Betty Meets her Grandchild (sort of) and Other Exciting Things

Nick was not able to make it to today's appointment due to a scheduling conflict at work, so I had asked Betty [Nick's Mom for those of you who don't know her] if she wanted to come along and hear the heartbeat. Silly question...of COURSE she wanted to hear the heartbeat of her first grandchild! It was really neat to experience that with her and I know she loved it too. The video above is of the heart beating. It was 159 this time. She said that she has been tracking her patients to compare heartbeat to gender and that normally they do trend toward having girls when the heartbeat is high. We'll know for sure in three weeks either way!　
　
In other exciting news, now that I am aware that that strange feeling is the baby moving around, I have been paying attention to the patterns and he/she is definitely on a schedule in there! There are particular times throughout the day and night when he/she is on the move. For example, a little while after I eat I can always count on Baby waking up and moving around. There is always some movement between meals, then more after I am laying in bed watching TV and before I fall asleep. He/she likes to 'punch' the seatbelt that is resting against my stomach on the way to work in the morning. I have just eaten right before I leave, so Baby is moving around while I am driving and perhaps doesn't like the seatbelt. Baby also likes to punch my keyboard at work. I have the kind that slides out and it has always rested against my stomach area. Now that something is living in my stomach area, things are a little different. Not that the movement are strong enough to move the keyboard or anything, but anytime something is up against there, he/she either tries to touch it or is trying to make it go away...not sure which! I asked the Dr. about it and she said that while it doesn't harm the baby, that babies usually don't really like it when things are pushing against the stomach.
　　
The most exciting part about all of this movement is that last night I was finally quick enough and put Nick's hand on my stomach as the baby was moving and he got to feel it twice! It was really cool!!!! We both agree that it's a really neat thing but at the same time it's honestly kind of weird!
　　
[on a side note I will be so glad in a few weeks when I can stop saying "baby" and "he/she" once we know the gender!!]

4 Months!

Time is really flying by! Here we are already at 4 months! I've been feeling increasingly better and have had more energy, but it still tends to fade very fast. Soon we are going to do a little rearranging around the house and switch bedrooms to start preparing things for the nursery. Our 'master' bedroom is actually the smaller of the bedrooms, so we are going to switch so we have the larger room and baby has the one that has less noise from the street. Once we know the gender we can really decide about nursery furniture, decor, etc. and do more work in the room.


I have been feeling movement lately, which is so very exciting. Now that I'm aware that it is the baby moving around in there, I have noticed a pattern and it usually happens around the same times every day/night. It's very exciting! At first I didn't really know what that sensation was, but after reading in the book and doing a little online research, it looks like its the baby moving around and not just my stomach or something. I've been able to feel it with my hand a few times and I keep trying to time it where Nick can feel it, but it hasn't worked out yet. Soon enough I'm sure we'll be able to feel the movements with our hands all of the time!

15 Weeks

Wow! 15 weeks already! Time is really flying by these days. Every time I turn around it seems like it's a new week. Baby is supposedly 4 inches long now and the size of an orange according to the book. So many things are developing in its little body and the baby is moving all around by now. Not that I am able to feel it, of course, but it's still so neat that those things are going on. I read today that he/she should be developing a sensitivity to light and that if you were to shine a flashlight on your stomach at its eyes that it would turn away from it. So cool! I wish I could just peek inside there every day to see what's going on.


My mother in law was at a baby shower this past weekend and it just so happens that our nurse from the Dr's office was there too. Once they made the connection, the nurse told her about how patient Nick is when he comes in, especially at the last appointment, which was SO long. She said that not all of the husbands are so patient! It was so nice to hear such a compliment and it made me feel really good. Nick really does so much for me and I appreciate every bit of it. It's so great to have such an awesome husband and I know he's going to be such a loving and attentive dad.


Only 5 more weeks until we find out the gender...how exciting!

One Down, Two to Go

Well, today marks the first day of my Second Trimester! Yay! One down, and two more to go. The second one is supposedly the best one, so I'm looking forward to that. I have been feeling alot better than in the beginning, thank goodness. I do have more energy, but it tends to be short lived and I feel like I have to rest after a while.

We are really excited to find out the baby's gender in 6 more weeks. Then the really fun planning can begin! We have been discussing names, but haven't decided on anything concrete yet. I have been looking around online at bedding and other fun things, but we won't get serious about any of that until we know if it's a boy or a girl.

Out of the blue, we got our very first baby gifts this week! It was really unexpected and nice! I had lunch with the assistant of my insurance representative this week. She has been super helpful in answering all of my questions about insurance coverage and how this is all going to work when I go into the hospital. I have [knock on wood] never had a broken bone, a stitch, a cast, a cavity...nothing. Going into the hospital is a bit overwhelming when you consider that! I completely wasn't expecting it, but she brought me a super soft cream colored minky baby blanket, a Goodnight Moon board book and belly cream! It was such a nice thing for her to do and I can't wait to wrap baby up in that blanket! One of Nick's fellow managers gave us a board book for the baby also. Those were some very nice and unexpected surprises this week! I am so glad that we have gotten some books for the baby. Reading to the baby is one of the things that I am looking forward to the most.