Gametes In Love

I broke the news to the people at work today. My immediate team and my old guys that I used to manage got the following email:

“
My husband and I have been working on a private venture. We’ve been in stealth mode over the last few months, but it’s getting difficult to hide. We both will be taking a personal leave of absence towards Q4 of this year to officially kick it off.

Yeah… I tried the “valley” speak, and hopefully I didn’t scare any of you.

So now for the actual interpretation: Shane and I are expecting. Our baby is due in September (Labor day) and we are both very excited.
“

I work with like 70 different people on and off, so the rest will fall in line shortly.
Oh… and in all fairness, I did also email the lady of “I’m not fat, I’m pregnant” fame. She works for a different team, and different building, so I thought it fair to let her know.

All of our close friends already know too, but I’ll be sending a BIG email over the next few days to the extended people that might be interested.

Can I tell you how exciting it is not to have to scavenge through my closet for the big, baggie shirts anymore? More than that, in a few weeks when I break out the preggie pants I won’t have to hide those either.

So who wants to see pictures of my bump?

Written by S

A and I decided a while back to look for a new OB and to check out the hospitals in the area. We might as well check out our options since we wanted to find a new doc. This week was the appointment with one of the docs that came highly recommended. As we pull out of the driveway to the appointment, I say “Do you have your list of questions for her?”.

After a short pause, I said “Do you think it’s rude to ask to see her Portfolio? If she’s going to deliver our baby, I’d like to see some pictures of her previous work.” A little laughter fills the car. I add, “You wouldn’t hire an architect or builder without seeing their work.”

The nurse practitioner meets us in the lobby and walks us to the examining room. As we walk into the hall, the walls are lined with bulletin boards FILLED with baby pictures. Yes, every wall had a bulletin board! A turns around and said “There’s your portfolio!”

Portfolio Review — check

We’ve found a new doctor!

(there were definitely more factors that went into the decision)

Today was a very interesting baby development day: we had the first part our NT screening test… and found out we have a little troublemaker growing in my belly (more on this in a minute).

The NT test, for you non-baby speak types, stands short for “nuchal translucency” test. Although it doesn’t pinpoint so, this test helps determine a baby’s risk for having chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome. The NT test measures the space in the tissue of the baby’s back. The larger the space (over a given measure), the more likely it is that the developing baby has an abnormality.

The clinic that performed the procedure today was very interesting: it was a swanky place (as far as clinics go) with modern design, neat lighting and cool décor — very much what you would see on a TV show.

Prior to arriving arriving you are asked to drink 1/4L water within half an hour of the exam. A full-ish bladder helps push up your uterus so the scan is easier. I came prepared, I knew this was important. However, it didn’t help that we got called in 30 minutes late. By then, believe me, my bladder was more than full.

When we were finally called in, we walked into our examining room and the nurse pointed to the chairs for S to sit, and pointed to my bed. Then she walked away. I took off my shoes and started to look around for the sheet I’m typically issued to wear. No sheet. Then I noticed… no stir-ups. This was the first appointment I’ve had in what has now been 4 months of procedures that I haven’t had to drop my pants for each doctor I see. I’m growing up!!!!
Upon lying down I immediately saw MY screen. Yep – there was a monitor mounted up on the ceiling just for my benefit. The nurse/doc had their own attached with the machine, but I could also watch without having to contort myself in interesting pretzel shapes.

The ultrasound itself was probably one of the coolest we’ll probably go through: the machines are super sensitive and you could see so much. Unlike our last appointment, no longer were we trying to decipher a blurry-static-y shape from another blurry-static-y shape. It was all right there. We heard the heart and we watched the baby move. It actually moved a little too much, and of course in none of the ways that the technician wanted it to move. Hence the trouble-maker bit. The nurse decided to “jiggle” the baby into moving. What this entailed was her bouncing the u/s wand up and down my belly. It made my giggle… and want to pee even worse. Eventually we got the measurements we needed though. Baby R’s space measured at 1.7mm which is in normal range for its development age.

Wanna see some pictures?

Here it is with the heart scan. It beats at a good 164 beats per minute. We got to hear it too which was neat.

There’s a little wave!

Oh… and here’s the cool part: completely unexpected, the nurse busted out a 3d picture

It’s playing peek-a-boo.

I think it has a really cute head and a totally cute little nose.

After the ultrasound came more blood-work which is the second part of the screening test. The blood-work completes the overall picture of the diagnosis.

Here’s where things get weird. Outside of us knowing the NT measurement we know nothing else. We won’t get our results until our next round of blood-work…. in another month! This is the part that makes me upset. Some people seem to find out their results if not the day of, within a week or two of the screening. We won’t have a genetic counselor call us – the results will be sent to the OB… but not until the second round of the blood work is complete. In another month I’ll be almost 17 weeks. If there are issues and we need to plan for more concrete CVS or Amniocentesis I just want to make sure we’ll have time.

I think above all else I’m upset because I’m ready to relax and enjoy this pregnancy. I don’t want to have to worry about tests, the next stage of things to overcome, and what if’s. At this rate my pregnancy will be over, our baby will be here and I feel like I would have missed it 🙁

Today is my birthday. I’m turning not 30!
I’m not trying to be facetious, I’m really not 30…. yet. I won’t be able to say this for too long, so I’m enjoying what I’ve got left.

