16 weeks 3 days

This has been another uneventful week, which I am very thankful for. We are getting really excited about finding out what Baby Hood is next week. It is so hard to believe how fast the time seems to be going by. I am grateful to be feeling so well at this point, if only I could stay up past 8:15 or 8:30 pm. Shane and I always spend good quality time together every evening on the couch watching TV and chatting. Through our married life, that has always been our ritual and I seem to be cutting our good quality time short!! I am sure this is God's way of preparing us for when the baby arrives and the decreased one on one time we will be able to share. Luckily, Shane is understanding and just makes sure I am up and off the couch and headed to bed between 10:00 and 10:15 pm.

How our baby is growing:

In the next few weeks, our baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he is about the size of an avocado, 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as our baby continues to develop.

15 Weeks 4 Days

This has been a very uneventful week, and I must say I appreciated that!!! Shane started back to school on Wednesday, which makes me a happy girl. In the mornings, I no longer have to get dressed in the dark and we can actually converse some since he leaves for school at the same time I do now. It sure beats leaving in the morning with him and the dogs all in bed!!! I am really excited that this is his last year of school. I know it will move very quickly, so I am not trying to "rush" things, just enjoy this time in our lives.

As for pregnancy this week, there are days I feel bigger than others. I don't feel like I am progressing in size like I have known others to do by this time in their pregnancies, but maybe that means I will not gain more than the requested 25 to 35 pounds. I guess only time will tell! I am still attempting to get back on all 4 of the pounds I lost from the stomach virus a few weeks ago. If only I could be better about drinking water!!!!!! My husband did take me to Cold Stone Creamery on Sunday and talked me into getting the medium size cup of ice cream vs. the small size. Don't you know it was soooooo hard for him to talk me into that, but whatever is best for the baby!! (You know dairy products ARE good.) Ha Ha!!!

How our baby is growing:

Our growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. There's not much for our baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds.

14 weeks 4 days

Well, we just got finished performing round 2 of the Drano test and all I can say is "Who knows???" The procedure was performed correctly this time and if you want to pick a color of the urine it is brown, but the foam on top is white with a nice (actually pretty) green coating. Now I am sure it is the urine you are supposed to be observing for the color change and it definitely is not blue or green, but a much darker yellow or brownish color. So that being said, Drano says BOY!!! I guess in 2 weeks and 5 days we will know for certain!!!

14 Weeks 3 days

Well, let me just begin by saying that my great weekend turned to doo doo (literally) by Monday morning. I really did not sleep well Sunday night but really was not sure why. I tossed and turned a lot and just could not seem to get comfortable. I woke up at my normal 5:45 to get ready for work and as I was in the bathroom getting ready, I started breaking out in a cold sweat. The toilet and I became good friends for a bit, but I didn't let it stop my morning routine. So I finished getting ready and went into the kitchen to attempt to eat some breakfast. I took my routine morning Tums, and with no warning at all, I was in the bathroom vomiting. (Side note: I really do not have time to be sick because I am saving every ounce of time I have to be off with the baby when it arrives. As it stands now, I will already be working quiet a few weeks without pay, so I am very stingy with using any of my time at all.) So I got myself together, finished getting ready and headed out the door to work. Well, let me just say, I only lasted 3 hours there before heading back to the house, garbage bag in tow. I got home, crawled in bed and pretty much stayed there (between trips to the bathroom of course) until the evening when I transferred myself to the couch. I slept and slept and slept. Shane was so worried that I was not going to be able to sleep that night and wanted me to try to stay awake, but I really couldn't. Even so, I was able to sleep without a problem.

Tuesday, I still had a few minor stomach issues, but headed to work. By mid afternoon I was in such pain from trapped gas in my upper abdomen, I just wanted to be placed out of my misery. But since no one would oblige, when I got home from work, I once again found comfort on the couch. Shane was convinced I had to eat something, but I did not want to put one thing in my mouth. I did however tell him that he could not let me go to bed without consuming at least one 16 oz bottle of water, due to the lack of fluids I had consumed in the past 36 hours. He still persisted and headed off to the grocery store to buy me some soup. After a phone call from Publix with the list of every type of "good" soup they had, he agreed to just bring me creamy chicken noodle. I think I may have got about 6 bites down, and I was done!!! I did however, finish the water before bedtime!!! When I weighed that evening, I found that I had lost 4 of the 5 lbs I have gained during pregnancy. So Wednesday was still spent recovering, and finally by last evening, I was pretty much feeling myself. I am still watching what I am eating for fear of flaring up some indigestion though!!! As of now, I have only gained back one of those pounds, but sure the others are not too far behind. I am grateful for how well Shane watched after me and took care of me!!! It is amazing what pregnancy can do to a man. I keep seeing sides of him I didn't know existed! So awesome!!! : )

How our baby is growing:

This week's big developments: Our baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches - about the size of a lemon and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body is growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body.

13 Weeks 5 days

This weekend was a GREAT one!!! Two of my greatest friends from Texas, Lisa and Lorrie, came to visit. They got here Friday evening and left today around 10:30. We had such a great time sitting around visiting, catching up, and of course laughing!!! I don't think I have laughed that hard in a very long time!!! It reminded me so much of "old" times.

