Two Doctors' Visits in One Week

Our monthly visit to the doctor was last Monday. Everything checked out great - my blood pressure is low; no protein in the urine; the doctor said my uterus is measuring where it should be, with the top at my belly button; and the baby's heart rate was 140. When the doctor told me the top of the uterus was at my belly button, I wondered what all the stuff is making my belly pop out above the belly button!
So, after my wonderful check up on Monday, I started feeling some strange things on Tuesday night. At first, it felt like the baby was pressing its head really hard against the bottom of my belly. Then, the more I felt it, I realized it was a little too big to be the head at this point. So, by Wednesday I started thinking, "Is this what a contraction feels like? Maybe it is Braxton Hicks?!?" On Thursday, I decided to ask some of my friends at school who were pregnant recently if they had Braxton Hicks and what they felt like. They convinced me I should call the doctor, so I did. At this point, I was pretty calm about the whole thing, but when I talked to the nurse, she said I needed to come in right away. So, of course, I started panicking and imagining all sorts of awful things. But, when I got there, Dr. Demosthenes checked me out and said everything is fine. She confirmed that they were Braxton Hicks contractions and nothing to worry about unless they start hurting or coming regularly. So, the panic subsided! I had a few more on Friday, but haven't felt any in a few days. I have been feeling the baby more and more, though. He or she is moving around like crazy now!

Santa Vaca!!! I felt the baby. It felt like a Hong Kong Phooey chop.

Kicking!

Last night, I felt the first "big kick"! Bill and I had just gone to bed, and I was lying on my back. I just happened to have my hand on my stomach, and I felt this big kick from the inside. Then I realized that I had actually felt it on the outside as well! We sat there for another 10 minutes or so, with Bill's hand on my belly, hoping it would happen again, but no such luck. There were a few more movements, but nothing that strong that could be felt from the outside. It was such a cool feeling, and I cannot wait for Bill to be able to share that, too!

We're over half way!

Well, I am officially 22 weeks pregnant now, which is amazing to think about. Time seems to be flying by. No matter how you count it, we are over the half-way mark! That is very exciting for us, but also a little nerve-wracking, because we still have so much to do! Thanks to my dad, the nursery was painted this past weekend, and I think the yellow is going to look great with the bedding and the artwork! Now we need to get the crib in there and make sure we have all of the pieces to put it together. We have several hurdles that we need to start working on soon: registering, getting a car big enough for baby and all the accompanying "stuff", finding a pediatrician...

I guess the exciting news is that I am feeling some movement from the baby now. It is still just the "flutters" with no real discernable "kicks" yet. It is so cool to feel that wave of motion through my belly, and I am looking forward to when Bill will be able to feel it, too. Although, I hear that might be a bad thing, with the baby keeping me up at night and so on! As you can see from the picture, I am still growing (and fast)! This picture was taken last week, at the 21 week mark.

The Ultrasound!

Yesterday, we went to the doctor for the big ultrasound! Bill and I were amazed as we watched our little baby move around, wave, and suck its thumb, all inside my belly! Bill was in biology nerd heaven listening to the ultrasound tech describe all of the baby's anatomy in great detail. I think she was excited to have someone who knew exactly what she was talking about, too. She looked at the spine, heart, abdomen, and lots of other things that would be indications of some problem with the baby. Everything was normal and looked great! We decided to wait and not find out the sex, but we are thrilled to know we have a healthy baby in there, and we are so excited to meet him or her in person! Currently, I am feeling that it is a boy, but I think Bill still feels like it's a girl. We got lots of great pictures, and a 15 minute DVD with the whole ultrasound. I cried through the whole thing!

This is one of the great profile shots that we got!

I think he or she is going to be tall! It looked like he or she was stretching out those long legs!

In this picture, the baby was smiling and waving at us! (At least that is my interpretation!)

And, finally, here (s)he is sucking on that thumb! Looks like we will need those pacifiers if we don't want a thumb in the mouth all the time!

Christmas - 16 weeks

On Christmas Eve, we officially reached the 16 week mark!

The belly is growing ever larger, causing some of my "friends" to ask "Are you sure you aren't carrying twins?" We had an amazing Christmas, and the little one has already received several gifts! Bill surprised me with original artwork for the nursery that I had begged him for, but I thought it was too expensive. It is called "P is for Promise" by one of our favorite local artists, Judy Verhoeven. It is amazing and beautiful and already hanging on the nursery wall, although we have a lot of work to do in there!

We also got our nursery bedding from my parents, a cute t-shirt for the baby, some burp clothes, a sweet blanket (called a "nite-nite" in the Bridwell family) and lots of awesome books! Look out world, this baby is going to be spoiled!

We have picked out the paint for the nursery and will hopefully start that process soon. Thanks to one of our good friends, we also received a beautiful white sleigh crib, only slightly used, that will go great with everything else we have picked out. Sometimes I am just overwhelmed at how blessed we are! Now we are looking forward to the ultrasound on January 12!

Well we just finished the first trimester and are now in the great powerslide to Christmas. Things are good. Both of us are gaining weight at acceptable levels and enjoying the plumpness that is soon to be critter. Well, hers anyway.

We finished putting up the Cristmas tree last night and found so many of Meredith's angels from her kin growing up. It was really kind of nice and perfect: the dogs molesting me as I put together some ornaments and Mer putting them on the tree.

We really are enjoying life... all three.

peace