I have been overwhelmed with the wonderful responses from all of my friends and family!
Thank you all so much for your warm wishes and support. I know I wouldn't be who I am without all of you. This baby is one lucky girl to be born with so much love surrounding her. A little mushy I know. I am feeling sentimental!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Mexican Sunset
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Genetics
So, yesterday Ken and I went to a genetics counseling session. We had to attend in order to be eligible for the amniocentesis at 15 weeks. I had been told previously by a friend who also had a child at an "advanced maternal age" that there is a test they can do called the nucleo translucency test in which the doctor uses a very high resolution ultrasound to take an image of the baby and measures a small space on the back of the baby's neck. They can predict the statistical likelihood of the fetus having Down Syndrome or trisomy 18 (a fetus with an extra gene #18). Because I am 42 and of "advanced maternal age" I have a 1 in 40 chance of having a baby with Downs. This test can give you more accurate stats given more personal, direct data. During our conversation with Audrey, the genetic counselor, she stated that we would have to do that test before Sunday because you have to do it before 14 weeks and 2 days. The window of opportunity is quickly diminishing. Fortunately for us, there was a doctor who had a bit of free time and was able to squeeze us in at the last minute to do the procedure.
I got weighed, blood pressure and heart rate taken. 140/67 and heart rate 65. Not bad.
Then we went into the ultrasound room. This was one on the belly, unlike the first one which was done at 10 weeks through the vagina. It is much more comfortable on the belly that is for certain. The baby looked like it was sleeping face down with much less movement than when we saw it at 10 weeks. The doctor tapped and prodded my belly a little bit to get it to turn over, but then it almost immediately turned back over again, giving us a great view of it's rump. After the doctor took basic measurements of the entire body, crown to rump, and then the spot on the back of the neck, he was able to give us an up close look at the various body parts: legs, arms and hands, head, heart beat, spine, hips, etc. It was completely amazing. I asked him "Do you see any parts?" He said, "What parts?" My response was, "Boy parts or girl parts!" with an implied "Of course!" He said, "I see girl parts. She is very healthy." He also said that she is a big baby! She is actually 8.25 cm, about the size of a lemon. Those were things I loved hearing: Healthy and forming well, big, a little wild girl (like her mommy!).
I could honestly do that every day. Now I kind of get why Tom Cruise bought one for his wife Katy and himself to look whenever they wanted! I would totally do that every day. It is fascinating. And it makes the experience much more real. At first you can't really tell; then you can tell because you are eating everything in sight, feeling like puking most of the time and maybe even starting to show, and when you see the ultrasound it makes it feel real. Eventually, fairly soon I hope I will begin to feel her in there! They say at around 5 months. That will be about 6 more weeks. And I will get to have another ultrasound in February and maybe by then I will begin to feel her!
After the ultrasound was finished..
Needless to say at my advanced maternal age I am totally ecstatic! As are Ken and my parents! Yes, I was "trying. " It took two short months. I was pleasantly shocked and certainly relieved. I had thoughts that maybe it would take 6 months to a year. I feel very fortunate. So far so good!
In the meantime, there is work to be done and Ken needs some TLC. Thankfully I am out of the stage where I feel rotten and super duper amazingly tired all the time. I actually have some energy to take care of someone besides myself.
I got weighed, blood pressure and heart rate taken. 140/67 and heart rate 65. Not bad.
Then we went into the ultrasound room. This was one on the belly, unlike the first one which was done at 10 weeks through the vagina. It is much more comfortable on the belly that is for certain. The baby looked like it was sleeping face down with much less movement than when we saw it at 10 weeks. The doctor tapped and prodded my belly a little bit to get it to turn over, but then it almost immediately turned back over again, giving us a great view of it's rump. After the doctor took basic measurements of the entire body, crown to rump, and then the spot on the back of the neck, he was able to give us an up close look at the various body parts: legs, arms and hands, head, heart beat, spine, hips, etc. It was completely amazing. I asked him "Do you see any parts?" He said, "What parts?" My response was, "Boy parts or girl parts!" with an implied "Of course!" He said, "I see girl parts. She is very healthy." He also said that she is a big baby! She is actually 8.25 cm, about the size of a lemon. Those were things I loved hearing: Healthy and forming well, big, a little wild girl (like her mommy!).
