Viability

I feel like today was a major milestone in the pregnancy. I am now 24 weeks which means that Sprout is now developed enough to live outside me (although I'm not recommending this...)

It's surreal knowing that I have seen babies as far along as 24 weeks. 2 of them. It's pretty incredible, but scary too. With every week here on out - I have something to compare Sprout to. I've taken care of a baby at that gestational age. And while I am terrified that Sprout will make his/her appearance earlier than desired...I pray that s/he finds my uterus comfy enough to stay for another 14-16 weeks. I'll even give up my bladder for Sprout to use as a water bed...since it's become that anyway!

Otherwise things are going splendidly. I have felt Sprout move every day since April 7th (which is easy to remember since that's our anniversary), and I LOVE feeling the movements (even though they are really weird and sometimes uncomfortable). James still hasn't felt the baby kick - which he doesn't seem too bothered about. I think it bothers me more than him. I almost feel selfish in that I get to feel them and he doesn't. I guess that's all part of it - and I know he'll feel it soon...

I can't believe this little one will be here in 16 weeks. I'm getting super excited and also incredibly nervous about pushing this thing out. Doesn't help that I get to see women give birth at work and think "Man...I have to do that soon." Epidurals are sounding more and more appealing.

a future footballer?

I was just in the kitchen leaning my belly against the counter when I felt what I thought was a little kick! About ten seconds later I felt about five more!

It was a really weird feeling but super fun! I love feeling Sprout moving in there. Don't know when it will happen again since it's meant to be pretty sporadic right now....
but I love it!

my little rodeo clown

Ultrasound was today!!!
It was a little disappointing - I think because I had the excitement of it built up in my head and it was all a bit too quick and clinical for me. I was relieved to see and hear that everything is formed properly and in the right numbers in the right places - yay! I can make people.

Sprout was also very cooperative was playing rodeo and kept his/her bits nicely hidden under the umbilical cord! Which was FINE BY ME! The ultrasound tech said even had we wanted to know - it would have been very difficult to tell.

Thanks, Sprout!

Still seems a bit unreal to me that I have a little one growing inside me, but I'm sure as he/she starts moving it will start to seem very real. They told me I have an anterior placenta which doesn't cause any problems - just means that I may not feel Sprout move significantly for another few weeks.
I can't wait!

knit one, purl two

Last year sometime I decided that one of my goals for 2009 was to learn how to knit.
A month ago (exactly) I met with my friend Stephanie and she introduced me to the basics of knitting. I worked on some basic knitting techniques for about two weeks and got wickedly frustrated...so much that I was nearly finished attempting to go on. A few of my other friends popped up and mentioned that they are also knitters - which led me a little bit more into wanting to learn how to do this task that [until I started doing it] appeared so easy.

I bought a book (http://www.knithappens.com/content/view/13/1/ ) that Steph recommended (that I am now in love with) and started reading. It walks through the basics of knitting and even recommends some beginners projects. I decided to start with one of those. I figured that I needed to start somewhere. So, I went to an actual yarn store (www.stitchknitch.com) and asked the lady to recommend some beginners yarn (the yarn I had previously been working with was not a good yarn to learn with) and what needles were best.

I worked with these and was able to produce what my book calls "baby's first swatch" and I was VERY proud of this little square of yarn. I had finally created something. It was mostly square (as I had made a few mistakes), but it was all mine. No one could take that away from me.
I decided to see what the book recommended next. A scarf. And I wouldn't have to use the purl stitch (which I am having a very hard time learning). Yee haw. So...off I went in search of massive size 17 needles and some uber-thick yarn for my first official creation.

I started Thursday evening and finished 3 of the 12 blocks of colour for the scarf. Friday I went to work on it and messed up the first section so badly I had to unravel it and the 3rd section I had completed the day before. I ended up finishing three on Friday - to bring my net total to 5 of my 12 sections. Saturday I was a knitting fool and finished the rest of the seven sections. I had finally finished something! I had made several mistakes, but I had fixed them all and ended up with a massive but very respectable scarf. Over 3,000 loops of yarn in a pattern that wound up as a scarf that were all knitted on my fingers.

I'm pretty proud of myself.

anxious and excited

I am now 18 weeks.
I feel like this is a huge milestone - mainly because it's time for the ultrasound.

Ultrasound - yay!!! I have not yet had the privilege of having a glimpse of this being growing inside me. Other than the flutters that I had a few weeks ago and my ever growing belly - I have not had any other real feelings that this little one is inside me moving around and growing...

I KNOW that this thing will be kicking me allllllll the time very soon (and I'll be praying for a break from it!) but for now, I am soooooo anxious to know that sprout is doing okay! The fact that I can't feel him/her move drives me crazy at times. I focus on trying to feel the movements so much with nothing. *sigh*

I am so curious as well to know whether it's a boy or a girl! I've been so insistent on not finding out the gender because I want so much to be surprised in the delivery room - but it doesn't make me any less curious!!! I have had pretty strong feelings lately that it's a boy - but you never know! I initially thought it was a boy - and then for a good month or two I was convinced that it was a girl! I am back to being convinced that it is a boy. I guess we'll find out sooner rather than later! I only have five months left until I find out - and then I'll know for the rest of my life what he/she is! Waiting is still making me curious too!

I'm so excited for our first photo of this little one tomorrow, but I am also anxious to know that everything is going well. I hope I sleep well tonight with all this anticipation!!!

quickening

Quickening (from Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia):

In pregnancy terms, the moment of quickening refers to the initial motion of the fetus in the uterus as it is perceived or felt by the pregnant woman. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, to "quicken" means "to reach the stage of pregnancy at which the child shows signs of life.
The first natural sensation of quickening may feel like a light tapping, or the fluttering of a butterfly.


I was lying in bed not sleeping super well (as is difficult when I'm trying to sleep during the day)... and I felt what I can best describe as a buzzing feeling in my uterus (or that area). It continued for about a minute or so and then quit, and then came back! I tried concentrate on it (while also not moving!), and it was definitely there! I can compare it to butterflies in the stomach, except I wasn't nervous and it wasn't in my stomach.

It was exciting and a little hard to believe! They say you can feel the baby start moving as early as 16 weeks, and I am 16 weeks today! I can't wait to feel more of it. This was the first time that I've really started to feel pregnant. Never mind all the morning sickness, hearing the heartbeat, or even looking pregnant. I'm sure feeling it kick will really let it all sink in, but for now, I'm starting really believe there's a little person in there!

heartbeat again...

Back to the doctor today, and everything still looks good! We got to hear the heartbeat again which was fun (I didn't cry this time!)...