30 Weeks, Only 10 Weeks Left!

Week 30 came and went like a flash! I had a prenatal appointment with my family doctor (thanks Dad for driving me!), who recommended I get prescription support stockings (really sexy) for my swelling and vein-y situation, as well as told me to lay down whenever I can. Sadly, there is not much time for laying down these days, as we are getting close to the finish line and we still have much to do! I also am no longer covered for medical things, so I will just make due with the stockings from Shoppers Drug Mart. Happily, at this prenatal, I went up only 2 pounds...Whew! I seem to be back on track again! I also got to listen to the heartbeat during my prenatal, and the heart rate was 140. Muppet is very regular. ;)

A new development is that I seem to be having Restless Leg Syndrome, or RLS in the evenings now, which is VERY annoying. No matter how comfy my new mattress topper is (and it is VERY comfortable), it can not help me fall asleep anymore, as my legs feel like kicking and dancing. It feels like there is a current of energy just running through my legs, even though I just want to sleep. I'm hoping it's just a phase that will soon disappear, because Chris has the "Jimmy Jams" in his legs, and it is quite bothersome.  

Another new "symptom" of this pregnancy seems to be my sudden lack of coordination, or just plain old clumsiness. I truly feel as if I have been thrust back into puberty, with brand-spanking new hips, as I seem to bump into everything, getting bruises and boo-boos galore. I seem to walk into things I normally would have avoided, or pull something that normally would not hurt with everyday movements. I also am not nearly as agile as my mind seems to remember me being. The other day, a child kicked a ball, which I leaped to stop...pulling my groin muscle in the process. Another day, a child was climbing a table at work, and as I watched her jump to land on a giant stuffed animal, I raced to catch her...again, pulling that darn groin muscle. Just a few days ago, I almost fell off the couch while I was standing on it, to step over the dog, who was sleeping so soundly...I didn't have the heart to ask him to move. Maybe I should be doing some yoga or something... 

At 30 weeks, Muppet is roughly 3 pounds and 15-17 inches in length. Muppet is about the size of a cabbage. It's eyes are still developing, and when Muppet is born, it's eyesight will be 20/400, seeing objects only a few inches away. Muppet is still moving around a lot, though I notice bigger and stronger movements, instead of little flutters, as Muppet is starting to run out of room in my tummy. Some days I get sharp jabs to my ribs, or Muppet will press itself against my side, and I can actually feel it's little back going up and down as it practices breathing. 


One thing that I wanted to do before the baby arrives, was to start finding my favourite children's books, so I could start Muppet's first library collection. I will try to write about my favourite books from here-on-out. :) 

The first book I want to write about is 'The Monster At The End Of This Book' starring Grover. This book was one of my family's all time favourites. It's about lovable Grover who becomes quite distressed to learn that there is a monster at the end of the book. As each page is turned, he realizes that he is getting closer and closer to this monster, and he begins to try to figure out ways to prevent you from turning the pages of the story, as he is very scared. Even now, this book will make just about any child laugh as they turn the page, while poor Grover begs them not to...Evil, I know. :) But who wouldn't want to see this monster? The end is a cute, little surprise that shocks even our furry old Grover. This book is simply a must have for my home, and I'm sure it would entertain even the most antsy, on-the-go child. It is definitely a classic!

Here is an excerpt from the book!  Enjoy!

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Ultrasound Update!

We had our prenatal and ultrasound the other day and things apparently look good. :) Little Muppet's heart rate was 150 beats/min., which according to a fun pregnancy myth means the gender is female, though this isn't necessarily true. This gender "predictor" uses the heart rate to try to figure out if the baby is a boy or a girl. If the heart rate is slow, it is supposed to be a boy, and if it is fast, then it's supposed to be a girl. I really enjoy trying out all these old wive's tale methods, as it's so much fun! I'm very curious to see how accurate this test is. My mom said it worked for all her children, so we'll just have to wait and see! :)

In the ultrasound, Muppet was a super active baby! It did not want to sit still and get it's picture taken! The sonographer was quite convinced that I must have drank a gallon of coffee that morning, which I assured her that was definitely not the case. What I had drank was too much water! Oh good gracious! I got to my appointment 20 minutes early, and had to sit in the waiting room for an extra 15 minutes on top of that, staring at the bathroom across the hall. I tried reading food magazines, golf magazines, crossing my legs, standing...Oh, I had to go so bad! Finally my name was called and I jumped up and ran to the room. I warned the sonographer that I would have to go pretty soon, but I don't think she realized how true this was. As she scanned my tummy, she began pressing hard on my bladder, and well, one can only visit the desert in their mind for so long before they reach an oasis of water. I told her I had to go, and she quickly cleaned my belly off and told me, "Don't pee it all out!" I'm sorry, you want me to stop mid stream?! I sat in the bathroom and wonderered, how much urine was too much? There is no gauge on my bladder to show me if I'm running close to empty, so I had to guess and went back into the ultrasound room. She continued scanning around my tummy, when maybe 5 minutes later, the urge to "go" returned. I couldn't believe it! I casually mentioned it to her, feeling a little bad I was keeping her from doing her job properly. She told me to tell her when she was "pushing her luck". Ya, I told her very soon after that. I ran back into the bathroom, breathed a sigh of relief and sheepishly went back into the room. I apologized profusely, but she assured me it was normal. She then went back to work, which wasn't so bad until she had me lay on my side because the baby had stopped dancing, but was in a difficult position and she needed to see it better. As soon as I rolled on my side, my bladder started twitching and I knew I was not running on empty. I prayed she would be done soon, that she would go get Chris, show us the baby on the monitor, and then we could go (to the bathroom again). I think the urge to pee is worse when you know you can't go. I counted ceiling tiles, read the fine print on the light bulbs on the roof, dug my nails into the flesh of my palm...everything to keep from having to tell her I had to go again. Luck was on my side and I heard the sweetest words ever spoken, "I'll go get your husband!"

What a crazy baby Little Muppet is! When the sonographer showed us the baby, it was in the wackiest position ever! It had it's legs bent over it's head, with it's feet in it's face. It did not look comfortable at all. I can see why she was having difficulties being able to measure with the baby all cramped up like that. She showed us it's spine, the bones of the face, the little hands and it's jumpy legs that started marching on the spot. It was quite adorable! I'm not sure if it was having it's first little temper tantrum in there, but if it's anything like me, there will be many to follow once it's born. ;)

As soon as we left the hospital, we made a beeline for my family's house, as I really had to go again. I really do love going for my ultrasounds, but I wish they would figure out a way to do them without making a pregnant woman, who has a lot of pressure on her bladder from a growing baby, have to hold a few bottles of water in. Come on science! Help a mother out! ;)

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15 Weeks Pregnant with an Apple Sized Baby!

Sorry I'm a little late posting this, as I am actually starting into my 16th week, but I just thought I'd still record what has gone on in the last week, so my little one will know all about his/her beginnings. :)

I have really gotten most of my appetite back, though I am still losing weight! I think this must be due to the fact that most of the foods I'm eating are healthy, which is unusual for me, as I tend to be the pizza and chicken wing girl around my house. All I want is fruit all day! I've started a habit of making yummy fruit smoothies every morning, and man are they delicious. My favourite recipe is mixing a cup of ice, a cup of plain yogurt (you can use flavoured if you prefer), a splash of milk, a whole banana and a bunch of fruit together in the blender. I've been mixing my fresh strawberries in with frozen raspberries, which makes it even colder. It is so good, and well, it's also good for the body, so why not?


