Halfway There!

If this baby actually makes it to his/her due date, we have only 20 more weeks to go before we meet him/her! It is amazing to think that we are, possibly, even beyond the halfway point! I have to admit that I have somewhat mixed feelings about this; I am just now getting into being pregnant. I can finally feel some fluttering movements and am beginning to look pregnant. When we first found out we were pregnant (way back in April), it seemed like such a long way until December. It is now only four months away and while we are so excited to meet him/her, I think I will miss being pregnant. I can't think of a more special or unique experience and I am so grateful that things have gone so smoothly thus far.

Our 20-week appointment with our NP yesterday was so positive. We received the results from the ultrasound...everything completely normal. WHEW! While I know that anything can happen, I feel very confident that our little one is healthy--at least all major organs and body systems appear to be forming/functioning normally.

We (mostly I) decided to opt out of the AFP screening test mainly because of the high rate of false positives. In some ways, yes, I think it is important to know that our baby has Downs or other anomalies before he/she is born but the ultrasound showed that major anomalies are not present. Yes, we still have about 1 in 600 chance of having a baby with Downs Syndrome. Perhaps we just shot ourselves in the foot by not finding out ahead of time, at the same time, the fact that the baby's organs and whatnot are functioning/forming normally is also an indicator that Downs may not be present (something like half of Downs babies are born with heart defects). I simply didn't want to subject us to the added stress of a likely false positive; even if we have a Downs baby cooking, I want to have the happiest possible pregnancy. We took a chance--I know. But I feel like sometimes it is best to just proceed and not bog myself down with the "what ifs." I am trying very hard to simply enjoy this and not worry to much about the future. It will be fine...no matter what.

Another quick note about the ultrasound: the radiological report suggested a due date of December 7. We are not changing our "official" due date because we are still within three weeks of our due date. Our NP said that we have a good chance of having a November baby, however! I will be "full term" around Thanksgiving so anytime after Turkey Day, folks...Baby Mayer could make an appearance.

Doug and I are finally home for the summer! We are done with traveling and are so happy to be HOME. We have so much to do before the baby comes--it is somewhat overwhelming. I know myself, however and I won't want to rearrange furniture or paint walls once the baby is here so we plan to have the baby's room ready (and the main bathroom DONE!) by Thanksgiving or so. While we don't plan to have everything for Baby by then (stepdad Steve is getting a cradle ready for us so if we don't have a crib right away, oh well!), those of you who have been in our second room know that the pumpkin-colored walls need to go (thanks to Uncle Dan and Aunt Catherine, Baby's room will be a lovely light green).

Have a great weekend and we'll continue the updates next week.

Peace!

Baby Mayer Ultrasound!

Well...here he/she is!




Needless to day, the ultrasound was great!!!!

We saw him/her wiggling around, waving at us, moving his/her legs...was incredible. Found out that my placenta (well, the baby's placenta) is anterior...meaning in the front. May be a reason why I have yet to feel the little critter. He/she looked perfect to me...nice spine, head, beating heart (147 bpm)...I didn't see anything weird (like a horn or third arm). We'll get the report when we go to the doctor next week...I can't wait! I have been so nervous about this ultrasound I think mostly because I just have no clue what to expect or what is normal, etc.

I think we decided that the little one...boy or girl...has my nose and Doug's ears. This is totally, completely overwhelming for me to think about (as I begin to tear up writing this)--a little person with my nose and Doug's ears. A real little being that we created, together. For the first time today, as I saw the little one, I felt like a mom. It became that much more real to me that I am...will always be...someone's mother and, holy shit, that is incredible. And the best of all? I have such an amazing partner with whom I get to share parenting. We all know that Doug will be the best dad ever. Oh, speaking of Dad, guess what one of the first comments Doug made at the ultrasound? You won't be the least surprised: "What incredible software!"

Ah, that is the man I love.

Here are a couple more ultrasound photos:




The first one is supposed to be his/her heart and we cannot figure out the second one...maybe an arm and hand? The tech kept pointing stuff out and I couldn't believe what I was seeing--stomach? femur? I frankly took her word for it.

I'll let Doug add his two cents about our experience...I am still somewhat dazed from the whole thing! I have to admit...I don't think I have ever been so happy in my life as when I first realized I was looking at our KID...our little one. Life is certainly GOOD.

Peace.

