Body changes

So I think I'm going to have to take back my previous statement that I have started to look pregnant. Apparently, I must have just been really bloated on Sunday. I seriously looked pregnant that day, but then this week, I'm back to just maybe looking a bit more chubby than I used to. The only time I can obviously tell by looking at myself that I'm pregnant is when I'm naked. So I guess maybe I've got another month to go before a stranger might be able to tell that I'm pregnant. I suppose I should be thankful that I'm not huge yet. ;-)

Also, another new development is that I've noticed a faint line going all the way down my belly. I kinda freaked out the first time I saw it because I wasn't even the one who noticed it! Rey was looking at my tummy one day with a really strange look on his face and of course my first thought was, "Oh my gosh, what is it?! What are you looking at?!" and he goes, "Well...there's this straight line going all the way down your stomach. What is it? Is that normal?". So I had to explain to him what it was and that it was totally normal. I asked my doctor if it is going to get really dark (like some of the women I've seen on shows like "A Baby Story") and she said it probably wouldn't since I'm fair-skinned. From what she said, every pregnant woman gets this line on her tummy...some are just darker than others.

Updates

Today we had our 20 week doctor's visit and ultrasound. Everything went really well and I couldn't have really asked for better. Hadley weighs about 10 oz. now, she's developing normally and everything on the ultrasound looked normal. They pointed out all her little organs, brain, heart, tummy, etc. and Rey and I enjoying getting to see her little hands and feet moving! The tests they did on my blood last month all came out normal so she doesn't have any birth defects that we know of - phew! Also, my blood pressure and iron levels were normal, the urinalysis was good and I'm still keeping my weight in check. I've gained about 5-1/2 lbs. since my first appt. I'm so relived to hear that everything is looking good!

Just in the last couple of days, I feel like I'm finally starting to look a little pregnant. I guess I have finally "popped" as the saying goes. :-) Between that and feeling my baby move everyday now, it has definitely made it feel more real.

Little kicker

I am 19 weeks pregnant today and I have finally felt little Hadley move! The first time I felt it was on Monday. I was laying down on my side and felt what seemed like a little bubble popping. That's about as close a description as I can think of. At first I thought, "Whoa...was that my baby?" and then when it happened 3 more times right after that, I figured it must be her! I felt a little kick or two last night, too. It's so cool to finally be able to feel her move!

Pregnancy fun

I have always heard that the first trimester is rough, the second is much better and then it gets hard again in the third. Well I can't say anything about the third trimester yet, but for me, the second has been the worst so far. I was very fortunate early in my pregnancy and did not really have any morning sickness like so many of my friends have. The only thing I noticed was that I was a bit more tired than usual.

The second trimester has been pretty much awful for me so far. For the last month I've been plagued with pregnancy rhinitis which means that my sinuses are inflamed and basically, I can't breathe through my nose. Sometimes the sinus pressure has been so intense, I thought my head might explode. Other times I'm constantly blowing my nose, but still can never seem to get my head cleared out enough to breathe. I've been surviving on decongestants and nose spray and it has NOT been fun. I am praying that this is not going to last through the remainder of my pregnancy...I don't think I could handle it! Today is actually the first morning in quite awhile that I can breathe and I'm hoping that that means I'm getting better. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

The other not-so-fun thing I've been dealing with lately is heartburn. Sometimes, I have no idea what has caused it...like all I would have had was a bagel and an hour later, here comes the heartburn. I don't get it everyday, thankfully, but when I do have it, it is so uncomfortable. The things we go through for our children!

We're having a GIRL!!!

So Saturday was the big day where we went to get an ultrasound and find out the sex of the baby. Rey and I were both so nervous beforehand, that neither of us got much sleep the night before and when we went to lunch with my mom that day, we couldn't eat much. My stomach was doing flips!

At the ultrasound, it probably only took about a minute before the technician said, "And we have a girl! That is definitely girl parts right there." I was so excited!! I had been feeling throughout my pregnancy that I was having a girl, but I didn't want to put too much trust in that, since really I had 50% chance of being right or wrong. I have always wanted to have a little girl, so I am beyond thrilled.

We hadn't gotten to see our baby since my first ultrasound at 8 weeks and at that point, the baby just kinda looks like a little blob. But now I'm 17.5 weeks and she actually looks like a baby...we could see the head, the body, the arms & legs...it was so cool!

Yesterday Rey and I just had to go out and do a little shopping for our little princess. We got her her first few little outfits and I can't wait to see her in them! It's going to be so fun getting all the little girly things!

First-time blogger

I've never been good at keeping a journal or diary, but I've decided to start a blog to document my pregnancy and our lives as a family with a new baby. Several friends of mine have blogs and I love checking them every so often to see what's going on in their lives. With our first baby on the way, things are already starting to get busier around here and it's getting harder to keep in constant contact with our friends and family. I'm hoping this blog will help everyone stay up-to-date with what's going on with us (and it's a great way to share recent photos).

I am currently 16 weeks pregnant and from what I've read, my baby is about the size of an avocado. I still don't have a bump and I've only gained about 4lbs. I am ready to actually start looking pregnant. It seems like after 4 months people ought to see me and just be able to "know" that I'm pregnant...but nope, I still look pretty much like I did before.

I have been DYING to know if we are having a boy or girl. I don't know how some people can wait to find out until the baby's birthday. I am definitely not that patient. Plus, I like to plan things and I want to know how to decorate the baby's room and what color clothing I can get, etc. We are going next Saturday to get one of those 3D/4D ultrasounds and assuming that the baby isn't crossing his/her legs, we should be able to find out the gender! I'm so excited!!