17 weeks and counting....

Yesterday we hit the 17 week mark! We are so close to having our "big" 20 weeks ultra sound now, I can TASTE it! ;) By now, the baby is about the size of your hand spread open wide - that seems really BIG to me... maybe it's the size of your hand spread open wide, minus your fingers, just your palm - but who knows! The thing I like to hear is that the baby is now starting to put on some weight, which means those little chubby thighs and tummy that I'm dying to squeeze are on their way! Right now, the baby weighs about as much as a turnip. The baby's bones and umbilical cord are growing stronger and thicker right now, too.

We received some wonderful news this week regarding the baby, as well. Our medical plan includes a "quad-screen" blood test at this stage in pregnancy. In doing this test, it acts as a pre-screening tool to determine if further testing should be ordered to determine if the baby has a variety of genetic disorders like Down Syndrome or neural-tube defects. We found out on Friday that the tests came back as "normal" - so no further testing is needed. I've heard from many people that if our results were to come back as "abnormal" to remember that these tests are not always reliable, but we did it anyway because it was covered and we're happy we did now. Just to have a little further information about how healthy the baby is and to know that everything so far seems "normal" was really reassuring to hear.

In one more week we'll be heading back to the doctors for our "18 week prenatal appointment" - and I can't wait! I'm very anxious to hear the baby's heartbeat again and curious to see what the heart rate will measure in at this time.

I still feel somewhat clueless as to deciding if I feel we're having a baby boy or girl. I've been thinking "boy" more often than "girl" - but I really just don't know!! I had a dream the other night that I was at the doctors and he did some sort of a "check up" and then said: "OK, everything looks great, you have a very healthy little baby girl in there!" - and I was speechless in my dream because I thought my doctor was ruining the surprise for us. That has been the first dream I've had about the sex of our baby during this pregnancy, and I've heard that alot of times those dreams tend to be accurate..... so I don't know! Andy also had a dream a few weeks ago that we had a little girl, which only makes me read into that theory even more - yet I think my gut is still telling me boy. I can't wait for this huge "surprise party" at the end of the year and to see just who will be making an appearance into our family!!

16 weeks and counting....

This past Saturday we hit the 16 week mark! I was away in Atlanta with my mom for a friend's wedding, and therefore, am a little delayed in my weekly update. But, 16 weeks is here, and I'm glad to see it! The baby is getting ready to go through another growth spurt in the next few weeks that will double baby's weight and add inches to baby's length! Right now the baby is about the size of an avocado (4 1/2 inches - "head to rump") and weighs about 3 1/2 ounces. He/she is now holding his/her head in a more erect position and the patterning of baby's scalp has begun. Baby has also now started growing toe nails to match those little finger nails that were developing a few weeks ago. The thing I'm most anxious for is the movements that I hope to feel from our little one soon! They say between weeks 16-20 is when you will probably start feeling the baby for the first time. I've definitely been paying attention to what I'm feeling inside and I THINK I might be feeling the very beginning stages of baby's little wiggles, but it's still not strong enough for me to be positive.

I'm using a pictures from the wedding that we attended as my 16 week ones. I had a great time in Atlanta visiting friends and sharing such a special day with them. It was fun being away and around lots of people all finding out that I was expecting. There were lots of questions asked

about the baby and a few belly rubs in there, too. The traveling days were long and tiresome, but it was worth it. Also, it was nice to have an excuse to spend a weekend with my mom. She, of course, arrived in Atlanta with a very large suitcase full of gifts to spoil both me and baby with. Some new (and cute) maternity clothes for me! And, some adorable little things for baby; mostly clothes. It was so fun receiving so many little outfits for our little one - and it definitely felt very surreal to me. Baby clothes are always cute to look at no matter who they're for, but to be realizing that these little clothes

were ones that OUR baby was going to wear some day, was just kind of odd to me, but definitely an exciting kind of oddness. So, the baby's closet is on it's way to being filled with all kind of little outfits, right now we have A LOT of green and yellow - and I think we're done buying the "green and yellow" stuff now. It's one of the things I was dreading in deciding not to find out the sex of the baby before the birth.

