Week 35

He's nearly here! Most 35-week babies weigh 5 pounds or more and rarely experience major complications if born before they officially come to term. You may feel a tingling or numbness in your pelvic region as the extra weight presses on your nerves, as well as increased movement in your upper rib cage where his feet have come to rest in preparation for the head-down journey into the world. Three to four percent of full-term babies never adopt this position, but remain breech (with their heads facing up). If your baby is part of this stubborn minority, you may be at greater risk for a cesarean section. To prevent this, your caregiver may attempt to turn her from the outside using a process called "external version." She'll also do a sonogram to determine the baby's exact position before deciding whether to attempt a vaginal birth.

Baby Shower 2

So I am finally posting pictures from the baby shower that was thrown for me in Virginia. I got so many wonderful gifts & had a great time. A big thank you to Regina, Shelley and my mom for making it such a great day. Noah is already spoiled and we haven't even met him yet!

Week 34

Exactly how would you like your child to enter the world? An increasing number of parents-to-be are creating birth plans. These documents may include everything from medical preferences to environmental concerns (low lighting, soft music, and so on) during labor, delivery, and postpartum. Try to keep the plan to one page or less--busy caregivers may not have time to read it otherwise--and give copies to your doctor or midwife and to hospital or birthing center staff as well. Keep in mind, however, that medical necessity may derail some of your preferences.
We don't exactly have a "birthing plan" but we did talk with the doctor on Monday a little about what we are expecting. Basically I told her that I don't care if I have a c-section and I want drugs. I am all for anything to make it more comfortable for me and my baby! :)

Can you say UNPREPARED?

Shortly after the alarm went off this morning, Ben asked a very important question: How do we know when to go to the hospital after you go into labor? My response: I have no clue. He let out this crazy sigh and said: We are so unprepared. I mumbled something about not having any bottles or diapers.
So I have spent the entire morning thinking about nothing except that we are so unprepared for what is going to happen sometime within the next 7 weeks or so. Our childbirth classes don't even start until January 11th- hopefully I don't go into labor before then.
If you know me, you know that this is really not like me. I am always the prepared one, the one who has thought everything through. Not this time. I think it has something to do with the move from Virginia to Jacksonville. Maybe it has something to do with us not living in our house yet. Or maybe it has something to do with all of our belongings, including my large stack of pregnancy books, being in storage. Regardless, I feel the stress building. I have come to the realization that I have no idea what to expect in the coming weeks. Fortunately we are moving into our new house this weekend and one of the first boxes I open will contain my pregnancy literature. After I find the books, I will devote the rest of the weekend to figuring out what in the world I am supposed to be doing to prepare for Noah.

Week 33

Starting at about week 26, your baby has slept and awoken at regular intervals. He closes his eyes when he sleeps, and he'll even dream during the last month before birth. No one knows what babies dream about in the womb, but they show reactions ranging from frowns and smiles to crying and kicking. Asleep or awake, you may feel the kicks in a new place around now--in your rib cage, just below your breasts--as he moves into the head-down position where he'll probably stay until birth.

PUPPPS

So last week a very strange thing happened to my ever growing belly. I developed a small rash that itched like crazy and eventually spread over my entire stomach region. Since I was on vacation in Virginia, I tried to come up with lots of excuses for the rash: new soap, new detergent, new shirt, etc. Mind you, since the rash was only on my stomach, none of these explanations for the rash really made much sense.
So I went to the doctor on Monday and was diagnosed with PUPPPS. For those of you, like me, who are unfamiliar with this- here is the explanation:
A common rash during pregnancy is Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy. This is a most unpleasant rash with an incredible itch that's only cure is delivery of the placenta. Although this is most common in first pregnancies, it has been known to occur in subsequent pregnancies. This problem affects one in about 160 to 200 pregnancies.
The onset of this rash is usually the third trimester but it has been known to appear in the early post partum period. The rash starts on the abdomen and then spreads to the extremities. It is an unbearably itchy rash. Happily the rash doesn't normally spread to the face. After delivery of the baby, the rash and the itch rapidly disappear. There are no known ill effects on the baby. Some doctors believe this to be an allergic reaction to the placenta but they also have noted a relationship to maternal weight gain, newborn birth weight and the incidence of twins.
So, needless to say, I have bought a huge tube of hydrocortisone that I can't leave the house without.

