15 week belly pictures

Here they are! Not much change since last week. And yes, I'm wearing the same pants I wore in my picture last week. My pants are on a one-week rotation. These ones are comfortable and they're the last pair of non-maternity pants that fit me. I relish that.

Knock knock

Who's there?
Banana.
Banana who?
Knock knock.
Who's there?
Banana.
Banana who?
Knock knock.
Who's there?
Orange.
Orange who?
Orange you glad I didn't say banana?

Baby Rain is the size of a naval orange this week. He's a whole 4 inches long and weighs 2.5 ounces. His proportions are getting more "normal," his legs are longer than his arms, and all of his legs and arms have functional joints. He's supposedly squirming and wiggling like crazy in there. Sometimes if I sit really still and concentrate, I think I feel a little tickle. But I'm not sure if it's me breathing or actually him.

How am I feeling these days? In terms of the pregnancy, better. But my allergies are still bothersome. After my chiropractor appointment yesterday, they've lightened up a little. I'm hoping I don't have the throbbing headache anymore that I've had for the past few days. I went all night last night without waking up to blow my nose, so that's a huge accomplishment.

I don't have any cravings anymore--not even potatoes. And no taste aversions either. I've even made suppers with hamburger a few times without wanting to hurl.

15 week belly picture to come.

It won't be the last time...

I had a baby appointment this afternoon. A lovely, quick, just-what-the-midwife-ordered appointment. Kevin came along for the experience, which was fun for me. I told him about the big light placed strategically at the end of the examination table, and the reason why there's something that says "Caution: Hot" underneath the green padding of the table. After waiting for our midwife for a good 10-15 minutes, he got fidgety so I engaged him in a few rounds of "Rock, paper, scissors" and thumb wars. That seemed to take his mind off the long wait.

Highlights of my appointment:
*I've gained 5 pounds since my last appointment, which is right on target. You're supposed to gain 1 lb per week. This makes a grand total of 7 lbs since my pre-pregnancy weight. This also puts me tied with my heaviest weight ever. I will soon break that record. Next week, apparently.
*My belly is where it should be in terms of size, which is reassuring. I was beginning to think I was the size of a house.
*We heard Raina's heartbeat twice--once with the nurse, and once with the midwife. Her heart rate was 160 bpm this time. Both times she was kicking and moving around, which is exciting. It won't be long before I can feel her tumbling around in there. Then it won't be long before I'll wish she weren't. They found her hiding much higher up in my belly than I expected--probably about 2-3 inches below my belly button!

And now to address the title of this post. My allergies are at an all-time high right now. The nurse said they're worse when you're pregnant. As I was typing about entertaining Kev above, I sneezed and peed my pants a little. I didn't even think I needed to use the bathroom. I'm just glad it happened at home and not at school or somewhere else. I'm sure this is only the beginning of the joys that lie ahead.

14 weeks

I know it has only been 4 days since the last belly picture. I'm going to take them on Wednesdays from here on out. Wednesday is the big week-change day.



Rain is the size of a lemon now. I know what you're thinking. Last week was a peach and this week is a lemon? That seems sort of backwards. I agree. I wasn't the one who came up with the produce metaphors. Anyway, this week Rain 3.4 in long and 1.5 oz. He's sucking his thumb (oh no--braces on the way!), wiggling his toes, making urine (ew), and breathing amniotic fluid. His liver, kidneys, and spleen continue to develop, and his lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over his body to keep him warm.

The word is spreading at work. Good times. My co-workers are amazed I could keep it a secret this long, and they are so happy that I get to leave my horrid class in April.

Lettin' it all hang out

This message is brought to you by the word Hallelujah!

I told my principal the big news today. At first I caught a glimpse of "oh shit" on her face, but after a few seconds of chortling on her part and silence on mine, I said, "surprise!" (there we go again with me not knowing what to do in moments of awkwardness) and she replied back that she's not surprised. This is the way things happen in a school. One person has her baby (that co-worker I mentioned last week is due tomorrow) the same time another announces her pregnancy. So basically she was thinking all along, "Who could be next?" 'Tis I. 'Tis I.

