11 Week Appointment

Well I went to the doctor today and saw a really awesome certified nurse/midwife! My uterus is the expected size for 11 weeks and everything else looks good. I was able to hear baby's heartbeat - good and strong at about 170 beats per minute! Wow, what an amazing sound! I so wish Richard had been able to be there to hear it... but he'll hear it next time. :) I have lost some more weight since my last appointment - about 4 more pounds... but the midwife said they're not usually too concerned in the first trimester and that I will probably catch up on my weight gain throughout the rest of the pregnancy.
Good foods: Rice Krispies, Cheerios, ice cream, milk, dried apricots, saltines, lemons
Bad foods: macaroni & cheese, anything heavy
Weight: down 9 pounds from my "normal," 4 pounds since last appointment
Exercise: not much yet - just an occassional walk with the pups when I'm feeling okay
Next Appointment: Thursday, 26 June

Hormones

Richard has been gone almost a week now (out of a month+) and my emotions are kicking in high gear. I get teary when he calls and feel sad thinking how he could possibly not be here come birth-day too. I know I/we will get through it all but with these ultra-sensitive emotions it feels overwhelming. On the other end of the spectrum I am super excited and still feel like it can't possibly be real... but then when I find myself hugging the toilet again, I know there HAS to be something going on inside me. :) (Still combating the nausea - nothing new there, although I think the extra Vitamin B6 may be helping a little.) I haven't really been getting out much other than for grocery shopping and trips to the dog park to let the pups burn some energy. Actually I did both those things today: The pups desperately needed to run wild and tire themselves out as I haven't been up for walking them lately. On the shopping trip I got some jello, watermelon, grapes, pudding, and some white rice which I am anxious to try working into my meal plan. I am super excited about my doctor's appointment next week and can't wait to absorb everything they have to show and tell me!
Saving foods: Rice Krispies, saltines, milk, pretzels
Bad foods: anything spicy or heavy

Until next time... :)

First Trip to the Doctor

Appointment: Well my appointment this morning did not entail as much as I thought it would... there was no physical exam of any kind (besides basic height, weight, blood pressure stuff -- and I've actually lost a couple pounds since I was at the doctor for that virus last month). I filled out a bunch of paperwork and then a nurse pretty much just took me through what to expect at my future appointments and gave me a bunch of literature. Then I was sent down to the lab for some blood work. I do have another appointment scheduled already though - May 30 in the afternoon, and this time I should definitely be able to hear a heartbeat! :) Unfortunately, though, Richard will still be in California then. Oh well, there will be plenty more appointments...
Danelle update: I haven't thrown up since Sunday!!! but I have still been feeling all-day queasy. The nurse today sent me to the pharmacy to get some extra Vitamin B6, which is supposed to help... hope so! My appetite has been a little better too, as far as not having as many food aversions and being able to eat a little more balanced and nourishing selection of foods.
Richard update: Richard was able to come with me to my appointment today, which was very nice. It was nice to have him there and for him to get to kind of experience the beginning of the medical side of the process. He leaves Thursday morning for California (boo) so he has been doing some last minute packing and laundry.
That's pretty much it for now... I will update again soon - definitely after my May 30th appointment!

Week 8

Baby book info update: Our little baby is about the size of a large raspberry now and the lips, nose, eyelids, legs, and back are continuing to take shape. Baby's heart is beating at the amazing rate of 150 times per minute (twice as fast as mine)! He or she is also making spontaneous movements, although too tiny for me to feel yet.
Danelle update: I have still been substitute teaching which is nice for us financially but not so nice for me physically. I'm finishing up the days I'm already scheduled for but am not accepting any new days because right now it is all I can do to make it through a school day (with occasional rushes to the closest restroom). Of course I'm not really "showing" yet, but it is becoming increasingly more uncomfortable to hold my stomach tight or suck in. Right now I'm just praying for the departure of this constant nausea and the arrival of some more energy. I would really like to get back to walking with the pups and doing some weight training but so far that has been pretty much impossible.
Richard update: Marlie (my cousin) and Mike (her husband) were in town last night with their 2 and a half month old daughter, Emma. It was nice to see them and catch up... and it was awesome to see Richard holding her and feeding her a bottle. I could tell he was a little nervous about handling such a tiny, fragile person, but he did great! :) Oh, he is also banned (until further notice) from cooking bacon while I am at home... so if you hear that he is severly injured by me any time soon, you will know why. hehe
That's all for now! I will update next week after my first doctor's appointment!

Hanging In

According to my baby book (What to Expect When You're Expecting), there's a lot going on with our little one right now. He or she is about the size of a blueberry and new brain cells are being generated at the rate of 100 cells per minute! Also taking shape are baby's mouth and tongue, and the kidneys are now poised to begin their important work of waste management. His or her arm and leg buds are forming, which are beginning to sprout into paddle-like appendages and to divide into hand, arm, and shoulder segments--and leg, knee, and foot segments. My first doctor's appointment is 2 weeks from today and I am so excited to go and start that part of this journey. We may even be able to hear the baby's heartbeat by then! (Hopefully Richard will be able to go with me - I don't think he'll be in California for pre-deployment training yet.) Since my last post, my severe itching has been replaced with all day "morning" sickness. (What a silly thing to call it as it certainly does not apply to only mornings.) I'm trying to stay positive and do everything I can to prevent and quell the queasies but right now the rest of the first trimester sounds like an eternity. I guess we can at least take it as a sign that things are really happening in my not-yet-showing body. :) Thank you, Lord, for this amazing blessing!

Losing my Mind

The last couple days have been pretty good without too much nausea (and without much exposure to food smells), and I think I've pretty well beat this virus. There is one major thing, however, that I was not expecting... I have had terrible uncontrollable itching for the last 3 days. It's especially the palms of my hands and the soles of my feet and sometimes randomly everywhere else. It feels like a bad bug bite that itches SOOO bad and when you finally give in a scratch, it feels really good while you're scratching but doesn't take away the itch. I feel like I'm losing my mind because there is nothing I can do to help it! I read up on it and it sounds like some women experience this due to the increased estrogen production and the only advice seems to be staying well hydrated and using lots of lotion. I put some lotion in the refrigerator because the coolness feels good and I will continue to try that, but my skin doesn't really feel that dry. I don't know - maybe it's just something I will have to get used to... if that's possible.

Reality setting in

Richard and I called our parents and siblings last night and they are all very excited. It's going to take a little while for it to sink in for all of us, it's still hard to believe it's real! Now that I'm feeling a good bit better from the virus, I am starting to be able to distinguish my other physical feelings and changes. The nausea I mentioned yesterday is definitely not virus related... smells are so magnified to me right now. Richard's breakfast of eggs and bacon - terrible. Vegetable soup - disgusting. Walmart grocery shopping trip - horrendous (way too many food smells mixed together there). I haven't actually thrown up (yet) but have felt overall nauseous for most of the day. I feel pretty ready for everything that is happening and am excited about experiencing each phase of this journey.