Week 32

This week is a milestone of sorts: Babies born after this time tend to do well even if they are premature. Nearly 10 percent of babies are born before week 37, when they officially come to term. At 32 weeks, all major organs are functioning except the lungs, which may need further time to develop. But your little one doesn't exactly look like a rosy cherub--he weighs about 3 pounds, and his thin, wrinkly skin hasn't filled out with the layers of fat that develop later. Luckily, in many cases, all he'll need is some time in an environmentally controlled isolette to become the chubby angel you imagined.

Week 31

He's entering a growth spurt. For the next eight weeks, he'll gain weight faster than he increases in length, at the rate of about half a pound a week. The bigger he gets, the harder it will be to "see" him on ultrasound and get a good estimate of his size--the margin of error increases to 15 percent by the end of the third trimester. But he's definitely growing fast, and you'll notice that his kicks will start to feel more like squirming as he runs out of room to roam.

Week 30

By this week, your baby's senses are developed to the point where he can taste, touch, see, and hear what's going on around him. He'll also react to stimuli--for instance, if you poke your belly, he may kick or hit back at the spot you've touched. It's exciting to interact with your baby even before he's born. Try rubbing your belly and talking gently to her when he kicks--you may find that you're already able to calm him down.

Week 29

For the past six weeks or so, your baby has been listening to your voice (along with the voices of your partner, older children, and anyone else who's been talking to your belly). Speaking to your baby is not only a key part of prenatal bonding, but may also form the basis of language development. Babies who have been spoken to in utero recognize and turn to familiar voices immediately after birth. There may also be links between prenatal stimulation and the development of speech and IQ.

New City, New Doctor

So I have seen 2 doctors since my arrival last week in Jacksonville. The first doctor I was not so fond of. Actually, I didn't even get to meet the doctor at my first visit- but Ben and I decided after sitting in the waiting room for an hour that we did not think this was the doctor for us.
My next doctor's appointment was the complete opposite. Thanks to our friend Rebekah, who is also an OB/GYN, we were referred to a wonderful practice that lived up to all of our expectations. It is a practice of 5 female doctors, all in their early 30s. I even had a better feeling about them from just my call to make an appointment- they offered to mail me all of the paperwork beforehand so that I wouldn't have to fill it out at the office. And if you have ever had a baby before, you know there is TONS of paperwork.
So my new doctor's office is at Baptist Medical Center, which is the same hospital that Ben was born. As you can imagine, Ben thinks it is very cool that he and Noah will have that in common. When we arrived, we were greeted by a very nice receptionist who took all of my medical records and asked us to take a seat. And then a crazy thing happened, I was called back to be seen RIGHT ON TIME! All of the examination rooms are named after the doc's kids and/or dogs. I was in the "Mabel" room- a very cute pug that belongs to one of the doctors. The room was decorated with professional photographs of her. The nurse did mess up Ben's name whenever she called him back to join me- she called him Stan- but we forgave her.
We spent some time with the doctor, who was absolutely wonderful. She's pregnant as well and we both really liked her. She had quickly reviewed all of my records and sat and talked with us for a little while. I am very happy with our new doctor and am looking forward to the next 12 weeks until Noah gets here!

Week 28

At the end of this week, you'll enter the third trimester--a busy time for your little one. His movements will increase from now until around week 32, when he'll start running out of room to roam. (He'll keep moving after that, but it will feel more like wiggling compared to the sharp kicks you may be experiencing now.) He's also growing strong--and long! He measures about 14 inches from head to toe, and weighs roughly 3 pounds. Your doctor will keep track of his growth by placing her hands on your belly to measure the size of your uterus, also known as fundal height.

Big Baby Belly

This is what I looked like at my first baby shower, 2 weeks ago. As you can see, Noah is taking up quite a bit of space!

Week 27

Your frisky fetus is on another growth spurt, shooting up half an inch this week to measure about 14 inches from head to toe. He weighs roughly 2 1/2 pounds, and will gain approximately half a pound each week for the next 10 weeks. The average full-term baby weighs about 7 1/2 pounds and measures from 18 to 20 1/2 inches, but many normal, healthy babies fall outside this range. Unless your practitioner has told you of a potential problem, it's safe to assume that your little one is right on track. Only 13 weeks to go!

Baby Shower Mania

So I had my first baby shower last night! Everyone from my department at work attended- plus my sister since she also works at the college. Noah received a lot of really great presents, including his carseat (pictured above). Of course my camera batteries died as soon as I got there- but fortunately someone else had a camera and took plenty of pictures. I will post some of them as soon as she sends them to me. And don't worry, I took one of my belly so you all can see how big I have gotten!

Hectic Life

So I realized today that this blog is getting pretty boring. But at least I have a few excuses for why we hardly ever post. In case you didn't know, we are in the process of moving. Ben has started a new job in Jacksonville and I am still living in Virginia. We are hoping that if all goes well, we will be reunited next week to make our move to Florida. We do have a house for Baby McDonald to live in there- although it needs quite a bit of work before we can bring him home from the hospital in 15 weeks!! Anyone who wants to make a trip down south to help out is more than welcome. Friday is my last day in the office- but I will be working from home starting on Monday. My first baby shower is tomorrow night at a co-workers home. Hopefully I will have pictures to post by the weekend. Maybe I will have time to post more interesting updates once we get settled in our new home, but until then, this will have to do. :)

Week 25

Baby McDonald weighs in at 1 1/2 to 2 pounds this week, and measures about a foot from head to toe. Though still skinny and wrinkly (skin hangs loosely until the fetus develops more baby fat), he's growing rapidly and starting to fill the space in your uterus. You'll feel his kicks and pokes more strongly with each passing week, with kick-strength peaking in about a month when he gets too crowded to do anything but squirm.

Week 24

The unsung hero of the fetal support system is the umbilical cord, which forms a vital link between the fetus and the placenta. The cord contains two arteries and one large vein; by birth, it may measure up to four feet long. Every 30 seconds, nutrients and oxygen-rich blood are transported from the placenta to the fetus via the single vein, then back again to the placenta through the two arteries. This ingenious method ensures a constant supply of filtered air and nutrients, and keeps the mother's blood separate from the baby's.

Week 23

The end of this week is an important milestone: Your one-pounder would have a good chance of survival if born now--about 85 percent if given the right care. His body is well proportioned, although lacking in body fat, and the blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare for breathing. About 50 percent of "early preemies" experience complications ranging from eye problems to intracranial hemorrhage (spontaneous bleeding in the brain); the rate drops steadily from the 24th week onward.

Week 22

The baby is getting bigger and continuing to practice for life outside the uterus. This week your baby has fully developed eyelashes and eyebrows and the hair on your baby's head is continuing to grow as his brain begins a rapid growth process. The fetus has fully formed fingerprints and loud noise can "wake up" the baby. He may begin kicking and turning around, too. Your baby's heartbeat can be heard with a stethoscope. His nose is taking on a more defined shape as cartilage (the soft bone) appears. Your baby is approximately 30-32 cm (10.8 inches) and weighs about one pound.

I thought registering was supposed to be fun?

Ben and I decided that Saturday would be a great day to register for baby items. We headed out the door, naively believing that we were on our way to have a really great time. Fast forward 30 minutes and we were standing in line behind 10 other pregnant women listening to a sales associate give a very fast group lesson on how to use the scanner, how to delete items from our list and how to register for "non-specific" items. I felt like we were entering a race. Little did I know how unprepared we were for this adventure. First item on the list of "suggested registry items": Bottles. Who knew there were so many options! And we hadn't even gotten to the wall o' nipples. We made our first joint decision, we skipped registering for bottles.
Next Stop: the stroller department. Surely it would prove to be a much easier decision to make. The first stroller we picked out was much too heavy and we had a hard time steering it. The second stroller we couldn't figure out how to detach the car seat. I assumed that we would move on to the next stroller, but Ben decided that he was going to spend a significant amount of time proving that he could detach the car seat and reattach it. While I moved along and made a decision on the stroller I wanted, Ben was still sitting on the floor of the aisle underneath the stroller trying to figure it out. Eventually he conquered the stroller and car seat and we were able to agree on a stroller that we both felt comfortable with. Shortly thereafter, we looked at our watches and realized that we had been in the store for an hour and had only picked out a stroller!! We spent the following 2 hours running around the store looking at baby merchandise that we didn't even know existed wondering if we needed to register for it all. Eventually we turned in our scanner, exited the store, and headed home for a nap. Who knew registering could be so tiring!

Ultrasound images

These are from the 6th of this month, but I hadn't had a chance to scan them in until now.