And before I told the principal, two other events occurred.
1. A co-worker came up to me and said that she heard some good news was happening in April. Apparently at the aforementioned co-worker's baby shower last week, the wine got to flowing and the word slipped out. I hate to speculate which of my wine-loving friends spilled the beans, but it's only obvious. You know who you are. But don't worry...I'm not mad. It was a great secret and you kept it for such a long time.

2. I told my team of fellow 4th grade teachers. None of them had a clue. HA! I'm such a great secret-keeper.

It feels so good to not have to hide my belly anymore behind zip-up hoodies or fleece vests.

I'm not sure when the rest of the school will find out, but I'm sure word will spread to most by the end of the week. If not, I think we have a staff meeting either tomorrow or next Wednesday, so I'll tell those who don't know then.

We're here!

I celebrated entering the 2nd trimester yesterday by shopping and taking a new belly pic.

Leah and I went to Woodbury yesterday to Motherhood Maternity. I shopped, and she supported my purchases. I got three pair of pants, and I'm very excited to wear them and work in comfort this week. We also went to Old Navy and scored some non-maternity, but still workable, deals.

Before I left home, I took new belly pictures. These are more representative because they were taken in the morning and not after a full day of eating. I'm wearing the maternity jeans I bought at Old Navy when I went shopping at the MOA back in September.



According to the poll, a majority of you thought that my huge belly size last week was because of bloat. I agree. The baby's position is much too low for it to be noticeable yet.

I have a busy week ahead of me:
Monday: meeting after school and piano lessons
Tuesday: telling my fellow 4th grade teachers the news and then my pre-observation meeting with my principal when I tell her the news.
Wednesday: Principal observes my math lesson. This may be the first math lesson all year when my students actually listen.
Thursday: Post-observation meeting and piano lessons
Friday: Field trip and OB appointment. It has been too long since my last visit, and I'm excited to hear the heartbeat again!

Millions of peaches,

peaches for me. Millions of peaches, peaches for free. Look out! This baby is growing like mad. I'm at 13 weeks now, and the baby is about 2.9 inches and .81 oz. Rain(a) is forming teeth and vocal cords this week. His/her head is becoming more proportional to his/her body, and the intestines are moving from the umbilical cord to inside his/her tummy. On Saturday I enter into 2nd trimester. I hear it's fabulous. Let's hope so.

Rain(a) and his/her and he/she is getting a little redundant. I may have to alternate posts calling "it" a "he" in one and a "she" in the next. So when you see that, don't go thinking we know the sex. Because we don't and we won't find out until the big arrival.

I've decided that I will be telling my principal the big news on either Tuesday or Wednesday. Thank God I can finally get this out in the open. I have a pre-observation meeting, an observation, and a post-observation meeting with her next Wednesday and Thursday so they present the perfect time for a one-on-one news-sharing session.

A co-worker is having a baby soon; she's due next week. We were supposed to give the new mom and dad some advice by writing it on a paper teddy bear. All the paper teddy bears will be put together in a book. I had no idea what I could possibly say, not being a "real" mom yet, so I found a quote that said, "Always kiss your children goodnight, even if they're already asleep." --H. Jackson Brown, Jr. I thought, hmm...that's a good one. So I wrote it down. Eh.

Not sure what to think about this...

Your eyes will never be the same, so I encourage you to not look too closely, but here is my fat belly. This picture was taken yesterday towards the end of the day, which you know, makes a huge difference.




The enormous size could be the result of many things:
A. Gas/bloat
2. 8-week-long carb overload
III. No exercise for the past 7 weeks
D. The actual baby (although I still think this is unlikely)

Vote using the other poll to the right which you think it is.

P.S. Nobody better comment saying my belly is cute. I won't accept that "compliment" for another few weeks.

Ouch

I'm not feeling all that great today. This was also the trend for most of the weekend. I'm not sure if it's Round Ligament Pain or gas (exactly what you wanted to hear, but hey, it's all part of being pregnant) or what, but I have muscle cramps in my stomach galore. I've also had this spot in my back that acts up as the day progresses. I'm hoping my chiropractor appointment tomorrow afternoon will take care of that. Perhaps take care of everything.

