Today we are 20 weeks along! Half way there!!! We've been more tight-lipped about this baby than with Oliver...not sure why. Maybe it's because we were so open about all the issues with his pregnancy and the complications, and this one has been comparatively SIMPLE and it's nice to just be normal and boring, and private :) We found out a few days before we left to look for a new house, and although the morning sickness and fatigue were pretty bad, it was so much better the 3rd time around. I feel like my body is getting better and better at each pregnancy, and each one is better than the last! Great news! With Julian, I had lost a good 8 pounds by 4 months, with Oliver I gained no weight until the 5th month (then I PACKED it on while on bedrest), and with this one, by month 5 I've gained 10 pounds. I find it fascinating how everything is different every time - my same body, babies are the same genders, yet all is totally different! This little guy isn't quite as active as Oliver, and already has a sleep schedule. I'm very hopeful this will continue since Oliver never had a schedule in the womb...or at least it wasn't on a 24 hour one...
Otherwise, I find it strange that I can often "forget" I'm pregnant with this one, and I'm literally suprised at times when I see my belly in the mirror. With Oliver, he's all I thought about and his every movement or lack thereof, consumed my every waking moment. I tend not to notice much this time around until this little one gives me a good kick or roll, or I find I can't bend in half very well anymore. It is WONDERFUL being cramp-free and being able to walk for hours, play with Oliver, and get stuff done like housework (blah) and gardening (yay) without having to stop every 10 minutes to rest for 45 or until the cramps are done for a good 10 minutes. I am SO HOPEFUL this means I won't have contractions this time around, and no bedrest for 3 months! Keep your fingers crossed!
We are already excited to meet this little guy, and we've seen him in glimpses in ultrasounds. Our new doctor doesn't have 4-D technology on his machines, so we're toying with the idea of going somewhere that specializes in that. It'd be fun to see this little one before he comes, but it also comes with a $400 price tag, yeouch! Also having trouble picking out a name, and those of you who know the whole "BANJO" thing will know what I'm talking about. Do we keep "BANJO..." or just switch it to "JO_" and forget the "BAN"? Or just pick a name willy nilly and throw out the whole BANJO thing? I don't know. We've got time, and afterall, Oliver didn't have his name until the day we left the hospital! But any suggestions are appreciated, we're totally stumped.
Anyway, here are some pictures of our ultrasounds:
At 6 weeks I had bleeding, so they took a look and all was fine! Fetal pole there with a tiny heart ticking away!
At 8 weeks, they did a follow up ultrasound to make sure the "threatened pregnancy" was no longer in danger. All was perfect, and it's interesting how well you can see the baby with the cord to the yolk sac. Never seen that before.
19 week ultrasound. My mother came to town to see this one! His heart rate was 149 BPM, and he was estimated at weighing 10 oz. All his measurements were PERFECT and all the organs looked spectacular - perfect heart, brain, already swallowing with liquid in the tummy and bladder, and hands were relaxed and open. Basically he's just chiling in there :)
Here's his profile
And here's a view from the top of his head - you can see the lenses in his eyes...kind of crazy looking!
And a foot shot for Ah Zaa :)
Here he is all curled up, comfy, sleeping.
And the crotch-shot! He was not shy at ALL. It's a boy!!
And I don't have my good photographer friends,
Heather or
Aimee here, so here's a photo of my 20 week belly for my records :)
This pregnancy has been wonderful so far, and it has really FLOWN by! I'd love family pregnancy pictures, and one where Oliver puts his hands on my belly and says "baby." He does that almost daily now, and I LOVE it! He has no idea how that's the same as the picture of the baby on his diaper box, but it's still way cute :) We're getting very excited to meet this little one, and are even considering working on the nursery BEFORE I'm 8 1/2 months along!