Week 21

By the end of this week, he'll measure about 7 inches from crown to rump and weigh nearly a pound. Not bad for a little guy who weighed barely an ounce 10 weeks ago! His hearing is developing, and sounds from your conversations can be heard inside the uterus--along with your heartbeat, stomach rumblings, and the pulsing of blood vessels. In fact, the womb is so noisy that it's been compared to an airport runway during takeoff; it's thought that the stimuli prepare the baby for the cacophony of noises, sights, and sounds that will greet him at birth.

Ops... I meant week 20

This week marks the halfway point in your baby's development. And right around now, nature gives him a spa treatment--a white, cream-cheesy moisturizer called vernix coats every inch of his skin, keeping it smooth and wrinkle-free for the next 20 weeks as he floats in a warm bath of amniotic fluid. He'll still be covered in vernix when he's born; your doctor or midwife will wipe it off a few moments after birth, revealing skin that's (you guessed it) baby soft.

Week 19

Another milestone comes halfway through this month. It's known as quickening, and it's the first time you feel your baby move. The fetus has been moving for a few weeks, but now that its bones are harder and its muscles and limbs are stronger, the movements become noticeable.

Almost all the follicles from which your baby's hair will grow are in place. Some babies are born with long, thick hair, others with almost none, but it will all fall out during the first months of life. Fingernails grow longer this month, and toenails are just starting to grow.

The number of nerve cells in your baby's brain increases rapidly this month, especially in the front of the brain, where thinking takes place. The baby's senses, too, are beginning to awaken, and it may be able to hear sounds, such as the flow of blood, the beating of your heart, and the rumblings of your stomach.

Inside your baby's intestines, the first stool, called meconium, is forming. If your baby is a girl, eggs are starting to develop in her ovaries. At about 20 weeks, you may be able to hear your baby's heartbeat with a stethoscope.

Near the end of this month, several changes take place in your baby's skin. It becomes covered with a fatty yellowish substance called vernix, which protects its skin from the constant exposure to amniotic fluid. Under the skin, particularly around the neck and back, a special tissue called brown fat is forming. Until it disappears a few weeks after birth, brown fat produces heat, which the baby needs after leaving the warmth of your womb.

At the end of this month, your baby is about 7 inches long and weighs 10 to 12 ounces.

Another sappy one... sorry

So, for those of you that havn't seen Sherry lately... there is no question that she is pregnant now, even though I'm still amazed when people ask, "are you expecting?" The risks of that question just doesn't match up to the reward, so please try to never, ever ask it. Trust me on this one, you can save yourself from a very embarasing moment.

But, on to my point. I have been seeing her in a way I don't think I have seen her in a long time. Not sure I can explain it, but there is a very good feeling I get from simply looking at my HOT wife and her new cute belly. I know she is getting scared about the changes in her body, but she needs to come to terms with the fact that the extra pounds that are showing up are not fat, but life... and regardless they are not going to make her any less attractive to me.

Plus, her boobs are bigger!

Sucker for Overalls

Who doesn't love a baby in overalls?
That's my excuse for buying Noah a new outfit today (yes, we think his name is going to be Noah). Some of you may have heard about my recent shopping trip and my $.77 baby clothes from JC Penney's. Now my excuse for buying those outfits was that they were so amazingly cheap that I would be considered an idiot for not buying them. So after buying those, I told myself that I would limit my purchases to things I considered a great deal. Not because I don't want Noah to have cute clothes, but because I have attended my share of baby showers, and I know that people love to give baby clothes as gifts.


But today I broke the rules and bought Noah a new outfit. It was a little on sale, but not really a GREAT deal. But surely everyone will think that this outfit was too cute to pass up. At least that is what I am telling myself.

Blue, Blue & More Blue

We went to our monthly appointment on Monday and were fortunate enough that the ultrasound technician could tell us that we are having a baby boy! She also printed some really great pictures of him for us to share with our family and friends. I can't believe that we are almost to the halfway point. I have started to feel the baby kick more often, which makes this experience so much more real. I went shopping last night and picked out the bedding for his nursery- now we just need to find a house for him!

WE ARE HAVING...

A BABY BOY!

Week 18

Your baby's brain is growing rapidly. By this stage, all of the major areas have been differentiated. The cortical layers, which govern specific brain functions, are beginning to form. The fetus may exhibit signs of a primitive body language in utero, such as recoiling when the needle for the amniocentesis comes too close for comfort. Within the next few weeks, she'll be able to hear voices outside the womb and respond positively to music or loving words. It's time to fine-tune your singing and storytelling skills!

