Monday, March 27, 2017

It's a...

I've been meaning to share this story for weeks now, but I was waiting until after our anatomy scan, and then totally forgot to do it. 

We actually could have found out the baby's sex on January 19, 2017, when we went in for a 2D U/S, but we had the technician put the information in a sealed enveloped, and then I had David hide it from me. Our plan was to open it up on a special occasion, like Valentine's Day, so we could celebrate the news. Well, Valentine's Day didn't end up going as planned this year. We were both extremely busy and the night just did not turn out the way we had hoped it would, so we didn't end up opening the envelope that night. 

That weekend (Saturday, February 18, 2017), David planned a special date for us. We went out to dinner (originally planned to be at a local restaurant/wine bar, but then at the last minute, I got a weird craving for potato skins, so we ended up going to a wings place instead--haha!) The plan after dinner was to go to one of our favorite European cafes for dessert, where, unbeknownst to me, David had set up for the waiter to bring out a special cupcake for us that would reveal the sex once I cut into it. However, I ruined the plan again because I was feeling so anxious about the baby's sex, and wanted to find out at home in private...so we ended up picking up some delicious desserts (macarons and tiramisu), and bringing them home.


It's a girl!
Even though I ruined his plans, David still managed to salvage the moment. He set up a smorgasbord of our desserts (including 2 cupcakes that he had specially baked by a friend at work) and some roses. Since the plan with the waiter didn't work out, David ended up having to peek at the envelope first, but then he gave me the "right" cupcake to cut into...and it was pink!

We are overjoyed to share that we are having a baby girl! The sex was confirmed at our March 10, 2017 anatomy scan, and now we can plan accordingly!

On another note, I finally "officially" felt the baby move for the first time on March 21, 2017. The past two visits to the OB, my doctor and nurse have asked if I've felt anything and I've always been hesitant to answer because I haven't been sure...but at 3am on March 21, I was lying in bed with my hand on my tummy, and I distinctly felt it. I tried to wake David up for him to feel it, but he was so groggy. He ended up feeling it for himself in the morning at 8:13am. Since then, I can feel (and distinguish) baby girl's movements throughout the day, and most actively, at night. I can't tell if she's kicking or punching, but I love feeling the little nudges, pokes, and prods!

We have also made the decision to hire a DONA-certified birth doula to assist with the labor. We met a wonderful (and highly recommended) woman, and I am looking forward to sharing more about that later on!

Sunday, March 26, 2017

22 Weeks, 1 Day

I am 22 weeks and 1 day today. So many things have happened in the past few weeks:

  • David and I had an amazing time in SoCal. We stayed in the cutest little beach bungalow in San Clemente. We went to a live taping of The Big Bang Theory, and also made it on camera for The Late Late Show with James Corden. We had a chance to meet up with his sweet cousin, Katie, and her husband, Brad.
  • My friends (coworkers) are so sweet to be planning me a Baby Shower in early May. While I am excited for this, it also meant I was asked to come up with a Baby Registry, which I have been dreading completing. I spent the past week or so asking friends/family for suggestions and then weighing all the different options available. Let me tell you, there are so many options for every little thing, and there are so many things that people tell you you need (or don't need)! I ended up making an Excel spreadsheet with categories and listed different things that were suggested to me (supplemented by a few helpful lists: Baby Registry Checklist, Must-Have Registry Check List, Ultimate Registry Check List). I am now able to cross off the things I've registered for or have purchased myself. 
  • Speaking of purchases...David and I spent the entire day yesterday shopping for baby gear. I had the most anxiety over the stroller/carseat combo, but after doing a lot of research (and listening to a lot of opinions), my friend suggested the best thing I could do was go test them out and take a look at them in person. First, we went to IKEA, where we purchased a crib, dresser, bookcases, and high chair. (We seriously spent 4 hours there). Then we went to Babies"R"Us to take a look at some other things, including strollers. I am so glad we went with the IKEA crib, because I found the ones at Babies"R"Us to be too bulky/heavy for my taste. (I have had several friends recommend their IKEA cribs to me.) We took a look at infant bath tubs, and then took a look at some of the strollers and carseats. David and I both really liked the Baby Jogger City Mini GT for its smooth ride, maneuverability, and small size when folded up, but the price tag is a little hefty for us. There is one other stroller/carrier combo I really want to see, the Graco Aire4 XT Travel System, but unfortunately, I can't find a store with a display to check it out in person. The Graco Aire4 XT Travel System includes an infant car seat, stroller, and base for the same price as the Baby Jogger City Mini GT alone. (If we added on the infant car seat, base, adapter, and other accessories, we'd be spending an additional $200-$300!) On a side note, a few friends recommended I get a copy of Baby Bargains, which was really helpful in affirming my registry items. The funny thing is I totally read the Bridal Bargains book when we were planning our wedding!
  • Another source of anxiety has been planning the layout of the nursery. We are turning our guest bedroom/office into the nursery. This means David moved his office into his Man Cave, and I moved my office into the office nook off of our great room. This also means we had to sell our queen guest bed and try to come up with a different guest room solution. After debating many options (including a murphy bed and air mattress), we have decided to get a daybed with pull-out trundle. After speaking to several new moms, I found that they all appreciated having a bed to rest on in between feedings (or when baby is sick). The bed will also serve as a guest bed (such as when my mom comes) and then hopefully baby will move to the bed after outgrowing the crib!
Now that I know what I want/need, and now that we've purchased a few of the big ticket items, I am feeling a lot better about being "ready" for the baby. I still need to clean out and organize the room, but once that's done, I can't wait to start decorating!