One of the things my mom brought for us... or, I should say, baby... were these little jingly rattle things. We all knew that someone else in the house would be interested in those, and we were all right. Our sweet Delaney waited until we were done going through all of the new gifts and had moved onto the other room before she snuck back into the room where the gifts were and quietly (but not secretly) snatched up those little rattles. We both watched her as she tried to act invisible and dash away from the room with them in her mouth. As soon as we called her out on it, she dropped the toy and came over to us. I felt really bad taking them away from her because I know how excited she was about finding a "new toy," but I don't want it to be any harder for her to determine what's for her and what's for baby as that day arrives. The nursery is getting more and more filled with toys and baby things! I'm looking forward to getting it all organized!

Unreal!

I just stumbled across this video on my babycenter.com website and thought it was SO amazing to see. I wanted to post it here to share it with you all. It's an animation of "baby" right now where he/she is at, from weeks 15-20. Eventhough I read all about every little "milestone" that baby has achieved week to week, and I document them all in my weekly posts, I still just can't believe all that has developed on our little one thus far. It's still very surreal to me that we're this far into our pregnancy and will soon be half way there to meeting our little one! In watching this video I learned that baby can start hearing us now/soon!! (Jen B., you mentioned reading to lil' Kaden throughout your pregnancy, and I was excited to begin doing that- but thought we still had a ways to go before our baby would actually hear us - I was, apparently, wrong!) In any event, enjoy the video!

Baby at 15-20 Weeks Video

15 weeks and counting....

We're 15 weeks pregnant today and only 25 more weeks to go! The baby now measures about 4-4.5 inches, weighing about 2.5 ounces, and is about the size of a softball or a navel orange! Broken record here, I know, but I will never get over how much our little one grows each week!! The books say our baby is looking more "human" with each passing day now. The eyes and ears have continued to develop and move to their targeted places. The baby's bones are already formed and are getting harder and retaining calcium rapidly - if we had an ultra sound done right now we'd be able to see the baby's skeleton! The baby is starting to move amniotic fluid through his/her nose and upper respiratory tract, which is aiding his/her lungs to develop. Another thing that has happened this week is the baby's legs have grown to now measure longer than the arms, and he/she can now move all of his/her joints and limbs! They say it's still too early for me to feel the baby move yet, but from time to time I'll still wonder if I do feel something going on in there - since our last appointment I've been focusing on the area of my stomach where the doctor found the heartbeat and trying to determine if I feel movement there. In the next few weeks I could begin to unquestionably feel the baby, and I can't wait!

My stomach is continuing to grow - yesterday I thought I might still be able to squeeze into a regular pair of capri pants that have always been a little large on me.... nope, definitely not! So, as much as I'd like my wardrobe to still include some of my regular belongings, it looks like it's maternity clothes the rest of the way for me! Last night we ran into our neighbors (who have a 1 yr old little girl, Ava) when we got home from dinner and we stopped to chat a little, I could see the wife's eyes continuously trailing down to my belly. It was kind of funny to me, because it was the first person we've encountered who didn't know we were expecting and I watched her kind of struggle a little over, I'm guessing, whether or not she should say anything and ask if we're pregnant. Then our pregnancy ended up coming up in conversation soon after and she said she was wanting to ask, but didn't want to be rude. So, I guess someone has officially noticed that I'm pregnant now! We then went inside their house with them for a little while and I discussed all things "baby" with her and she showed us their nursery, etc., plus gave Andy and I some books to borrow - it's nice to have someone down here living 2 houses down who has recently been through all of this to lean on a bit with any questions and concerns. She also shared her hospital delivery experience here with me, which is something we're going to have to start thinking about in the next few weeks or so. There are two hospitals to choose from, and we've heard differing opinions about each. It's always helpful to hear things from actual patients vs. what the doctors tell you.

So, that's about it that's new and exciting in our world of baby. I'll be sure to keep posting more info soon!

