7 weeks, 6 days

I am 7 weeks, 6 days today. Baby graduates to the size of a raspberry over the next 7 days - go baby, go baby go!

I feel like as 8 weeks creeps up, morning sickness is getting stronger and stronger. I was really hoping to be in that 25% of women that don't experience morning sickness - but if this is as bad as it gets, I'll be ok. I'm not hugging the toilet at least.

I find myself with food in front of me constantly - munching to curb the feeling of neasea. I eat a banana on my way into work, I just ate an apple and now I'm munching on animal crackers - it's 11am. The thought of my other snacks are that I don't want them...carrots with veggie dip, cottage cheese, cheese stick (that sounds ok). I need to find some new things to snack on. Start a snack rotation of sorts.

...and what to do for lunch? I would love some arby's! But does that fall under deli meats and is it safe for BB? I'll just wait until I can talk to someone who can guide me on if arby's is safe or not! But damn that roast beef or roasted chicken sandwich sounds so good! oh i'm salivataing. and i just went online to tempt myself even further and they have their chocolate turnover available again - for a limited time! I know, I know - sugar is bad...but those are SO GOOD! Maybe this time it will make it to the menu permanantely! I may be swinging through Arby's for a sweet treat later!

News of Family Expansion

This weekend, Steve and I were able to reveal our exciting news of family expansion to my mom, as well as Dad, Katherine, Clair and Maria. We really wanted to tell them in person, so for my mom, I bought a cute little bud vase from Michael's and some ribbon that says BABY on it and tied it around the neck of the vase. I put a pink gerbera daisy in the vase (but not to represent the sex of BB b/c we don't know that yet). I had some postcard size paper with a cute border on it, leftover from my 30th b-day party 2 years ago, so I printed "Llama Mama Jo" (inside joke about her name) on the front of the card and on the back, I put a picture of the sonogram and said "Congratulations, you're going to have a grandchild". When we met up with each other Friday night, before going to the Conti's for a weekend visit, I got out of the car with the vase and card in hand, hugged her and said I had a little gift for her. She was surprised I would have a gift, loved the flower but didn't realize what was going on until she opened the card to see the sonogram. She just stared at me, shocked, but excited, hugged me and I told her about how we decided to start trying and bam, got pregnant! We chatted for a bit in the parking lot and then headed over to the Conti's to start our weekend with them.

I decided to try to keep it from the Conti's - it was hard, b/c typically when I visit with them, I drink. But I just wanted to keep the news to myself until our appt. on Nov. 8th. I was successful in not telling them, but whether or not they have a hunch is another story. I even supplied my own ginger ale!

Last night, Dad, Katherine, Clair & Maria came to our house for dinner and to celebrate Maria's 17th b-day. Of course this was also a ploy to get them all together (w/ Steve included) to share the news of BB. It was hard to wait, but we waited until the end of dinner to share the news. Everyone got to our house around 7 and we visited while we waited for Steve to get off of work and get home w/ the pizza. Once he was home, we ate dinner and I then called Steve into the kitchen to help clean up and get Maria's b-day cupcake and everyone else's cupcake ready. I made similar cards as my mom's for the fam - with Clair and Maria's saying they were going to be an aunt, and Dad and Katherine's saying they were going to have a grandchild. We placed the cards under the cupcakes, so once Maria blew out her b-day candle and picked up her cupcake, she would see the card. Everyone was oohing and ahing over the creativity of the "place card holder", not realizing there was something inside. I think I eventually told everyone to open the cards, and one-by-one the realization of the message hit each of them. Clair screamed, Maria said "who's pregnant....wait, is someone pregnant" and she stared at me. I looked around the table and once Katherine and Dad figured it out too - I confirmed that yes, I was in fact, pregnant! Excitement filled the room. Everyone got up to to hug me and we talked about how quickly it happened and how we (or really more I) was scared and nervous and asked that they not post anything on FB or Twitter or anywhere on the internet until we give them the go ahead. Everyone agreed. It felt so good to tell them. It's so hard to keep this a secret. Fortunately I'm not showing or anything (considering BB is only the size of a blueberry, soon to blossom into a raspberry by Wednesday) so that helps. But it's going to feel good after our Nov. 8th appt when we can tell more people.

