Almost Done 9 Weeks

8 Weeks 5 Days today - almost done 9 full weeks of pregnancy. Craziness I tell you! No book, website, doctor's appointment, family, friend or fortune teller could prepare you for this amazing journey.

Bug's God Momma, Heather, very kindly reminded me yesterday that everything from here on in is "productive." The morning sickness...it's productive! It lets me know that Bug is still there, and that my body is reacting exactly the way that it's supposed to. But man, would it ever be nice to keep down some breakfast! Only 3 more weeks and we're finished the first trimester, and things should be looking up in terms of keeping food down. There is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Right now, Bug's just about the size of a green olive and has fully developed eyes that are covered by eyelids that won't fully open until 27 weeks. Wrists and elbows and ankles are in development. The coolest part? Fingers and toes are developed! Let's hope for 10 of each!

How To Keep A Secret

Well, I am definitely getting the side eye from my co-workers these days and questions about why I keep running to the bathroom to throw-up, or about the horrible sounds coming from my office, are beginning to surface.

I keep trying to tell myself that if I can just make it to November 9th, then after we have the ultrasound we should be able to tell everyone. Just November 9th...only 11 more days - 6 of which are work days. Can I really avoid questions for another 6 days? I'm not so sure.

Part of the issue is that the few ladies that I work with on my floor are incredibly perceptive, and three of them have kids. One is a new mom and went through all of these things about a year and a half ago. Another I have worked with for about three years, and I consider a very good friend. The third is incredibly suspicious and actually called me out yesterday. I feel horrible lying to them all, so I'm going the avoidance route at the moment.

I sure hope it works for the next week or so!

Gifts from Grandma

I had a nice surprise visit today at lunch from my Mom! Since we're closing on our condo this Friday, she needed to return her key and she said that she had some other presents for me. Who doesn't like presents?!

Well these were the best kind! She gave me my Christmas pj's (a family tradition) since they probably won't fit come Christmas time this year. Then...she gave me a shirt that kind of sums up how Bug will be raised.



It is a really special gift for me too, growing up at a Habs fan and being really close to my Dad. She said that this shirt reminded her of him, and knew that he would be happy for me to wear it.
C really likes it too, and I think it's absolutely adorable! Hopefully Bug becomes a Habs fan...I don't think Daddy or I will tolerate anything but!

Inspiration

On Saturday while we were moving, my lovely neighbour Chantal stopped over to give us a parting gift. I've known Chantal for about 3 years now, and we met as artists at a local artist co-operative that I managed at our downtown farmer's market. She creates absolutely stunning quilts, and a couple of years ago she made one out of really fantastic turquoise blue and chocolate brown fabrics.

I've been admiring it for some time now, and have had it in the back of my mind when thinking about what Bug's nursery will look like. On Saturday, she gave us the quilt and said that she hoped we would be able to use it soon.

I am so thankful that she gave it to us and it will fit perfectly with the leather "a" and "z" turquoise bookends that our friend bought us a few weeks ago, the chocolate brown suede lamp with turquoise blue stitching and the big floppy elephant, named Hurley, that we bought at FAO Schwartz in New York this past September.

I'm starting to get really anxious to get into our new house and get the nursery painted. The walls will be bottom 1/3 chocolate brown, top 2/3 cream and these stripes as a mid-way border.

It's all very exciting! The morning sickness is being kept at bay right now, and I actually feel pretty great today. My bump is starting to get hard and I can feel the stretching and growing inside as things are moving around. It's nice to finally look forward to lunchtime, and today is a date with Daddy!

One Move Down

This weekend marked a rather bittersweet event - we moved from our beloved condo into C's parents place for the next month while we wait to close on our new home. The new house is absolutely amazing, and I'm excited to get there but it's a little sad to say good-bye to our first home.

It's bittersweet because we've made so many memories at our condo. From 25th birthday parties, to Halloween bashes, many games nights with friends, the night before our wedding with my bridesmaids....so many happy, amazing memories.

