12w4d - We've got....limbs!!

Well, we had our 12-week appointment and NT scan today. The NT scan is a two-part test that looks for indications of Down's Syndrome and Trisomy 18. The first part is an ultrasound. I can't believe how much bean has changed since the last time we saw him/her! It's an actual baby in there with arms, legs, fingers, toes, and a little button nose! It was just incredible. Baby was wiggling all over and didn't want to cooperate with the u/s tech. The tech actually made me take a break and get up and walk around to get bean into a better position so she could get the measurements she needed. It worked and we were able to see the baby's perfect little profile. The tech also showed us the arms and hands and little legs. At one point baby was sucking his/her thumb and we could see the little mouth sucking away. It was just too cool!

Everything was just perfect. The doctor was happy with the measurements that were taken. Bean is actually measuring about 4 days ahead - yay for a big, healthy baby! The second part of the NT scan is a blood test, so I went and had that done at the lab before we left, too. And I didn't pass out this time! Woohoo! :)

I have been feeling pretty good. I think the last couple days I have had less nausea. I still need to snack throughout the day, but I don't get as icky-feeling in between my snacks now. Oh, and I was happy to learn that I've only gained 2.5 pounds so far! Not bad for being 12.5 weeks pregnant, huh?! Here are my 12w5d belly shots. I think I'm starting to get a more permanent pooch, but its still pretty little. I woke up in the middle of the night last night and K was rubbing my belly in his sleep. Awww. :)

I am so happy that we got to see a happy, wiggly little baby today. I have been staring at the ultrasound pictures since we got home. It's all so amazing and I feel so blessed!

12w3d - My quilt came!!

I am part of GP Quilters, which is a group of GP girls who make a combined "community quilt". We make a few squares of a pre-determined color or design, then mail them to one person who puts the squares together into a quilt. We decided that the quilts would go to members who got their BFP's. I was the first one to get a BFP after we started the group, so Moo told me I would be getting our first quilt, the red one.

So a few weeks go by and the quilt doesn't come. Moo asked for my address again and got very impatient about me checking the mail. (Love you, Moo!). Well, today was the day and somehow Moo knew exactly when my mail came and told me to go get it. I did, and there was my quilt. Except...not at all the quilt I was expecting. The girls got all sneaky on me and made a Bee Quilt!! It is the cutest thing I've ever seen. I was so shocked - I started crying (you know, blame it on the pregnancy hormones). I am just in awe over the kindness of these women. What an amazing gift. Here are some pics of their handiwork:

12w1d - Guess what...

K and I get to see the baby again in 3 days!!! I can't wait. I am so excited to see the little bean - complete with limbs this time. Last time was exciting, but there was only a head and tail...not too much to ooh and aah over. This time he/she will have arms, legs, fingers, and toes! And a little face!

Today I am 12 weeks, 1 day and feel like puking all day long. It really is a joyous time. I have not actually gotten sick, however, so I am still calling myself lucky. It does suck to feel nauseous all day but I can deal with it. And it is so worth it.

I have still been able to find the bean on the doppler. The heartrate is slowing down just like it is supposed to. Tonight I listened and he/she was chugging away at 160 bpm. I still think baby is a boy and my mom thinks baby is a girl. K and I did decide to find out the sex, so that appointment will be sometime towards the end of February I think. I can't wait!

Baby is the size of a plum this week! 2 1/2 inches long, but only weighs 1/2 ounce. He/she has almost all organ systems formed and functioning and we are at the point that risks from environmental factors are substantially decreased. Whew!

I can't believe I am 3 months pregnant. I remember looking at tickers for other girls that were 12 weeks and feeling like I would never get there. And here I am! I still worry about something going wrong, but not quite as much. I am so thankful for everything that I have been able to experience so far and CAN'T WAIT to see this little one on Wednesday! I can't imagine a better way to spend my New Year's Eve!

11w3d - So happy!!

Congrats to my BFPB, MrsPink!!! She got her bfp today and I am sooooo happy for her! I have seriously never been so excited for a "stranger" in my life. Woohoo for baby pink!!

For Christmas this year K and I got each other tickets to the Bears/Packers game in Chicago. We went last night and it was quite an adventure. Here are some key facts you should know:
1. It was the coldest Bears game since 1983 - a whopping 7 degrees.
2. We took a train and shuttle to get to the stadium. The train was fine, the shuttle sucked.
3. People are crazy and will knock pregnant ladies around and shove her out of the way to get on the sucky shuttle.
4. Hand warmers in your shoes do not keep your toes from freezing.
5. The Bears ROCK!!!

Overall it was a really great time and I'm glad we went. Bean's first Bears game was a success and I'm sure he/she will be going to many more.

K and I are at our parents' houses for the week. My mom, brother, and sister got to hear Bean on the doppler today. It was nice to be able to share that with them (and to know that he/she is still going strong in there after the game last night). My mom and dad both think that I have a little "pooch", as my mom put it. I still think it's too early, but the bloat is definitely noticeable to others. :) Hopefully I'll have belly pictures or other pictures from Christmas to share soon.