Week 17

At 4 to 5 inches long and about 7 ounces, your baby is roughly the size of a large pear. And she's ripening--the brain, muscles, nervous and circulatory systems, and urinary tract are all functioning. Amniotic fluid is pumping through her lungs. Her skeleton, composed of rubbery cartilage, will harden later.

Movement

Sherry felt the baby move twice this morning.

Fast and Furious

Sherry seems to be gaining weight nicely. I mean that both in the fact that she still has a tiny little butt and in the fact that I want her to gain weight (even if she doesn't want to)... to me it is a sign of health. Every other day she will come in with a surprised look on her face and tell me that she has gained another pound.

We are going to Florida this week for a house hunting trip and she was concerned that she is going to sweat her a%^ off because she doesn't have any shorts that fit... so looks like it might be time to go shopping!

Week 16 picture - our little alien

Your little sweetie (alien) is about 4 to 4-3/4 inches long from the new fine hair on his head to his bum. He weighs about 3 to 4 ounces -- that's about as much as your average kiwi fruit!

His head is now erect, and those tiny arms and legs are developed -- and his fingernails are also formed. His muscles begin to move energetically. In fact, starting this week, your baby’s movements -- like him kicking and punching and sucking his thumb -- can easily be seen via ultrasound. (Soon, you will be able to feel them yourself.)

His skin doesn't yet have color -- it actually looks pretty transparent, and the veins and arteries are clearly visible.

Here's a closer look at what your baby may look like right around 14 weeks after conception, or at 16 weeks menstrual age.

from sheknows.com

Decisions, Decisions

This is our current pick for the baby's crib. I think we both agree this is the style we want, now we just have to decide between this color or white. What do you think?

Week 16

Your little one has hiccups! An involuntary movement of the diaphragm causes these painless contractions. In adults, this movement is followed by closure of the vocal cords (making the familiar "hic" noise); because the baby's trachea is filled with fluid rather than air, fetal hiccups don't generate sound. The frequency of hiccups varies widely, with some babies experiencing several bouts a day and others never seeming to get them at all. By the sixth month, you'll be able to "see" fetal hiccups as they occur--they'll make your belly jump.

Week 15

The body is now growing faster than the head, balancing out that brain-heavy look and making the fetus appear more baby-like. The skin is covered with lanugo, an ultrafine hair that protects it until birth. There's also hair on the baby's head, and the beginnings of tiny eyebrows. Your little one is now about 4 inches long and weighs just under 2 ounces.

Is Sherry Showing?

To answer the question I get quite frequently I figured pictures are better than words:

Week 14

Your little boy or girl has fully developed sex organs by this week, although they're still difficult to see through ultrasound. He's 3 inches long and weighs an ounce and a half, give or take a few grams. Now that the major systems are in place, the fetus will start to grow at an amazing rate. In the next month or so, he'll triple in length and reach the impressive weight of 1 pound.

29 days!

Our next doctor's visit is scheduled for September 6th. At that appointment we will have an ultrasound and if Baby McDonald cooperates, we will know whether we will be the proud parents of a baby girl or boy! We still don't have any girl names... so if you have suggestions- let us know!

Some Old pictures

The test results:


My wife that I had to take a picture of right after she told me... I wanted to capture that moment forever:

No more secrets!

In case we had not told you, any of you still keeping it a secret are free to discuss our wonderful news at your leisure. We are still technically 6 days away from the 2nd trimester, but we just can't keep it in anymore and we have 3 doctor office visits under our belt so we are feeling confident.

Heartbeat

So I didn't hear the heart beat with the fetal monitor, but we did get to hear it today with the Doppler contraption at our doctor's appointment. Since Pearl had an appointment near ours today we had her come with us, so she could hear the heartbeat. We met at IHOP and then Sherry went to find out how much she had gained. To her delight she had only gained 2 pounds. The doctor wants her to gain around 5 before the end of the first trimester (which is the 9th) so we will have to get some ho-ho's, pecan twirls and fried twinkies for her to stuff her face with before the end of the week.


The baby's heart rate was 156 beats per minute, and Sherry's blood pressure was a little lower then last time, all normal stuff. Sherry asked about a pain in her back that she figured was her sciatic nerve... she was correct. She also asked about light headedness which the doctor said was also common.