My parents were up visiting us this weekend, and we had a whole bunch of fun. We went out to eat on Friday night with Kev's parents. On Saturday Kev and my dad chopped wood with my father-in-law and his dad. My mom and I hit up the farmers market where I bought some raspberries and potatoes, then we went to a few shops in town. When we got home we made Apple Kuchen, then lazed on the couch for a little while. We eventually put the dogs (Rocket and Tucker) in the car and met up with the boys at Kev's family "farm" where we hung out by the river to let the dogs swim, made brats on the grill, ate the Apple Kuchen, hid from the rain, and built a fire. My dad and I went on a short canoe ride down the river. Before we knew it, it was time for my parents to head back home.

Today is the 13th, and I'm not going to tell my principal today. She'll be gone the rest of the week anyway, so if gossip does start, at least she won't be here to hear it.

I took a belly picture yesterday, and let me tell you, it's not pretty for almost 13 weeks. I'll post it once I get a chance.

Uh oh

Today I pulled out the maternity jeans to wear. Not necessarily because I needed the extra room, but because the only other "good" pair of jeans I own are currently waiting to be washed. It has been a long week that included 2 nights of parent-teacher conferences.

I went to work this morning (a non-student, but conference and inservice day) and told my friend Pam who knows I'm pregnant that I got a new pair of jeans, *wink wink.* She said she noticed, and that I'm starting to show. Yikes. This scares me. Obviously she knows so she's more aware of it, but I work with 50+ women. Women who like to speculate. If she can tell, who else can? And really, I'd like to think it's not my belly that's showing, but my width.

My ideal plan is to wait until the 27th to tell my principal, and then make the obligatory whole-school announcement at the next staff meeting. Really, I'm quite sick of keeping this a secret. I almost feel withdrawn because I don't want people to suspect. I know that I'll act more like myself once I just tell everyone. Then once I tell the staff, I have to tell my students soon after. I'm not really looking forward to that. I'm not sure why--I just don't feel comfortable telling them yet. Maybe they'll be a little more respectful and quiet if they know there's a baby in the room (if you don't already know, I've got a very challenging and widespread group this year). Eh, probably not.

I put a poll over on the right side, just for fun. Additional info you may want to consider before you vote:
On the 13th, I'll be 12.5 weeks. My principal will only be there on Monday--she's gone the rest of the week.
The week of the 20th, I'll be 13.5 and into 14 weeks (2nd trimester starts at 13 weeks, 3 days)
On the 27th, I'll be 14.5 weeks
I have my second OB appointment on the Friday 24th.

On a good note, conferences are over!

Little Jack Horner

sat in a corner eating his Christmas pie. He put in his thumb and pulled out a plum and said, "What a good boy am I!"

The baby is the size of a plum now! Sitting here thinking about the size of a plum, I'm confused about Jack and his pie. Why would a whole plum be in a pie? Nursery rhymes are so confusing.

A request

Please please please! If you're friends with me on facebook, please refrain from mentioning any congrats or baby-related things on my wall for another few weeks. I haven't told work yet, and a few of my co-workers are my facebook friends. THANK YOU!

We have a heartbeat!

Kevin and I bopped over to the hospital today after work to give hearing Rain(a)'s heartbeat another shot. After a minute of searching, we heard it, 176 beats per minute. Then s/he kicked at the doppler. The heartbeat kept getting louder and louder. S/he really wanted to let us know s/he was there! So cool. I shed a tear, obviously. Five minutes later, Kevin and I left all smiles and just feeling more at ease that our baby really is in there, and that it has at least one leg.

I added pictures

of Rocket in his shirt down on the "Telling our parents" post.

I'm officially fat.

And it's too early to be baby. This weekend, I thought it had gone away. Nope. Maybe it has to do with the McDonalds I had 2 days in a row. Both yesterday and today, I had to wear my tummy sleeves because my belly is so big I couldn't get my pants buttoned. The bloat seems to be worse in the morning than at night. In more ways than one, I feel a little backwards. Most people are more bloated but feel less nauseous at night. Not me. I'm less bloated but more nauseous at night.

And as for the back-to-back McDonalds...I know, it's bad! But you know when you are hungover (this didn't ever happen to me much, btw :)) and all that sounds good is a nice, juicy McDonald's cheeseburger and salty fries? That's how it is with me. A 7-week-long hangover. I'm proud of myself for resisting the golden arches as much as I have.