's the prettiest shot out there, but ah well. I don't think it'll be pretty until it starts looks less like a fat belly and more like a pregnant belly ;)

Without further ado.... (lol - I first wrote 'adieu', but found this: "It's "Without further ado," not "without further adieu." "Ado" means "fuss" or "delay." "Adieu" is not a noun but a complete statement which simply means "goodbye." - lol!)

Week 5 belly shot - hmmm, I should have thought about putting the toilet seat down!





















Week 11 (that is, today should be either Week 11 or week 10, day 6). I'm actually kinda' holding my stomach in... ;)

Week 11: Baby Names

So, I have been meaning to write about this at some point, but got my first question here (thanks Bounty!) about if we have started to look at names for the baby. Of course, we have plenty of time; we don't know the sex of the baby yet; but I also know that this is something that takes people FOREVER to decide. And with good reason! Your baby is stuck with that name for the REST OF THEIR LIFE!

The short answer is: yes, we know what our baby's names will be. For anonymity purposes - I will say B or G in this blog for the names (b for boy; g for girl). Sorry!

So- What is the long story that I wanted to share about our kid's name?................. I am a naturally born (as opposed to naturalized - I'm not making a statement, just clarifying my culture growing up) white American, brought up in Northern California (Contra Costa County). My husband is Jordanian and grew up in the Middle East (mostly the Gulf). I bring this background info up because of how the baby's names are chosen within that culture vs with most people in the US.

In the Arab world - and this can be Christian, Muslims or Jews who are Arabs (although please allow for family preferences as I'm sure you can find people who DON'T do this) - people are MAJORLY into their family. If you think that the US is in any way family orientated - it is nowhere NEAR family-orientated compared to cultures in the Middle East and Asia (and bits of North Africa). In many of these places, there is a very BIG emphasis on the goodness of marrying and having kids and treating your parents well, etc.

How does this relate to a baby's name? Well, it is pretty common (although not for everyone) for men and women to know what their child's name will be by the time they are around 13 years old. At this time, the children are hitting puberty and one way to honor their transition into adulthood is to address them, as an adult, by their future children's name. (yes, the male names usually come first) You may have seen in the news or history books when someone is called Abu (name) or Om (name). This literally means Father of (name) or Mother of (name). (it also goes the other way with Ibn - son of (name)) You are proud of your children (of course!) and likewise - once the child is born, it adds to the idea that you don't want to do anything bad so that your parents are associated with something bad you do (obviously this can be more complicated, but I'm giving general gist's here).

So, my husband knew what he wanted to name his kids by the time he was 13. He would be CALLED by this name within his family. It's a pretty big deal.

Now, this isn't to say that I have no say in the matter. And I'm sure this comes up a bit more within Arab-to-Arab marriages... And, this does seem to only be something that comes from people who grew up in that area - I know Arab-Americans who have never put this thought into the naming of there kids (lol - which has created some drama as they name their kids and it's not following the 'traditional' practices... Well, more confusion on the part of the family still in the ME rather than drama. "The middle name is what? That doesn't make any sense! How will they know who the father is?")
Anyways, I know that if I don't like the names or something like that, I can discuss that and we would find a new name. But, this was also something that we talked about before we even got married (naming the kids with an Arabic name that is; more than anything else - although I think I knew the names because F would be called by it).

So, I like the names and kinda' think the entire process it interesting - also, I didn't have any names in mind anyways. :) Our biggest issue now is trying to figure out how to SPELL the names in English so that it is pronounced correctly. We are not going to switch the names because of this -- at some point I would like to move to the Middle East (probably the UAE due to jobs) and these names are super good ones for that area. The biggest problem in the US is the pronunciation - Americans usually pronounce one part of it with a hard 'a' where it should be more like an 'an' like in 'ton.' lol - we keep coming back to this and how to spell it to help it be pronounced correctly in the US! But, I technically still pronounce my husband's name wrong (I actually have to think in a British accent to pronounce Arabic correctly - it's because of the vowels) so I'm not too worried about this :) Poor kid!

So, I wanted to share this in my blog because it's a part of me and because I know that to many people it sounds like I'm losing out on the 'naming process.' I already got at least one comment on that. I like to share the background to the naming process instead of just saying, " yes, it's ___________" because I think it's a very unique cultural thing that is not bad... It's different from how we name in the US, but it's not bad.

