23 Weeks

Merry Christmas!!

Anthony and I are now 23 weeks into our pregnancy and are doing well! Anthony's face is now fully formed and he'll soon be getting his two rather useless nipples. Since Anthony is now the size of a grapefruit, my belly is getting much bigger and I've grown out of most of my non-maternity shirts. He moves around all the time and is especially active around lunchtime.

Anthony got a couple new onesies from Grandma and Grandpa Denver for Christmas. It was a three pack of adorable Patriots ones! I'll post pictures later as well as update this weekend with anything he gets from Gramma and Grampa Mikaniewicz!

22 Weeks

Anthony and I had another appointment yesterday, just a regular check up. I got to hear his heartbeat again and schedule my appointment for my glucose test in January. Afterwards Anthony accompanied me as we went Christmas shopping.

Anthony is now the size of a papaya and I'm definitely noticing that. I can feel movement further up in my abdomen and it almost tickles when it's just the little flutters. He moves around a lot, especially when Matt talks to him or I put my phone near my abdomen with music playing. He's also apparently sleeping in cycles with him definitely being awake when Matt gets up for work. I can feel him kicking around whenever Matt wakes up and gets ready.

21 Weeks

Today Anthony and I are at 21 weeks, about halfway through the second trimester! He is now the size of a pomegranate, about 10½  inches long! Apparently he is manufacturing some lovely tar-like substance in his belly right now that will be coming out in his first diaper. Awesome.

I bought a pair of maternity pants last weekend at Old Navy. They're pretty comfortable, especially since some of my regular jeans are digging into my waist even with the hair thing fastening the button. So I bought another pair online yesterday (this time in a short length so they aren't two feet long on me.) Now I'm looking to see if I can find a simple dress for Matt's grandpa's wedding on December 27!

20 Weeks

Anthony and I have hit 20 weeks which means we are halfway through the pregnancy! (We now also have a lot less chance of miscarriage!) It's so exciting to be this far especailly since I can now feel him moving around! I get little kicks here and there, but there's a lot of movement. I can feel him moving against my uterus and pressing against my abdomen. He's definitely getting bigger and stretching everything!

Matt and I will be updating this weekend with pictures, since it's too dark to do when we get home from work.

We're sending out our Christmas cards soon which include a sort-of announcement including a picture from the ultrasound and his name:

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Update: We took the 20 week pictures!

19 Weeks

Anthony and I are now at 19 weeks and he about the size of a mango! I still haven't felt him move, but I can feel pressure when he's pressing against something, especially when it's my bladder. (I think I felt a few movements this morning, but being half asleep I'm not sure.)

Matt's birthday was Monday (he turned 26) and I got him a PC onesie for the baby! Then when we were exchanging a coat, we bought Anthony a Red Sox onesie. This kid is going to be a sports fanatic just like his dad!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and Matt and I are heading home to my parents' tonight! We're very excited to show them the ultrasound pictures!

18 Weeks

Today, Matt and I went to our 18 week appointment, which included an ultrasound! We got to see LBD moving around and got some great pictures, including some wonderful silhouette shots! We also found out that LBD is a BOY! We're so excited to be able to call him Anthony and meet him in April! Other than that, my appointment was short; we heard the heartbeat which was strong and Matt showed Lynette his arm. (He had blood taken on Saturday and she said that they went right through the blood vessel, so it's spilling blood and that's why his arm looks bruised.)

Here's a picture from the ultrasound:

And a size update for this week: Anthony is now the size of a sweet potato!

17 Weeks

LBD and I are at 17 weeks with only one more week until we find out what gender the baby is! LBD is now the size of an onion with a hardening skeleton and finger and toe prints!

I'm definitely showing now:

16 Weeks

LBD and I have officially hit four months today! He's getting bigger everyday and is currently about the size of an avocado! His ears are forming and so he will be able to hear my voice. His taste buds are also forming as well as his eyebrows, lashes, and hair coming in more! I'm so excited for our appointment in two weeks so we can officially determine the gender! I want to start being able to buy baby clothes and do DIY projects for the (future) nursery! (I'm really excited to use wooden letters to spell out the baby's name. I'm going to paint them and decorate them!)

Matt and I are going to take pictures this Saturday since it gets dark before we get home, so I'll post them here once we've got them!
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Update: Pictures we took Saturday!

15 Weeks

This week has been a little nerve-wracking with LBD. I had two days when I woke up with heavy bleeding, but no pain, no clots, and nothing else out of the ordinary. I called the doctor both times and they said that if it continued throughout the day to come in. Both times it stopped and I was fine, so I never went into the doctor. Matt and I were very nervous about it, but we haven't had anything happen since so we're keeping calm. And now that my belly is actually starting to show, I'm even less worried. It's weird feeling the my stomach and abdomen getting harder from LBD, but I like knowing that he's growing and healthy in his waterbed.