We are going back for our next appointment in 5 weeks and will find out the sex of the baby hopefully (if he/she will face the camera) and most likely get the blood tests for Down's Syndrome, Spina Bifida, Trisomy 18 and a few other birth defects. I say most likely, because the test is pretty inconclusive either way, but I am all for getting the medical staff as much data as they can get to help us in case of complications. But I am pretty confident that we are going to have a very healthy soccer player.

Prenatal monitor

Aimee and Mike gave us a nice prenatal monitor that doubles as a baby monitor.



We tried it a couple of weeks ago with no luck. Not really surprised, as it says it most likely wont work until 2nd trimester. But I want to go try it right now, so I will tell you if it worked when I get home.

Thank you Aimee and Mike.

A little late, but he / she should look something like this

Your baby is about 2-1/2 inches from head to rump, and weighs just about 1-1/2 ounces. His heartbeat should now be detectable with an electronic Doppler (or heart monitor).

from sheknows.com

It's Official

Everyone at work now knows our good news!! I was a little nervous telling for some reason, but they took it well and have been excited and supportive.

Week 13

We just started week 13. At the end of this week, your baby officially enters the second trimester of development. Although only 3 inches from crown to rump and weighing just half an ounce, she looks, well, human! Her eyes have moved from the sides of her head to the front, and her ears are in their normal position. She's also got reflexes--if you prod her, she'll squirm (although you still won't feel it), and her hands and feet respond to stimuli by closing or clenching.

Nothing much

Sorry I haven't posted anything recently... I have been slammed at work.

Yesterday the baby's intestines supposedly formed. The muscles in the walls are becoming functional so that he/she can try to begin "practicing" the movement of food through the system.

Today, the palate is completely formed, it separates the nose from the mouth and enables us to eat and breath simultaneously.

The baby weighs half an ounce and is about 2.5 inches long

Today is the end of week 10 (or week 12 on the "since last period" calendar)... only 196 days to go.

Week 12

Now measuring between 2 and 3 inches from crown to rump, the fetus is busily doing his stretching and kicking exercises. All major organs are in place, and his brain, nerves, and muscles are starting to function. Although his gender was determined at conception, external genitalia won't fully develop for another couple of weeks. At that point, a sonogram may be able to show whether you're carrying a boy or a girl--if your baby will cooperate and face the camera!

Bye Bye Embryo

Our baby gets promoted from embryo to fetus today! It is now a "well-proportioned, small scale baby", already making your daddy proud.

210 Days to go

Today our baby has apparently finished the "critical" development period of his or her (I had just typed it's ... but that didn't feel right) legs. Which means they are at the proper location and proportional size for this stage of development. Shoulders are present, and have rotated out to put the arms at the sides of the body. The fingers and toes are now completely separated (they were webbed last week). The cells that will become the skin is in place and the intestines have begun migrating from the umbilical cord to their stomach.

The genitals are developing but are still indistinguishable, man do I know how that feels! AND... the tail has disappeared... no more cat boy or girl!!

Our baby is about 1 1/16 inch long and weighs somewhere between .04 and .11 ounces and can easily be held in the bowl of a tablespoon.

That is just mind blowing.

I do have to say, and I pray that I don't get in trouble for this, cause I HONESTLY thing it is a beautiful thing, but Sherry has started to fill out her clothes a little bit more, and has started slipping into comfortable clothes AS SOON as she gets home from work. She is still having to hide most of her symptoms at work as only two people there know.

Bustin' out

Sherry purchased her first pair of Maternity pants this week. She also busted a button on her shirt, but I think that was just a coincidence. She wasn't feeling so hot over the last couple of days, so she went home early today just to rest. Considering she has over 90 hours of vacation time accrued to my 46 I think she'll be alright. Nothing much really going on, besides that. We will have reached the end of the 2nd month next Tuesday, so please hold off on open discussion for another 4 weeks.

Currently, there is less then a 5% chance of miscarriage, but we will still feel better once we reach the 2nd trimester on August 10th.

Pictures of Week 10

Your baby is now about 1-1/5 inches long (about 4 centimeters) -- and his head takes up about half of that size!

Right now, he weighs less than half an ounce. By the time your child is born, if he weighs 7-1/2 pounds (an average birth weight), he will multiply his current weight nearly 240 times.

from sheknows.com

Email fun

I have setup a group email so that you all can get the posts in email form versus having to come check here... send me an email if you want to get in on this sweet action.