Next it's trying to figure out a way to get a visit in with Steve's parents - which will mean I probably need to take a day off of work on a day that Steve has off and we go visit them for the day. Our excuse? To show off Steve's new ride, of course! And Dad had a great idea - to put a car seat in the back of the car. Now, if only we could get our hands on a car seat...

Food

I thought I was doing well - maybe I was the very small 25% of pregnant women who doesn't experience morning sickness. As of yesterday, I was saying that I haven't had any real food aversions or cravings, but after my appointment, Steve and I went to Cheesecake Factory and got a few 1/2 price appetizers...all fried. Nachos (Steve's fave), corn fritters (my fave) & southwestern eggrolls (fried) - typically very appetizing but not yesterday. I didn't eat very much, it just wasn't good to me and I was turned off by how FRIED everything was. Part of it could have been the fact that I had worked myself up so much over yesterday's appointment...hoping there would (1) be a baby in my uterus and (2) that there would be a heartbeat! I was able to relax a bit after everything was confirmed, but maybe it just took an emotional toll on me and caused me to lose my appetite. I went home and was in bed by 7:30. Not sure what time I actually fell asleep, but I was exhausted.

I've eaten some banana bread and right now I have some yogurt in front of me that is just NOT APPETIZING. Grrrrr. I have to eat and I don't want this. But I'm going to force it down. I wish I had cravings so I would know what I should buy to eat, but nothing. Nothing is calling my name, saying Eat Me!

Baby Baum's Heartbeat

Today Steve and I went to my 1st OB appointment and saw the heartbeat! Turns out my calculations are a bit off (or the baby is measuring small)...according to the ultrasound, I'm measuring at 6 weeks, 5 days...due date May 25th. Steve says BB (baby baum) will probably be born on my b-day (meaning BB will be 2 weeks late) - let's hope not!

Here's BB's 1st snapshot - can't tell AT ALL that this is a baby - but there is a heart beating in my uterus...and it was fast.

Baby Baum - 6 Weeks, 5 Days

 Everything looked good according to Dr. F (as we'll call my doctor). It was a relief. I was a nervous wreck today...the morning was okay, but once it hit 1pm, I was in the bathroom 3 times - my stomach was torn to pieces! I wish I could tell my sister, Maria, b/c today is her 17th b-day - what a great b-day gift that would be, to tell her she's going to be an Aunt. But for now, we wait. I'm planning on telling mom 1st - on Friday. We are going to Wilmington to stay with Heather's parents for the weekend. Then we have to figure out when to tell my Dad/fam and Steve's parents. The waiting is the hardest part!

Week 7

I figure I will go ahead and write about what week I THINK I'm in - calculating how far along I am is not easy. It's supposed to be calculated based on the last time I had my period...so that would be August 8th. I still get a little laugh at how this happened so quickly. I took another pregnancy test last week - I'm so paranoid. I'm going to feel so much better after Monday's appointment. It's still too early to HEAR a heartbeat, but we should be able to see it on the ultrasound.

Last weekend we had the benefit concert for Heather, where I knew I was going to have to avoid drinking and somehow get around all the questions about why I wasn't drinking. I think I pulled it off but I guess we'll see who was "on to me" once I tell the group the news. Since we were driving back to Mebane after the concert, I was using that as an excuse. I also threw out the fact that if I drank one, it would lead to two, which would lead to three...just not a good idea. I needed to have self control and be responsible. Plus, I wanted Holly to be able to drink and have a good time! She's got 2 kids - she doesn't go out often...she deserves a night off and to be able to to have a few beers!