I could honestly do that every day. Now I kind of get why Tom Cruise bought one for his wife Katy and himself to look whenever they wanted! I would totally do that every day. It is fascinating. And it makes the experience much more real. At first you can't really tell; then you can tell because you are eating everything in sight, feeling like puking most of the time and maybe even starting to show, and when you see the ultrasound it makes it feel real. Eventually, fairly soon I hope I will begin to feel her in there! They say at around 5 months. That will be about 6 more weeks. And I will get to have another ultrasound in February and maybe by then I will begin to feel her!
After the ultrasound was finished..
Needless to say at my advanced maternal age I am totally ecstatic! As are Ken and my parents! Yes, I was "trying. " It took two short months. I was pleasantly shocked and certainly relieved. I had thoughts that maybe it would take 6 months to a year. I feel very fortunate. So far so good!
In the meantime, there is work to be done and Ken needs some TLC. Thankfully I am out of the stage where I feel rotten and super duper amazingly tired all the time. I actually have some energy to take care of someone besides myself.
Zits, Farts, Itches, & Other Fun
So, really... this is what you have to look forward to when you are pregnant. I really haven't had acne in years. Now, one whole side of my face is covered with zits. They don't go away quickly as they are relatively deep pockets of puss on the face. Lovely. And very appealing, right? I guess it could be worse, I could have them on my chest and back as well. I should feel fortunate.
Farts: these are the worst smelling gas bombs you can ever imagine. I really feel sorry for Ken who has to sleep next to me on a nightly basis. I try to keep matches next to the bed for those occasions when I have inadvertently "smoked" him out. Do women ever really talk about this problem? Is there anything that can be done to thwart this issue? Sometimes it is concerning they smell so bad. It's sometimes like something really did die up there and it is trying to get out. Ken will often suggest that I try taking a poop to assist with the problem. And not to be gross, but that sometimes works. And wow! I wonder how all that fits up there. Where did it all come from? I am eating for two, but shitting too?! Wow. That is no joke.
Since I have been pregnant, I am about 10 times more itchy than I was before. And I was already itchy before that, so you can imagine how itchy that might be. It is nearly impossible to ever feel completely free of the itch. Before the pregnancy I think there was some anxiety related itchiness. When I got home from Mexico (where I was virtually itch free) I found out I was pregnant and immediately started having the normal side effects including zits, bad gas, nausea, and extremely dry skin. It has gotten a little bit better, the air is a little less dry than it has been over the last couple of months, and I have gotten really good at making sure I am moisturizing well and often.
Did I mention mood swings? I have stabilized some but I really was going through it (and therefore putting Ken through it) during the first 9 weeks. I can cry at the drop of a hat. I try not to watch movies that will get me going. I even cried at the end of the Hangover! Really.
Farts: these are the worst smelling gas bombs you can ever imagine. I really feel sorry for Ken who has to sleep next to me on a nightly basis. I try to keep matches next to the bed for those occasions when I have inadvertently "smoked" him out. Do women ever really talk about this problem? Is there anything that can be done to thwart this issue? Sometimes it is concerning they smell so bad. It's sometimes like something really did die up there and it is trying to get out. Ken will often suggest that I try taking a poop to assist with the problem. And not to be gross, but that sometimes works. And wow! I wonder how all that fits up there. Where did it all come from? I am eating for two, but shitting too?! Wow. That is no joke.
Since I have been pregnant, I am about 10 times more itchy than I was before. And I was already itchy before that, so you can imagine how itchy that might be. It is nearly impossible to ever feel completely free of the itch. Before the pregnancy I think there was some anxiety related itchiness. When I got home from Mexico (where I was virtually itch free) I found out I was pregnant and immediately started having the normal side effects including zits, bad gas, nausea, and extremely dry skin. It has gotten a little bit better, the air is a little less dry than it has been over the last couple of months, and I have gotten really good at making sure I am moisturizing well and often.