Doctor Visit

Went to the doctor's office this morning for my first checkup with the actual "Doctor". Nothing too exciting- but Ben did get to meet her for the first time. She said that everything looks great and that I have only gained 1/2 pound. Considering that I feel like I have gained at least 10, I was pretty excited about that. Afterwards I went to IHOP with my mom and stuffed my face with french toast! YUMMY!

Week 10

The embryo reaches a developmental milestone at the end of this week--it has achieved its basic structural form, and will be known as a fetus (Latin for "offspring") from now until it reaches full term. Because the fetus is still curled up in a snug position in the uterus, it's hard to measure an exact length including the legs. For this reason, health professionals use the crown-to-rump measurement, or the distance from the top of the head to the buttocks. Your baby's crown-to-rump length is now about 1 1/4 inches, and she weighs less than half an ounce.

Busy Week

We have been very busy this week, so not much posting... but the baby got to hear his first rock concert and received her first 2nd-hand pot experience.

Today is the beginning of Sherry's 9th week.

Will post more later.

Another week 8 picture

Found this picture today of week 8... pretty impressive. My question is how the hell do they get these pictures?

Week 8

Go, baby, go! Your talented child has doubled in size in the past two weeks, and is now approximately three-quarters of an inch long. Body parts that formed in the first few weeks are growing more complex and specialized, including the eyes, limbs, mouth, heart, and brain. Fingers and toes are taking shape, along with the palate and pituitary gland. The eyelids are also forming--until they're complete, the eyes appear open.

from americanbaby.com

Happy Father's Day

We told Sherry's dad today! We wanted to tell him on father's day but he was out of the country. So he got the news one day late. He is very excited.

Thump Thump

So we had an amazing experience today. We heard our baby's heartbeat, and saw it! We had an early Ultrasound this morning and saw the TINY heart pumping away (around 180 beat per minute). Then the nurse turned on the speakers and Sherry and I were in awe... 15 seconds of just silence and both of us holding back tears. It was a beautiful thing.

We have pictures but no scanner so we will post them when we can. Doesn't really look like much... but I will post anyway.

Week 7

Sherry started week 7 today. Above is an approximate image of what our baby should look like. (MOM: don't freak out this is not actually ours)

We went to the dentist today and they mentioned that Sherry needs to take her prenatal vitamins to help prevent tooth decay?! They also said her gums might bleed more during pregnancy. No cavities for either of us.

She hasn't been feeling good lately... has managed to keep everything down, but has to fight real hard sometimes.

To eat or not to eat, that is the question!

So I didn't think I would be this anal husband, but it turns out that I feel that I am more than I feel I am not.

Sherry and I pride ourselves on being well informed on situations, but remembering all the stupid rules about which fish you can eat and which sweeteners you can use is a little to much for me to remember. We think we have it all under control, until... we get to menu time.

We get the menus, sit there and scan for about 2 minutes, and then Sherry says... "what are you going to have?" ... that is the easy question, I can usually get that one right. But I know which conversation is next, and I get all tense like I use to get during my weekly Electromagnetism (Physics 2) quiz. "Do you think I can eat Calamari?"

Crap, crap, I didn't study this one... let's see Calamari, it's a shellfish... it's a ten-armed cephalopod, commonly known as "squid"... is related to the octopus... they vary in size from 1 inch to 80 feet in length... the meat is firm and chewy, with a somewhat sweet flavor... over-cooking can lead to a rubbery texture... it's Italian for "squid" (well, plural form of it)... But... I have no idea if it is heavy in Mercury, which is why she isn't suppose to eat some fish [I pat myself on the back for knowing that]... is it local or from the coast of Sicily... cause the stupid book says it matters. Damn

"I think so", I confidently respond while I make a mental note to reread that section of the book as soon as I get home, so I can tell her to puke it up if need be.

It's all very confusing.

First Ultrasound

In 6 days we will have our first ultrasound. We hope to hear our baby's heartbeat, and maybe even see the bean sized baby! Very Exciting.

End of Week 6

A wonderful new sound enters the world this week: your baby's heartbeat. Although still too faint to be picked up by a doctor's stethoscope, it's visible in a sonogram as a tiny, pulsing dot in the middle of your still-transparent embryo's body. From now until birth, it will beat approximately 150 times a minute, twice the average adult heart rate. The rest of the embryo is working hard, too--it will triple in size this week, to about a quarter of an inch long.

from americanbaby.com

Third Anniversary

So, today is our 3 year anniversary! W-O-W. I stuck to the traditional gift list, and got Ben a new black Coach wallet (leather is for the third year). But Ben, being as thoughtful and sweet as he is, surprised me with a very special present this morning: a baby rattle from Tiffany & Co. So now Baby McDonald has another present to add to his/her collection. (I think it's a boy by the way).

