Finally!

The day is FINALLY here! I get to go to Ann Arbor and show my family the baby bump in person for the first time! The weekend is packed with activities...tonight, my dad is making his famous yummy pizza with his amazing homemade sauce. Tomorrow, the extended family is coming for a barbecue which will be great. My sister and her family will be there so I'll get to share lots of love and hugs with my nieces. On Sunday, we're walking down to the end of my parents' neighborhood to cheer on the runners in the half marathon that I was supposed to run in and then on Monday, mom and I will probably do a little shopping. It'll be such fun...I can't wait.

Naturally, it'll be a bumpy ride into Detroit as there will be storms in the area...I hope I'm not delayed. I did, however, switch my seat from a window seat mid-plane, to an aisle seat closer to the front cuz well, you know pregnant women always have to pee, and I'm not exempt from that! I'm going to try to play the pregnant card and weasel my way into the front row...saved for elite members of Worldperks...hopefully that'll work. I'm usually ONLY comfortable on a plane with a window seat, so we'll see how this goes.

I may blog from Ann Arbor if there's time, I may not...but I'll be sure to post pictures when I get back. Have a great weekend.

Oh and one more thing...if you're wondering why I didn't post a 16 week belly shot...well, it hadn't really changed all that much from week 15, so I'll do one next week for sure.

All is Well...Almost

Yesterday I had my 16 week doctor appointment. As is customary in an OB/GYN practice, each patient is rotated through each doctor in the practice during her pregnancy. This is done for the simple reason that it's unlikely that my original doctor will be on call when I go into labor...which is just fine by me. I like my doctor...he's o.k., but the rest of the practice is really great, so I'll be happy with whomever I get.

With that said, I met yet another doc yesterday. All is progressing nicely and I was able to hear the little peanut's heartbeat which is great and strong. He also said that my belly is sitting right where it should be and he stressed to me that taking the antibiotic for even the most minor of minor infections is a good thing. So, I'm still taking the drugs.

The most exciting part of the visit happened at the end. I got to make the appointment for the next ultrasound which is the one where we find out if we will be shopping for pink or blue stuff. For those of you readers who don't know: we ARE finding out the sex of the baby. The day we found out that I was pregnant, I told Jon that the decision whether to find out would be his. He will have so few decisions in this whole process that will be just his, so I gave him this one. I told him to take some time and think about it and he immediately said...yes...let's find out. So, that's what we'll do and we can't wait! So, if you don't want to know, I suggest you stop reading this blog after June 23rd which, by the way, is the date of our appointment.

I would be remiss if I didn't tell you that I have put on a few pounds since my last visit. Not an alarming amount, but for sure an amount that reflects the lack of running and the increase of ice cream and McDonald's shakes. So I found a new place to reward myself after each visit. On the advice of a friend, I stopped by a nail place which was the walk-in kind, but REALLY nice. So anyway, I got a manicure, pedicure (complete with hot stone massage no less) AND a wonderful head, neck, back and shoulder massage. All of that was....wait for it.....$41!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So there's my treat. A bit more pricey than ice cream, but...and that's a big butt(pun intended) I think it will be the better option in the long run!

Not A lot

Not a lot has been happening as far as the pregnancy goes lately...except for the fact that I'm eating a lot. Thankfully all of my new maternity clothes still fit :-)

Something cool happened on Friday evening, though. Jon and I were sitting at the bar at a restaurant having a few beers...ok ok ok I was having water, he was having a few beers (trust me...he LOVES having a perma-DD for a while) and I felt popcorn popping in my belly. I grabbed Jon's hand and put it on my tummy and he felt it too and said "what the hell is that?" Uh, duh, honey, that's your kid!

I haven't felt a feeling like that since, but this morning while sitting at work, I felt the trademark fluttering that I've read about so much in my books. It definitely is the baby. I know it. Just a little movement, but very exciting.

I've also broken my wish for a total drug free pregnancy. I had to go on antibiotics this week for a minor bladder infection which didn't feel so minor. I really thought about not taking the meds, but the chances of the infection leading into my kidneys was too great and that is too scary...been there done that. Apparently, bladder infections are quite common during pregnancy. Another thing I wish I knew before...kinda like the 10 month thing. Sheesh!

Amazing Mommy

Ok, so this isn't about a human but still...this mommy is amazing.