In our family, the mix of American and Arabic cultures is a major part of who we are and I want to share that with people because I love to answer any questions people have - based on MY personal observations, of course - and I think that this type of dialogue is very important. I encourage my family to ask questions and likewise, please let me know if you have any questions. Btw, we have been married for about 5 years, so I should be able to answer most questions - heck, I've probably asked them, plus more!

Oh - yes, we also plan to raise our kids to be bi-lingual (I also want to throw in French, but I don't know much so I'm not sure that will happen). I have read a bunch of cool stuff about this, but please let me know if you have any advice. A friend of mine has 3 kids (she is German and her husband is American) and she said the biggest challenge is making the language learning fun and that the kids will tend to speak English to each other because that is the dominant language here and in school. (she had a great plan for a while where she would send her kids to Germany in the summer for soccer camp... fun + have to speak German to get along with other kids!)

Anyways - I did like the baby names link at http://www.bounty.com/babynames and found some Arabic names that I didn't know were Arabic!

Aida - Girl Meaning - Reward
Akilah - Girl Meaning - Intelligent, Logical
Amber - Girl Meaning - Reddish-Yellow Precious Jewel
Anisa - Girl Meaning - Friendly
Bethany - Girl Meaning - House Of Poverty
Cala - Girl Meaning - Castle
Jed - Boy Meaning - The Hand
Kadin - Boy Meaning - Friend, Companion
Kamilah - Girl Meaning - The Perfect One
Leila - Girl Meaning - Born At Night, Black (well, I think I knew this one)
Martha - Girl Meaning - A Lady (ok - I'm wondering about some of these! Huh, I found another one that says Aramaic so I can see that now)
Rihana - Girl Meaning - Sweet Basil
Selima - Girl Meaning - Peace
Shakira - Girl Meaning - Grateful (this makes sense - the singer is half Lebanese)
Tabitha - Girl Meaning - A Gazelle
Xavier - Boy Meaning - Bright (another one I question - huh, I looked it up and had Arabic, Spanish and Basque under origins!)

Week 11: should I start taking belly pictures?

This seems to be the time of pregnancy when most women do start taking pregnancy pictures. I did take a picture about a month ago - farewell pre-pregnancy body! - but it was in my pjs and I'm not sure if I want to show THAT off. I'll have to find another picture :)

I'm not the most consistent when doing stuff like this, but maybe I can get in that habit. It seems best to get some clothes that you can wear the whole time so that your focus is on the belly and not on anything else...

I think it would be fun to do... I sure hope I don't have an ugly belly!

I guess right now I also feel rather fat. I know, I know - I'm pregnant. But, I have gained more weight than your supposed to - 7 pounds so far instead of 5 MAX! And, you just don't look 'pregnant' in week 11. I do wear maternity pants for work - they are SOOO comfy! But, otherwise, I feel very NOT toned and basically lazy and kinda' fat. :(

I keep telling myself I'll be better once I get more energy and start swimming in the next few weeks. I used to go in the am, but I'm too tired so I'm going to try the pm. But, pm can be hard - it competes with evening commute and dinner! Come on B! A little effort! lol

So, wish me luck with all this and let me know if you liked taking the pics or are just kinda' eh about it. I'm not sure yet. It may be one of those things that I do and then just delete later...

Week 10 - Tired, tired, TIRED!!!

Tired, tired, tired!!!! I have been nothing but tired!!! And very distracted. I'm feeling like I'm getting behind on my work - although in reality I think I'm better off than I was a few weeks ago.

But, it's a very strange kind of tired. It's not a regular, I'm sleepy tired. Or a, I'm sore from working out. Or, I'm bored from work... It's a tired where you are... I guess it's kinda' like being sick with the flu. You just don't feel right and your brain is a bit foggy.

It's particularly bad for me in the morning. I am getting up later and later because I'm just too tired to wake up! Of course, I get up to go to the bathroom and then go lie down again. lol - I'm on the toilet for about 30 minutes... I'm not constipated, but it takes about that long to get things 'moving.' (I need to get some gas out first) Then, I just want to lie down again because I feel so tired. It was particularly bad yesterday and I ended up not taking a shower and being an hour and half late to work!! Thank goodness my boss is super and let me just stay late to make up the time (I'm doing that for an hour today).
It really sucks - mostly because I feel like I'm being lazy and more that I'm being a bad worker. I am taking FOREVER to do my tasks at work. That may be in part because things are a bit slow and un-exciting, but I think it's also because my head is a bit foggy! My cousin said to be sure to keep sticky notes around - I do that usually and do find that they help, but I'm also making a list of things to do. That seems to be helping a bit too. I may have to start putting deadlines on them though :)

I hope I stop feeling so tired going into the 4th month... I think exercise would help, but I've been so tired so far. I used to swim in the morning, but that's not working. I want to try in the afternoon, but that's when I go home and cook dinner and clean and stuff. So, I have to figure something out soon.

