14 Weeks

How far along? 14 weeks

How big is baby? The baby is now about the size of a peach- about 3.42 inches, and weighing close to 1.52 ounces. A fine layer of hair called "lanugo" is starting to form and protect the baby's skin. He/she is now relying upon the placenta and umbilical cord to nourish it, and is practicing inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid.

Total weight gain: This morning's weigh in showed a .8 increase from my base, so down a little from last week. I think this is entirely based on what I am eating + what is/isn't (ahem) coming out of me. I've actually had an amazing week of being a bit more "regular!" 

 BC asked me this morning how I could possibly only have gained .8 of a pound when my belly is getting so big? He surmised maybe it was due to losing some muscle weight. To which I replied "so you think I'm getting FLABBY?" He stopped surmising right there and then, which was definitely a smart choice.

I thought it would be fun to start recording how far along I am on notes (and yes, the sticky pad note is a tad dorky). Didn't anticipate the challenges of a mirror reflection! May have to corral BC for future shoots.

Sleep: Still good- trying to get in a 20-30 minute catnap each day when able.

Food cravings: I continue to love mango. It is like Christmas if I can find it already cut up and packaged at the store- otherwise I roll my sleeves up and do my best to hack into fresh ones (those suckers are slippery and HARD to prepare).

I also salivate every time I hear the word pancakes. Mmmmmm pancakes.

Food aversions: Nothing notable

Symptoms? I've had a few 'exciting' new things develop this past week. One was headaches. There have been several days where I get an achy headache that starts in my shoulders, emanates up my neck, and finally rests in my temples. It will taunt me until at last fall asleep at night, often with one hand nudged in a fist beneath my neck. I also awoke in the middle of the night this week to flashing migraine lights- the first I've had in awhile (and sadly there wasn't even any hanky panky preceding said migraine).

Another really strange thing that has happened is what feels like a pulled butt muscle on my left side. I really haven't been doing any strenuous exercise- mostly brisk walks, yoga, and some leg/glute strengthening. There also wasn't a moment or a discrete event that "pulled" this muscle- it just seemed to start hurting out of nowhere. My curiosity had me googling "pulled butt muscle in pregnancy" (seriously) and that led me to discover "pelvic girdle pain." During pregnancy a woman's body releases a chemical called relaxin that softens the ligaments around the pelvic area in preparation for birth. Because of this softening the pelvis is no longer in a locked position and more prone to injury resulting in swelling or pain. Sweet. Why oh why is NOW the time my beloved chiropractor decides to go to Hawaii for 2 weeks to get married?


I've forgot to mention another strange thing that has plagued me since early on in pregnancy- my right armpit itches all.the.time. I have no idea what that is about, and why it is concentrated to one side? I have also been more sensitive to earrings- they bother me & itch much more quickly than they did pre-pregnancy.

My nausea is still mostly reserved for the mornings, and pounces on me suddenly about 30 minutes after I wake up. It is a 'must eat something NOW' kind of feeling. One of my pregnancy phone apps said of 14 weeks: "If you are still feeling nausea from time to time, you may be one of the few women who experience it throughout pregnancy." Super sweet.

Most looking forward to: Planning a "Babymoon" trip with BC hopefully in August. My desire for a Mexican beach vacation got vetoed, so now we are thinking about a week in New Mexico (hey, it's still a version of 'Mexico!'). August is a fantastic time to get out of Austin's raging heat- and going to either water or the mountains sounds lovely to me.


***I also think I might have felt some 'flutterings' last night for the first time! After I laid down in bed, I felt some gentle gurgling like movement on my lower right side. I don't really ever feel food related energy down there, so paid extra attention. With this gentle fluttery gurgling feeling were a couple little 'pops'- which I imagined might be tiny feet or hands poking as the baby moved? Who knows if it was really anything, but it was super fun to imagine it might be the little one dancing around in there.***

Pregnancy Brain

I have always heard women speak of "pregnancy brain"- a certain forgetfulness that takes over during these 9 months.

I haven't felt like I had any signs of this... until today. I was just speaking to our contractor (who is doing some small jobs around the house), when I noticed him looking at me a little different. Now, I know my hair is wet & pinned in funny bobby pins to tame the waves pre-straitening... but this seemed to hint at something more. Then the realization hit me like a mack truck.

I HAD FORGOTTEN TO PUT ON MY MAKEUP.