The move itself went well, and C's friends were amazing while I was in the bathroom with a "stomach virus" that was causing me to throw up. I'm not sure if it is still a stomach virus, or if it's in fact morning sickness now but either way, bless their hearts for not asking any questions!

As we enter week 8, Bug has now grown to the size of a large raspberry. I find that truly amazing, since only 4 weeks ago they were just the size of a poppy seed! The arms and legs are moving like crazy, and right about now they're probably doing somersaults and flips in my tummy. Their fingers and toes are only slightly webbed now, and they're growing at a rate of a millimeter per day. Officially a fetus, nerves are beginning to function this week and eyelids are starting to cover their tiny little eyes!

The Cat Is Slowly Coming Out Of The Bag

I am really not sure how much longer I will be able to keep Bug a secret, especially around the office. Not only is my belly starting to push out (maybe that's just bloat...) but since I've been really sick in the past three weeks, everyone is assuming that I'm pregnant.

I actually took the plunge and told my boss yesterday. I was really nervous, but knew that it was the right thing to do for a few reasons. First and foremost, he's a close family friend of C's parents and I didn't want him to find out through the grapevine. Also, if something were to go wrong, I would need time away to grieve and whatnot and him knowing now would definitely help in that process than having to explain everything later.

He was actually really excited and said that he sort of had me figured out based on how sick I had been (I typically don't take sick days). Then he said that he won the pool...as in the office pool. That made me really nervous! How many other people at the office have me figured out? Am I going to have to get some baggier clothes to try and hide the bump?

Since I'm a little bigger than your average gal, I have a feeling that I'm going to start showing alot sooner. Bug's GodMama only started showing with her son (now a bouncing 6 year old braniac!) at about 5 months. This morning, I tried to suck in my bump, but it wouldn't budge. Almost 8 weeks and it looks like I'm starting to get a belly. I definitely feel pregnant right now, and I'm starting to look that way which is exciting as well.

But how much longer will I be able to hide it?!

Back to Work!

Well it seems as though the worst of the GI issue is over. I've been able to keep little bits of food down for a whole day and, while I'm still taking the medication to be on the safe side, getting more fluids has been going better as well. I still don't really like the sloshy feeling in my tummy, but hopefully that will pass without incident today.

Today marks day 39 in growth and development for Bug. 39 whole days...that is crazy to me! I still barely even feel pregnant, but sure enough, Bug is in there, growing along and today is developing teeth under the gum line! Also, the pigment in the eyes is evident now and Bug is moving in little spits and spurts, though I won't be able to feel that for quite a while still.

Each week brings on an exciting new phase of development - from eyes and ears to the heart and other major organs. In just 3 more days, Bug will officially move from being an embryo into the fetus stage!

The Most Exciting Part

I almost forgot! Just as I was getting changed to head over to the doctor's with C, the doorbell rang and I heard C say "well this is unexpected! yeah, I'll go get her!" I heard my Mom's voice, and then another voice that I recognize oh-so-well...My Fairy GodMother!

I knew that she was in town from British Columbia, and I knew that she and my Mom had plans that day to visit some old friends. I didn't expect my Mom to bring her over, so that was a really nice surprise.

I got the standard excited hug and the "Hello Sweetheart!"and then My Fairy GodMother asked "How are you?" My response was "I'm pregnant!" The look of shock on her face was priceless! She said that she knew something was up since I had been sick for so long, and rather violently as well.

I think my Mom must had gotten an ear full of "Why didn't you tell me!! You're a brat!" in the car, but I'm sure that it was all out of love.

I never in a million years thought that I would have the opportunity to tell my GodMom in person about Bug. I really think that we have an angel watching over us, making sure that everything is okay and that Bug is growing healthy and strong everyday. Thanks for being our angel, Dad! We love you!

Thank You, Dr. Zadhoush!

I am so thankful today for the on-call doctor at my doctor's office, who just happened to be the same doctor that I saw last week to start our prenatal care!

