Almost Half Way

We're almost half way through the pregnancy!  Time is really whizzing by.

We've been a high risk pregnancy so we weren't too alarmed to learn that we've fallen into the range of having a higher chance that the baby has Down's syndrome. Although we sort of knew this would happen, it's not any less reassuring. So we decided to go ahead with the amniocentesis to get a more accurate result. The results aren't in yet but we're optimistic things will be fine. If not, then we have a few months to prepare to welcome a baby who has special needs into our home. Either way, we're already in love with this little bugger!

Because of our genetic test result hiccup we had our 20-week ultrasound during our 19th week. Apparently while I was getting stabbed with a very unpleasant needle, Brian told me the baby was playing with its foot. I'm bummed I couldn't see that but relieved to know that the baby had no clue what was going on.

Baby Mack weighs a whopping 10 oz and is about the size of an heirloom tomato and growing bigger and stronger each day. Of course, we think the baby is adorable and darn near perfect; even though it's still blobby looking on the monitor.  Here are some "glam" shots so you can decide for yourself.



Pictures are of the face, foot and two profile shots.  There is also a picture of Momma at week 18.5

 

Dancing Turnip

We're half way through week 17 and so far, so good! 

Every week we get an update from babycenter.com and this week, the baby is the size of a turnip. 

We're also in the early stages of feeling movement.  At first I thought I felt something but couldn't decipher if it was my stomach breaking down meals, etc. or the baby moving.  But the more I felt the fluttering feeling, the stronger I sensed it was the baby.  Three nights ago Brian felt my stomach and confirmed that he too felt the movement so now I'm convinced those flutters are our dancing turnip! 

Aside from my usual headaches and being tired, which I contribute to my new job and its long hours working as a College Advisor, I feel good.   And I love my new job.  I am helping 33 underrepresented high school seniors apply to colleges and I'm SO PROUD of them! 

This week has also spurred a sense of panic.  We're having a baby!!  I want (need, really) a running stroller (BOB is supposedly the best?) but other than that, I don't know what to buy or what to register for.  We've started making a list.  Feel free to share your favorite "must have" item with us!  Also, being environmentally conscious, we're hoping to buy a lot of our items previously owned.  Reuse = Reduce.  I put our name on a waitlist for a compostable diaper deliver service ran by a Northern CA based company called Earth Baby.  It's super exciting to know our baby will be wearing diapers that will never, ever touch a landfill but instead be composted into topsoil for planting. 

Here are some pictures taken at 17.5 weeks:

Updated Poll

I was just informed that our poll was closed.  The poll is updated.  Please cast your vote!!

A mini-update...

The reality of having a baby has sank in. We have less than five months to organize ourselves and prepare our home for our new arrival.

Yikes!

Six-Months to go!

According to our latest OBGYN appointment, our due date has been pushed back from March 18th to March 20. That means in theory, six-months from today we'll be meeting Baby McCormick!


Here's a picture of me at 14.5 weeks - don't snicker too much at my bulging belly and loss of muscle definition. :-(

In-Betweener

I'm in that stage where my normal clothes are too tight (totally pulling an Al Bundy and nightly unzipping the pants with a huge sigh of relief; ahhhh!) and maternity clothes are too loose.

I'm an "in-betweener".

I'm also in that stage where people who know me think I'm either hitting the desserts a little too often and feel an intervention is needed or something else is developing in that growing bulge of a belly.

Again, that in-between stage is just so funky! Ladies who've had babies, you get it, right?

Thankfully most of my friends have already had children and they collectively shared their maternity clothes. The last pregnant friend, Kim, sent me two large bags of clothes (thanks Kimmy!) which I've been sorting through and trying on. Brian affectionately called it the Sisterhood of Travelling Maternity Clothes - hilarious! But what a lifesaver! Huge shout out to my ladies in So Cal who are saving me from buying a ton of clothes. Double shout out to the designer jeans - niiiiiccceee! The Citizen's are fitting perfectly!

How am I feeling - Week 13

Week 11 hit and bam! I went from feeling pretty good to awful most days. Unfortunately I haven't had any issues with eating (mmmm, fooooood) but insomnia and raging headaches are my newest symptoms.

I think these symptoms might be partly due to a new job I accepted and the stresses of ramping up during the busiest season of my work year. I've worked the past 13 days in a row with no break in sight. Sigh...

Week 12

Wow, we're already at week 12. Time is zipping by. Here are some "glam" shots of the kid. This ultrasound was very cool. The technician was actually checking the baby as part of the nuchal translucency test series (not really sure how to explain all this but it's to provide us stats on our odds of having a baby with Down's or other health issues).

Anywhooooo, the baby wasn't positioned in a way where they could get a clear shot of its neck. So, they bumped my belly a few times to wake the baby. Our little fig (that's the approximate size of the kiddo) wiggled around, repositioned itself and went back to napping.

They assured us the baby looked healthy. Good news, indeed!!

Here is the fig at week 12.

Oh, and an update on how I'm feeling...

I go through stages of insomnia coupled with migraines to bouts of sheer fatigue where I can literally sleep a day away. This whole pregnancy thing is bizarre.