This has been part of my morning routine since I was maybe 13-14? I have NEVER just 'forgotten' to put it on. It is the stuff of nightmares- realizing you've arrived at the party with- *GASP* - no makeup on! (at least I DID remember to dress myself).

I let out a small mortified chuckle and retreated quickly to my home office, where I shut the doors tightly. I fully intend- post breakfast- to go put my face back on.

Wowzas.

And... We're Out

Monday I got our anxiously awaited N/T blood test results back. They went like this:


For my age, my standard risk for having a baby with Downs would be 1:120
With my blood test results? This risk went down to 1:720


For my age, my standard risk for a baby with the Trisomy chromosomal disorders would be 1:440
My bloodwork lowered this to 1:4400.


We took those as GREAT results! The nurse said these results lower our risks overall to less than 1%, and that these tests are about 80% accurate. Hooray!


Given that data, we decided it was time to go public on Facebook with our announcements. Below I have cut & paste both mine and BC's posts. Can you guess whose is whose? Definitely shows our personalities.


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Otis & Sam diligently prepare for their big brother roles. We are thrilled to announce Baby Lambert is on the way- joining our family in late November!!

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Because there aren’t already enough Lamberts in this world, we’re bringing in one more ... Suck it, not-Lamberts!

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And..... the first post is mine, the 2nd BC's. I am sure his mom was so proud! ; )


My work has really picked up over the last week, and I am finding myself working long hours and becoming absolutely brain fried by about 7pm each night. Overall I am so grateful to be busy, as I figure I am in the 6 month stretch to bring in as much income as I can before Baby Lambert arrives! 


BC and I are also seriously considering finishing out the space above our garage into a small studio apartment, to provide extra income potential when the baby arrives. We've already gotten architect's plans and are moving forward to get several bids on the finish out. Austin hosts several major festivals each year where thousands of folks flock to town needing housing. The SXSW festival rental of our home went so well (we even got pregnant during that time!!!), we figure having the garage studio as an option to stay in (with cats & baby) would allow us to rent out our home more often. We even had professional photos taken, and created the "Austin Haskell House" website:


http://www.austinhaskellhouse.com/


If you ever are planning a trip to town and are interested in renting either our house or the studio apartment (which will hopefully be completed before the baby arrives!) definitely drop me a line! This will also be a great space for friends & relatives to stay when visiting us here in Austin.


I need to step away from the computer now... my brain fry is demanding that I retreat to some mindless reality TV. I'll post again later this week with week 14 updates!

The Due Date Challenge

You may have noticed I added a pregnancy ticker to the sidebar of my blog, and that now I am suddenly 12 weeks, 5 days pregnant. From the beginning of this journey I have been calculating my due date based on the day I am 99% sure we conceived (March 8th)- which would put me at 12 weeks today, due November 29th. At my 7w4d ultrasound with Dr. Vaughn I measured 7w3d (so on track with that due date). Then at yesterday's N/T scan the sonogram tech pre-filled out my due date based on my LMP ('last menstrual period'- which was February 18th)- to show a November 24th due date. The doctor doing the sonogram said I was measuring right in line with that due date- showing around 12w3d yesterday.

So what's a girl to do?

Well, if you're THIS girl (over achiever, always looking to the future) it is pretty obvious- you take the earlier due date and marvel that suddenly you are 5 days more pregnant than you thought you were! That puts me 2 days away from officially entering the 2nd trimester and darn it- I'll take it. My new OB, Dr. Swenson, (who I met for the first time this morning!) confirmed we'll go with the revised due date. The only time the date discrepancy *could* be an issue is if I go past the 41 week mark and we have to decide what week/day to base our cutoff for starting labor induction.

*Side note: I've had to have blood drawn 2 days in a row now- yesterday for my N/T scan and today for my regular OB panel. I would like to give myself props for not fainting or getting a migraine either time! And the lady who draws blood at my new OB's office was AMAZING. Hardly felt any pain, and I thanked her profusely for it.*

Here are this week's stats!

How far along? We have catapulted to 12w5d

How big is baby? I am a plum verging on a peach right now. Almost all the major systems are fully formed, and we are entering the growing phase. My dear friend Jenny- who specializes in brain development & disorders- actually responded to a picture I sent her of the babe (the one of it waving 'hi') by saying "2 hemispheres, 4 lobes, yay!" I took that as good news.

Total weight gain: 1.2 lbs up, so I guess I can say that is my total first trimester weight gain. Wondering how much of that can be attributed to the fabulous 'D's' I am now rockin' up top?

