...as long as it's healthy

I don't know how many times I hear this or read this in the run of a month. Some expectant mother is asked, "Are you hoping for a girl or a boy?" And she invariably responds, "Oh, I don't care, as long as its healthy!" And I hate it. Once again, I'm sure to be accused of being overly sensitive. But really, would you love your child any less if it wasn't healthy? As someone who has a child with "special needs", who has seen more specialists and therapists than most senior citizens, I can absolutely say that such a child is a blessing in disguise. You come to appreciate those milestones and successes so much more than the parent of a normally developing child...because you don't take it for granted that walking/talking/playing/reading/whatever are just going to happen naturally. And it truly teaches you more about yourself and your capabilities as a parent than almost anything else possibly could.

So when I'm asked whether I'm hoping for a boy or a girl, I usually respond with something ridiculous like, "Oh, I don't care, as long as it doesn't have 2 heads." Gender does not matter to me. And whether or not the baby is healthy doesn't either. Quite honestly, I'd have another 10 just like Jesse if I thought that I could keep up with them!

21 weeks 1 day - BELLY!!

Here's a belly slide show for ya! Sorry for the crappy alignment. Blogger's being a bitch. :(

21 weeks 1 day - Not a Polkaroo!!!

Unlike Jesse, Trouble is not a Polkaroo!!! Steve felt the baby kick for the first time yesterday morning (or was it the morning before?) Jesse, while being more active than this baby, always stopped moving whenever Steve came near me. So Steve is quite happy, I think, to be able to feel movement already.

An update on the pants front...My bella bands have saved the day. I really bought them to keep my scrub pants up for work, but decided I'm going to have to use them with my other maternity pants as well. Hopefully as my belly gets bigger, my pants will be able to stay up on their own.

Also, I had a prenatal appointment with Dr. Duggan's new resident this week. It was kind of awkward. She's not nearly as personable as Dr. Duggan, or the last resident was. But I've scheduled my next appointment for when Dr. D is there, so that should be good. I also got my prenatal records for Jayme (the midwife). All was well with Trouble at the appointment though, and Jesse slept through it, which meant they got a normal blood pressure reading!

20 weeks 3 days - Rant

I did take a 20 week pics (a few days late - oops!) but I don't have time to edit it and post it at the moment. Instead, I need to vent for a minute.

WTF are maternity clothing designers thinking?!!!

I cannot, for the life of me, find maternity pants that #1 fit and #2 don't fall don't over my ass and #3 don't pull my underwear down in the process. 

Since my maternity pants from my previous pregnancy don't fit me that well (wish I could say they were too BIG, but we all know that's not the case) I've had to go buy new ones. I've bought 3 pairs of pants. One pair are "secret fit belly" jeans. Another are "under belly" that are super low rise, but will sit nicely below the belly, if only they'd stay up over my butt. The last is a pair of black "under belly" cords. And I haven't had luck with any of them! Seriously! Oh, and let me say that having my underwear riding half ways down over the crack of my ass is on my list of "least favorite things in the world"....right next to pap smears. 

I'm about ready to # 1 go commado or wear a thong and #2 wear maternity overalls.

Oh, and please don't leave a comment suggesting I give leggings a try. Little Miss Know-It-All at Motherhood Maternity tried to suggest just that when I visited the place over the weekend. These legs and leggings do not an attractive picture make TYVM.

ARGH!!!

19 weeks 1 day - Already?!!!

I think I'm starting to get some Braxton Hicks contractions. I know, I know, it's super early. I started getting them at 22 weeks with Jesse though, and I'm 19 weeks with this one, so it's possible. I'm definitely feeling some tightening/uncomfortableness. It's harder to tell this time though, as I have a little more "padding" than I did with Jesse. I guess it'll become apparent soon enough....

19 weeks

I had my first appointment with the midwife, Jayme, and her assistant, Erin. It lasted for nearly 2 hours! They came to our home last evening and were able to meet Steve and Jesse. We talked about my medical history, my pregnancy with Jesse, and how this new pregnancy is going. They checked my blood pressure, which was fine, measured my belly, which was 19 or 20 cm (I can't remember), and we just talked. It was so nice to just talk about birth! I love it. They gave me a ton of paperwork to fill out, and Jayme will be emailing me the contracts and all. I think it's starting to hit me now that this home birth is going to happen!

I also took a pic today! I didn't post the one from last week, so I'll post them together now. I'll post my 3 week pic as well to compare:

I think I'm definitely starting to pop out a little, which is nice. I'd rather look pregnant than just plain fat. My new maternity clothes that just came from Motherhood Maternity should help! Maybe I'll take some pics as I wear my new outfits. Well, really, it's just shirts. 3 shirts and a sweater came today, and I'm expecting 2 more shirts to come as well. I really need to buy another couple pairs of pants. I just wish I could find some that didn't haul my underwear down. I'm about to say "screw it" and start going commando!

18 weeks 3 days - "19 week" ultrasound

For some reason I'm having trouble typing today. My fingers just aren't working right. Good thing I have pics to fill this post!!!

We had our "19 week" ultrasound today. Our tech was new to obstetrical ultrasound, having spent the first part of her career looking at livers and kidneys. So she had to take her time, which was nice, actually. She was really sweet. And now, without further ado, here's all 18 weeks and 3 days of Trouble:

Hand on chin

Alien baby

There were two other pics that they gave us, but they're just variations of the above two pics. I wish they had printed the pic of the feet. That was the sweetest ultrasound pic I've ever seen. Sad panda. Overall it was great though. My placenta is fundal and a bit posterior, so that's good news. Baby is breech, but there's still plenty of time to turn. I'm going to make a doctor's appointment for some time in the next couple of weeks and hopefully there won't be any surprises in the ultrasound report.

Oddly enough, I still really don't feel pregnant. Baby still isn't moving much (though I'm getting a few jabs here and there). He or she is definitely more chill than Jesse. At Jesse's 19 week ultrasound he was doing log rolls and would not stop moving. This baby will totally calm and relaxed. I'm hoping the movement pics up soon so I can stop worrying so much!