15 Weeks!

Last Sunday I officially entered the 2nd Trimester! Wow, time is flying! I have been extremely lazy about posting which kind of bums me out because this is definitely the last baby for us and I really want to remember this pregnancy. So, this is my effort to be better.

The last three weeks have been somewhat eventful. Back on February 20th, at 13w4d, I had a dreaded episode of spotting. I was at work and when I used the restroom, I noticed brown discharge in my underwear. My heart sank as I robotically told myself, "Spotting is normal, this will be okay." I'm so glad it was only brown and not bright red, because that would have really sent me spiraling. I called the OB and they got me in two hours later. Thankfully everything looked fine. By that point the spotting had tapered off to a light tan color. We used both a vaginal and abdominal ultrasound to try to see where the placenta was in relation to the cervix, but it was inconclusive. I haven't seen even a hint of spotting since, and I haven't had any cramping, so it seems that it was just a fluke. A very nerve-wracking fluke. The silver lining was that the baby put on quite a cute show during that ultrasound, and I really fell in love with the little one that day. Here's my favorite shot!

Baby has an arm across the chest with a reassuring thumbs up. The other hand is resting against the left cheek. Legs firmly crossed!

We also all came down with a miserable cold and Noah got an ear infection the same day that I had my scare, so February was just a whole lot of fun. I have been such a lazy pile of poop as a result and the house pretty much turned into a garbage dump. So much for that second trimester energy I remember from last time! But thank God for my mother-in-law Wendy. She visited this weekend, and left us with a clean house. Thank you Grandma Wendy! We love you and miss you already!!

And now for a pregnancy update!

How Far Along: 15w1d

How Big Is Baby: About the size of an apple, orange, or baseball (approximately 4 inches, 2.5 oz)

Sex: I have no idea. For whatever reason I often want to say "she" or "her," but I really have no gut feeling yet. I'm carrying lower than I did with Noah at this point, which makes me think boy. The heart rate has been consistently over 150 which is higher than Noah ever was, which makes me think girl. Who knows! (We might find out April 7th, unless we decide to stay team green til the end!)

Symptoms: Growing belly, huge chest, itchy and dry skin, occasionally sensitive gag reflex, utter exhaustion when walking up stairs (being pregnant at 9000ft is much harder than it was at 6000ft!), fatigue, increased hunger, more frequent trips to pee, constipation and bloating. I am happy to say that all nausea disappeared between 13-14 weeks. Woohoo!

Food Cravings/Aversions: No cravings, and the aversions have diminished, although green smoothies still sound disgusting. I'm not sure that's pregnancy related anymore though.

Belly Button: It's becoming more flush with the rest of my stomach. The top of it wants to pop out a little depending on how bloated/constipated I am.

Sleep: I'm still sleeping pretty well. I have given up on stomach sleeping so I shift between my left and right sides. I do wake up to pee most nights, but usually fall right back to sleep.

Stretch Marks: I can see the shimmer from my old ones, but nothing new yet.

Weight Gain: I haven't been keeping track. My 12 week appointment had me at +4lbs, but at my emergency appointment I was completely even with my starting weight (but I wasn't wearing the boots I wore to the other appointments). I think the 4 pound reading has to be more accurate. Maybe I'm at +5 or so by now?

Maternity Clothes: I have been incorporating more and more maternity wear into my day-to-day wardrobe. Wearing regular pants with a band is just not as comfortable as maternity pants. Most maternity shirts are still a little big, but sometimes I'll wear one for fun.

Movement: Not yet.

What I Miss: Having energy after work!

What I’m Looking Forward To: My OB appointment next week. The anatomy scan on April 7th.

Best Moment This Week: Well, I'll go back a couple of weeks for this. On Valentine's Day, we finally told Noah that he would be a big brother. I was marveling at my stomach (which was quite large due to some bloating) and Brian asked Noah what he thought was in there. Noah replied, "A baby." I was dumbstruck. We told him that he was right, and then he asked us all kinds of cute questions about it. That night he asked to kiss the baby and then lifted my shirt and kissed my tummy. Aww, so cute! Do you have any idea how long I have wished for that moment?! He has since asked many funny questions such as "Is the baby wearing a shirt?" and "When can we give the baby a bath?" I know it's still kind of an abstract concept for him, but he definitely has moments where he seems excited about it.

Milestones: Making it to the 2nd Trimester!

And now the bump:

I love it!