Apparently, what I'm experiencing is not "morning" sickness at all but is a gastro-intestinal virus. Dr. Zadhoush gave me a prescription for a combination of Diclectin and B6, which will help with the nausea associated with the virus and for when "morning" sickness strikes. He also put me on a few days off work to rest, since I'm incredibly dehydrated and he wants me to get more rest for Bug's sake.

So for the next couple of days, it's going to be alot of increased fluids, four Diclection combo pills a day and bed rest.

IPS Screening and Week 7 Update

Wow - November looks like the month of doctor's appointments and ultrasounds!

On November 9th, in the morning, we go for our internal physical to make sure that everything is the size that it should be and make sure that there are no infections. Then, in the afternoon, we go for our dating ultrasound! C and I are both very excited about that, because we will be about 9/10 weeks along and should be able to see Bug fairly clearly, and possibly see (if not hear) a heart beat!

Then on November 24th, we go for another ultrasound for the first round of our IPS (Integrated Prenatal Screening) tests. This basically measures Bug's development via ultrasound and a blood test, and then somewhere between weeks 15-20 they do both tests again. The two tests are then compared, and the doctors can determine if there is a risk for developmental issues such as Down Syndrome and Spina Bifida. Thank goodness I've been taking my folic acid supplements since March!

Right now, I'm in a battle against "morning" sickness. I put the parenthesis there because for me...it's an "all day" sickness. After reading What To Expect last night, I took note that poultry greatly impacts the nausea, as does stress, tiredness and drinking fluids with your meal (that sloshy feeling isn't for the weak-stomached!) I'm off to the doctors this evening since I haven't been able to keep anything down since mid-night, and they're a wee bit concerned that it might not be just "morning" sickness.

In terms of Bug's development, they are currently about the size of a blueberry! That is a tonne bigger than the little poppy seed that we started out with just a few weeks ago, and almost twice the size from the sweet pea from last week. Their brain is growing at a crazy fast rate - about 100 cells per minute! Kidney's will be permanently in place this week, and arms and legs will begin to extend as joints are formed. No more little tadpole here - Bug's looking very much like a big brained tiny little person!

Blood Test Results

The resident that I saw on Tuesday was nice enough to give me a call this afternoon with the results from all of the blood work and cultures that they took at our first appointment.

I'm incredibly overjoyed to report that our first HcG levels are back and they are sitting at 7049 currently! Little Bug is growing strong...and fast!

Not knowing too terribly much about Hcg levels, I had to ask if they were good, bad or otherwise. He said that between 1-4 weeks of pregnancy, they expect the levels to be between 0 and 500. Between 1-3 months, they should be around 500-200,000. Then said that at 6 weeks pregnant, they should actually be about 6000. I guess that means that Bug is really there, and really growing!

I absolutely could not be happier with this doctor, and while I cannot pronounce his last name, I think that he is just a doll! Any silly question that I have, he is more than happy to answer and he is always so happy and saying "congratulations!!" each time I talk to him.

Oh Bug!!! We love you so much - and you get to meet my God Mom soon...who I suppose will become your God Gramma. She's a wonderful lady, and she will love you to pieces.

The First Ultrasound Is Booked

and holy momma is it going to be a long wait! We are going to have to wait for the dating prenatal ultrasound until November 9th. At that point I will be somewhere between 9 weeks (based on ovulation) and 10 weeks (based on the due date given yesterday at the doctor's).

On the bright side, by that point we should be able to see, if not hear, a heart beat! It's very exciting! At 10 weeks Bug will be swallowing and will start kicking, and more minute details will be more apparent. Bug will start to sprout peach-fuzz hair and fingernails and will have fully developed its major organs.

How amazing is that? To go from 6 weeks right now, about the size of a pea, with tiny little arm buds and leg buds just starting to form to 10 weeks about the size of a prune!

Facial features start to form this week as well, which will eventually look like either C or I. About mid-way through this week (which will be tomorrow) Bug will start moving and their tiny little heart is beating at about 150 beats per minute - twice the rate of my own, which seems to be racing all of the time these days.

