Belly Shot Chronicles - 25 Weeks

Matt seems to think that my belly has gotten bigger just over the past two days...he certainly could be on to something with that thought! Included this week are a bare belly and a clothed belly shot for you to be able to judge for yourself.

On a side note, Finnley got to attend her second MLB game last night...Phillies v. Dodgers. It was a great game. I believe it was during the 7th inning stretch while singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" that Matt and I were rubbing my belly...and Finnley kicked. Matt actually got to feel SOMETHING for once! It will only get easier as time goes on now, but I thought that was pretty cool. It made us both smile. She impresses us pretty easily already!

iPod Experiment

I finally remembered to give the iPod experiment a try. I know that plenty of people have heard that it can be good or stimulating for the baby to hear music while in utero. I also know that it can't hurt anything, so I figured I would check it out. I have done this two times now, and Finnley seems to LOVE it! (or hate it...hard to really be sure!) Every time the iPod headphones are on my belly she starts dancing around. So far her "favorites" seem to be "Nightswimming" by R.E.M. and "Heaven" by Live. What can I say...she has impeccable taste, just like her mommy! ; )

This morning while I was having her listen I kept my shirt pulled up, and you could definitely see the belly bouncing from time to time. Very surreal, and very cool! I think I will like this!

24 to 25 Week OB Appointment

Today was another routine OB appointment for me. It was all the standard stuff, and everything was great...per the usual. I will take that! My urine sample was normal. I gained 3 pounds this month, so I came in under the "alloted" amount. Yay, me! My uterus is measuring exactly as it should. And, the heartbeat was good and strong.

Actually, when the OB put the doppler on my belly to tune into it...Finnley kicked the doppler. Apparently she was very aware of the pressure on my uterus, and she wanted us to know that. The doc just laughed and said, "hey...all we are trying to do is get a good listen here!". It was cute.

On another note, I am suffering from some aches and pains that go along with pregnancy. I am carrying low, and Finnley has me "stretched out" as the OB put it. Both things are creating extra pressure down on my pubic bones, and it causes pain which mimics a groin pull. The majority of the pain is on the right side, although there is some on the left, too. I have issues lifting my right leg to get pants, lifting it to get it up on the couch or to cross my legs, moving it to roll over in bed at night or to get out of bed in general....lots of little issues. It is also painful when I walk, but it doesn't keep me immobile. I am still going to my yoga class once a week, and I plan to still keep up my walking and light weight lifting at the gym. The doc was fully supportive of that. I am doing no harm to my body...it just hurts. To help alleviate some of the pressure, my OB recommended that I purchase a "maternity belt" to help support my lower back and to pull my uterus "up". We will see how that works out. Luckily for me, this unfortunate side effect of my pregnancy will only be "cured" with delivery. This should be a fun third trimester coming up!

On the physical side effect note, I also pulled my intercostal muscles (muscles / cartilage between the ribs). This is a result of being pregnant AND having had a nasty upper respiratory infection that included a cough that has lasted over 3 weeks. Now that the cough is starting to show signs of exiting, I am hoping my ribs get better, too. It is only the far upper ones on my right side that hurt...but they do hurt. Oh well. I am sure that my laundry list of physical complaints will only continue to grow as Finnley and my belly do. A small tradeoff for the end result that comes in August, to be sure!

Belly Shot Chronicles - 24 Weeks!

That's right...24 weeks! We hit the 6 month marker. Wow! As Matt said this morning, "this is going fast". The second trimester sure feels that way!

The "butterball" has grown yet again. I guess that is the point, right? The funny thing is that I still have this flat area on my stomach surrounding my belly button. The belly button has decided to NOT release itself from being an "innie", which has also stretched taut the skin around it. So, flat spot it is.

I have my next routine OB appointment this coming Monday. The usual stuff will happen there: weight, uterine measurement, BP, urine analysis (for protein and sugar), etc.

Outside of that, Finnely will be "attending" her first MLB game this Thursday night. Matt was offered up tickets to see the Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays play at the new Yankee Stadium. I don't care how much you hate the Yankees...how can you say no to seeing the new digs??? Well, obviously we couldn't! I am sure Finnley will have a grand time!