Did I mention mood swings? I have stabilized some but I really was going through it (and therefore putting Ken through it) during the first 9 weeks. I can cry at the drop of a hat. I try not to watch movies that will get me going. I even cried at the end of the Hangover! Really.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Exercsise And Pregnancy
So, I have been encouraged to try not to gain more than 30 pounds. I think that is a noble goal. I have no idea how I can possibly pull that off without dieting. It maybe possible and I guess I will have to see how it goes over the next trimester. Given the fact that if I eat too much I feel like absolute garbage, I have been doing a pretty good job of not overindulging very often. It is a very tricky balance sometimes to eat enough to satisfy and satiate my hunger, but not so much that I want to go puke. So rather than monitor every bite I take, I am more likely to try to get more exercise. A friend of mine and I are going to start walking once a week together. I have also been eager to help move, organize, and re-organize the house since Ken moved in. I also put up the Christmas tree and took it down, not to mention vacuuming at least 3 times in the last week. Every little bit of random exercise adds up. I think getting enough sleep is also important and needs to happen RIGHT NOW!!
A New Odyssey Altogether
So, the big news for the last 13 weeks is that I am pregnant! I can't even really believe it myself.
Tonight has been rough with "morning" sickness. I call it all the fucking time sickness. It has actually gotten much better, but for some reason this evening I haven't been feeling so good. Usually these days it is the morning that is the worst. And brushing my teeth is agony. I can't even think about it without wanting to throw up. People have suggested that I change toothpaste... I have, three times! It doesn't make a bit of difference. It is the gag reflex that gets me. The prenatal vitamins are also pretty bad. I have to take them at night because in the morning I am sure to puke from them. Just opening the bottle makes me wretch.
There are some major benefits to being pregnant... for the first time since I can remember I am happy to eat almost anything without being too "diet" conscious. I don't want to gain a ton of weight, but I also am not about to starve myself. If I don't eat at fairly regular intervals I start feeling really crappy and light headed. So I feel justified in eating, but eating well. I have been trying not to eat too much junk. I am eating things from as "close to the ground" as possible. It is hard to eat salads in the dead of winter though. Cravings are real. I have cravings for very odd things like sushi. Well, maybe that isn't that odd. It's just that I am not allowed to eat sushi, so of course I want it. Recently I have been craving a burger and fries... about as far from the ground as you can get. I have not acted on it of course.
So, about 3 weeks ago Ken (baby daddy) and I went to the ultrasound. My first thought when I saw the fetus doing backflips was, "that is a freakin' boy for sure!" It has a screwdriver in its pocket just like his daddy!
Tonight has been rough with "morning" sickness. I call it all the fucking time sickness. It has actually gotten much better, but for some reason this evening I haven't been feeling so good. Usually these days it is the morning that is the worst. And brushing my teeth is agony. I can't even think about it without wanting to throw up. People have suggested that I change toothpaste... I have, three times! It doesn't make a bit of difference. It is the gag reflex that gets me. The prenatal vitamins are also pretty bad. I have to take them at night because in the morning I am sure to puke from them. Just opening the bottle makes me wretch.
There are some major benefits to being pregnant... for the first time since I can remember I am happy to eat almost anything without being too "diet" conscious. I don't want to gain a ton of weight, but I also am not about to starve myself. If I don't eat at fairly regular intervals I start feeling really crappy and light headed. So I feel justified in eating, but eating well. I have been trying not to eat too much junk. I am eating things from as "close to the ground" as possible. It is hard to eat salads in the dead of winter though. Cravings are real. I have cravings for very odd things like sushi. Well, maybe that isn't that odd. It's just that I am not allowed to eat sushi, so of course I want it. Recently I have been craving a burger and fries... about as far from the ground as you can get. I have not acted on it of course.
So, about 3 weeks ago Ken (baby daddy) and I went to the ultrasound. My first thought when I saw the fetus doing backflips was, "that is a freakin' boy for sure!" It has a screwdriver in its pocket just like his daddy!
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