I hope you can hear me through your tiny ear canals, Bug - Momma loves you!

6 weeks 2 days - our first appointment!

Our first appointment could not have gone better and our Due Date even changed!

Based on my last menstural period, and if Bug cooperates, we are due June 6th, 2010. I let our doctor-of-the-day (it's a teaching facility, so it's more like a team practice than just seeing one resident over and over...which makes me feel alot better because there is very little waiting time) know that I was charting my Basal Body Temperature because of the complications that I had over the summer, and he said that they will still stick with June 6th since it is only a few days different.

I asked alot of silly questions (no, I'm not allowed to dye my hair... but yes I can take Benedryl for nasal congestion!) and feel very positive about where we are in our pregnancy. He took my blood pressure, which was 105/70 (typically rests at 90/50 or 60, so this is a good improvement!). After that he booked me in for an internal exam to measure the size of my uterus and then sent me off to the lab for blood work.

I had to ask about how the teaching facility and how it works when I get to 40 weeks. Unless there is a complication, I am followed closely by my Doctor and his team of residents and it will be Dr. Jordan who delivers the baby at the hospital. I really like this idea, since they are all very well trained and have constant contact with the hospital and prenatal staff. So...unless an ultra sound shows twins or some complication, Dr. Jordan it is!

6 viles of blood later (and my veins didn't perform their magical disappearing trick this time) and I was out of there!

I just received a call from him, and I apparently don't need to go for the physical exam until I am back for IPS (Integrated Prenatal Screening for birth defects) at 11 weeks. However, because of the irregular cycles this summer (going from 28 and 32 to 52 and 53 days) Dr. Jordan wants me to go for an early pregnancy ultra sound as soon as possible to confirm dating and possibly change my due date.

It's quite exciting, and hopefully we'll be able to go next week and see Bug!

A Night of Reactions

Well....we broke the news to our family last night just before dinner.

It was really cute - when everyone sat down I told them to untie the purple ribbon as every pumpkin had a different blessing written on it. C's brother was the first to untie his, and C's Mom immediately said "Okay Bry, what does yours say??" Thankfully, he said that he would let everyone open theirs first and then everyone could share.

My Mom opened hers and started crying...said "Oh you Brat!" and hugged me over and over. She was very excited and just kept saying all night how happy she is and that she's going to be a Grandma.

It was really special to have C's Grandma there, and she pulled me aside for a tender hug and some very kind words. She thanked me for bringing some happiness into her life, and explained that she's sad alot of the time because she recently lost her husband to cancer. My heart just about broke for her and I told her that it was really amazing to have her there when we told our families. She is such a sweet, sweet lady!

My Mom gave us some really great news last night as well - my God Mom is coming to visit from British Columbia this Thursday for 10 days! C and I talked about it once we got home last night, and I'm going to share our news with her when she's back. She was my Dad's best friend...so telling her is like sharing the news with my Dad. She has always been very important to me, so I am very happy to be able to sit down with her and tell her our news!

Since it's still early, we had to caution everyone and tell them that part of the reason we chose to tell them so soon was that if something were to go wrong (knock on wood) we would want their support to get through it. I think everyone understood, and everyone was really happy with our news!

Eight Little Pumpkins

After searching high and low at Michael's and Walmart for faux mini pumpkins and (or...) faux apples at a decent price, I found bags of real mini pumpkins at Walmart in the produce section! They were a reasonable price, and worked out to be about $0.50 per pumpkin! I even have 4 left over to put in the centre of C's Mom's table tomorrow!

This is how they will look on the table tomorrow at Thanksgiving dinner



And this is what they look like after they're opened!



I hope everyone likes their pumpkins tomorrow. C loves them, and so do I! We can't wait to tell them about Bug!

Back to Work!

I woke up this morning feeling spades better than I have been feeling over the past several days. So after a short snuggle with my super snuggly cat, I got up and yawned...and stretched...