A robin made a nest on our next-door neighbor's front porch. I looked into the nest for the first time about two weeks ago hoping to count eggs and found four scrawny little heads of the little birds who must've hatched earlier that day. Well now, they are huge. This has been tons of fun as I've been watching them every day.

Last Saturday morning I sat outside and read and mommy birdie was in and out of that nest with food deliveries every five minutes. She is a very busy mom and very protective. Each time she returned to the nest, she glanced up at me to make sure I wasn't a threat. She did leave for a few minutes and I was able to snap this picture.

As of yesterday, they looked as if they were ready to fly the nest. Its' amazing how fast the little ones grow up and leave the nest. I hope our time with our little one goes much more slowly.

15 Week Gut

Here's the belly at 15 weeks. Now, allow me to explain that it does look a bit bigger in this picture for some reason. I think maybe because I had a bunch of water and cantaloupe right before Jon took this so I'm a little bloated. At any rate, as you can see, I'm growing at quite a rate!

I had my first spontaneous cry yesterday and actually it was quite funny...it caught both of us by such surprise. We had just strolled into a cute maternity boutique in Manayunk (which is a very eclectic section of the city of Philadelphia...cute shops, restaurants, etc). On a table right when we walked in was a display of picture frames for ultrasound pictures. They all had cute sayings on them such as "Our Little Butterfly" and "The First Time We Saw Your Face"...yadda yadda yadda. Ok, so cute. Well, I took one look at those and the floodgates opened. I started to laugh while crying because I knew that this was odd pregnancy hormones making me cry. I looked at Jon and the look on his face was priceless...he had NO idea why I was crying....but once I assured him that I wasn't upset over anything, he understood. The women in the store all got a chuckle out of it. Thankfully, they had tissues!

Soooo Sorry

My dear readers...I'm so sorry, but there will be a slight delay in getting you the promised weekly pictures.

I took several pictures of Jon and his new car and several of the new birdies, and just when we were going to go inside and take the weekly belly bump shot, the batteries in my camera died. Since I'm too lazy to use rechargeable batteries and I'd been to the store twice that day, I decided that the batteries and therefore the posts could wait.

Yesterday was probably one of the worst weather days I've sever experienced in the spring...we had a rare spring Nor'easter here in the Philadelphia area. Wind gusts were at tropical storm strength and in some cases hurricane strength (over 74 mph), we had 1-2" of rain and the temperatures never made it out of the 40s. It...was...awful. So naturally, I did what any pregnant woman would do on such a day. I napped, watched a movie and made great warm food. Today, a much sunnier outlook! And now since I'm so well rested, I don't need to sleep it away!

New Cars and New Birdies

Like a little boy on Christmas Eve, Jon could barely contain his excitement as he settled into bed last night/this morning as I said good-bye before I left for work. He is finally getting a new car this weekend! Most of you don't realize what a big deal this is. You see, Jon drives a 1990 Honda Accord. He bought it used in '95 and has loved it dearly ever since, even though it's never had air conditioning. But, the body is falling apart and just three weeks ago, we had to replace the entire exhaust system.

Usually Jon is one to look at EVERY car at EVERY dealership before he makes his decision, but he's had his heart set on wanting a Lexus ever since I can remember. So, that's where we started and with the help of a really great deal, his dream will come true on Saturday. He got the little sporty sedan fully loaded and he couldn't be happier. I'll post pictures over the weekend. I'm so happy for him. He works so hard and NEVER treats himself to anything (I usually hog all of the extra money), so this treat is well deserved.

As for the birdies, also pictures this weekend to come. There is a robin's nest on my next door neighbor's porch (she's NEVER home) so I've been faithfully observing. So yesterday I got up on a chair so I could look down into the nest hoping to count eggs...and to my surprise I saw four (I think) little furry butts wiggling around. Mom was away getting food, and probably watching me from a nearby tree, so I didn't linger too long. Tomorrow I'll take my camera and hopefully she'll allow me to take a few pictures of her little ones. I am trying to be sensitive to her, though. I mean, how would I feel if in November someone peeked in the hospital window and snapped a photo of our little one while I was away? Not too good I'm sure!

Pregnant All Over

When you go into the cute maternity boutiques (and yes, there are more and more of these trendy and expensive shops opening each day), they have you try on the clothes with a strap on baby bump. They've got different sizes...like one for what you'll look like at five months, seven months and so on. It's fun! What they don't have (and need to get in my opinion) are strap on saddlebags and a prosthetic huge ass that we can try on with the clothes as well. Show me the woman who only gains a cute little belly and NO other weight and I can almost guarantee that she'll pop out a baby who hasn't had his/her fill of omega-3s, calcium and protein.

