Finally Announcing

We're expecting!! The baby is due July 25, 2011. I tested positive for the first time at 12 days past ovulation. We went out to dinner, and we talked about how I thought I was pregnant but I was nervous to test because it was still early. We bit the big one and took a test when we got back from dinner (not even with first morning urine) and tested positive. I of course took a few more test the next couple of days to make sure.

On Thanksgiving we told Doug's parents and grandparents, my mom, grandmom, great aunt Alice, great uncle Sam, my brother, my sister, and my housemate. We tried to keep it quiet for a while, we did not want to have to un-tell people again if we lost the baby. I ended up telling work and close work friend early because I was out sick a couple times and they suspected.

My first appointment was December 13 at 6 weeks 6 days. It was with Sue, the NP I have grown less and less fond of over the last year. I had to go back for bloodwork the next day. My second appointment was December 29, 10 weeks 1 day. I had Dr. Mackaronis, whom I'd never seen before. I have to say I liked him. He was much more sensitive to what we'd been through than Sue seemed to be. He even thought he could get us in at a better ultrasound place than Booth (he said the techs there like to hide in the basement and avoid talking to patients). The best part was he brought in the the doppler (which picks up the baby's heart beat). I knew I was right on the cusp of when those machines can pick up the heartbeat. Some doctors won't even try to use them before 12 weeks. My last appointment with Alex was at 9 weeks and the machine was not even brought into the room. I'm pretty sure I spent most of the appointment staring at the doppler, hoping and praying he would try to hear our baby's heartbeat. I was not disappointed. The doctor found the heart beat quickly. Doug had the biggest grin on his face and I cried tear of joy. It was the best Christmas present I ever got, even if it was a few day late. We shared our news with our church family on Sunday--since we now had a heartbeat, supposedly the rate of miscarriage goes down once you hear the heartbeat.

The biggest difference between this pregnancy and the last one is the morning sickness. I never threw up before. On average I've thrown up once per week. It would probably be more except after the 2nd time I threw up breakfast, I stopped eating breakfast, which is very unusual for me. I don't like throwing but I take it as a reassuring sign the my hormones are as wacked out as they should be so the baby must be fine. Today was a throw up day, yuck, but it helped not worry about the ultrasound (since that's when we found out there was something wrong with Alex). I've also been really exhausted, and I guess I need to admit that I've been pretty moody too. I will take every symptom and do my best not to complain because it all means that things are working out.

So here is is today's ultrasound. The baby measured 11 weeks 1 day. That is 1 day behind the doctor's estimated due date but three days ahead of what my due date should be according to my ovulation chart. Yay! We got to see the baby dance around for a little bit. I have another ultrasound on Martin Luther King Day (at the better facility the doctor was trying to get me into last week but it didn't work out).

And here for the Ultrasound Interpretation Challenged. You can't see the feet in the picture but the ultrasound tech showed them to us when we watched the little one dancing, so we know they are there. If you look closely enough at the and (which the baby has up against her cheek), you can see little fingers. At this point we are still deciding if we are going to find out if its a boy or girl. My husband is convinced that it's a girl. He had a dream about having a daughter, so that is his basis for his prediction. The heartrate was between 163 and 166, which would also make it a girl according to the old wives tale. Personally I have no inkling. It's been harder to attach to this pregnancy. In some ways it doesn't feel real. I hate that I constantly expect the worst--but I am thankful that this far that has not been the case. Honestly I feel most connected to the baby the mornings I am sick because I get mad at it for making me feel that way. Usually I say "You little brat knock it off." or "You're grounded." We also bought an inexpensive doppler this week so we could hear the heartbeat at home. I have to say it helps me connect and adds to my peace of mind when I spend a few minutes just listening to that tiny heart pumping.

I suppose I will start doing weekly or biweekly pregnancy updates here now :)