Sadly, my expanding girth eclipses the D's

Sleep: Good- pretty sound overall. Still waking early, but I'm also putting myself to bed rather early (usually by 10).

Food cravings: I have been LOVING mango! Preferably pre-cut slices from the grocery store. I've been making an effort to eat greens every day, and also get my fiber in.

Food aversions: Tomato based things. I made some tortellini with veggies for lunch & smothered it in tomato pasta sauce. Bad idea, as that sauce is still sitting heavy in my belly. I've found I have the same reaction to tomato based soups. Tomatoes themselves are fine and delicious- go figure.

Symptoms? Still on/off nausea. Some days it is all day long, others just in the morning. I am also feeling sleepy.

Guesses on the sex? Still feeling girl- even more so after seeing the babe on the ultrasound! I actually find myself getting mad when people use the "he" pronoun or say the sonogram picture makes them think boy. My sister in law swears it is a girl- which she says DEFINITELY means it is a boy, as she says she is always wrong! We can't wait to find out for sure- and it sounds like that won't be until the 20 week point (which- thanks to my revised due date is 5 days sooner than it would have been!)

Most looking forward to: Starting the research & browsing of baby items. It is still way too early to buy anything, but I want to visit baby supply stores and have a good idea of what brands for items we like, and what we'll be needing overall. We know we love the BOB stroller, which also helps narrow down our car seat choices, as this stroller only has 3 car seat adapter kits (for Graco, Chicco, and Peg Perego). We are also looking forward to officially finding out the sex of the baby!

It's ALIVE!

We had our N/T scan today- and admittedly I was pretty nervous going into it. It was my first time having an abdominal ultrasound, and as the tech put the gel on my stomach I just prayed we'd see the baby looking active and healthy.

It.was.amazing.

I cried the entire time- watching the little babe moving around with its heart beating strongly (167 heart rate). He/she looks like a real little person! The doctor said everything looked really great from what he could see. From my research one of the things that the N/T scan checks for is the level of fluid behind the neck, and anything over about 2.5-3mm can put you into a higher risk category. Our measurement was 1.2mm- which sounded perfect to me! I wished I could lie there all day watching the baby move around- it was so much fun to see.

I've been calculating my due date based on the day I am pretty positive we conceived- which puts me at 11w6d pregnant, due November 29th. However they plugged in my due date based on my last period- which puts us at November 25th- and the doctor said the baby was measuring right on track with that due date (measuring around 12w3d- must have BC's tall genes and my overachieving nature!) Of course time will tell and the baby will come when he/she is ready, but it was kind of fun to measure a bit ahead of schedule.

And now, without further adieu, I bring you baby Lambert, at either 11w6d or 12w3d, however you want to look at it:

Hi everyone!

Moving Through the Alphabet (or, "The Boob Post")

About 6-7 weeks into my pregnancy I outgrew and was unable to wear my beloved Victoria's secret push-up bras. This left me with two "normal" bras that were definitely not sexy (quite tattered actually), but at least contained the girls.

In the past 2 weeks I have definitely been stuffing the ladies more and more into said bras, and throughout the day find myself having to constantly nip and tuck their rebel girth.

Today I finally bit the bullet and went to a department store to be measured and fitted for new bras. I've never officially been measured before- always very comfortably fitting into my reliable 32-B's. It was a tad bit odd to undress in the dressing room in front of an attendant (I tried to play it cool like it was no big deal while inside I was dying). After taking a measurement & surveying the spillage in my current ratty bra (which I was SO embarrassed for her to see!) she went into the lingerie vaults & promptly returned with the goods. As I slipped the new bra on it fit PERFECTLY- and I asked what cup size it was?

Holy s***- it was a D, folks. A D! I am now filling out a D cup! That is insane. I wish I could say the ladies are looking more robust in general but because my abdomen is also starting to protrude it all kind of balances out. Hence my genuine shock at moving through the alphabet TWO WHOLE LETTERS.

The attendant had actually brought a double D just in case the D was too snug! She said the material on this bra should have some stretch in it, allowing for a bit more growth. She also mentioned I may need to come back in a couple of months to be re-fit.

I am so grateful to have new bras that actually fit me- even if I did have to drop a pretty penny to procure them. The ladies are still painfully sore, which makes me wonder if they are still in the midst of an outward expansion, and if indeed I will be getting intimate with the attendant again in another couple of months.