Week 9: clothes

In the last 2 days, I all of a sudden can't really fit into my pants. :( That's not very fun... I'm not really 'showing,' but I am certainly getting bigger. The good news - I weighed myself today and I'm the same as last week! That is a good thing, because this last two months I have CERTAINLY gained more weight than I should. I think it's because I have been so tired and not moving. I'm better now and my eating is a bit different as well - slightly smaller meals. My goal is to only gain about 1/2 pound every week or two until 2nd trimester. That is more 'normal' and on track.
But, my stomach is still kinda' sticking out. At work yesterday, I ended up unbuttoning the top two buttons of my pants while sitting down (I have my own office and wore a long shirt). The day before, I wore a skirt with the stretchy waist. (which I think made me look bigger) Today, I have some pants that usually don't fit well - they are doing ok :) Last night, we had dinner with friends and I wore that 'baby belt' over my jeans. It's kinda' like a black tube top that is meant to 'hold up' your pants so you can leave them unbuttoned until you get new pants.
I'm not a big fan of it - it LOOKS fine, but I also have a pretty big butt (!) and it kinda' slides up and so I'm always pulling it down.

This weekend, I'm going to go and check out pants. It seems so early, but I think it's about time. It seems like they now have pants that have the 'baby belt' built into the pants, which means they expand as the months so by. I'll ask the store if they hold up, but I need some work pants. I think I'm also going to need to get some long(er) shirts to cover my growing bump.
Looking online, the Maternity Place (or something like that)has decent pants for pretty cheep. I looked at Old Navy and Gap first because I always like when pregnant women wear their stuff - the pants are a bit more than the other place, but the shirts were very nice. So, I will shop around and see what is good.

Otherwise, today at work I'm pretty tired and distracted - yesterday I was pretty good! I don't like this changing back and forth... I am certainly better in the afternoon, so I have to start finding tasks to do in the morning that don't require much thought...

Week 9: Smells

Ok - I've decided to put in the week the week I'm IN - so in this case, I'm 8 weeks 3 days and IN the 9th week. That seems to be how most sites and books handle it...
Yesterday was the first day that I really noticed smell aversions. I always have seemed to have a heightened sense of smell - particularly around my period. But, nothing so bad. Until yesterday. I was ok for the day and then when I came home, I lied down. (I'm still very tired) So, my brother-in-law actually made dinner and when I came down - OMG! The smell was just... bad! It was just rice and chicken - nothing exotic, but it did NOT smell good. Now, my b-i-law makes VERY good food, so that was just weird. But, I couldn't really even eat it because I didn't like the smell. So, I heated up some corn and had that. But, the entire time, I was smelling other stuff and nothing was right. So, we finished and had ice cream (yay!) and then I actually got a fruit bar after that because I was still hungry, but didn't want smell. I don't think I'll do that again - I think the fuit bar may have too much sugar - but it was so weird. So, I'm not sure about tonight. I think that I won't worry about hurting feelings and just make something for me and let my husband and b-in-law get their own things. :) I did get really hungry about midnight (probably due to my lack of dinner) and so took a piece of pizza. Not really what I wanted, but better than nothing....

The other thing is that I am having a dickens of a time getting up in the morning. I'm not really neasuous, so it's not that, but I don't feel good. Kinda' like a have a good flu blug or something. So, I have been getting up - going to the b-room (thank goodness I don't have constipation!), sit there for awhile - tmi! but I need to sit for stuff to get going..., go back into bed, lie down for a bit more, then get up and get going. THIS IS NOT A GOOD PLAN! It taking me around 1 1/2 hrs to get up!!! I think it's because I need to eat, but I'm not a morning eating person and I CERTAINLY don't want crackers or something like that in the morning. I don't even like water in the morning!!! So, that is another thing I got to figure out. I'm hoping it'll go away after the first trimester.

If it continues, maybe I should see about getting into work around 10 am instead of 9 am...