When I turned 20, it was a big deal (to me). I looked at the decade ahead and thought “In the next 10 years I will graduate college, begin working, most likely get married, and maybe even have a child.” So here I am, looking back on that thought, going “Holy cow these last 10 years went by fast!”

I remember when my mom turned 30. Although I was very young, I have memories of it: it was very low key, and I remember thinking then that being an adult was no fun: you didn’t get any birthday parties, there was no cake in sight, and you certainly didn’t get any fun toys… or at least anything that I would consider fun at the time.

And now I get it. I’ve spent all week-end with my family and it’s been a fantastic time. I’ve eaten food I haven’t had in a long time, I’ve been spoiled rotten by my mom and I’ve done little beyond being a couch potato. It’s been heaven! And at the off question of “What would you like for your birthday?” I’ve been very content to say that I have everything I could ask for right now. The only thing that I wish for is a healthy child growing inside me. That is all! (Although, with that said I did get some awesome loot today too ;p)

This will also be my last birthday without being a mommy. It’s a little strange to think so. At my next birthday S will be trying to keep 2 sets of hands away from frosting: mine and our child’s.

Aaaaah, I pity the man!

When I was in my teens I kept hoping that I would just be a late bloomer, and I would eventually get a visit from the boob fairy. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be.

Well, now that I’m pregnant, and I hear people’s stories about filling out fairly quickly, I have the same hopeful wish: that perhaps this time around that darn fairy finally got my change of address. So far though, no real visits 🙁

I just don’t think it’s fair!!!

I’m not asking to be a Barbie doll or anything, I just don’t want 5th graders to beat me in the boob category anymore.

So… while I wait, here’s a very appropriate song from Diedre Flint.

(Or if that doesn’t work go to http://music.podshow.com/music/mp3/00002575/807959.mp3 with your favorite music player.)

Oh… and a PS to the Boob fairy: I’ll be attending a wedding this May – can I please get my endowments in time for that in addition to my bigger new tummy?

I was on my way to a meeting today (running late mind you), when a (female) colleague I hadn’t seen in a few weeks passed by me in the hallways and exclaimed:
“Oh my God, are you pregnant?”

Now, I’m covered in my big fat jacket, so how she would be asking this is beyond me. Also this is happening right in front of the open door of my meeting, so I’m perplexed, seeking the right response, and panicked.
I’m also too early to be showing, so yep, you guessed it – what she’s seeing isn’t the baby growing. It’s those burritos I’ve been indulging on.

“No, I’ve just gained some weight!” was my response trying to look as guilty as possible while continuing to walk on.

“No, really? Oh no, really?” she keeps asking.

I just turned and nodded then went into my meeting.

As I sat down I immediately felt bad. Here is this poor woman that meant nothing by it and now I feel like I’ve traumatized her for life. I sent her a message apologizing if I made her feel bad (without admitting the truth), and even went by her desk after my meeting, but a part of me is saying “Serves you right — you shouldn’t have asked anyway!”

Nah… I feel mostly bad about it!

So… should I tell her?

Woot! Little baby P (P for peanut) is no longer an embryo!!! With a successful 10 week embryonic run little-P has now officially entered the stage of “the fetus”. It can bend it little arms and legs, which if it’s anything like its mommy is only in preparation for a good elbow poke (as soon as it can muster the strength… and reach) and other mischievous fun.

All its major organs are now formed, which makes me a little paranoid: did I not eat all the bad things like I wasn’t supposed to? I had a bite of Brie cheese on Saturday, but that’s Ok, right?

Today the munchkin should be about the size of a walnut. It should kinda look like this:

P.S. This is not an actual picture of our little-P. I wish it were!!! If our doc’s office had one of these, it wouldn’t survive there for too long. It’d be strapped to my belly 24-7 and dragged all around town so I can stare at it constantly. Although I suppose that wouldn’t work well for stealing. Hmn… note to self: I need to work on my stealth technique.

Tomorrow also marks another big milestone… for me: I go down to even one less Progesterone pill a day. When we graduated from the RE clinic I went down from 3 pills a day to 2. Now I’m going down from 2 to 1. In another two weeks I’ll be off them completely and when that happens Oh there will be a happy dance (…and other things that are too X-rated to discuss in a public forum).

In other news, we’re changing OB’s!!! We met with my OB last week for my first post-RE grad visit. I didn’t have a strong liking to her anyway. Actually… that’s an understatement – I just don’t feel right around her, and our visit last week sure didn’t change my mind. I asked S to give me a very honest opinion before we went in. What sealed it was when at the end of the appt he said he wouldn’t feel comfortable being in the room with that doc for hours while I was in labor. I know that when my contractions start, S is going to be my biggest advocate. If he can’t believe in the doc in charge of my care, then that’s game over for them!
So… today I called another OB that was referred by our RE and one of my Nesties. I see her in 3 weeks.

In more other news, my tummy has been growing… but sadly not because of the kiddo. My diet has been completely poopie for the last 2 months, and with the no-activity rule, my waistline is sadly showing for it. Luckily week 10 also lifted the no-workout ban so I’m hoping to try a 3 times a week date with the elliptical. Wish me luck: muffin tops belong on muffins. Not me.