LBD is now the size of an orange with working joints in his arms and legs. He's moving around a lot, which I saw on my ultrasound last week, but he's still small enough that I can't feel anything.

14 Weeks

Today LBD and I had our 14 week doctor's appointment today! It was short and sweet, but I got to hear LBD's heartbeat! The doctor said that it was healthy and strong, plus we could hear the baby moving around! I have my next appointment around 18 weeks on November 19 when I'll have my next ultrasound and we'll find out the gender! We'll finally know whether LBD is Anthony or Erin!

In addition to hearing the heartbeat, I have apparently lost two pounds! I haven't changed anything, and the doctor said it's okay so I'm not worried. (I'm actually pretty happy about it.)

And finally, as of tomorrow, LBD will be the size of a lemon AND we're in our second trimester!

13 Weeks

As of yesterday, LBD and I are in our 13th week: our last week in the first trimester! I have indeed already had some changes in my symptoms beginning with less nausea and fairly regular headaches. Beginning last week, I had started getting a headache almost every day around the same time. I'm sure staring at a computer screen all day at work is not helping, but there's not much I can do about that.

I also have confirmed what I originally thought about my wedding rings: they are causing a rash around my finger thanks to the pregnancy. Reading up on it, most people say that after giving birth it should disappear and I'll be able to wear my rings again. However, for now they are on a chain around my neck. I'm going to check in with the doctor on this next Tuesday at my appointment just to make sure.

LBD is now the size of a peach and is developing vocal chords! It's amazing to me just how fast babies grow in the womb! Being an education major, I studied all of this in my class but it becomes so much more real and interesting when it's actually happening inside your own body!

Cheers to almost being in our second trimester LBD!

Little Bump

After looking at my 12 week pictures and this past weekend, I have definitely started showing a little baby bump. My pants are starting to feel tight and so I've decided to start shopping for maternity clothes. I actually bought my first maternity sweater from Old Navy that came in the mail Saturday!

12 Weeks

Little Baby Denver is now 12 weeks along and only two weeks away from being in our second trimester! LBD is now the size of a plum and has fully-formed critical systems! LBD will begin to grow tissue and organs rapidly as well as continuing brain development. My favorite part is that LBD's reflexes are active so if they're poked they'll move and LBD is curling their fingers and toes!

Because it's getting dark so early, Matt and I are going to take this week's pictures on Saturday before leaving to go visit our families. I'll update the post then with them!
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Update: We took our pictures on Saturday!

11 Weeks

Matt, LBD, and I have hit 11 weeks! Nothing exciting to report on development or anything, but we did take our pictures again!

LBD is now the size of a lime! I can't believe how quickly this is going! Next week will be the end of my first trimester and then I'll really start showing! Hello baby bump!

Spoiled Baby

We received LBD's first gift this weekend! My mom stopped at Carter's after work on Friday and picked us up a bunch of gender-neutral baby things. And then today, when we met her, my dad, and baby sister to drop of my brother and sister, she bought a few books, too! Of course, I took pictures of everything and it's all  just too cute! LBD isn't even three months along and he/she's already being spoiled!

duck plush/rattle

duck blanket (so soft)

4-piece set with two onesies, pants, and hats

animal pajamas

hooded towel

card

card inside

Baby Einstein book

"A Book of Sleep" by Il Sung Na

"Tumble Bumble" by Felicia Bond

Thanks Mom and Dad!

Name Game II

We've done it! We've finally come to a decision on LBD's name if she's a girl! Thanks to help from my brother and sister, Matt and I have come to agree on Erin. Going along with the last Name Game post, her middle name will be Nicole, so she will be Erin Nicole.

Yum and Yuck

Cravings

• bagels
• fruits
• carbs
• veggies
• potatoes
• carbs
• Taco Bell
• carbs

Aversions

• sweets
• soda
• pizza

Tidal Wave

We released our big news on Facebook today! It's only been about three and a half hours, but we've already received tons of congratulations from friends and family! We're so happy and feeling so grateful for all the wonderful people in our lives!

10 Weeks

We had our second doctor appointment today! We talked to a nurse practitioner and she did my pap smear (ugh) and an ultrasound! All of my blood work came back healthy, nothing wrong with me. The ultrasound was amazing! We saw LBD, who's now the size of a kumquat or Habanero pepper, and even saw the heart beating! We got five of the ultrasound pictures, but I only scanned one of them:

I also had a flu shot which is safe during pregnancy, was free, and is recommended to help protect LBD. After our appointment, we stopped at the park to take pictures again:

We're going to break the news publicly (aka Facebook) pretty soon! We've been telling friends and family that we want to know before seeing it on Facebook for a couple weeks, though.