Telling the Boss- week 8/9

So, I finally told my boss that I was pregnant today. I started with "I know it's early, but...." because - I am only 8 weeks and like 2-3 days pregnant. Hopefully, everything will go well...
Anyways, he was super understanding. He actually works a lot around his kids schedules and so was very nice about everything. I am going to see if I can't find a graduate student to intern during the spring for when I am out and I think that will work well. :)

Other than that - I REALLY need to get my work ass in gear. I feel like I have been very distracted and slacking off. Boss is out for most of this week so I need to use that time to FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS! Unfortunately, I have student workers (1 is great, 1 is :P most of the time, and 1 is too shy). So, that usually takes a lot of my energy, but I have projects for them to do so hopefully they will be out of my hair. :)

I am going to tell another coworker tomorrow that I'm pregnant and so I'll let that cat out of the bag!

First OB's Appointment

So, yesterday I had my first OB appointment. It was actually much quicker than I thought it would be. It was kinda' like a regular OBY/GN appointment, but with an ultrasound. The ultrasound, of course, we VERY cool and lots of fun to see. Because I'm so early (my due date got moved back 1-2 days, so I'm now 7 weeks, 6 days pregnant today), they did the internal ultrasound. Which means that instead of going over your belly, they lube up a dildo-looking thing and stick that in you to get the picture :) I heard about this before (thank goodness!), but it was still funny to see her lube that up, put a condom on it, and lube again before sticking it in me.

But, it was very cool to see the ultra-sound - my favorite was SEEING the heartbeat. That was so cool!!! We then heard it for about 5 seconds and went back to looking at the screen. Looking at it first, I thought the head was to the left, but it was the right. Now, I see it right away, but it's a bit disorientating at first.

We also saw the 4-D image, which wasn't that interesting as it didn't look quite so like anything ;) I was surprised that she did the 4-D; I always thought that was by request. I read another blog where she was deciding if she should do it because she always thought they looked like aliens and whatnot. But, my doctor did it right away! Hmmmm.
Anyways, they didn't take blood, but between weeks 10-12, I will probably go for another ulta-sound (outside her office because my insurance doesn't cover it inside the office) where they will test the size of the sac (?) behind the neck and take blood to determine any problems like Down Syndrome. They also determine if there are any other problems - the other two which would cause for reason to terminate the pregnancy. This is because those run a high chance of the baby not surviving more than a few hours after being born and so it recomended by doctors to terminate if these problems are found at this point. They don't recomend termination if Down Syndrome is found, since you can't tell how much the child will be affected by this.

I did some googling, and found that apparently almost 90% of people who find that their child will have Down Syndrome do terminate the pregnancy. I thought that was interesting because, obviously, the syndrome presents challenges, but there is so much unknown about how the child will grow up with it at this point. Of course, there is very little chance that the person would be completely independent and they usually don't have children.
Anyways, my stats:

Blood pressure - good (I can't remember what it was... 76/118?)
Baby heart rate - 168 beats per minute
Baby size - 1.3 cm (0.5 inches)

Yay! :) So, I will call about the second screening and blood test and hopefully all that is fine. Apparently, with that exam, there is a 5-10% of a false positive and a 75-90% chance they will actually catch anything wrong. If they think something is wrong, there is a second test that you can take which involves a needle that goes through your belly into the sack to pull out DNA stuff.

First Doctor's Appointment - 8 weeks

Tomorrow I *finally* get to my first doctor's appointment. I know, I know - there is a chance of miscarriage between 1-8 weeks, but I still think that for 1st time moms they should bring you in to at least confirm the pregnancy at 6 weeks. Of course, my mom was saying that before pregnancy tests, they waited until you missed 2 periods anyways to be sure you were pregnant. Ah, the state of women's health in the world. You would think that overall there would be more knowledge in this field...

Anyways: "Here's what you can expect your doctor or midwife to do on your first visit:" from http://www.babycenter.com/0_your-first-prenatal-visit_9344.bc

Take your health history
Do a genetic and birth defect history
Explain your options for prenatal genetic testing
Check you out and run some tests (a thorough physical, including a pelvic exam. She'll do a Pap smear. Next, she'll order routine blood tests to identify your blood type and Rh status, and a blood count to check for anemia. She'll also have the lab test your blood for syphilis, hepatitis B, and immunity to rubella (German measles). will ask for a urine sample to test for urinary tract infections and other conditions.

Counsel you and let you know what's coming

So, all of that seems pretty normal. F has decided to come with me, which is probably good - in particular if we do an ultrasound. I think he would like that. Plus, he can drive :) I'm going to work in the morning, but leaving at 12pm to pick F up and get to the doctors by 12:50. I am glad for the appointment because I've just been reading stuff and it'll be good to see exactly where they think I am. I can't really think of any questions - I mean, everything seems normal (besides my weight) and people have been doing this for years and years with much less knowledge so I figure they will tell me everything I may need to know or point out things. Right?