While we were at Old Town, the bar where everyone goes during the day of Homecoming for UNCG, we were sitting outside. We had ordered lunch, drinking water and chatting. 2 of the girls are currently pregnant - one is 16 weeks and the other is 20 - so I was intently listening to what they had to say about their pregnancy symptoms. I then start worrying - they were both pretty sick for the 1st trimester...Meredith more than Katey. I haven't gotten sick. I have felt nauseous every now and then, but haven't actually gotten sick. Holly chimed in that she never got/felt sick. So maybe I'm in that small percentage of pregnant women who don't get sick. I do hope for that. I also haven't had many food cravings or aversions...again, wondering if that is okay. I question everything. And my diet? not great - i must say! i'm drinking that darn v8 juice - I hope that is okay. And I'm pretty much eating a banana daily 1st thing in the morning, having yogurt, animal crackers, apples, a sweet snack every now and then throughout the day. I did eat tuna last week - i can't figure out if that is good or bad. Asking the doc on Monday. I also had a subway "spicy italian" sub - and had it toasted...but again, is that okay? i know deli meat is a no-no unless it's heated to steaming. I'm so anal...i worry too much. ugh.

Baby Baum Bumpdate

www.thebump.com says:

Baby's now the size of a blueberry!
Baby's brain -- both hemispheres! -- is growing fast, generating about one hundred new cells every minute. Arms and legs are emerging as joints start to form, and a permanent set of kidneys (baby's third!) is now in place.

 www.whattoexpect.com says:

 As fetal development continues, your baby's length is approximately a quarter of an inch — the size of a blueberry. Consider this for a little perspective: Your baby is 10,000 times bigger now than it was at conception a month ago.

How does your baby grow? Pretty fast, actually. At 7 weeks pregnant, your baby's length is approximately a quarter of an inch — the size of a blueberry. Sounds pretty tiny still?  Consider this for a little perspective: Your baby is 10,000 times bigger now than it was at conception a month ago.
           
The biggest fetal growth this week is your baby's head (the better to store all those smarts in), with new brain cells being generated at the rate of 100 cells per minute. How's that for a budding genius?
 
And talking about buds, your baby is going out on a limb this week as his or her arm and leg buds begin to sprout and grow longer (and stronger), dividing into hand, arm, and shoulder segments — and leg, knee, and foot segments (though the limb buds look more like paddles than hands or feet at this early stage). 

Also forming this week are your baby's mouth and tongue. And although your embryo is just one month old, it's already gone through three sets of kidneys. The ones in place now are the permanent set and are poised to begin their important work of waste management. In about a week, your baby will start producing urine. Lucky for you, there's no need for diapers (yet). As your baby matures inside you, much of that urine will be excreted into the amniotic fluid, swallowed again by your baby, and then excreted again in a continuous cycle.

Act of Congress...

My hopes for having the Fabrizio Family over for Maria's b-day celebration have fallen all to hell. To attempt to get 6 people together for dinner is an act of congress. With Steve's crazy work schedule, there are only certain days that work for dinner to happen any earlier than 8:30pm - I can't ask my family to drive 45 minutes and have to wait to eat until 8pm! My Dad heads to DC tomorrow and will be gone the whole week - so my thoughts that maybe we could just swing by Dad's house after work on Monday, which is Maria's actual birthday (and would technically be after my doctor appt.) to get there around 5:30 for a quick visit w/ some cupcakes and family gift time, aren't going to work out b/c Dad isn't even going to be there! Dad says to count him out of the plans...but he's the most important part of this plan, little does he know! He's going to have a grandchild! My step-mom, Katherine, suggested we just wait until November...but that's just too far away. Since we're going up to NY, the rest of the family is going to find out and I don't want ANYONE to know about this until ALL PARENTS know. So - it looks more and more like we're going to have to share this news over the damn phone. I'm bummed. But such is life - we'll tell, everyone will be excited, and that will be that!