16 Weeks and Counting…

Work bathroom shot...don't mind the stuff on the floor...


I feel like I have been pregnant for a year already. I’m not even exaggerating when I say that. Knowing so early that you’re pregnant makes it drag out for so much longer. Yesterday someone asked how I was doing and they said I looked great and that it’s almost over…then I told them I have 24 weeks left and they looked horrified. Yup, I’m going to be pregnant forever.

Today I had my 16 week checkup and it was the quickest appointment ever. I wish they all could be like that. I was in the waiting room for 2 minutes and got called back to give a urine sample. I had been in the car for over an hour so I was happy to provide it. Then the nurse took my blood pressure and a vial of blood. I’m used to the routine and I know that they need a urine and blood sample every visit…such fun. The nurse took me to my exam room, weighed me (I have not gained anything so far – yay!) and the doctor came right in. We listened to the heartbeat he answered a couple of my questions and I was done. I love efficiency!

So baby Larry (as I now affectionately call him) is doing well and his heartbeat sounds great. I go back in 2 weeks for my anatomy sonogram and 2 weeks after that for my 20 week check. I can’t wait to get to 20 weeks and finally know that I am halfway there. Now it’s time to start cleaning out the last of the odds and ends from the nursery and get going on the remodeling for baby boy. This is the fun part!

It's a BOY!

I got the call from the doctor Monday that my Materni21 tests were negative (what a relief!) and that I’m having another BOY! I happened to be at home when I got the call because Nate was sick so as soon as I hung up Love and Nate were waiting for the news. When I told them it’s a boy they both started jumping up and down…and I felt a little sad. Then a minute later Nate started to cry as if he knew that I was sad, but he admitted that he really wanted a sister. I felt terrible for him and I let him know that it’s okay to feel sad that it’s a boy and not a girl and that he can talk about it and no one will be mad at him. I mean how could I not tell the kid that when for a moment I felt the same way?

Nate is a thinker so as the news set in he had some questions and things he needed to tell me. First he said that we could just have another baby which would be a girl. When I told him that this is the last baby I am having he thought about it. He then said that maybe this baby could have 2 heads so it could be a boy and a girl. I explained that the baby only has one head and it will just be a boy. He stopped throwing out solutions but just as he was about to fall asleep he turned to me and said, "So who told you it's going to be a boy?" The kid doesn't even trust me at this point!

When I was pregnant with Nate I swore from day 1 that he was a boy and I was so happy when I gave birth and heard them confirm what I had been feeling. After adjusting to life with a baby I realized that I really liked having a boy and I didn’t think I would even want a girl. Sure, girl’s clothes are cuter and I love the thought of dressing one up in cute outfits. At the same time though I was never a girly girl and I wondered if I would enjoy life more with 2 boys. When my friends and family told me about how difficult their girls were I felt like I would never be able to handle a demanding girl…and then Nate became a demanding boy.

When I found out I was pregnant this time I felt like maybe a girl wouldn’t be so bad and I even picked out a pretty lavender to paint the nursery. The room is already blue so I figured we would only have to paint if the baby was a girl. So now I just need to finish cleaning out the room and clean the walls before we start to move in the nursery furniture. This weekend I should be getting rid of the treadmill and the dresser that is currently in there so I can begin the transformation from office to baby room. I’m reusing everything from Nate so I really only need to coordinate more to the blue walls instead of the green walls that Nate has. It’s finally feeling more real and I think that Nate and I will have fun getting a few new things for the baby.

Pregnant Pause

Our Newest Little Peanut!

The title is actually a daily occurrence in my life. I have no problems walking a few miles at lunch on a nice day or getting on the elliptical for 45 minutes and catching up on some TV but if I climb a few steps or walk down the hall I am out of breathe. This had made my daily routine a little more difficult and I wonder how I’ll be feeling in a few months when its 90 degrees outside. I started showing at 6 weeks but this morning I put on a new dress I picked up over the weekend and Nate put his hands on my belly and said, “I think the baby is bigger today”. I certainly feel that way but I thought he would have made this observation yesterday when he kept pulling my tank top down to cover my belly which kept popping out as I was doing laundry and cleaning up. Yesterday I wasn’t wearing maternity clothes at all and I realized that will not have to come to an end even if it’s just around my house.

Everyone keeps asking if I’m having twins but I have now had 3 sonograms and we heard only one heartbeat on Friday. I had to remind my co-workers that I was HUGE when I was pregnant with Nate and he was less than 6 pounds when he was born. I was told recently that my body was made for birthing babies and I suppose it’s true. I had Nate after only 8 hours of labor and it wasn’t a bad experience at all. I had someone ask me if I was scared to have another baby and I said I honestly was only scared of giving birth with Nate and since that was relatively easy I’m not even worried about that this time.

I’m rethinking my hospital experience after watching “The Business of Being Born” recently. I’m still having this baby at the hospital but I have been seriously thinking about having a midwife present. My OB practice gives you the option so I think I am going to check into it a little more and see if I feel comfortable. It seems like they are more present at the birth than the doctor. I’m keeping my options open this time around and I’m going to watch “More Business of Being Born” to get some more info.