When I was just looking up this info on Baby Center, they had a video of a women being given an epidermal. I kinda' thought I would get that... watching the video, I'm not so sure. Of course, I don't like needles anyways, but it doesn't look fun. (or course, the whole thing doesn't look too 'fun,' but why add more? ;)) We'll see. The main thing I had always noticed was that people who did it naturally kinda' panicked during the pregnancy because their body felt out of control, while people with the epidermal seemed a bit more mellow. Then again, I can have births like my mom where we were born in 2 hours, 45 min, and 3 hours - respective to each kid. (I was 45 min - the doctor didn't have time to put on his gloves before I was born!

I'm not going to tell you anything if you give me stupid responses (8 weeks)

So, my sister is a nurse. Who, when she was in college, worked in a woman's health center at our local hospital. So, she has always been pretty good about giving advice in a pretty clear manner and not giving hype. But, she ticked me off today.
All and all, I don't think I'm too cranky being pregnant. I haven't been really sick, but have been nauseous. This past weekend I did throw up for the first time, but I don't think that had so much to do with pregnancy than the fact that I decided I wanted donuts at 1:30 am and ate a bunch of munchkin donuts holes. All that sugar and fried dough probably didn't help me much. Ah well. No more donuts.
But, this whole last month I have been pretty TIRED. That, and that when I would walk it is pretty hot outside (it is summer), means that I haven't been doing much physical activity. Now, I'm not the most physical person anyways, but I can tell there was a drop.
Also, normally, if I have more than 1,200 calories a day, I gain a pound. (I'm 5 foot, 7 inches) Now that I'm pregnant, I am eating around 1,800 calories a day - something that is normal. And, where before I didn't really follow so much what I ate, I'm not eating pretty darn healthy. I haven't even WANTED soda, coffee or most fried foods. I'm pretty much into complex carbs, fruits (that's very new for me - I don't really eat fruits), veggies (about the same as before, but corn is AWESOME!), and beef/chicken as normal.
But, I'm 8 weeks and have already gained around 5 pounds. Which, is more than what I should have at this point. Everything I read says, DON'T LOSE WEIGHT no matter what. So, I do figure that now that I'm starting to get more energy back (I hope it stays!), I will be more active and be able to better balance my activity and intake to stop gaining so quickly. (or, maybe I have twins or am further along than I thought... wishful thinking! lol)
So, my sister ticks me off because when I told her this, she is like, well you need to eat small meals. "I AM" Well, smaller. "I'M EATING ONLY 1,800 CALORIES A DAY." Hmm, maybe less bread. "I ONLY EAT 2 SLICES OF BREAD IN THE MORNING UNLESS I HAVE A SANDWICH FOR LUNCH" Less pasta? WTF? Like, less than what I do now? I don't do that much!!
Yesterday, my meals where:
Breakfast - multi grain bread with peanut butter
Snack - grapes
Lunch - Corn, Chicken breast
Snack - banana
Dinner - multi grain bread, 3 scrabled egges and 2 slices American cheese

For a total of 1,701 calories. Which, is pretty normal.

So, if I have enough energy, I walk at lunch about 30 minutes (to the mall and back). But, I haven't had much, so I figure that is why I have weight gain. And if I get my energy back, I can start walking more or start swimming again. All the sites say that swimming is the BEST for pregnancy, so that is easy for me. My body doesn't look too much heavier outside of my middle part and my chin a bit. But my arms acutally seem almostmost more toned and my neck is normal.

I was just annoyed at my sister for saying stupid things... We'll see when she is pregnant. She doesn't like to do much now... j/k

Week 7: tired with a house guest

WARNING: NOT SO MUCH ABOUT PREGNANCY AS MY GUEST :)
(who I love and is super sweet, but the timing is BAD)

This week is kicking my butt. :) I am very tired, although I think I'm tired because I feel pretty nauseous. Not throwing up or anything (hopefully I won't), but just very blah all the time. It's not making me want to eat. Actually - I really want to eat a chicken salad or tuna salad sandwich, but apparently I should stay away from mayo because it has raw eggs. :( Maybe I can make a chicken salad sandwich tonight with sour cream :) That works.