Saturday, March 11, 2017

Halfway!

I am officially 20 weeks today! We had our anatomy scan yesterday and everything looks great! Baby Nelson is measuring 1 day ahead. We also officially know the baby's sex, but are waiting to share this news publicly.

I am feeling a lot better this trimester. I figured out that the cause of my daily headaches was due to the pillow I was sleeping on. I have always been a stomach sleeper, but after switching to my back and side, I was waking up with neck aches and developing headaches after work everyday. After going to the store and getting fitted for this pillow, my daily headaches have gone away. Nausea has also mostly (if not completely) gone away as well.

At 20 weeks, I have gained between 3-4 lb. This is not a lot compared to many women, and I even had a scare a few weeks ago (on 2.17.17 at 16 weeks, 6 days) when I had lost some weight. Luckily, my OB was able to fit me in that day (a week before my scheduled ROB). We listened to the heartbeat on the doppler, and the doctor was not at all concerned. She explained to me that the baby is essentially a parasite, and will take from my body what it needs before anything bad would happen. At my anatomy scan yesterday, the baby measured perfectly (even ahead by 1 day), and again, the OB was not at all concerned with my weight. (Baby weighed in at 11 oz., and was measuring 1 day early in the 29th-49th percentile.)

I get comments regularly (from coworkers, friends, family, the dry cleaner, doulas, even strangers) that I am "so small" and "not showing at all." At first, this bothered me because it made me feel like I was a bad mother or doing something wrong...but now I am embracing the fact that I am healthy, the baby is healthy and right on track, and I still fit into my favorite skinny jeans. I have some of the cutest maternity clothes hidden away in my closet, and I look forward to the day I can wear them...but until now, I am happy being able to wear my normal clothes. David and I can see my belly growing everyday even if others can't. :)

Tomorrow, we leave for So-Cal for a much-needed Spring Break/Babymoon. I can't wait!


Friday, March 3, 2017

Stress!

Have I mentioned that being pregnant is stressful? Not only are you uncomfortable and dealing with the normal pregnancy-related hormonal changes, but for me, specifically, I had the add-ons of the IVF hormones. I also made the decision (with my doctor) to completely wean myself off of anti-anxiety medication...so basically I am a pregnant, hormone-laced woman with untreated anxiety.

I am currently sitting on my couch in the living room while a contractor is in (what will be) the baby's room fixing the drywall and a leaky window. My dad is currently visiting (staying at a hotel). We had another guest visit (stayed with us) for 3 nights about a month ago. All I can say is that this is STRESSFULI have quickly learned that during this time, for the sake of my well-being, I should not host any guests at all. 

We (and by "we," I mean David) finished taking down the picture rail, patching the walls, and re-painting the nursery. However, we then discovered a leaky window which led to some minor mold in the drywall surrounding it. (This was after we had all new carpet installed, which was a whole other stress-inducing experience involving packing and a house in disarray.) The good news is that the mold is not serious, and the contractor is confident that he can remove all of it, reseal the window, and fix all the drywall. I'm hoping the job is finished today!

I can't wait until everything in there is fixed and painted. Next, I will need to tackle all of my "stuff" and make room for the baby. Below is my working To Do List!

My Tentative To Do List:
  • New kitchen table/chairs/barstools
  • Trade in car for SUV
  • Change carpets
  • Figure out maternity leave
  • Decide on daycare/pre-school
  • Take down picture rail in baby room
  • Re-paint baby room
  • Clean out baby room
  • Furnish baby room
  • Sign up for birthing classes
  • Make/fill a Baby Registry
  • Get info about doulas
Our important anatomy scan is scheduled for next week. We are praying for the best news. After that, David and I are planning on taking a little Spring Break/Babymoon to So-Cal. This will be a much needed break!