Can you hear my heartbeat?

My newest obsession has been trying to figure out if our little Delaney has any clue that there's something different going on around here. I've read a ton of things on the internet and in books of people declaring that their pets were sometimes the first ones to recognize and "tell" them that they're expecting a little one due to their pets' very acute instincts. I really haven't noticed much of a change in Delaney since we've known we were pregnant, but I do think she's been following me around a little bit more lately. I also notice that sometimes when I sit down and give her a good belly rub, she'll stop suddenly and start sniffing me out (as though being pregnant has a certain smell) and then kind of give me a look followed by her hopping up and walking away from me. Such personality! :) One of the things I'm wondering now is if she is figuring out that there is more than just the normal one heartbeat inside me right now. I lately will kind of shove her head in my stomach area and ask her if she hears the baby's heartbeat..... I'm pretty sure she has absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, but my guess is she's just used to her mom talking to her about all kinds of crazy things!

Whether she has an idea that something is going on or not, I sure hope she's starting to realize that we're planning for someone to come move into the "guest room" because I realized the other day that thanks to her VERY dramatic nature, I can totally see her being crushed and bent out of shape when our little one arrives regardless of how much attention I know I'll still give her. Even already, at random times I'll start talking to the baby in my belly and Delaney will come running from the other room. I realized that if she and I are the only ones home, she knows that when I talk it's either to her or someone that has come to visit. So you can imagine her perplexed look on her face when she comes running out to see who I'm speaking to only to find me and my tad bit of a bloated belly. :)

Phew, we made it!!

We just got back from our 3rd prenatal appointment and things are still looking fantastic! So now I can say that I have officially made it into the second trimester and still have a baby with a heartbeat! This makes me happy. :) I was growing more and more nervous as we waited for the tech to come in with the fetal heart doppler that when she did arrive, I think we all could hear MY heartbeat beating loudly away without any kind of tool. She took my blood pressure and all was continued to be good there. Then the "fun" part with finding the baby's heartbeat. I think she picked mine up before even contacting my stomach with the doppler, and then after moving it around a little was able to find the baby's! The baby is sitting just to the right of (and below) my belly button, this is where she found the heartbeat today and it's also where the baby was last time (just much lower last time). We took a video of it so that we could share that sweet, sweet sound with all of you! (Make sure your sound is turned up!)

The baby's heartbeat was measuring at 156 beats per minute today. The past two times we've heard it, it was at 172 bpm. The doctors assured me that anything between 120 and 180 is considered "normal" range, and I read somewhere that as the baby grows larger, it's common for the heart rate to drop some - so I'm not worried that it's lower than it previously was. Just the fact that we have a baby with a good heartbeat is a huge blessing. Our doctors visits are really rather quick, and I'm always so concerned with hearing a heartbeat that the millions of questions I've thought of over the past month for my doctor just completely disappear. So after hearing that heartbeat I was basically numb and had nothing else to discuss! They measured my uterus and that has grown some, and I've gained a couple of pounds (much less than my scale at home has been letting on!) So that was about it, we go back in 2 weeks for some blood tests and then our next appointment is at 18 weeks on August 4th, and I believe that is when we'll get to schedule our "big" 20 week ultra sound. I'm feeling pretty relieved that we've made it to our second trimester and still have a baby with a heartbeat, but I really am convinced now that I'm going to be one of those people who won't stop worrying that everything is going to be OK until I can hold our baby in my arms! (And, then a whole new set of worries are sure to begin!) :)

14 weeks and counting....

