Fourteen Weeks ~ My baby can pee!!

Lovebug's Stats:
This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.

In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Mommy's Stats:
How far along?: 14 weeks and  less than 5 away from finding out if we're cooking a boy or a girl!!!!!!
Weight gain/loss: I have no idea! 
Symptoms:  This week, headaches. 
Maternity clothes?: yes.  I'm probably 50/50 now.
Stretch marks?: nope. But I did find a new broken blood vessel on my left leg in the shower today...eek!
Sleep:  Every night between 9:30-10pm, and dreams are wild!
Best moment this week: time with my fellow mommy-to-be Heather for a pedicure!Food cravings: fruits & veggies....such a complete 180 from my 1st tri.
Gender: Will find out in less than 5 weeks...yaaa!  Girls still scare me.
Belly button in or out?: in
Movement?: yes, when I lay down baby is rolling around in there...no kicks yet though.
Signs of Labor: nope
What I miss?: sushi this week...oh I can barely say it without wanting to run out to buy it immediately.  Oh sushi...real sushi...how I miss you!
What I'm looking forward to: working out more than 3 days/week...and this week...I think it might happen.  I might even make it back to spin this week...or at least by next.  I even signed up for the Turkey Day 5K in my hometown!!
Weekly Wisdom: eating well & working out actually keeps me sane!
Weekly WTF: what's with the body acne...I mean...come on?!?  I definitely didn't have this problem with Ty...hence the WTF!
Milestones: more good days than bad in 1 week...and I have made dinner more times than not this week too...yaaaa!  I'm on the mend!  I'm also so much more organized at work being more clear-headed and less pukey!  :)

Notes from a Nutty Mom-of-two-to-be:
**I'm breaking down and buying a fetal doppler this weekend...I know...only crazies do this.  I can't help it.  From going from an RE and monitoring every 2 weeks, to not seeing my baby till the big u/s at the end of Nov, I just can't take it!!!
** I have a registry.  I know (slaps own hand) bad me for being a 2nd time mom and creating a registry.  But can you blame a girl who wants the 10% off completion coupons and the hope that the grandmas will take a look and help us out?? :) :)  Maybe for a little holiday called, oh...Christmas (wink, wink).  Now if only I can figure out how to erase the duplicate registry that was somehow created!
**My BFPB is due in less than a week and I am soooo excited for her to meet her little man!  Ya Stef...we made it together! :) :)
**Would it be weird if I just wore a sign all the time that said "no I'm not eating too many butterfingers,  I'm actually pregnant"????
**Is it bad I'm trying to convince my friend Heather to find out the sex of her baby even though her and her hubby so clearly discussed that they were, in fact, absolutely not finding out...just so I can satisfy my own curiosities?!?
**If I somehow "bribe" my 3 year old so that he gets out of diapers before April...does that make me a bad mom?!

Here I am...2nd tri

I tried to take a picture of myself before work, in something other than sweats.  They didn't come out that well...but...I'm trying to document this pregnancy as much as possible.  So here I am at 13 weeks!

Lucky Thirteen ~ 2nd Tri

I'm finally in my 2nd tri...yippee!

Lovebug's Stats:
Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

Mommy's Stats:
How far along?: 13 weeks, and a bit more (I'm running late this week)
Weight gain/loss: I think 4-5lbs since I got KU.
Symptoms:  only exhaustion after 9:30pm.  This week has been my best string of good days thusfar.  4 in a row!  Keep em coming! 
Maternity clothes?: Pants and brought a few tops up from the basement this week...they really do = comfort.  I've thrown in the towel
Stretch marks?: nope. Moisturizing like crazy!
Sleep:  every night at 9:30 sharp I pass out on the couch. 
Best moment this week: 2nd tri milestone!!! 
Food cravings: peaches!  Do you think it's cause the baby is the size of a peach right now?  Gender: Haven't thought much about it this week, but have cut down our name list.
Belly button in or out?: in
Movement?: yep...pops are definitely real
Signs of Labor: uh...no...but had a dream I went into premature labor...icky dream!
What I miss?: this week...alcohol.  It was torture to attend book club this week without a glass of wine in my hand.  (whine...lol...play on words!)
What I'm looking forward to: it being obvious to strangers I'm pregnant and not fat!
Weekly Wisdom: exercise actually makes me have more energy for the evening hours
Weekly WTF: porn boobs...stop growing...please!
Milestones: 2nd tri...obviously...and less than 5 weeks until we find out the gender!  We will find out in the 19th week.

I heard it with my own ears

Today was our 1st midwife appt.  It's definitely a different experience going to a midwifery than being monitored every 2 weeks by our RE.  But, I'm trying to make it a positive change, and hoping to relax into this pregnancy and finally connect with or baby, now that I feel confident I'll carry him/her to term and our care is finally "normal" ob care.  I was so glad to get back to seeing Stacy, she's the best midwife around.   

Today's milestone was finally hearing the baby's heartbeat!  Although it took an abnormally, and nerve-wrackingly long time to hear it...there it was at a quick 154 bpm!  We were both relieved and excited to finally hear it, since we had only SEEN it on our u/s.

Here's what the Old Wive's Tale's say about heartbeat & gender (although I don't believe it because Ty's hb was always very fast): 

"As the old wives' tale has it, if your unborn baby's heart rate is higher, above 140 beats per minute, that means you're carrying a girl. A lower heart rate below 140 bpm means you're having a boy.

It's hard to resist such an easy test, and ever so tempting to over-analyze the pitter patter of that tiny heart. In early pregnancy, the reassuring sound of that heartbeat is just about the only thing we've got to show a baby's even there.
But don't get your hopes up, or have your hopes dashed, based on your baby's heart rate, because it has absolutely nothing to do with what your baby has between its legs. This particular old wives' tale was found to be completely false by a medical study 20 years ago. Another medical study in 2006 confirms that fetal heart rate has nothing to do with the baby's sex, and even more convincing, Maureen has even conducted her own in-womb experiment to prove it".

Our next appt is November 17th, and that will just be a routine check.  Then we'll get to schedule the big u/s for the week after Thanksgiving for the big u/s and gender reveal!  So that's 6 weeks away, which I think will fly by!  I'm pumped to finally know what I'm having.  Also, Stacy say I should feel movement before I come back to see her on the 17th...so I'm very excited to feel the baby finally! 

Twelve Weeks!!

Lovebug's Stats:
The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long and weighs half an ounce.

Mommy's Stats:
How far along?: 12 weeks!  1 more till 1st tri is over!!!
Weight gain/loss: Have no idea...too scared to get on that scale. Friends at work are commenting on my little belly though.  Not sure if that's good or bad at 12 weeks!  lol!
Symptoms:  up & down feeling...good 1 day...horrible the next.  I have fallen asleep with Ty the last 3 nights...so that's 8pm nite-nite time for Ty and Mommy.  Pathetic!
Maternity clothes?: Pants...yes...just for comfort.  Mommy took me shopping for some flowy tops last weekend, so those are working for now.
Stretch marks?: nope. Moisturizing like crazy!
Sleep:  early and often
Best moment this week: the 1 day I felt like "myself"
Food cravings: water, and lots of it!  not much else to "crave".
Gender: Had my first gender dream last night...it was a boy that looked identical to Ty.  LOL!  So this week...a boy!
Belly button in or out?: in, should stay that way. I should think about changing out my belly ring though.
Movement?: little pops have started when I'm laying still...it's definitely not gas!
Signs of Labor: Well I hope not!
What I miss?: working out!  Oh how I miss you!
What I'm looking forward to: reconnecting with my hubby, as we pass like ships these days since I'm sleeping so much.
Weekly Wisdom: fiber products are not a joke...they work...and I swear an apple is the best and only remedy for constipation!  Coffee doesn't even work anymore.
Weekly WTF: will I ever poop again???  Sorry for the tmi!
Milestones: Baby is a plum...and I'm less than a week from 2nd tri!  I might make an informal announcement on fb soon too.

Eleven Weeks

Lovebug's Stats:

Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.

She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.

Mommy's Stats:
How far along?: 11 Weeks!

Weight gain/loss: Definitely gain...but don't weigh myself.

Symptoms:  burping & constipation are main issues still...but I "might" be feeling better
Maternity clothes?: Yes...broke down and have worn maternity pants 2 times this week, not so much for "need" but for comfort.
Stretch marks?: nope. Moisturizing like crazy!
Sleep:  the minute I am horizontal, no matter the time of day or night
Best moment this week: graduating from the RE!!!!!!!!!!
Food cravings: not much, just still eating lots of soup, carbs and drinking water!
Gender: don't know, but now that I'm on the other side of 10 weeks, it feels like we are closer to finding out!
Belly button in or out?: in, should stay that way. I should think about changing out my belly ring though.
Movement?: I swear I feel gurgles at times.

Signs of Labor: Well I hope not!
What I miss?: enjoying workouts :(

What I'm looking forward to: my first external u/s with my midwife & seeing Stacy again!
Weekly Wisdom: Coffee might be the answer to my prayers at work.  It's really helped when I can stomach down some coffee.
Weekly WTF: New symptom...headaches!  fun!

Milestones: RE graduation day & seeing lovebug move and look like a real baby.  Wow!

Graduation Day

Yesterday we graduated from our miracle-worker RE. It was a bitter-sweet day, as we have been so lucky to be able to see our lovebug every 2 weeks since 5 weeks, and to be so closely monitored with such special care.  But, graduating from the RE means they believe we will have a viable, safe, full-term, healthy pregnancy!!!  That is quite a milestone, to say the least!  :)  It also means I can say BYE BYE to the icky vag progesterone I've been taking forever (thank the Lord!).  As always, we were both nervous waiting for the Dr, Mike was masking it more than me. But after seeing the baby move, seeing its facial features, fingers, legs all tucked up and watching it move and jump...we were set at ease and more in love than ever.  It was quite a day. 

At the end of our appointment, the staff all congratulated me and I got a silver spoon and a congrats package of stuff.  It was such a fun experience, much different than every other time I've been in their office praying for good news or bloodwork.  Dr. Chin and his staff are incredible, and I'm so blessed to have connected with them.  I may have bucked his every suggestion about cutting down on running and gaining weight...but boy am I glad I listened in the end.  We have a miracle coming in 6 months!  OMG!

Here's lovebug at 11 weeks, measuring just under a week ahead!  We Scherman/Burkle's have big babies! :)
Note:  it's a full-frontal, you're looking at the baby head-on. 

 I like this one the best, cause you can see the entire body, leg are curled up in front on the left side.  You can even pick out the eyes, nose and mouth, as well as each finger.  So cool!

We are blessed

I have been following Giuliana and Bill's IF story for a while now, because I think they are so brave for putting it all out there, and because I know their family personally.  Although we don't see them often, we can completely identify with their struggles, and support them from afar.  I have been rooting for them on their baby journey, and was hoping since there was no news...that was good news!  This is just another reason I have found to praise God we have been blessed after all this time.  God Bless them & their loss!

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/detail.jsp?contentId=203222

Poop Baby begone!

Maybe my next bump picture won't include a "poop baby" as well!  Dulcolax is my savior!