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Thanks for joining me on this adventure! 

You're a good mom

Saw this and loved it, so had to share...

"To the mom who's breastfeeding: Way to go!  It really is an amazing gift to give your baby, for any amount of time that you can manage!  You're a good mom.

"To the mom who's formula feeding: Isn't science amazing?  To think there was a time when a baby with a mother who couldn't produce enough would suffer, but now?  Better living through chemistry!  You're a good mom.

"To the cloth diapering mom: Fluffy bums are the cutest, and so friendly on the bank account.  You're a good mom.

"To the disposable diapering mom: Damn those things hold a lot, and it's excellent to not worry about leakage and laundry!  You're a good mom.

"To the mom who stays home: I can imagine it isn't easy doing what you do, but to spend those precious years with your babies must be amazing.  You're a good mom.

"To the mom who works: It's wonderful that you're sticking to your career, you're a positive role model for your children in so many ways, it's fantastic.  You're a good mom.

"To the mom who had to feed her kids from the drive thru all week because you're too worn out to cook or go grocery shopping: You're feeding your kids, and hey, I bet they aren't complaining!  Sometimes sanity can indeed be found in a red box with a big yellow M on it.  You're a good mom.

"To the mom who gave her kids a homecooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the past week: Excellent!  Good nutrition is important, and they're learning to enjoy healthy foods at an early age, a boon for the rest of their lives.  You're a good mom.

"To the mom with the kids who are sitting quietly and using their manners in the fancy restaurant: Kudos, it takes a lot to maintain order with children in a place where they can't run around.  You're a good mom.

"To the mom with the toddler having a meltdown in the cereal aisle: they always seem to pick the most embarrassing places to lose their minds, don't they?  We've all been through it.  You're a good mom.

"To the moms who judge other moms for ANY of the above?  Glass houses, friend.  Glass houses."

Admit it...we all do it at some point.  I know I do, and I don't even know which one of these moms I'll be yet!  In any case, this is an excellent reminder that we were all raised a little bit differently and most of us turned out just fine.   So let's stop judging and just keep loving our kids the best way that we know how!

A-Ok!

Saw the doc last week at 10w4d.  I was so anxious and nervous and excited!  It was just two days before Mother's Day, so we were looking forward to getting a picture to surprise the soon-to-be grandmas. 

We were still too early to hear the heartbeat, but we got to see our little Bubble performing water aerobics and waving at us.  :-)

Just three weeks away from the 2nd Trimester!  Counting down the days...

Here's our little Bubble:

Bubble

Short and sweet...from here on out, Baby L will be referred to as our little Bubble. 

How cute is that?!  :-)

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Just got back from ultrasound number 2.  Since my lab results were looking good, I haven't been feeling too concerned.  In fact, I've been more than relaxed about things.  Which is weird.  I started thinking, well, there's no indication anything's really happening; but on the same token, there's not indication anything's wrong either.  So I decided to just go along for the ride.  Maybe the reason I'm not worried is because there's no reason to be.  It's like that motherly instinct has already kicked in.

Anyway, I was feeling super exhausted last week.  Taking daily naps, which is really out of my comfort zone.  But the past few days I've been feeling pretty normal.  Almost threw up yesterday while I was brushing my teeth, and got a little excited about it (although glad it was almost!).  Otherwise, my big boobs and tight pants are about all that's different about me these days.  Nate might say I'm moody and emotional...but who asked that jerk?!  ;-)

So back to the ultrasound.  Doc said my last u/s measured 4 weeks 6 days.  That kinda concerned me because, according to my calculations -- and I am the expert here -- I would have been 5 weeks 3 days.  Not sure how I could have been that far off, and made me wonder if something might be wrong.  Today they were estimating I'd be 6 weeks 4 days, which is five days short of my estimate, but, in any case, is far enough along to see a heartbeat.  I decided not to argue and just went with it.

Probe in.  Picture on.  There it was.  Our little baby's beating heart!  Yep.  Just fluttering away like nobody was watching.  Oh, and not only that.  The little bugger measured in at 7 weeks and 2 days.  Whose calculation did that match up with...ahem... EXACTLY?  Oh, that's right...MINE!  As they say, Mother knows best. 

Here he/she/it is.  Hmm...need to come up with some kinda nickname.  Bean?  Peanut?  Pumpkin?  I'll let you know when the verdict is in.

P.S.  Gained 5 pounds in the last 2 weeks.  I know they say you aren't really supposed to eat for two, but it's so much more fun that way!  Guess I should cut back on the sugar.  Definitely enjoying my carbs, though!  Next u/s May 10th.

6 weeks and counting

Today marks the beginning of week 6.  I was feeling pretty relaxed, but my nerves are starting to get the better of me.  I'm anxious to have another blood test to make sure my numbers are increasing.  Have seven days to go until my next appointment.

So far, my slightly enlarged chest is the only indication that I'm carrying another life inside of me.  Like the first time around, I'm just hoping any minute now I'll be barfing, or at least feeling like I want to.  I'm on Google and pregnancy board overload and I'm having a hard time not comparing my story to everyone else's.  Of course, if my story wasn't what it is, I might not be feeling any worry at all.  After all, the first time around I never believed anything bad could happen.  Now I'm stuck with experience that has tainted my perception of things.

Praying for time to pass quickly enough that we'll be "out of the woods" soon, but not so quickly that I forget to enjoy it.

Leave it to me to be early

Ultrasound went well today, but we're a little early.  Heartbeat usually shows up around 6 weeks...I'm only 5 weeks 3 days.  In any case, we got a gestational sac and yolk sac.  Here is the future temporary home of our baby-in-the-making: