12 weeks!

12 weeks - how are the babies? -

I could be a cherry limeaide from Sonic!

Your baby is, by this time, the size of a lime and weighs 1/2 ounce.

(Length: just over 2 inches, head to bottom.)

How your baby's growing: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. (SO COOL!!!)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 (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

How your life's changing:Your uterus has grown to the point where your healthcare provider can now feel the top of it (the fundus) low in your abdomen, just above your pubic bone. You may already be into maternity clothes, especially if this isn't your first pregnancy. If you're still fairly small and not yet ready for maternity clothes, you've no doubt noticed that your waist is thickening and that you're more comfortable in loose, less restrictive clothing.You may begin to feel heartburn (also called acid indigestion), a burning sensation that often extends from the bottom of your breastbone to your lower throat. Many women get heartburn for the first time during pregnancy, and those who've previously had bouts of heartburn may find that it gets worse. During pregnancy, the placenta produces a lot of the hormone progesterone, which relaxes the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach. Particularly when you're lying down, gastric acid can seep back up the pipe, which causes the uncomfortable burning sensation. For many women the problem doesn't begin (or get worse) until later in pregnancy, when your growing uterus starts to push up on your stomach. The discomfort may range from mildly annoying to intense and distracting.

Wow - this week is cool. Its hard to imagine that this is happening more than once in my stomach. Maybe thats why I can't sleep. It's all those fingernails! And, um, yes, the heartburn is a bitch. But its only at night after dinner, not after any other meal. And, I have yet to have any morning sickness, so I guess I can't complain. And I really feel bad that all of this has happened, and I am still not eating as healthy as I should. I am trying, I promise I am, but its just so haaaaarrrrddddd, when all you want is junk!

I.N.S.O.M.N.I.A

Why can't I sleep? Is this normal, or is this b/c I am the home to multiple babies? Three times I have gotten up in the middle of the night lately (2-3am) and watched TV for several hours, until I finally fall back asleep around 5am.

I seem to have "popped" in the last week (will post a belly soon, I promise). I think that may have something to do with it. I am constantly aware of my stomach while trying to sleep. I am so terrified I am going to do something to hurt them. Plus, reading about it certainly doesn't seem to help. Basically you can't do the following while pregnant:

lie on your back

lie on your stomach

lie on your right side

So that basically leave sleeping on my left side - doesn't give a while lot of options, huh? I read online that a full body pillow helps, so that you can put your head on the top, your stomach along the center, and put the bottom between your legs to help with leg and hip pain. Well, there is only so long you can lie like that before you are desperate to roll over. Especially when you are getting up in the middle of the night anyway to pee, and have to fall back asleep, which is so hard to do now that you have started cramping. *sigh*

At least school hasn't started yet. I am welcome to take naps as much as I want. I haven't today, and since it's 4:30, its likely I won't get to. But thats ok, because we are eating pizza tonight, and I would much rather trade pizza for sleep - who wouldn't?

11 weeks - how are the babies?

Baby Stribs at 11 weeks: (from babycenter.com)

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.

About Me:

You're like most women, you're feeling a bit more energetic now and your nausea may be starting to wane. Unfortunately, you may also be suffering from constipation (caused by hormonal changes, which can slow digestion) and heartburn (hormones again, relaxing the valve between your stomach and esophagus). Just remember, all this discomfort is for a good cause. Don't worry if nausea has made it impossible for you to eat a wide variety of healthy foods or if you haven't put on much weight yet (most women gain just 2 to 5 pounds during the first trimester). Your appetite will likely return soon, and you'll start to gain about a pound a week.

Hmmm...no nausea for me. But, I am right on track with the weight (dammit), and heartburn (guess the babies have lots of hair, thanks Jake) and the constipation? Well, you might say I am right on track there too.

Showing/Not Showing

I wish this body of mine would make up its mind. In the mornings when I wake up, there is a little bit of a baby bump. As the day progresses, the gassy bloat machine takes over and it looks like I am well into my second trimester. Catch me in the evening, and you might think I may head on over to Baptist Hospital. I jest, but it really is crazy. And sucking in during this time? Not even an option. It's like these babies are trying to create a big pillow of fat over them so to protect them. Do they not trust me on my own? Jeez....

11.5 weeks!

This is going by so fast!! I cannot believe I am already 11.5 weeks. I am so close to being out of the first trimester. I still don't feel pregnant. This is like some crazy, bizarre dream. A very lovely dream, mind you, but still a dream. It seems like yesterday we were talking about what we would try next month.

That being said, I guess because its still "not real" for me, I have not been into pregnancy books much. I am probably the only pregnant girl on the planet that didn't rush out to buy "What to Expect while you're Expecting". I did check out "When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads" by Dr. Luke from the library and have picked it up maybe two or three times. And my recent check out was "Pregnancy for Dummies", LOL, because that seems way more up my alley. I think I have just been not too worried about anything. With all the mess we've been going through so far, I guess I haven't been too concerned with if I should or should not eat a turkey sandwich. (which technically you aren't supposed to do, because of the risk of the bacteria listeria on deli meat, which, by the way, you can also get not pregnant). I guess I need to get better about that. I have been pretty good about which fish I can eat, thanks to Google on my phone.

You can get really over-obsessed with what you should and shouldn't do during pregnancy. And usually I am a very obsessive person about things. But, I also love peanut butter. (Which, you also aren't supposed to eat frequently, because it can cause your children to have a peanut allergy). I just find that hard to believe and trust, because if anyone knows my mother, all three of us girls came out of the womb with sticky peanut butter fingers.

10 weeks and 1 day!!

Wow! How in the the world is it already 10 weeks? Do you realize in 3 weeks I will be out of my first trimester? This is nuts! I thought the first trimester's end would never get here, but it is closing in fast. That is the good news. The bad news is that the sooner the first trimester gets here, the sooner I go back to working full time, and I gotta tell ya, I am enjoying having this summertime to relax. I have been so tired, hungry, tired and hungry. I feel bad for the women who have to work full time during the first trimester. Also, I decided it was time for my first picture. I have really meant to do this the entire time, but I keep forgetting. Also, I stole this Q&A from one of my preggo friend's blog, so I hope she won't mind.

How far along? 10 weeks 1 day
Total weight gain/loss:I have no idea. When do they start keeping track of this? I guess with everything else going on, noone has really started monitoring this. But I am guessing 4 or 5 pounds maybe, based on what I weighed at the doctor's office, but I haven't weighed myself in a long time either, so I don't know what I started with. Oh well..
Maternity clothes? None yet. I did break and buy a bella band at Target. It is one of those bands that you wear over your regular bottoms and you can keep them unbuttoned. Kind of cool.
Sleep: I'm also not sure if I'm doing this right. B/c my ovaries were so swollen, I have been trying not to turn to my side, only lying on my back. After doing some reading, that is bad, so now I am trying to sleep more on my left side (which is supposed to be better than your right side - go figure)
Best moment this week: Nothing so far...
Movement: None yet!
Food cravings: It is everywhere. Sweet one day, then salty the next, which makes me excited and hoping there are multiple sexes in there. They say that salty means boy and sweet means girl. But if that has anything to do with the fact that I want pizza and cocoa puffs, I'm not sure...
Gender: Again, hoping they are XX and XY!
Labor Signs: LOL - good grief I hope not.
Belly Button in or out? Please God let it stay in the entire time. Since I have had two laproscopies, I am worried about this. They have gone "in" both times this way. I just hope everything stays normal. (although Katie Holmes had an outtie during pregnancy, so maybe I could be like her)
What I miss: Nothing so far. Each day in this pregnancy is a blessing.
Milestones: Almost out of the first trimester!
Realization of the week: I need to start regularly exercising again. I started back this week. I have been on couch rest since the surgery and ovary issues, but due to my Kirstie Alley appetite, I need to start moving soon.

10 weeks

Baby Stribs at 10 weeks: (from babycenter.com)

Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.