My nasal congestion is currently under control as well...*knock on wood*. It's not completely gone, but it's definitely manageable and if it stays at this level instead of going back to what it was, well, I'll never complain again...ha! ;) The only thing I can complain about is my darn back pain, which my doctor suspects is actually sacroiliac joint dysfunction. It occurs mostly in women, especially pregnant women when our bodies start creating the hormone 'relaxin' which loosens the joints to prepare the body for delivery. It feels just like sciatic pain, as it sends waves of pain from the lower back down the legs, and can occur on both sides of the body. Apparently the SI joint is responsible for absorbing shock while walking and helping your body balance. So it makes sense that it hurts mostly when I am standing or siting for long periods of time. I'm thinking of looking for a prenatal swim class to help strengthen my back, and the doctor recommended I look into physiotherapy as the pain generally worsens as the pregnancy progresses. Other then that, I feel pretty darn good!

As of week 15, Little Muppet is about the size of a large apple! It is currently developing it's air sacs in it's lungs by breathing in and out the amniotic fluid. The baby is now able to move all it's limbs and joints and is most likely doing the "Tyrannosaurus" dance move like it's father. I've read that if you were to shine a flashlight at my tummy, it would be able to sense the light even though it's eyes are still fused shut. Maybe it's a little shy. ;)

I still haven't felt any flutters yet, but will let you all know as soon as I do!


It's kind of funny. We went for a prenatal the other day and the doctor brought out the doppler so we could finally hear our little one's heartbeat. So she moved it around a little on my stomach, and said, "That's normal". We then left the doctor's office and I turned to Chris and said, "I just wish we had heard it's heartbeat". Chris looked at me and said, "We did....". I said, "All I heard was the machine!", to which he replied, "That was the sound of the baby's heart!". Apparently the doctor was commenting that the heartbeat was normal, not that not hearing it was normal. I then started to pout and cried, "I'm such a bad mother! I can't even recognize my baby's heartbeat!". I don't know what I thought it would sound like, but I'll be listening for it better next time! :)

Bump Alert!

My belly is really starting to show! I went to my sister's graduation wearing a cute little tube top and skirt and couldn't believe how much my tummy had grown! I'm starting to get little belly rubs from family which is still so odd to me as I'm still getting used to the idea that there is someone in there, but I am so glad our Little Muppet will be surrounded by so many loving and caring people throughout it's life.

I'll be back soon with Week 16!!

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Our First Glimpse Of Little Muppet!

We went for our first ultrasound the other day and I can't even begin to share how amazing that experience was!

Being a first time mom, I obviously over-react to every little twinge and cramp I feel. Somedays I even wondered if I was still pregnant, I mean, when you can't see something, you start to wonder if it's even there! So going in for my ultrasound was just what the doctored ordered...literally. :)

I was instructed to drink a whole bunch of water, how much I am not really sure, but I decided that 2 bottles of water should do it. I started drinking my first bottle about a half hour before we were to leave for the hospital, which of course resulted in me needing to pee right before we went out the door. I decided to quickly top off my second bottle to make up for the water I ...uh...wasted. We got in the car, and I pulled out my second bottle and started to drink. As soon as we pulled into the parking lot at the hospital, I exclaimed to my husband, "I gotta pee!!" We checked in, and then I ran to the bathroom...*sigh* Another wasted bottle of water. I then filled up my bottle and as I filled out my paperwork, I chugged that water down like it was going out of style but on sale for 75% off. (Who can resist a deal like that?) ;)

The sonographer approached me and asked, "Do you have a full bladder?", to which I responded, "...I did...But I had to pee super bad!" Apparently she felt I was 'hydrated' enough anyways, so it was all good. :)

My husband wasn't able to go into the room with me at first, as the sonographer wanted to do all the measurements and stuff before sharing with us, so I waited until he was invited back into the room to hear whatever news she had for us. I have never been so nervous in my life! At one point, I was like, "Can she not find the baby?!" Thankfully, that was not the case. She called Chris into the room, and then showed us the most magical thing we have ever seen, our little baby! When it first came onto the screen, both of happily exclaimed, "It's a baby!" It was so adorable...yes, I am going to be one of those mothers. It was moving around, kicking it's little legs, and at one point, it's arm and hand were so clear we could count the fingers! Watching it's little heartbeat was also amazing. It fluttered around in it's chest like a little bird's. I kept apologizing to it as I laughed, as it made it jump around in my belly. I still can't believe that a little person is kicking up a storm inside me and I can't even feel it! It's so crazy, but having the ultrasound really made everything feel real for the first time. Seeing Chris' face light up as soon as he saw his Little Muppet on the screen is something I will carry with me forever.

Little Muppet is 11 weeks 6 days and is about the size of a large plum now. It is almost fully formed. Soon it's hands will form into little fists, and one day I am sure that I will feel them flailing around in my tummy. Right now, it's taking advantage of all the room I've got, and is preforming either water ballet, or some form of karate, as it is kicking and squirming all around.

Here is my belly at 11 weeks 6 days. I am definitely starting to show, though I just look like I let myself go instead of looking pregnant. I find my tummy hangs over my pants, and we all know how sexy that can be. People probably think I'm a frequent diner at McDonalds, which is totally the opposite, as I find my hunger has diminished. This little baby doesn't want me to eat, though I have to so I can push through my nausea. :P  I go about my days wearing baggier shirts and yoga pants. They hide the flab and are very comfortable.

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Good Things Are Worth Waiting For

We never thought it would take so long. We never figured we'd have to see so many little tests in the garbage with their little negative signs. Never in a million years! In reality, it didn't actually take that long, but when you decide you really want something, waiting can seem like forever.


When we decided to try to conceive, we agreed we wouldn't share that we were trying, as we didn't want to feel pressured or be bombarded with advice, even though it would have been given with the best intentions. We thought, "What if it takes a long time and people think we are broken?" or, "Do we really want everyone know what we are doing at night...?". So we went on our baby quest, secretly and quietly and eventually we began to question ourselves. "Should it be taking this long?", "Why did I even go on birth control in the first place?!", "Are you sure you aren't broken?".


 I went off to the "trusty" internet and began searching for answers. I learned that many couples take 6-8 months to get pregnant, and 84% of couples get pregnant within a year of trying. Well, did that ever make us feel better! So we continued our adventure, and then one day, we were super surprised when one of those little tests finally read positive!


I had started to suspect that something was up that month, because I was feeling a little dizzy and was suffering from some bad heartburn, which is very unusual for me. I didn't tell Chris my suspicions because I didn't want to get our hopes up, so I kept my thoughts buried deep in my heart for the next few days. Then after missing a visit from my "aunt", I decided to take the urine test. Chris wasn't so sure. He wanted me to wait a few more days, but I really felt that something was going on, so I made him get out of bed and come and check the test with me. Sure enough, when we went into the washroom, there were two pink lines waiting for us! I was overjoyed! I went from crying to laughing, then back to crying while Chris stood in the washroom, leaned over the test on the counter with his arms crossed and said, "Yup, there are two pink lines..." and "I'd pick it up (the test), but you peed all over it!". He was in shock, and even still I think he has a hard time believing it. 


We immediately tried to think of what to do next. We had spent all that time trying to have a baby, that we had no idea what the next step was. I decided to call the midwives in the area as I know they book up very fast, and was put on two waiting lists. Then I called my family doctor. I was told that I had to go to a clinic and do another urine test so they could verify the results.  


I was even more nervous to do the test at the clinic, as I was afraid that maybe our test was faulty. To make matters worse, Chris couldn't take me until the afternoon, and I was supposed to go in the morning (TMI: morning urine is really potent). To calm me down, Chris bought me another home test to take in the meantime, which turned positive instantly, in fact, it was positive before I was even done! I believe Chris said that meant I was "super pregnant". 


We calculated that at this point we were about 4 weeks pregnant, so the baby was about the size of an apple seed. I felt that we needed a visual demonstration, so I took a picture of an apple. Our estimated due date is December 18, 2010...but of course, that could change when we go for our ultrasound.


We are still in shock but over the moon with happiness! It amazes me how two crazy kids can fall in love with each other, and still have room in their hearts for a new little buddy (even if it is only the size of an apple seed). I just never knew one's heart could grow any bigger. 


April 12, 2010
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