I honestly thought I was heading down that Kate Moss road when I trotted out of the doctor's office last Friday after having learned that I only gained a textbook 3 pounds during the first trimester. Well, it's six days later, and let me tell you, A LOT has changed since then. Word of advice to a pregnant woman...there are lots of things you'll want to check out in the bathroom mirror before you get into the shower...new boobs, new belly, etc. But whatever you do....DON'T TURN AROUND! Save yourself a lot of grief and don't check out your can. I was a proud cellulite virgin until this week. Yes cellulite, as the pregnant belly, comes out almost overnight. Maybe the fact that I must have something sweet after dinner has played into it. Or the fact that McDonald's (where I haven't been in years) has THE GREATEST milkshakes ever. OMG people, if you haven't had one in 20 years like me, you've got to try one. They are so thick and yummy, and oh yeah, thanks to the internet I learned that they are also loaded with calories and fat, so for now, I'll save my next milkshake for the third trimester....and as a treat after the doctor visits. Shoot, I gotta have some kind of treat since I can't have a glass of wine...

We Are So Lucky

Yesterday (while at the check out at Whole Foods no less) I got the call from the hospital regarding our bloodwork which was part of the sequential screen we had done last week. I answered the phone and the woman said "this is Lankanau hospital calling with some good news regarding your bloodwork." I love the way they did that. Right away my mind was at ease. She went on to say that the blood test revealed that we have a 1 in 4,000 chance for Down Syndrome which is really the best odds you can ask for. The other neuro-defect they tested for (can't remember the name) is a 1 in 10,000 chance.

So, as I'm standing at the check out with the cashier staring at me wondering why I'm suddenly sobbing, I didn't even feel dumb. Of course I told her why I was so happy after I hung up. But, I lost it when I got into the car and called Jon. We both were overwhelmed. We are so lucky in this pregnancy so far. Conception was a snap and now, passing this test... We know how lucky we are, we really do. There is so much that can go wrong which makes this whole process truly a miracle. I just can't get over how much this little tiny baby must overcome just to be born healthy and yet ours seems to be on that track. It is truly amazing.

13 Weeks and Growing

Ok, well here it is. Apparently, I've "popped" (at least that's what everyone is saying).

First Craving

Maybe it's too early to have cravings, but I swear this week I had my first one...how do I know?? Well, it was rather odd.

I craved my mom's homemade tabouleh. For those of you who don't know, tabouleh is a cold salad made with bulgur wheat, garbanzo beans, fresh parsley, fresh mint, lemon juice, tomatoes and green onions. It's really delicious and is easy to make. On Wednesday, I just HAD to have it. I think it was the mint taste in it that I really wanted. I made it my mission and made a HUGE batch and I've been nibbling on it ever since.

Today, I stuck a piece of spearmint gum in my mouth and got the same satisfaction. So, I think it's the mint flavor that I'm currently obsessed with.

Oh, and by the way...my tabouleh was no where near as good as my mom's. I guess you just can't beat the way things are made by mom...and so Mom....if you're reading (which I know you are), the food list for my next visit continues to grow. Add tabouleh to it please ;-)

You're NEVER Going to Believe This...

Ok, so you know that we've had a rough week...what with all the water heater/wildlife debacles and all. What I'm about to tell you is NO exaggeration...

This morning, I opened our front door to leave for work and then opened the screen door. In ran the BIGGEST, BLACKEST, UGLIEST spider I have ever seen. I mean, this thing was HUGE. I almost thought it was a huge roach, but no, it was for sure a spider. I slammed the front door and screamed bloody murder. Luckily, Jon was still up and came flying down the stairs thinking I delivered the baby on the kitchen floor (the screaming was that loud). When he found out it was a spider he was a bit puzzled by my reaction. Normally, I have no problem "doing away with" insects. Not this one. So, he got one of my hiking boots out of the closet and bravely flung the front door open and smashed it. He even admitted that it was huge and scary, so you know that I'm not exaggerating.

Seriously, ENOUGH WITH THE WILDLIFE ALREADY! We've had enough. We are SOOOOO ready for the weekend. I can't believe it's only Thursday.