A Trip for the Ages

Wow, what a ride. We just returned yesterday from our "vacation" to San Diego to attend the wedding of our good friends Lucas and Cyndi. Actually, we returned from Santa Cruz where my cousin Alison was married, but we couldn't actually differentiate the two locales because we were so tired from driving. We left San Diego at 7:15am on Sunday morning and made it to Santa Cruz at 2:20pm, in time for the wedding at 3:00pm. Impressive, no?

While we had a wonderful time at both, it seems the traveling has really taken a toll on Jenn who woke up this morning with some serious back pain. She had been noticing increased aches in her back recently, but the time in the car and general fatigue has really aggravated her psyiatic (sp?) nerve. She phoned the doctor this morning and was told that this was totally normal, although it still sucks. Hopefully, it won't be chronic during the rest of the pregnancy.

It seems we are trying to make ourselves sick of traveling what with all of the trips we have been taking recently. I suppose it is good that we do these things while we can, but we sure are tired at the moment. We still plan to travel as much as we can (afford) even after the baby is born -- we want to expose the baby to traveling so hopefully he/she will get used to it.

Keyword = hopefully.

Anyway, I'll have to elaborate more on our recent travels and our upcoming ultrasound later. Work calls and I need to keep my job!

Was it always this hot in the summer?!?

As many of you know, Doug and I lived in Phoenix for two years before we moved back to California in 2003. It wasn't strange to hit 100 degrees every day for about three months during the summer in Phoenix. It wasn't the most pleasant thing in the world but whatever...everywhere had great AC and we just dealt with it.

Well, now that we are back in CA...Fresno...it is not nearly as hot as it was in Phoenix and yet the heat has been killing me lately. We had some extremely hot weather last week and while it is not 111 anymore...I am so hot. I cannot go outside without immediately beginning to sweat, it's pretty remarkable. Again, I blame the kid! Pregnant ladies are more susceptible to the heat...thank goodness I am not 7 months pregnant right now.

And being in Las Vegas last week was really tough. It was about Phoenix hot when we were there, around 109 or so. It was the air that I couldn't handle. The dryness really aggravated my already congested and sensitive nasal passages and lungs. I developed a nasty cough while there that is finally beginning to subside. My only relief was when we went to the Shark Reef exhibit at the Mandalay Bay...it was nice and humid in there. Maybe during our next pregnancy we will plan a vacation to New Orleans or Atlanta...where the air is nice and wet!

I'll let Doug report more on our Vegas vacation...he had quite an adventure in search of Tums for his pregnant wife. What a great hubby he is.

We are off to Southern CA tomorrow...to attend Lucas and Cyndie's wedding!! I am very excited to celebrate them and see some friends we haven't seen in quite awhile. We are then heading to Santa Cruz on Sunday to attend Doug's cousin's wedding there..Alison is getting married! It will be crazy...our mad wedding tour of CA. Doug already told me to have the alka selzer ready for him...it's nice that I have an excuse to NOT drink so I can be the designated driver. We are also stopping off in San Juan Capistrano to visit our pals Emily and Greg...it will be a crazy but very fun five days...

And in between all of this fun...it's sometimes really easy to forget that I am pregnant! I tend to push myself pretty hard when it comes to traveling, etc. and because I am feeling pretty good...I simply forget that I have a little bun cooking! On top of this, I still don't think I look pregnant...I have the tiniest of bumps still and while I know he/she is in there, I still haven't felt any kicks or thumps so...it's just a funny stage, I guess. A new phenomenon lately has been lower back pain...especially when I go to bed at night...wow...does my back ache. Weight is definitely being redistributed (thus the back pain) but I honestly thought I'd be huge by now!! I am not necessarily sad about NOT being huge...I was already pretty big to begin with. I guess this pregnancy continues to be something I simply could not anticipate...nothing is really how I expected it to be! And that is not a bad thing. :)

We do have an exciting milestone approaching...our ultrasound! We are scheduled for Thursday, 7/19...in about a week. It's perhaps not as exciting to some because we are not going to find out girl or boy but it is amazingly exciting to us! Of course, the worrier that I am, I am most concerned about defects...will this baby have a healthy spine? No indication of Downs? No third arm or eleventh finger? In my heart I know this baby is just fine but...well...I suppose I have to worry about something. I am also hoping the u/s will help me determine what the baby's movements feel like! I hope when I can see him/her move, I can somehow correlate the movements with sensations in my belly! We will make sure to post photos and whatnot from the u/s...so exciting!

In all, things are great. Hoping all is well with all of you, too!

Peace.