Our N/T 12 week scan appointment is tomorrow afternoon! I am so so SO excited and so so SO nervous. We haven't seen the baby or heard the heartbeat since 7w4d, so I am just praying and hoping all looks good and healthy.  I am looking forward to seeing the baby on screen actually looking like a baby, vs a small gray blob. Hopefully we'll get some fun pictures to share!

Much love,
J and her D's (that would totally be a rockin' band name)

11 Weeks

How far along? 11 weeks

How big is baby? We have a little lime today. Here's what the "What to Expect" website says about week 11:

Your Baby in Week 11 of Pregnancy

Your baby (now about two inches long) has been pretty busy this week, growing hair follicles, fingernails, and ovaries (if she's a girl). She has distinct human characteristics by now, with hands and feet in front of her body, with ears nearly in their final shape, open nasal passages on the tip of her tiny nose, a tongue and palate in the mouth, and visible nipples. What else makes her look human? Those hands and feet have individual fingers and toes .

Total weight gain: I was up 1/2 a pound this morning, but I think it is only because I am still suffering from wicked constipation.

Sleep: Pretty good overall. Though I have had a couple nights this past week where I had bad heartburn and/or nausea that kept me up.

Food cravings: I am back to eating my normal diet for the most part, which is great! I did make some chocolate chip cookies the other night, which were heavenly. I also bought a box of super fiber rich cereal- 15 grams of fiber/serving- in a further attempt to get things a 'movin.

Food aversions: Still not craving meats. And when I eat them they aren't settling very well, giving me a sour stomach at night. Maybe this babe is a vegetarian?

Symptoms? My nausea came back in the past couple of days. Yesterday was a bad one, with all day nausea & a strong sensitivity to smells. I also woke up around 5am this morning with terrible nausea & had to immediately eat a spoonful of peanut butter (which I keep next to the bed) in order to settle my stomach. Still very, very constipated, and have been sleepier than normal this past week. I also had a moment today when walking past our bedroom mirror where I stopped and marveled that YES indeed! -that stomach was sticking out!! I've noticed my belly button- which normally looks like a line/slit- is totally open & round- being pulled wider by the belly expansion. Crazy.

Guesses on the sex? I had a dream this past week that I saw our newborn, and it was a little girl. Then she bit me (what is up with that?) I also had a dream that one of the psychic women I know here in town was telling me it is a boy. So go figure....

Most looking forward to: Having our 12 week ultrasound next week, and hopefully "coming out" after we see everything is healthfully progressing. Every time I get a little paranoid that perhaps the baby stopped growing I just have to look down at my belly. SOMETHING is growing in there, that is for sure!

Here are two different belly shots from today:

Babycakes and I head into a 3 day seminar tomorrow- sort of an intensive therapy event called "Conscious Loving & Living." We are excited to hopefully deepen our bond & our communication in preparation for this little one to rock our world join our family. I will be bringing my pregnant lady provisions- a huge lunch sack filled with all sorts of snacks, so no matter what I am craving or how bad my nausea gets I'll be prepared!

10 weeks

How far along? 10 weeks today

How big is baby? Baby is now the size of a prune! The little one's organs are all fully formed & beginning to function, while her cartilege and bones are starting to develop. Apparently the fingernails & hair are starting to appear as well! Mind blowing.

Total weight gain: -1/2 lb. This morning I am down again about 1/2 lb from my normal weight (which is crazy with everything I am eating & how- ahem- 'stopped up' I am).

Maternity clothes? I did go out and buy 2 Target belly bands this week- but haven't needed to use them yet. Still rocking the unbelted look & living in pajama pants while at home.

Sleep: I continue to wake up quite a bit throughout the night. The last 2 nights I have had uncomfortable body aches- first with my legs (that was a really rough night where I finally caved and took some tylenol), then last night with my hips. Apparently blood circulation suffers in pregnancy, which can contribute to body aches. Awesome! I also missed my nap yesterday- which I could feel profoundly as 6pm crept up on me.

Food cravings: With the nausea easing up, I am starting to return to my normal diet again, which includes more vegetables. The only "I need it NOW" craving I had this past week was for cereal. We now possess a box of Special K with red berries- which was amazing for about 2 days (and now I am over it again. Such is the fickle life of early pregnancy). I've incorporated Congee back into my breakfast rotation the past couple days- trying to do anything I can to ease up the wicked constipation.

Food aversions: Not really craving any meats, though I wouldn't say it is an outright aversion. My taste buds have definitely calmed down quite a bit in the last 4-5 days.