The other bad thing is that my HS friend is here (for about a week - she leaves tomorrow!) and while I'm glad she is here, there are 2 things:
1. Apparently, what I do is not 'work' and she thinks I can just take of time for her.
2. I am pregnant and not feeling 100% which I can't really explain because I'm not saying anything yet

I probably could tell her, but she is one of those people that would probably be all "oh, how sweet" and blah, blah, blah - there just isn't that much to talk about at 7 weeks and I don't want to go through the whole girly stuff because that's not me! Yes, I can obsess in my own way - but I don't go freak-out and girly like that. In fact, F and I have a basic no 'cutie' stuff for the baby :) Babies are cute - we just aren't really going for the pastels and stuff. Primary colors work better :)

So, I go to work and my friend goes around DC doing the tourist thing during the day. Then we come home, eat and relax. Thankfully, she does seem tired from all of the walking and tourist things so I don't have to entertain much.

It's funny though - she has been living in the Middle East/Gulf for about a year now - she is working at the ---------- ------------- School in elementary ed (I think part of the reason why she thinks my office job is easier than hers.... ha!! Her day is shorter and seriously is less stressful -- I deal with kids going through MAJOR changes in life and, as an administrative in this whole global endeavors, makes them feel like I'm responsible for their entire time abroad, housing, flights, etc, etc. :0 It's not bad - I love my field, but I swear, students are getting stupider and stupider and more dependent on 'adults.' Which, I have to break the news for them that when they go abroad they ARE 'adults' and are VERY MUCH expected to act like it) Anyways, I don't think my job is more draining than hers, but it's very annoying as people think most of my job is traveling and fun and IT IS ACTUALLY WORK!! Like any other job. Except I do admin stuff, marketing, teaching, supervising, accounting... all rolled into one! (which makes it fun, but it's not just doing nothing! shesh)

Anyways - I was getting too... She has been living in the MidEast for about 9 months. The thing about living abroad, particularly in many parts of Africa, Asia, Latin American and the Middle East, is that you don't really live IN the culture, but live within compounds or at least only meet up with other expats. This happens VERY often in the Gulf like Saudi, UAE, Qatar where you have cities with such large (40-80%) communities of expats and/or you live/work in compounds with only those people like where you are from. It can make for a rather odd experience because most of the time it now becomes 150 times harder for you to get into the local culture. Plus, go to someplace like the Gulf and you have to also come to grips that the Gulf is pretty 'new' and so your not going to find many old buildings and stuff because that's not how everyone really lived and most of the past 50 years has been spent building fantastic new buildings. AND, in the ME, most the culture is so that you don't really get 'into' the culture unless you know a family who is already there. It's a protective family thing. But, that makes it extra hard for visiting workers as well. Which leaves them with a culture that is working abroad, but really with other expats and, as people not having to pay much taxes and having their housing and other things covered by their employer... they have lots of cash. Which equals = eat out a alot and drink a lot. I get a bit frustrated about this, but - from the reasons above - I know why it happens and it's hard to overcome. (however, I do think if people tried to learn the local language, no matter if you don't need it!, it would help)

So, she is living in the ME and shops there and eats out and is getting a bit of the local stuff. (don't get me wrong from above :)) The funny thing is that restaurant food is different from home cooking ME food. And, at my house, we do the home cooking :) Which means, the meals are rice based. As a born and raised American - this is not a rice eating society. We are much more pasta-based. Which means that when you start in with a ME family, you are eating a bunch of rice. Which, can leave you feeling unfulfilled at dinner. So, I can tell that my friend is at that point, but I'm not offering any help. Which, is kinda' bad, but we don't really have anything else. The meal is made with rice and I can't really put pasta in there. Plus, the meal is more veggies and a bit of chicken which is also different. She is used to the ME eating out which is lots of snacks and stuff. Plus, the hummos and stuff is side things that don't mean much to the meal. So, that is a change, but oh well. I wish I could make some of the more fun meals like dumplings and stuff, but I'm not sure if she would like that either since the flavors are different from American food.

And she keeps saying that she doesn't like spicy because she would like to taste the food and not have her tongue burnt... F is holding his tongue and not saying anything to me, but I know he is thinking that her food HAS NO flavor and so the spices are there to help :) I tried to get that to my friend - the idea of do to other what you want done to you is tricky across cultures because some things like you like is NOT considered good in other cultures :) There are fewer universal behaviors than people think (and at the same side, more).

So, that is my daily posting - lots of fun with my friend and I still want to see her in the ME to see what they are all doing with their free time :)