End of Week 5

Already a busy little bee, your developing embryo now has three layers. The outer layer, or ectoderm, will develop into the nervous system, while the endoderm, or inner layer, will become the liver, pancreas, intestines, and bladder. This week, the mesoderm, or middle layer, is developing into the heart and circulatory system, which will be the first organs to function. In the weeks to come, the mesoderm will also form the bones, muscles, kidneys and reproductive organs.

from americanbaby.com

First Office Visit

Sherry and I went to the doctor's office today to meet with the nurse practioner. She confirmed what we already knew, that we were preggers, and gave Sherry some pre-natal supplements. Sherry mentioned slight cramping which seemed to bother the nurse, so she scheduled our first ultrasound on June 20th at 9 AM. The nurse also scheduled the first appointment with the OB/GYN for July 6th.

I debated whether I should go or not, and although I didn't even get to go back in the room with her I am glad I was there.

Baby Pooh

Regina, Shawn and Jack blessed us with our first baby gift: a winnie the pooh sweater, hat (with ears) and rattle. They also gave us a journal to track the next 8 months of our lives. Both were very cute and very much appreciated!

Told Ben's Family

We had a wonderful time in the mountains this weekend. Got to meet my sister's friend Victor for the first time (whom I will always remember now because I actually called him Vincent to his face... TWICE, I felt like super idiot). We went to a Jamboree on Friday night, and shopped in Floyd and played poker on Saturday.

On Saturday night, we made a nice dinner and then played a trivia game to help me with my memory (since I have trouble remembering my childhood). At the end of the game, which I proved that I still have control over the major memories, Sherry asked if she could ask one more question. Everyone said "Sure!"

She then turns to me and asks, "When are you going to have your first baby?"

I reply, "In FEBRUARY!"

The room was quiet for 1/2 a second as everyone processed, and then pandemonium broke out.

My mom giggled for the rest of the weekend.

Weekend Celebration

We are going away this weekend to Floyd, Virginia where we have rented a mountain cabin for my 30th birthday (which isn't until June 11th). We have decided that we will tell my family, but we are trying to decided the best way to do it. I suggested wrapping up one of the books that Shawn and Regina gave us last night, "The Expecting Father", and then unwrap it with the rest of the presents I get.

I just told my youngest sister, Mandy, since she isn't able to make it up there. She said, "Why did you have to tell me at work?" through tears. I should point out that this is my families first baby at this generation, so we are all pretty excited and emotional.... well we are emotional anyways, but this just gives us an excuse.

First to know

We ended up telling Shawn and Regina last night. We wanted to go out to eat and celebrate, and they wanted to come meet us for dessert, so during dessert, I just blurted out, "We are going to have a baby in February." I thought Shawn was going to choke on his brownie. Regina gave a muffled scream of delight and then wrapped Sherry in a tearful embrace.

So now, I think we are addicted.

Love

Well it is true, I don't think I have felt this attracted to my wife in a long time. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I look at her and still get intimidated by her beauty, but that is typically when she is done up for a night out. But I don't think she has looked anything but radiant to me since she said "How does February sound" this morning.

We are currently debating on whether to tell people or not (NOTE: I didn't actually start this blog until June 7th, but wanted to capture the early days, as they were so filled with excitement). There is a fear that we will have to go through our pain in public if, God forbid, something bad were to happen. But I think I am comfortable telling those people that would find out anyway, and that I would lean on in such a horrible time. So I think we are going to tell my family this weekend, since we have a family trip planned (minus my youngest sister) and it will make for a great time to announce it, but we are still undecided.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BABY!

I received the most wonderful news this morning when I got out of the shower! I am going to be a father. I am so excited, and so relieved, and so happy. The monthly disappointment has been starting to get to us. And your family members whom think they are only trying to help by asking "So when are you having one" don't realize how much the salt they are pouring on, hurts.

But all of that is behind us now. The first thing I thought about, well at least the first thought of the millions that raced through my brain, were that I need to get life insurance now. I know it is a super dork thing to be my first thought, but as a father I want to provide for my family in life and in death.

Conception date

We think this is when it all started.