hello, second trimester!

i am now 13w4d which is, even by the most conservative ways of calculation, now the second trimester. Wowzers.

our lil' babe is currently the size of a medium shrimp, according to babycenter.com .  that is roughly 3 inches long from head to bottom, weighing nearly an ounce.   while seafood (shrimp most specifically) is really my least favorite thing ever. 

especially NOW while i am pregnant.  

i can't help but chuckle as i think of our sweet little one swimming around in my tummy, and likening him/her to a shrimp!  lol

i am still feeling really well, except i have started having trouble with headaches lately.  They are not that big of a deal, but since i prefer not to take meds while pregnant i find myself just drinking tons and tons of water in my attempt to make them go away, which in turn has me spending more and more time running to the potty.  :)

my appetite is back in full force and i find myself eating nice large meals AND snacking in between meals. I don't imagine those few pounds that i had initially lost will stay off for all that much longer....

we got a good chunk of our garden planted last week so i am anxiously on the lookout for little sprouts!  the forecast is calling for sun and rain all week, so i hope that works some magic......can't wait for fresh garden beans and lettuce salads! Yum yum!

i saw my feet get puffy after an especially warm day last week and was unpleasantly reminded of that side effect which i am sure i will see lots more of this summer.  it just gives me plenty of reason to request foot rubs from my hubby, right?

here's to a new month and a new trimester :)

4 Months Along

We are 16 weeks today!  Though the time seems to generally be measured in weeks; comparing that 16 weeks to 4 months sure gives some perspective on how far into this pregnancy we are.  We are almost halfway. 


Here is a little bit on what baby is up to this week:

• baby baum is nearly five inches in length (which is roughly the size of an avocado or large pear) and weighs over three ounces

• Eyebrows, eyelashes and hair are starting to fill in

• Taste buds are forming

• Developed facial muscles make it possible for him/her to squint, frown, or try to make other expressions

• His/her eyes can move from side-to-side, and even perceive some light, although its eyes are still fused shut

• He/she might be experiencing tiny hiccups though they are too small for me to feel yet

Here is my growing baby bump:

The countdown continues...


Two weeks until my husband graduates from grad school.


Two weeks until we have our ultrasound.


Three weeks until we close on our house.


And then after that I think everything will run together!  :)


Hope everyone has a happy Friday.  Don't forget your umbrella!

Bumpin' Along

Tomorrow we will start our 15th week of this pregnancy.  Time seems to be going faster and faster.  Only 3 more weeks and we will be finding out if we are going to have a little girl baum or a little boy baum. 


I am still feeling great, though as my tummy keeps on growing I have found myself feeling really bloated.  I didn't really know what carrying extra weight on your front would feel like, and though it isn't really an unpleasant experience, it is definitely different than I expected.  It mostly just feels like a pressure that you can't really turn off.  :)    


Here is a shot at my baby bump as of this morning:

Later this morning I went to the park with Gabe, and someone I didn't know asked me when I am due.  That is the first time that someone recognized my bump as baby without my pointing it out.  I was really thrilled!  I love talking to other moms about their baby stories. :)

baby baum should be around 4 inches long right now or the size of a navel orange. This week developmentally: the legs are finally longer than the arms, and both knees and elbows are fully formed and functioning.  


baby baum witnessed his/her first soccer game this week as we watched the Grinnell Tigers high school boys team beat Knoxville.  (Way to go Jake!)  As we were sitting there in the sun watching the game, I was reminded of how much more I enjoy soccer season than football season when it comes to the weather :)   More soccer to come this weekend.....

First Baby Purchases!

We are in our 14th week now, and we had another routine appointment on Friday.  Bud came along this time, and we heard baby baum's heartbeat significantly slower than last time at only 150 beats per minute (which still is MUCH quicker than my own heartbeat.....so cool!)  It was really awesome to share that moment together, and we were both really elated to hear that our little "lemon" is growing just as it should.  I also specifically asked the doctor if she thought there was a chance that there was more than one baby in there (are you listening, family?!) and she said no.  I am just the right size, and we only found one heartbeat.

Baby is doing lots of moving now though I have yet to really feel the movements.  The doctor said it will probably be a few weeks yet before I really notice them, but our baby is busy sucking it's thumb and wiggling it's fingers and toes.  The other big growth of the week is that it is now covered in lanugo (thin, downy hair) to keep it warm.  I find it interesting that this week I also noticed that my tummy is covered with little peach hairs.....no one told me about this side effect to pregnancy!

Over the weekend I hit up some garage sales and made my first official baby purchases!  My most prized purchase was this bassinet.....it is from Eddie Bauer and is in fabulous shape still!  And yes, it is full of clothes......

I was really trying to wait until we have the anatomy ultrasound next month to buy clothes, but I really couldn't resist the super deals on really cute clothes.  I picked up lots of gender neutral pajamas and a snow suit, and then also a few pink and a few blue items.

Yes, take another look and see that I even picked up an Iowa Hawkeye sweat suit! This was for Bud's benefit, and no, it does not mean that I am not a loyal Cyclone fan.  I will be keeping my eye out for cute Cyclone gear as well.  I just didn't find any at the garage sales.

I guess it was a pretty productive weekend, and I am looking forward to enjoying the sun this week to come!

Beginning of the Second trimester

Okay, so I am very new to blogging. This is the first time in my life that I have felt like I have something that is worthy of talking about in a blog format....our baby!

We are in our 13th week currently, and I am feeling great. Now that wasn't always the case (in fact, you can just ask Bud about how he had to prepare me bowls of cheerios to eat in bed before I could find the energy to get up and start my day...) Those days seem to be over though and my appetite has come back with renewed vigor. I am not sure if my baby bump is really baby, or just the extra calories that I have been intaking the last couple of weeks. :)

I have another doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon, and this time Bud gets to come with me. We should hear the heartbeat again, and with any luck I might be able to get an audible recording this time.

Until then....