2009 Virginia Gold Cup

Matt and I just attended the 2009 Virginia Gold Cup held at Great Meadows in The Plains, VA. Matt brought Subarua of America and Dulles Subaru sponsorship to the event. They had display and chase cars placed all over the grounds, and it allowed the opportunity for the vehicles to receive tons of welcomed exposure. They had a lot of activity around the new 2010 Subaru Outback and Legacy models...which won't even be on sale until August of this year.

The Subaru VIP tent was fantastic. The food included: sushi, beef carving station, pasta station, crab cakes, salad, a liquor bar, and dessert table. Oh my! It was all very good.

There were probably about 40,000 people in attendance. There were 6 horse races, and we got to view the Subaru sponsored race from the race tower...clear view of the whole course. It was a lot of fun. Of course, we placed bets the entire time...and I actually won one race that brought $40 my way! Woo hoo! Bring on the money!

We have always loved this event, and we were happy to be a part of it again this year. It was also nice to see our old town, neighborhood, neighbors and friends, and stomping grounds. Dinner at Claire's was a treat! No one beats her she-crab soup! Yum!

Back home late last night, and we picked up Batman this morning. Going to enjoy the rest of our weekend and move into yet another week!

Belly Shot Chronicles - 23 Weeks

The ever-beloved weekly Wednesday belly shot post! 23 weeks and cranking along. Not a whole lot to report, once again...which is a great thing. The belly grows along with Finn, and I am still keeping the weight gain "in check"...no more than the one pound per week on average. I am happy about all of that! This week includes an actual "clothed" photo, as I had an early morning appointment so I actually had real clothes on today. I apologize for the crappy photos, but we haven't had sun on a Wedensday for weeks! Doing flash photograpy into a mirror is always complicated.

Still working on getting over my viscious upper respiratory infection. The cough still lingers and shows no immediate signs of releasing me from its grasp. In time, I am sure it eventually will.

Next OB appointment is scheduled for one week from Monday...so a week and a half to go.

The Nursery...progress

It is by no means done, but we have made some great progress on the nursery. I have completed a couple of "art projects" that I was working on...and they are now being proudly displayed on Finnley's walls. We did pick up the dresser / changing table combo unit this morning, and it will make it up to the nursery at some point this weekend. The desk needs to move down to the basement, too. So, little by little it is looking like a room meant for a baby.

I did attach one picture of the nursery to this post, but the link to see the rest of the pictures is here: NURSERY

Enjoy!

I am now going back to enjoying this beautiful SUMMER day here in Philly!

Belly Shot Chronicles - 22 Weeks!

Well, here we are at Wednesday again. 22 weeks! That is such an amazing feeling to be hitting each milestone and watching this pregnancy progress. We still enjoy watching the bump grow.

This week has brought a "bug" with it, and I am not the least bit happy nor amused by this occurence. There is only one thing worse than being miserably sick and THAT is being miserably sick while pregnant!!!

I hate that I can't take much of anything to get relief. I haven't hardly slept the past three nights, and that makes life even worse. I hate hate hate the nightime right now! I seem to have picked up whatever nasty virus has been ciruclating the country...sinus / cough / feelings of having been run over by a truck...something like that. I am headed to the doc this afternoon just to make sure it IS viral and not bacterial. Hopefully they will have some other recommendations on what is safe and good for me to try. I am dying over here right now!

Finnley's nursery is starting to come together. We have her crib set up! I also have taken everything off of the walls and patched / painted them. I have a few decorative details that I have put up. We pick up the dresser this weekend, so the rest of the office will be moved...and the nursery will continue to become, well...an actual nursery.

That is the scoop for now. Going to go back to the couch before I keel over....

Belly Shot Chronicles - 21 Weeks!

Not much to add since I just updated the blog the last two days, but here is the latest and greatest belly shot! The Finnley bump continues to grow!

IT'S A GIRL!!!!

It is "official"...as much as an u/s can be official...we are having a little girl! Finnley Piper will be joining our family in August, and we couldn't be more thrilled. Thanks to everyone who voted in the poll. Most of you turned out to be right! Lots of pink in store for this household!