One week and one day until we get to see Bean on u/s again! I can't wait!!

10w2d - Bean's beat....

I wanted to catch Bean's heartbeat on tape for my mom. This bright idea actually came to me in a dream - in the dream I was making the little video and then sent it to my mom. I woke up and thought it was a cute idea and decided to do just that. So Saturday and Sunday I tried to hunt the beanster down and couldn't find him/her. Today I tried again and found that beautiful sound. So I taped it and sent it to my mom and K's mom. :) There's a lot of background noise, but I was so happy to get it on tape!

9w5d - Not too much new

Except for this uncontrollable bloat. I have caught people at work looking at my belly. They pretty much all know now anyway.

Tonight is the Christmas program for my kids. I really don't want to drag my butt back out of the house, but I always like seeing them all dressed up. I have some that have to wear pajamas, some that are Santas, and some that are Christmas trees. They're so cute!

Alright, I better go get ready for that. I just wanted to share my belly pics for 9w5d. Oh, and I was able to hear bean again on the doppler. It's the most beautiful sound!!

9w3d - Milestone!

Today I am 9 weeks, 3 days and we heard bean's heartbeat on a home doppler!! I am so thrilled, I can't even tell you. I had debated about getting a doppler - knowing that I can be a little obsessive and a worry wart. I didn't want to get one and then find myself listening every day, or not be able to find the heartbeat and freak out. But I finally decided to that I would get one if I promised to be reasonable about it.

So I went on Amazon and ordered the Hi Bebe doppler that came with 2 extra bottles of gel (it was a steal at only $115). It came in the mail yesterday, and so of course I opened it up and tried it out. I didn't hear anything and was ok with that.

Today I decided I wasn't going to try. I knew it was realllllly early (they say on average you can't hear it until 12 weeks). Anyway, I got home and decided to try it anyway. See the obsessive part I'm talking about? So I was sitting and trying to find it for a few minutes when all of a sudden "whoosh whoosh whoosh" loud and clear!! 174 beats per minute. I did some research to find out if that was a good heartrate and found that at 9 weeks it should be 155-195, so bean is perfect. I called K to tell him about it (he worked late tonight) and then my mom. Then I found it and listened to it again just be sure I wasn't crazy.

When K got home he wanted to hear, so we sat down to try and hunt down the heartbeat again. I let him do it. He was so cute and patient, moving it all over, watching the screen, and listening carefully. He couldn't find it, so I gave it a try. I couldn't find it either, so then he wanted to listen to his belly just to be sure there wasn't anything funny going on in there. After we listened to his belly and heart, he wanted to try one more time and there it was! Strong and beautiful, still in the 175 range. K was amazed, as am I. I am so glad we got to hear the bean!!

9w1d - We Told Our Families!!

Long story short, we ditched the Christmas plan and went home to visit and tell our parents this weekend. We already had our mug and t-shirts ready to go. I drove up on Friday night and K had to meet me there Saturday afternoon after his business trip. So I had to keep quiet for a day until he got there, which was harder than any of the previous weeks since I knew it was getting so close!!

When K got to my parents house we sat around and chit-chatted for a while before I not-so-nonchalantly brought up the video montage I had made. I told my parents that since we never made the one for our wedding and I already had all the pictures pulled together I decided to do it just for fun. They had NO CLUE what they were in for. Well they watched the whole thing, laughing at how silly and young K and I were in most of the pictures. We got to the slide with the positive test and my dad immediately stood up and started hugging us and congratulating us. My mom just sat and stared until the final slide that said "Baby F due in July" and then she started crying and getting all excited. She said her heart stopped when she saw the positive test and thought the next slide would say, "NOT!". Lol...that would be cruel, mom. :)

For K's parents we gave his mom a mug that said, "Grandma F..." on it. She opened it and IMMEDIATELY knew what it meant and started screaming, "Oh my God!! Oh my God!!" Then she got up and hugged us and congratulated us. It was great. His dad didn't see the mug, so I had to take it and show him so he could understand why K's mom was going nuts. He was grinning and as K put it, "Beaming as much as he beams." We then told K's sister and brother-in-law and K's mom called some people. It was fun.

The BEST part was telling my younger brother and sister. They weren't there when we told my parents, and we had gotten them shirts that say, "World's Coolest Uncle" and "Aunt 2009". They opened their gifts at the same time. My sis read hers first and understood immediately. She covered her mouth and waited for my brother to read. He read his shirt and we asked him what that meant. He looked confused, so I asked who he was an uncle to. He pointed to our dogs. Lol. At this point my sister had enough of waiting, came running around the kitchen table screaming, "YOU'RE HAVING A BABY!!!!" She jumped up to hug me and my brother says, "What?!" My parents explained to him that I am pregnant. He says, "You're pregnant? You're pretty skinny!" Haha...so cute.

Last ones to tell personally are my grandma and grandpa. My mom and I are going to their house today and will see them and some of my aunts and uncles. So now the cat is officially out of the bag and it was a great weekend!