16 week appointment

We had a monthly checkup today. I'm back up to 119 lbs, so I've gained back the 6-8 lbs I lost due to morning sickness. The doctor was very happy about that. The baby's heartbeat was 151 bpm, and doc says everything is fine! Next month will be the big ultrasound, so we'll get to see baby and hopefully get some good pics. For those of you dying to know the sex, we may be able to find out then (if the little one cooperates!). That's it for now- I'll let you know when we know more.

Rules of Pregnancy

A friend of mine gave this to me. I usually don't pass on things like this, but this is a good one. Enjoy!

Rules of Pregnancy

1. The appropriate response to a couple telling you they are having a baby is "Congratulations" with enthusiasm. Any other response makes you a jerk.

2. Through the wonders of science, we now know that babies are made ONLY by the mother and father- not grandparents. Unless the baby is in your uterus, or you are the man that helped put it there, you may not ever use the phrase "my baby"

3. On the same note, unless you made the baby as defined in #2, the pregnancy, birth and the raising of the child are not about you. You do not have input. No one wants to hear your opinion unless they ask for it.

4. The body of a pregnant woman should be treated the same as any other body. You would not randomly touch someones stomach if they were not pregnant, nor would you inquire into the condition of their uterus, cervix or how they plan to use their breasts. Pregnancy does not remove all traces of privacy from a woman.

5. Likewise, no woman wants to hear comments on her weight- ever. A pregnant woman does not find it flattering that you think she is about to pop, must be having twins, looks swollen or has gained weight in her face. Telling her she looks too small only makes her worry that she is somehow starving her baby. making such comments invite her to critique your physical appearance and you may not act offended. The only acceptable comment on appearance is "You look fabulous!"

6. Most of us have picked up on the fact that summer is hot. We are hot every summer when we are not pregnant. We don't need you to point out that we will be miserably hot before the baby comes.

7. There is a reason that tickets to Labor & Delivery are not yet sold on ticketmaster. Childbirth is actually not a public event. It may sound crazy, but some women really do not relish the idea of their mother, mother-in-law or a host of other family members seeing their bare butt or genitals. Also, some people simply feel like the birth of their child is a private and emotional moment to be shared only by the parents.

8. Like everything else in life, unless you receive an invitation, you are not invited. This includes doctor appointments, ultrasounds, labor, delivery, the hospital and the parents home. you do not decide if you will be there for the birth or if you will move in with the new parents to "help out". if your assistance is desired, rest assured that you will be asked for it.

9. If you are asked to help after the birth, this means you should clean up the house, help with cooking meals, and generally stay out of the way. Holding the baby more than the parents, interfering with breastfeeding and sleeping schedules and making a woman who is still leaking fluid from various locations lift a finger in housework is not helping.

10. The only people entitled to time with the baby are the parents. Whether they choose to have you at the hospital for the birth or ask you to wait 3 weeks to visit, appreciate that you are being given the privilege of seeing their child. Complaining or showing disappointment only encourages the parents to include you less.

Third appointment

Most of the appointments between now and 7 months or so will be pretty quick and straightforward. They check weight, blood pressure, the baby's heartbeat, and poke at my belly to make sure everything is growing properly. This time I lost another pound, which was rather unexpected, as I have been feeling much better than I did with Gwydion. We did hear the baby's heartbeat on the doppler- it was 156 beats per minute. The next appointment will be in about a month. Oh, and I know I still need to get the 8 week ultrasound picture up- I'm just waiting on a scanner.


Here it is:

Happy Birthday Gwydion!!!!

Here are the highlights of Gwydion's 3rd birthday. He picked out his own cake and decorations. For a while it was up in the air. He looked at Curious George, Blue's Clues, and Bob the Builder, but in the end, it came down to Thomas (as we knew it would).

Opening presents. Gwydion got lots of neat stuff!

The back yard might have been the best part of the party. The kids really
enjoyed playing in the bouncer and on all the other toys.

Gwydion on his new swingset.

Gwydion surveys the view from his new playhouse.

Second appointment!

We had our second doctor appointment yesterday. Since my symptoms decreased dramatically in the last week, the doctor ordered an ultrasound. We got to see our precious little bean again! So far I'm feeling well- the morning sickness is much lighter than last time around. I've only lost one pound this month instead of the 4-5 I lost with Gwydion. I'll call that an improvement! I'll try to get the pic up later today, though I'm warning you, it still doesn't look like much!

Easter pics!

Gwydion had a great Easter, starting with the basket.

The beheading of the chocolate bunny.


The egg hunt begins!

Hey everyone- I've got some good news! We're expecting Gwydion to have a sibling in late November or early December. Here's a pic of what the little bean looks like right now. We have seen the tiny heart fluttering very quickly, though it was too small to get an accurate heart rate at this early stage. We'll be updating as this little one grows!