While we were at the appointment, we told the ultrasound tech that we didn't want to find out the sex of the baby DURING the ultrasound. We filled out a notecard with a blank spot...and had her fill in the sex for us. We waited until we were in the waiting room with my parents to open it. We thought it would be neat to share the surprise with them and enjoy the moment with someone other than the u/s tech. What a great idea!

The first two u/s pics show a profile of Finnley with her mouth open. The second two pics show a profile of her with her mouth closed. The tech mentioned what a "photogenic" baby she was...and how cooperate she was during the whole u/s. We are proud parents already!

Enjoy!

HALFWAY HOME: Belly Shot Chronicles - 20 Weeks!

20 weeks. Unbelieveable! We did it...we hit the halfway point in the pregnancy! Way to go, mini!!!

I am actually feeling much better these days, in regards to the nausea, that is. I have, unfortunately, encountered other issues from the "attractive pregnancy problems" top ten list. Do not keep reading if you do not like TMI...latest problem: prolapsed bleeding hemorrhoid. Yikes!!! Not many other words could make a woman feel less attractive. No worries, though, I am seeking medical attention (not for the humiliation, but for the hemorrhoid, of course). The OB's office is now referring me to a "specialist". In order to see the "specialist", though, I need a referral from my primary care physician. This means that 2 people now get to "get a good look at me" instead of just 1. Lucky me! My "issue" has kept me from going to the gym for the past week, and that makes me sad. I miss my walks and exercises. Hopefully I will be back at it soon!

I can feel my uterus moving up in my belly. The top of it has now hit my belly button area. My belly has not grown much in the last week, but I am still putting on the pounds. 4 pounds in 3 weeks, to be exact. One pound over the "average" for this month thus far. So, I am just considering myself "above average" for the time being. ;)

One woman who works at Destination Maternity (who apparently recognizes me from frequent past visits) stopped to chat me up yesterday at the store. She asked how I was doing, and then exclaimed..."YOU HAVEN'T EVEN POPPED YET! HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU?". Well, gosh...thanks?...I am 5 months. "OH, WELL YOU DON'T LOOK IT!". Ummm...ok?

We also recently had dinner with our backyard neighbors, and one of their mothers was dining with us. Apparently after Matt and I left she told her son and daughter in law..."HOW NICE THAT THEY ARE ADOPTING!". They clarified saying, nooo....Matt and Megan aren't adopting, they are having a baby! She said, "NO! SHE WASN'T PREGNANT! SHE DIDN'T LOOK PREGNANT AT ALL". Ummm...once again...ok?

And then, last weekend when Matt and I were at an open house, the realtor stopped to ask me how far along I was...without any prompting.

So, what does all of this mean? I guess sometimes I look pregnant to some people and other times I still don't. Oh well! I know that I am! Guess that is all that matters!

5 days left until the anatomy scan...can you say freakin' eternity???

Belly Shot Chronicles - 19 weeks

One week shy of the halfway point...can you believe it??? The first half of the pregnancy seems to be moving slowly, but I am told that the second half flies by. I guess I will need to appreciate every second of it before it is all said and done!

This week's photos includes an acutal "head shot" because my dear friend Canella was perturbed (or amused) by the fact that I was headless in every belly shot photo to date. The reason for that is the fact that all of these photos are self photos done using a mirror, and they are taken first thing in the morning (in PJs, no makeup, slept on hair). But, because I am such a great friend, I made sure to include my head in one photo this week. Still not an easy task, given I was still in my PJs...it was still first thing in the morning...and I was still taking the photo myself (albeit with the timer on the camera and not the mirror). So, long story long...

I am feeling pretty well overall. The nausea crept back in waves this past week, but it is manageable. Yesterday was better, but then the gas pains and heartburn were bad. I just it is all a game of tradeoffs at this point. I will take the gas and heartburn over the nausea, just in case anyone was wondering.

Last month I put on a total of three pounds. So far in the two weeks since my last doctor's appointment, I have put on a total of three pounds. Eating habits and exercise habits remain the same...so, the weight gain comes in spurts as it pleases, I guess. I just hope I don't put on another three pounds in the next two weeks. Yikes! That would be bad!

Still counting down the days until the big u/s appointment on April 13th. We DO finally have the names picked out...so, once we know the sex...we will be announcing it all! How exciting!

Belly Shot Chronicles - 18 weeks

I have really popped out the last two weeks. Probably not a huge difference from last week alone, but definitely a big change overall since 16 weeks. The good news is that all of the weight is still in the belly...where it should be! The gym and my Wii Fit are helping with that. I also signed up for a prenatal yoga class. It will start on April 27th and run through June 15th. It is only on Monday nights, but it will be a fun little addition to my routine. Outside of that, I have us scheduled for our hospital tour (which I will be attending alone...scheduling conflicts saw to that one), our labor basics class, and a breastfeeding class. I think all of them take place in June, but you have to sign up early if you want a spot. Crazy pregnant ladies!!! Still counting down the days until our anatomy scan on April 13th. Time is going very slowly...but it will all certainly be worth the wait.

Oh, and on another note...I have started to feel the baby move!!! How do you like that? I guess in the medical world it is called "quickening". It wasn't that easy to recognize at first, but I now know what it feels like. The mini has active spurts throughout the day where I am able to feel little "bubbles" or "flutters" in my lower abdomen. It is sort of surreal. I know I found myself in my own private little smile at Starbucks yesterday when it happened. I can't wait until Matt is able to feel it from the outside. It is too random for that to happen at the moment, but in the next few weeks I am sure those kicks, punches, and flips will get stronger, and Matt will have his opportunity!

Off to the gym now!

Sequential Screen Results

The Sequential Screen is a three part test that shows the odds of your baby's risk for Down's Syndrome, Trisomy 18, and other neural tube defects. The initial screen takes place in the first trimester and consists of a finger prick blood test and an in-depth u/s. The second part of the screen takes place after 16 weeks of pregnancy and consists of bloodwork. I just received the overall results of the screening, and our results were "screen negative", which is awesome news.

The nurse provides both the odds for defects based on age alone and the odds based on the actual screening. Based solely on my age, the risk for a baby with Down's Syndrome was 1 in 260. When they calculate the odds based on my screening, the odds change to 1 in 7800. That is awesome! The odds for Trisomy 18 were 1 in 10,000, and the odds for neural tube defects in general were 1 in 6000. The mini seems to be a healthy little one! No test is perfect, but these results certainly make us feel good about our situation.

Now we just need to know what we are having!!!!!!!!!!

17 Week OB Update

I just got back from my 17 week OB appointment. Today I actually got to see a doctor! I saw Dr. Colella, and I really liked him. He was fun and social, which is always a plus. Anyway, he said that I look great, my weight is good, my uterus is measuring well, and the heartbeat was great. Overall, he said things were "awesome". I like to hear that! I only gained three pounds over the course of 4 weeks, so that was wonderful news. I am keeping this pregnancy weight gain mostly in check...which will help down the road for sure!

The best news from today is that we are scheduled for our 20 week ultrasound. Sadly, they were fully booked when they wanted to bring me in...so my appointment had to be pushed over a weekend to a Monday. (SIGH...) I am sure we will live, though. The appointment is set for Monday, April 13th at 11:15am. Mark your calendars, because that is the day that we should be able to announce the sex of the baby. YAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY!!! I am sure that I will be impatiently trying to pass each day until that point in time...but what a joy I am sure that day will be!

Belly Shot Chronicles - 17 Weeks

Here we are again...another week gone by...and another belly shot posted. As you can probably tell by the picture comparisons, I have definitely "popped" a bit this past week. It seems to happen overnight, I swear! I am still within my "limits" of weight gain for the month, so this is all baby. Good job, mini! Strangers are now recognizing and commenting on my pregnancy, which is a lot better than me walking around having people think I am just a fat little muffin.

Tomorrow is my next OB appt. Just a routine visit, but I will be sure to post following the meeting with the doc. Hopefully we get another good report!

Belly Shot Chronicles - 16 weeks!