Now, that may not sound overly momentous to you, but I didn't go into a coughing fit or start wheezing! I was so happy!! Off to work I go!

As I sit here at work, I am missing the comfort of C's recliner, Rogers-on-Demand Fall TV and a nice cup of warm tea. I think I've been spoiled for the past few days, so now it's back to reality.

Tonight I'll be finishing off my craft project and I can't decide between Pumpkins or Apples. The tiny little pumpkins that I want to get are a little pricey, and I'm not sure about getting faux ones at Michael's or the dollar store...would that look cheap? Then on the other hand, the Apples won't be something that they can keep forever as they will rot and get all mushy. Any suggestions are welcome!

What's In a Name?

Well...Baby Beans got the big 'ol Veto last night. C's bff is also nicknamed Beans (even though I'm 2 years older and technically was Beans first lol) so it quickly got veto'd last night.

But, I think we decided on one that we both really really love, and makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside.

JuneBug

C is calling the baby JBug more often than not, and I've resulted to Buggy or Bug.

I am very sick right now as well, with chest congestion and cough. Apparently, there is nothing that my doctor will allow me to take other than tylenol, warm showers and lots of fluids. It really sucks...and I think my biggest fear is how being sick with this will impact Buggy. I'm sure that they're fine, but I can't help but feel guilty every time I cough.

I focused on more positive things this morning once I finally got out of bed at 11:30ish. We decided that we are going to tell our parents, C's brother and his girlfriend, and C's grandma this Sunday at Thanksgiving dinner. I really wanted to tell them in a way that would be exciting and sentimental and decided to get a little crafty.

I made name tags that will be tied to little baby pumpkins that will go on everyones place setting. They are folded so there is a message inside, for example my Mom's says "You're going to be a Grandma!" on the inside, whils C's Mom's says "You're going to be a Nana!" I made sure to punch a hole in the top (to tie it to the pumpkins) and bottom and tied them with purple ribbon at the bottom so they can just untie it to get their special Thanksgiving blessing!

I hope they like it!

Day 22...

You know what I find absolultey outstanding about today? Our baby is starting to form it's facial features today.

The thought of that is incredible to me! I mean....eyes, nose, jawline....those tiny little features that are forming on our baby....and they likely are going to look like me or C....wow.

Do I have a hope of who they look like? Well....I have really great dark brown eyes, but honestly I would love for them to get their Daddy's light green eyes and my dark brown curls.

Now we're trying to decide on a nickname and we really have no idea what to call "it". Since we're going to be spilling the beans on Sunday at our family Thanksgiving Dinner, I want to have a nickname figured out by then.

And....I think I may have thought of one. When I was little, I had this baby doll who had a bean bag for a bum. I affectionaly called her Beans and my Dad called me Baby Beans. Well...now that I'm having a baby of my own...maybe he/she should be Baby Beans...

5 Weeks

Today marks 5 weeks...which means that our baby is now approximately 3 weeks old and very much looks like a little tadpole.

It sort of makes me giggle - I have a tiny little tadpole connected to me through a very tiny umbilical cord.

It's so surreal.Do I feel like a mom yet? To be honest, not really. I know the tests were positive, and very positive at that, and I know that I have the symptoms to prove that I'm pregnant... but it's just so strange to me. My heart was beating like mad last night and I all of a sudden realized that it is beating so hard because it's busily pumping blood down to the baby and placenta. How amazing is that?!

I guess it's strange because I sort of was feeling defeated after the two 52/53 day cycles. I was feeling like there was something wrong with me, or Daddy, and that we just weren't meant to have a baby.

But now...it's real. There is a baby in there and we are going to be parents.

Welcome To Our Family!

Thank you for taking a moment to stop in, and have a look around. We're very excited to be taking the journey together and pray for a very sticky, healthy, beautiful baby.

We hope to make you laugh, hopefully not make you cry (unless they are happy tears!), and make you smile as you follow us on our pregnancy adventures!