Lisa, Me and Lorrie

First of all, Lorrie brought a few gifts for "Baby Girl Hood" (as she likes to call the baby) including the most precious little outfit that is white with pink flowers on it and little islet trim and also a pack of pink blankets and a pack of pink gowns. See a trend? She along with the rest of the world thinks we are having a girl. I kid you not, not one person I know thinks we are having a boy!!! Anyway, yesterday we got up before 7:00 and sat around chatting for at least 3 hours. We then decided it was time to get ourselves ready and go to IHOP - something I have been craving for quiet sometime now. Breakfast food is one of those things that is just really appetizing to me in my pregnant state and since Shane is not an IHOP fan, I figured my girlfriends would not mind going with me, which of course they did not. Now the rest of this story has varying versions, but I can assure you, my version of this story is the most accurate!!! Now, two of my favorite items on their menu is the Big Bacon Omelet - which they now have a new name for - and of course, chocolate chip pancakes. Before arriving to IHOP, I was having a hard time deciding what the heck I was going to get. Luckily, I had forgotten that 3 buttermilk pancakes come with the omelet and that you can upgrade your pancakes to the Chocolate Chip Pancakes for a small fee. YES!!!! WOO HOO!!! I was beside myself - I could hardly wait for the food to arrive!!! Two of the things I have been craving were coming in my direction!!!! So the food arrived, and can I tell you it was better than I could have imagined. They had a ton of whipped cream on the chocolate chip pancakes and the omelet was perfect!! So I ate, and ate, and ate. Now, let me stop right here and say that there were only 3 pancakes on that plate, and it was NOT a platter that the omelet was served on, just an oblong plate. There was food left over when I decided to push myself away from the plate, I would estimate about a 1/3 of the pancakes and maybe a little less than 1/4 of the omelet. So as I said earlier, anything you hear otherwise, might be a little fictitious!!! After that outing, the girls decided that the five pounds I have gained may not be baby, but more so the amount of food that has been ingested.

So after having the best breakfast ever, I took the girls on a tour of Tuscaloosa, just mainly to show them the campus and where I work. Then we headed to Birmingham to go shopping. I purchased a pair of shoes, a maternity top and two pair of maternity shorts. (I never thought I would have to buy maternity shorts, but last weekend Shane and I went to the ball field to watch some of his kids play and of course it was hot, so I was going to wear shorts. Well, as I stood in out bedroom trying on multiple pairs of shorts, muttering and making all sorts of grunting noises, I heard Shane in the living room just a chuckling. I thought he was laughing at something on TV, but when I questioned what was so funny, he said listening to me! Needless to say, I did find one pair that fit, but not for long. So I am now the proud owner of a pair of maternity shorts!!) We had a great day and topped if off with a great dinner at Carabbas. I must be honest and say that even though it was 8:30 or so when we ate, I was still full from breakfast!!! I am so grateful that my friends came to visit, and look forward to another visit from them in the near future!!!

Now as I said earlier, my clothes were trying to tell me that I was growing, and I can see it a little, but I figured I would ask Lisa and Lorrie their opinion. So I lifted up my shirt and gave them a front view and Lisa seemed a little undecided. So then I turned to the side and Lisa said "Uh...YEA!" (Like I have I lost my mind - how obvious!!!) As I pointed out the "thickness" I felt she said, "Yea, I really haven't ever seen you like that." Ahh, you gotta love having good, honest girlfriends!!! ; ) So, after verification from Lisa that I am definitely showing, I decided to go ahead a make a small collage showing the very first picture Shane took of me the day we found out I was pregnant (4 weeks), along with my 13 week picture.

First Trimester Changes

13 weeks 3 days - Third Appointment

Well today I had my third appointment. I was a bit apprehensive today due to my perception of how much weight I think I should have gained by now and the actual amount of weight that I knew my scale was telling me I had gained. Now I must back track a bit, because I never said how much I had gained at my last appointment, which was two pounds. Today, I brought that total up to 5 lbs. Dr. D is not a bit concerned, she says I am right on track, but all I can think is that what I put on, has to come off and my eating choices have not been the best since all I really want is sweets. Luckily, Dr. D has a sweet tooth also and gave me a lot of different low fat ideas that will fulfill my sweet tooth!!!

When I arrived at my appointment at 9:15, the nurse told me that Dr. D was still in surgery but it shouldn't be too long and it was up to me as to if I wanted to wait. Well, since I work on the floor below the OBGYN and did not have to be to work until 11:00, I told her I would be more than happy to wait. So she went ahead and got the baby's heart rate which was 144. She had me stay in the room and can I tell you that it was the most relaxing hour and 15 minutes I have had in a very long time. I sat there and listened to music and read magazines until Dr. D arrived. It was so nice to just sit and not worry about a thing!!! Crazy I know. So along with the sweet tooth talk, I asked her when she would let us find out the sex of the baby and she said between weeks 18 and 22 but since my next appointment was at 17 weeks, we will just do it then!!!! YEA!!!!! So on September 3rd, Lord willing, we shall know the sex of Baby Hood!!!!

This morning, I did attempt to figure out the sex of our child. One of Shane's baseball player's parents told us we HAD to try the Drano test because they were 13-0 with first children and this test. For those of you that don't know, you take 1/4 cup of urine and add a 1/4 cup Drano crystals and if it turns brown it is a boy and blue means girl. So Shane was at Lowe's the other day and picked up some crystals. This morning, I tried to wait until he got up, but couldn't so went ahead and obtained the sample and went outside and put the crystals in it. I promptly turned around and left the chemistry project out on the porch and decided I would wait for Shane to get up and we would go look at the findings together. Well about 15 minutes later he woke up and just started laughing because he said you had to check it 10 to 15 seconds are after you mixed it. So we went out and checked it and it was some green color and was smoking!!!! So needless to say, we will have to try that again and report back!

How our baby is growing:

Fingerprints have formed on our baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If we are having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Our baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.