Here we are at 16 weeks already. Time flies when you are having fun! Or when you are having morning sickness. Oh wait...then the time drags. Damn it...that is what I meant. Time is dragging. Whew, glad I straightened all of that out!

I don't think the bump has grown that much, and I still don't look "pregnant" most of the time. Something IS going on in that belly, though, because I AM gaining my one pound per week on average. It still shocks me when I get on the scale and see the weight gain because I am eating really well, exercising, and only having one "naughty item" per day. Guess that little mini is growing!

Although the nausea had been at least easing up, that situation has once again changed. Not sure what is going on, but I have been nauseous all day / every day for the past 3 to 4 days. I stopped taking all remedies as of yesterday since I was still feeling sick. No point in taking something that isn't doing anything, right? So, I have resigned myself to feeling nauseous forever. That way, if it ever does go away I will be pleasantly surprised. If it never does go away, at least I have set manageable expectations for myself.

Outside of that, today is Matt's 39th birthday, so be sure to wish him a happy one! One week and one day until my next routine OB appointment. Not much else going on.

The Red Ball - 2009

Last night Matt and I attended The Red Ball, which is a "red tie" event sponsored by the American Red Cross. The ball was held at the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia, which is actually a beautifully architected and designed venue. It is an amazing place complete with an Alice in Wonderland room, transportation displays, a full size carousel, and so much more. It really was a unique location to host the event. There was food from local restaurants and a Ketel One vodka ice / martini bar. We had tickets to the VIP room, so we also had access to the carousel, more food, a cigar bar, and the Tommy Bahama rum bar. How crazy! Of course, the only thing I could have was the food...and Sprite mixed with grenadine. In addtion, they were hosting a silent auction and a raffle. I know we didn't win any of the packages we bid on, and I am pretty certain we lost the raffles. All for a good cause, though! Philly's CBS 3 was one of the sponsors, so the President of the local CBS station attended the event. There were also a handful of NFL players there who support the American Red Cross as a cause, and it was fun to mingle among all of the high rollers and local elite. Our backyard neighbors attended the ball with us, and we all had a blast. This is the third formal event that Matt and I have attended this year, so it has been a little surreal. We have enjoyed every minute of it, though, and I think the mini has been having a good time, too!

15 Weeks - Belly Shot Chronicles

Another week gone by, and we have hit the 15 week mark. The belly continues to grow little by little. I still mostly look fat in clothing instead of pregnant, and this will contintue to be my theme for awhile it seems. I still say in another month that will probably change. I am definitely in maternity pants now. I could get away with my normal pants using the bella band to hold them up, but they are not nearly as comfortable as the maternity pants. I am opting for comfort, to be sure.

The naseau is still manageable at this point. It is no longer consistently all day, every day. Instead it comes in small waves at varying points throughout the day. Afternoons and evenings seem worse for that than mornings. I am hoping by week 17 that I am completely rid of the nausea. That would be lovely!

Only two weeks away from our next OB appointment, and only five weeks away from the ever-important anatomy scan where we will find out the gender of our little mini! I have set up a poll on the right hand side of the page...feel free to participate in the vote as to what you think we will be having. So far it is unanimous that everyone thinks we are having a girl...hmmmm...we will see!

Belly Shot Chronicles - 14 Weeks!!!

Wow...I can't believe I am 14 weeks pregnant. It all still seems a bit surreal. I love the fact that we are in the second trimester. It brings a bit of comfort to this whole experience. The belly continues to round out / fill in each week, slowly but surely. According to books and "the experts", I should be gaining approximately 1 pound per week during the second trimester. Yikes! Really??? At this point, it all depends on what I am wearing if people around me can tell that I am pregnant or not. If I put a sweatshirt on...you can't tell a thing. If I put a clingier shirt on, well...you might guess that I am pregnant...or you might just think I am rolly-polly. Oh well. In another month, I am sure that there will be no guessing about it!!

(said in a whisper) I have been feeling a bit better the past couple of days. I am saying this very quietly as not to disturb the nausea gods. I am not completely back to "normal", but any improvement is welcomed at this point. Wish me well in that department!!! but, shhhhhhhhhhh.....