JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE

15 weeks, 6 days

It feels awesome to be beginning my second trimester. I still don't know where the first one went?! And while I am incredibly pleased my pregnancy seems to be flying by I have this sneaky suspicion that time is about to slow down BIG time.

I have been feeling really good up until recently when it seems that just like everyone else I have succumbed to being sick while pregnant. I was doing so well too! I know our immune systems weaken but I had successfully avoided getting sick my entire first trimester! Aside from the occassional allergy attack I was golden! I washed my hands almost every five minutes and avoided sick people like the plague all in an effort to remain well and healthy. Then, without fail, just as I am about to enjoy a few well deserved days off with my hubby in the form of a staycation ( I discovered I had a few extra vacation days rolled over from last year and thought now would be the perfect time to use them!) - POW - sick as can be. Nothing too dramatic - just your average head cold, but SHEESH, I had worked so hard at staying germ-free only to be riddled with them while trying to enjoy some time off. I think the worst is over but I know it's still going to linger a few more days (just in time to be heading back to work).

It's not that I was upset I couldn't really take anything for it - I don't normally use cold medication even when I am not pregnant. It just stunk to be pregnant, on vacation, AND sick - come on! Not fair at all. Oh well, I consider myself lucky and grateful to be doing so well thus far. I am just going to keep my fingers crossed and my hand sanitizer close by for the remainder of my journey!

GROWING LIKE A WEED

13 weeks, 6 days

Amazing. My second ultrasound for Baby "E" measured in at 11 weeks, 6 days on May 5th. It's amazing how in a little over 3 weeks my sweet little one has grown so much! This time he/she looked MUCH more baby-like! Hooray! It was amazing to see our "little peanut" (who is not so little or so peanut-like anymore) moving around - legs and arms kicking up and down. It reminded me of riding a roller coaster - how I love to raise my arms at the top of the track and then squeal all the way down arms flailing. I bet when Baby "E" gets big enough for me to feel those kicks I will miss the early days of just being able to see them! Ouch!

This ultrasound was to test for down syndrome by measuring the length of the Nuchal Fold. I believe anything over a measurement of 3 mm puts you at an increased risk. Baby "E" measured in at around 1.5 mm, which the ultrasound tech said was perfect! He/she was profile the whole time and so we got some adorable pictures where you could see the little forehead, nose, and mouth. So cute!

Another awesome experience was to hear the heartbeat! At the first ultrasound we could see it beating, but it was still too early to hear. This time it was loud and clear and sounded like a muffled washing machine - swish, swish, swish. How many beats per minute? 156! But I think that was in part because of how much he/she was moving around.

All in all, a wonderful experience!

MORNING SICKNESS? WHAT'S THAT?

11 weeks, 5 days

I have to admit, compared to some of my pregnant friends, I "seem" to have escaped the dreaded morning sickness curse. That being said watch it strike at any given moment with a great big "Oh No You Didn't!" Seriously though, except for a few queasy moments, which happened most often in the early evening, I am able and willing to digest whatever strikes my fancy. I read somewhere that women who experience severe morning sickness are 50% more likely to be having a girl - so naturally, I'm thinking "Huh, I must be having a boy". Alas, I won't be finding out the answer to that mystery for another 8 weeks.