Name Game

Matt and I have been tossing around names for LBD, both boy and girl. Last night we narrowed down the boys' names and came to a decision. The finalists were Alexander, Anthony, Christopher, Ryan, and Zachary with the final decision being Anthony.

My father's family started a tradition of giving the father's first to their son as his middle name and I would like to continue that. (My brother is Devon Paul, my dad Paul Anthony, my grandfather Anthony Stanley.) Matt had some reservations at first, but I've convinced him that it's not making the baby and "mini-me". So if LBD is a boy, he will be Anthony Matthew, after my paternal grandfather and his father.

As for girls' names, we're still widdling that list down. We haven't been able to agree on very many names which is making this really difficult. I love Abigail and Madison, neither of which Matt is fond of and he likes Zoe and Rachel, neither of which do anything for me. But we've managed to agree on four names that we can both live with: Erin, Kathryn, Quinn, and Rachel. I'm really pulling for Kathryn, but I like Erin and Quinn as well. (Rachel is a nice name, but doesn't really do much for me.) Either way, her middle name would be Nicole, after Matt's sister.

When my mom was pregnant with my sister, Hannah, I helped her and my dad in choosing names. (Hannah, obviously, and Jacob if she was a boy.) The middle name for a boy would have Paul, following the tradition, but they weren't sure about a girl middle name. I suggested Lynn, which is my middle name, in following what my mom's mom did. All three of her daughters have the same middle name: Marie. My mom went with the idea and so Hannah, as well as my baby sister, Olivia, both have the same middle name as me. So Matt and I chose Nicole as a middle name for any girls that we may have.

9 Weeks

I saw this great photo on Pinterest (of course) and Matt and I are going to create a similar collage. This is our inspiration:

We stopped by the park yesterday morning before heading up to Boston to meet up with some friends to take the first two photos. We're nine weeks along almost, so we went with a grape (the size of LBD):

8 Weeks

Matt and I went to my first doctor appointment today! We met with one of the nurses at the practice and went over the basics of pregnancy. We discussed what to expect, what to eat and not eat, exercising, as well as tests that were available. I'm not sure about the testing, but we have a few weeks to decide. The doctor said that ballet was fine, but no jumping and try to keep my heart rate under 140. (I took this week off from ballet and...no spotting. I was right!)

The nurse said that I'm about eight weeks along, but that they would confirm that at our next appointment in two weeks. After our chat, we went downstairs and I had blood drawn for them to run tests. We'll get the results back at our next appointment!

Possible Solution

So I started spotting again today, but I think I figured out why. Both this week and last week I went to ballet on Wednesday as well as going to the gym. I'm pretty sure that this is what is causing my spotting. I have no cramps or any other bad signs with it and ballet can be pretty intense. I'm going to talk to the doctor about it next week when we go.

Queasy

So instead of getting sick in the morning, I have been feeling nausea after almost everything I eat. I've been trying to eat smaller meals throughout the day so that I don't get sick so often. Luckily I haven't thrown up yet, thought. It's the small things.

Parents First

Matt and I (and LBD) went home for the weekend to see both of our families and give them the good news! Saturday we saw my parents and siblings and we broke the news to them! My parents were so excited! Mom cried a little (of course) and Dad started adjusting to the idea of becoming a grandpa. Sunday we saw Matt's parents and sister and told them as well who were also excited! We're asking our parents to keep it to themselves until after our doctor appointments, though, when we make sure that everything is okay with our little one. Matt's sister and my baby sister are looking forward to becoming aunts, although my sister Hannah is a little hesitant. My brother is just hoping for another boy in the family.

I was still lightly spotting today, but it's really slowed up so I'm not so worried. No cramps or any other pain either.

Worrisome

I have been lightly spotting all day and I'm kind of freaking out. I called the doctor and they said a little spotting is normal, but if it gets heavier or I get cramps to call back. I left work early and called out of tutoring as well. I'm feeling better being at home, but I'm still worried. Matt is coming home from work early to make sure that I'm okay.

Third Time's a Charm

I took the third pregnancy test and it was positive again! And boy, were they quick to reveal that!

I called my doctor to schedule an appointment earlier this morning. I have one around eight weeks on September 9 and another around 10 weeks on September 24. They estimate that I am about five and a half weeks along and am due roughly around April 23. They will confirm that date at the ten week appointment when they do our first ultrasound.

Bun in the Oven

I'm pregnant! After stopping at the drugstore and buying a pregnany test on a whim, I have discovered that I have a bun in the oven! After showing Matt, we grabbed two more tests just to confirm. I took one again today, which was pregnant, and I will take another tomorrow morning.

I am so excited, although surprised! I didn't think it would happen this soon! Matt's a little nervous, as am I, but we're going to be great parents.

I will post again tomorrow morning to confirm the third test and then I'll be calling my doctor to schedule pregnancy appointments!