14 Weeks today! The biggest news about this week is that I am now officially in my 2nd trimester! The first thing I read today when I woke up was that at this point in pregnancy, our risk of miscarriage dramatically goes "way, way down" - what a relief to see that first thing in the morning! Our next doctor's appointment is on Tuesday morning, and assuming that we can hear our little baby's heartbeat again at the appointment, coupled with knowing that our risks have now plummeted, I will be completely relieved. These 1 month long waits in between the appointments are somewhat rough! I always start out good, trying not to think about the time that needs to pass, etc., but by this point in the waiting process, I'm just dying to get to our appointment and hear the newest news! I'm really hopeful that I'll be back on here with a post on Tuesday afternoon titled: "Phew, we made it!" :) Just being able to say: "I am in my 2nd trimester" feels sooo so good though. So, for these next couple of days leading to our appointment, I'll enjoy just being able to say that. My stomach is continuing to grow! This week I started wearing maternity clothes - it feels so good to have some extra room wearing those, as opposed to trying to squeeze into my normal clothes. I failed to weigh myself yet this morning so I'm not sure how much weight I gained this week, but hopefully it's not much!

What's new in the life of baby Barnes:

The baby is now about 3.5 to 4 inches long, and about the size of a lemon (or my fist), weighing about 1 to 1.5 ounces! By this week the baby's ears have moved from the neck (where they were originally) to the sides of the head. The baby's eyes have also been in the process of moving to the front of the fa

ce (from the sides of the head).

So, he/she is starting to look more human. The baby's neck is growing longer, and so are his/her arms and body. Along with looking more human, our baby is now acting more human, too. He/she has developed the capability to now squint, frown, grimace, pee(!), and possibly even suck his/her thumb!! I soo wish we could peek inside and see all of this going on. In about 6 more weeks we'll have our "big" ul

tra sound and I can't wait to experience that. For now though, we'll focus on baby steps

to our next appointment on Tuesday and getting to hear good news!

Ity Bity!!

In the mail today we received some coupons from Huggies for "the expectant Mom" along with a sample of some new newborn sized diapers they are promoting right now. The diaper has a special cut out area to fit around the baby's belly button, and they are made of the softest material I've ever felt a diaper to be. The most astonishing thing about this "gift" though was the size - OH MY GOSH!! This little diaper was the tiniest thing I think I've ever seen! It's adorable! I took a picture and compared it to the size of a roll of tape to show how big it actually is.

Maybe I'm just being really naive about this, but it just seems so cute and tiny to me. Along with it came a bunch of coupons for diapers and baby products and I so have them sitting by my purse right now to take with me to the store next. Andy and I were talking about maybe starting to buy a pack of diapers from this point on each time we go grocery shopping so that it's one less thing we have to worry about getting/paying for once the baby arrives (for a little while anyway). It's kind of a difficult thing though because I think, to an extent, we'd need the baby to be here to see what brand and style works the best. I'd hate to buy a whole bunch of one size only to find out that the baby goes through a growth spurt and then we're left with extra diapers. Maybe I'll just go buy the ones that we now have coupons for (to calm my urge of wanting to buy baby things!), and then we'll hold off on continuing to buy more until later. I'm loving planning for baby! :)

Ms. Maternity

Well, it has happened. Yesterday, I wore my very first maternity outfit! (Compliments of "Ms. Maternity" on eBay..... Thanks sis-in-law! ;) ) It was exciting to me and definitely MUCH more comfortable than trying to squeeze into regular sized pants/shorts and doing the whole "button held closed with a rubber band" thing. Some maternity clothes kind of make me laugh. The most comfortable ones (in my opinion, so far) are the ones that you can pull completely up over your belly, so I now constantly will be walking around with my pants hiked up. I kind of feel like I'm wearing "granny pants," but I honestly don't care because it feels SO much more comfortable to not be cutting into my stomach! I'm actually quite grateful of how trendy maternity clothes seem to be these days. I'm excited to start wearing the outfits that I have already, and there are a few shirts that I think are so super cute that I'd even try wearing them post pregnancy if they don't seem too big looking. But, considering that our weather here is either hot, or hot, I can pretty much plan on wearing the same shorts and shirt/tank top outfits that I have right now over and over again for the next 5 1/2 months, and because of that, I can imagine becoming sick of those ensembles very quickly. I think that's eventually going to call for a maternity shopping spree (Andy... you didn't read that part) at some point to vary things up a bit. For now though, I'm excited about just wearing the maternity clothes that I have already.