Symptoms? My nausea has gotten MUCH better (starting last Sunday). I still had a bad night a couple nights ago and had to have a spoonful of peanut butter this morning, but it is still so much better. The night body aches are a new thing, and, as referenced, I've also been having pretty bad constipation. I've had gentle abdominal cramping on and off the last few days, likely due to my uterus continuing to stretch and grow.

Guesses on the sex? I was SURE my cousin was pregnant with a girl- but they just found out this week she is carrying a perfect little boy! Which makes me wonder if my intuition is way off in that realm. She did say before they found out that they had only had boys names picked out and struggled with girls' names. We are just the opposite- have our girl name all ready (well- at least the first name) but no clue for a boy. We'll see if that means anything!

Most looking forward to: The N/T scan we have scheduled in 2 weeks, which will take a really thorough look at our babe. I can't wait to see the little one again, and pray that everything looks on track & healthy.


Here is my 10 week photo- don't think the teeny tiny bump has changed much from last week:

And in closing, just because he is so cute, here is a picture of Mr. Otis from this morning, perched in a precarious position watching out the window for his neighborhood kitty friends:

You Must Have Finally Relaxed!

Anyone in the infertility world will tell you that one of the WORST things you can say to someone who has struggled to conceive is to "just relax." Closely following this is when you tell folks you are pregnant after some 3 years trying, and they say "oh- you must have finally relaxed."

My sweet grandmother was the first to say the latter to me. While on the phone with her soon after our big announcement, she chirped in her loving Grandmother voice: "I knew it would happen once you relaxed!" I cringed a bit, but it is really hard to be mad at Grandma.

Then last night I set out for a long walk along the water. Early on I ran into an acquaintance- a friend of a friend- whom I see maybe once a year in social circles. The catch-up small talk commenced:

"So how ARE you? How is real estate?"
-All is great! The market has really picked up.

"How is BC? Your house?"
-He's awesome- and we are LOVING our home.

"What else? Anything else new?

(This is always the point where I quickly assess how 'safe' I feel to share the BIG news)

-Well, we are actually having a baby in November! So that is big news!

"Oh wow! Was it a surprise or something you planned?"

(Oh, how to answer this?! I decided to go the open book route)

-We've actually been trying almost 3 years, but it was a total surprise this month- a month my fertility specialist told me we couldn't do interventions due to ovarian cysts.

"Sounds like you must have finally relaxed."

-Well, it was great to see you! I had better get on with my walk before it gets too dark. (Could.not.leave.fast.enough)

I see how I may have asked for that, given the progression of the conversation. I played it over and over again in my mind wondering if I should have shared less? I know folks mean no harm when they say things like that, but truly they have NO IDEA what the struggle of infertility is like, and how, if it was just as easy as relaxing, I would have been knocked up a long time ago (endometriosis, anyone?)

Saturday BC and I headed out to celebrate his 42nd birthday. I was having a rough day nausea wise- which found me breathing in a panting fashion on the ride to the steakhouse. BC made sure they brought us bread & butter immediately- which helped tame the beast that is my stomach these days.

A few months ago while BC and I had been out to a local coffee shop, he'd spied a boob mug on the shelves and remarked how hilarious it was- and how fun that would be to have. Cue me doing some quick internet research- and finding said boob mug available in Europe. I promptly ordered it to present to him on his birthday (in a 5 star restaurant, no less- all class here). BC wasted no time requesting the bartender fill his new mug with wine.

About the only action BC is getting these days-

 it's the least I could do.

I consumed copious amounts of bread and butter, a lobster tail, mixed vegetables, rice, and a delicious chocolate mouse cup for dessert. And then at home an hour later I was voracious again and had a 2nd meal of cheesy pasta noodles. Total beast.

Happily, when I woke Sunday morning my typical "I need to eat NOW" nausea was gone! And the day went by quite smoothly from there. I am actually now on my 3rd good day in a row- where the all day nausea is almost nonexistent. My appetite also seems to be normalizing and allowing me to eat more regular, healthy foods again. And the energy I had yesterday evening was amazing- it was the first long walk I'd taken in a very long time! I am hopeful I may be out of the thick of it with the 1st trimester (while also being a freak and paranoid that the symptoms going away could mean the babe has stopped growing. Will I ever stop worrying?) I will be 10 weeks along on Thursday, and the 10 week point is when my cousin said she too started feeling much better.

Hopefully this upswing in energy & health will also bode well for BC. Sweet boy, it may be time to set the boob mug aside!