Hello fall....and 15 weeks!

We are at 15 weeks and I am starting to feel this nice chill in the air! The baby is the size of a pear this week and is covered with hair. Some reports say the baby may already be sucking his or her thumb.

Robb and I have been spending a lot of our weekends relaxing. This weekend we slept in both days and enjoyed two movies on Saturday afternoon/evening. Lynchburg has this great theater that plays movies that are about 3 months old and it is only $1 or $2 to get in depending on the day and time you go see the movie. I can't remember the last movie Robb and I saw when it was really released, maybe The Dark Knight. So we are trying to live up the single life as much as we can right now because we realize come March life will be completely different.

For the most part I am feeling great! Actually I stayed up until 11:30 last night. I was amazed when I looked at the clock. I can't remember the last time that we weren't doing anything and I stayed up til 11:30. We are happy and excited about all the changes that are going on. We are still wrestling with the decision on finding out the sex. We haven't really set down and talked about the pros and cons but it is a subject that keeps coming up in our general conversation. We will have to decided in about 6 weeks!

Excitment with a little let down

Today was my 14 weeks prenatal appointment! The last appointment a month ago was all exciting because it was the first and we had an ultrasound. Robb and I went together and it was wonderful! This appointment wasm much more low key. We had no idea what this appointment would entail so we decided that I would go alone. This was a rather quick appointment. The office was just checking my weight and listening to the baby's heart. So I think my time with the doctor was only suppose to be about 5 minutes.

The excitement was I did hear the baby's heart beat for the first time! 157bpm the doctor said was a good rate. It was a shock really to hear that little thump thump thump. At the time I wasn't emotional but now thinking about it I start to tear up.

After the amazing heart beat, I had a list of questions for my doctor. H1N1 vaccine, maternity leave, traveling, birth plan, etc. I wasn't super happy with all the answers that I got. Up until this point I had been floating on a pregnancy/birthing cloud where everything I wanted was going to happen. Today I hit the hard reality that the medical world thinks that 6 weeks is all that is medically necessary for recovering from birth. However, if you can afford the government does allow an unpaid 6 weeks off on top of that. So my idea of having 12 weeks of paid maternity leave that would run into the end of school and Robb would keep the baby until August is probably not going to happen or will need to be modified a bit.

Also I've been doing a lot of research into natural birth. Going over my birth plan with my doctor, I do not feel the hospital is going to be open to some of the birthing positions I have been researching. Also at this point I already feel the doctor mode setting in of sure you can do what you want but in a pinch we (the doctor) are going to do what is "normal" and "best" as we see it. Making me believe for the next 6 months that I can have the birth I want but when that day comes everything that we talked about will be thrown out the window.

This appointment also confirmed a lot of the things I had been thinking. I am a patient that wants to be informed and be active in my pregnancy and birth. Most women do not educate themselves or have the ability to understand the things that are going on and doctors use that to their advantage. My doctor admitted that since I am someone that is educated and cares they will have to take a lot more time to talk to Robb and I and inform us of our options. When most patients would be told what is "best" and that is what is done, or even times they aren't even told and things are just done to them. I feel I need to work on my trust of the medical community in regards to the birthing process.

All in all it is a happy day because we have a health baby and I feel good!

Facebook stuff

I have been following several "friends" on facebook who are also pregnant. Facebook is a great way to look into people's lives that you once knew or still know. And if you have fallen out of contact you get little snip its of what their real life is like without all the awkward small talk.

Through this semi-stalker mentality I have found out that several people that I went to high school and college with are pregnant. Its fun to see what they post about being pregnant. Two such people that I have been following (one more closely than the other) had to have emergency c-sections with weekend. One baby was 5 weeks early and the other baby was 3 months early. 5 week baby was 4lbs but 3 month baby was only 1lb.

Seeing these people living these emergencies has kind of scared me. I know medical technology has advanced quite a bit but having a baby early is always a scary thing. It also makes me feel lucky that so far I have had a very normal uneventful pregnancy and I'm hoping it stays that way. And that our little peach stays in there until March 21st!

Week 13

YAY end of the 1st trimester! I don't know why I am celebrating so much. I haven't had a bad first trimester at all. However, it does mean this journey is a 3rd of the way done. Not that I'm trying to rush things along.

My favorite pregnancy book says this week the baby is the size of a peach! There are many other fruit comparison but I like the idea of a peach. I have started wearing maternity clothes not full time but most of the time to accommodate our little peach.

The biggest question is whether or not we are going to find out the sex. I have about 3 pregnancy books and 3 pregnancy websites that I have been reading on a regular basis, and I have decided that those books need to be updated. They are saying that people are going to try and predict what the sex of the baby is with all kinds of old wives tales and tests. I haven't seen this to be correct. Most people assume that you are going to learn the sex during the 20 week ultrasound. However, Robb and I are still mixed on learning the sex. As Robb says we already have both a boy and a girl name picked out so why not wait. We also already have our nursery decor. So I see his point about waiting but I am anxious! We have another 9 weeks to hash this out.

Why do they call them Maternity clothes?

Here is the first "bump" picture. My co-workers thought I was looking extra cute today and said I need to chronicle this pregnancy adventure.

This past weekend Robb and I went maternity clothes shopping. He was a very good sport! I found several things that make me feel good as I transition out of my regular clothes and get ready for full on pregnancy. I highly recommend maternity jeans! Really they are much more comfortable than regular jeans. Everyone should try these.

After shopping I talked with my friend Amy and she asked why do they call them maternity clothes? Shouldn't they call them pregnancy clothes? So she is doing a little research to find an answer to this deep philosophical question of life. I will update you if she ever finds an answer.

A new baby in the family

My cousin Kady had a baby girl on August 15th! Cheyenne Elise was born on the 15th at 10am. That evening Robb and I visited them in the hospital. Sunday September 6th Cheyenne was dedicated at the Bethlehem Church of the Brethren. It was a very special service and I sang a special number. It was extra special because September 6th was our grandparents 57th wedding anniversary. After church we had a family picnic to celebrate both occasions. Welcome to the family Cheyenne! We are working on getting you a new cousin!

A life changing switch

This week Robb and I have made a big change in our lives. Ever since we have been married, I have slept on the right side of the bed and he has slept of the left. However, with changes in me due to the pregnancy and the recommendation that pregnant women sleep on their left sides we have changed sides of the bed! It has been a very scary transition. The first night while rolling over I almost fell out of bed. This new situation will definitely take time to get use to. The up side is the bathroom is on the left side of the bed so now I have a straight shot from the bed through the door. I hardly remember getting up in the middle of the night now versus totally waking up so I don't run into the end of the bed. We will keep everyone up to date on this extreme change in our lives!