Monday, June 7, 2010

And Baby Makes Three

So I figure I should start updating this blog more often, especially now that we'll be a family of three in ~5 months.

Here is the low down on what's happened so far:

March 5th: Take pregnancy test to confirm that yes, I am indeed pregnant. I calculate my due date as November 7th. I tell Michael by picking up a onesie at Target that says "Dad Loves Me" and wrap it up. When I give it to him after work he immediately senses that something is up. After opening the onesie, we both spend a few minutes freaking out (not in a bad way, just in a "Really? Is this really happening?" kind of way). We head out to dinner with our neighbors and I have to pretend to order a gin and tonic (really just club soda with lime). I am assured later that they were not fooled.

March 8th: Call to schedule my first prenatal visit with the ob/gyn. Mark it on the calendar for April 5th.

March 9th: I spend way too much time thinking about babies and pregnancy. I have remarkable difficulty focusing on work, and well, on anything else. I also read too many things on the internet which have me deathly afraid of a miscarriage or of something being wrong. I decide to stop this so that I won't go crazy. I also go on a business trip and my colleague wants to go out for sushi. I order a cooked Japanese dish and forgo a drink. I'm sure she knows, but hopefully she'll keep it quiet.

March 13th and 14th: Wake up in the middle of the night to some cramping and have some spotting the next day. Everything I've read says that this is relatively common. Despite this, am still worried.

March 15th: Still crampy and spotting. Still worried, but not much that can be done, so I wait. Michael and I discuss it and, just because I have a long, international business trip coming up, I call to schedule an early appointment at the doctor. Wouldn't you know they can't get me in until the day that I am supposed to leave for my trip.

March 22nd: Have first ultrasound (6 weeks, 4 days pregnant). To me, it looks like a dot. But they see the heartbeat and see that it is in the right place (i.e., not ectopic), so I'm all set to go on my two week business trip. I leave for Toronto just hours later.

March 22nd – April 3rd: Two very, very long and painful weeks of travel filled with nausea, exhaustion, and – oh yeah – work. I take the fetus to Toronto, Munich, Shanghai and Tokyo. Michael and I joke that the baby needs an in utero passport.

April 5th: Regularly scheduled Ob/Gyn appointment. They are still concerned (because I again had spotting during my trip) and they take another ultrasound. The baby still just looks like a blob. It still has a heartbeat. All is well.

Early May: A relatively calm month, thank goodness. I finally start to feel better with less nausea and exhaustion. I take the baby to Argentina for a week on vacation. This is one well-traveled baby.

Late May: Get blood work results back and find out I have "high fetal hemoglobin" and "low blood glucose", but neither of these are apparently a major issue. She tells me the "high fetal hemoglobin" is not a big deal, just "academically interesting". (Sidenote: I do not enjoy my health being academically interesting). She also advises me to eat more - or at least more frequently - due to my low blood glucose. I say, "Deal! Does that include ice cream?". Despite these two bloodwork anomalies, I feel fine, so everything is a-okay. We also learn that our downs syndrome and spina bifida screens come back within the normal range. I finally start to show a bit at the end of the month, although I'm convinced people just think I'm chubby.

Today, June 7th: I am 18 weeks (4.5 months) today. Apparently baby is the size of a bell pepper. Why must they always compare it to food? I'll post the two ultrasound pictures that I currently have on the website soon, and I'll have another "picture" to post after our 20 week ultrasound on June 21st. And, yes, I know I need to get a belly picture up now that I'm showing. I'll do that soon, I promise!

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