Exciting News!

WE'RE PREGNANT!

Yes, it's true.  It happened like clock work.
My doc gave us the go ahead to start trying after 2 regular cycles.
2 cycles passed and the magic happened.
I honestly wasn't expecting this to happen so quickly... I was actually shocked!
Two test later and our first doctor appointment down... it's 100% confirmed!

I've been a bit hesitant to announce our big news due to our previous miscarriage.
A week or so back I came across an article titled "5 Common Pregnancy Practices I Wish Would Go Away".
Intrigued, I clicked the link and read on. (The article can be found HERE)
The first "practice" the author discuss is the 12 Week Rule.
We have all heard that things can go wrong in the first trimester.
I'm a prime example.  1 out of 5 pregnancies ends in miscarriage.
The author writes - "I think this sets women up for complicated grieving process should miscarriage happen"
WOW!  I could totally relate to every word that I was reading.
Had I not had so much support from both friends and family, I think I would likely be in a funk still.

I clicked on a link provided at the end of the article to read about "Why I Hate the 12 Week Rule".
(This article can be found HERE)
The website I was taken to is a sanctuary for those going through the same things.
A place where you can go voice your feelings and have support from others.
Great site for others struggling with miscarriage.  Highly recommended.

I was honestly considering waiting until week 12.
I know first hand how great it was to have the extra support though.
I know that I would love to have the same support if something happens again.
I feel kind of needy or maybe selfish saying that but it's the truth.
I don't need the sympathy.  It's just nice to know there's support during tough times.

Anyhow, enough of the doom and gloom - I'm back to My Journey Into Motherhood! :)
I'm excited and nervous at the same time.
I know that there's a possibility of something not working out again but my hopes are high.
I think I worry myself more than needed.
This time around things have just felt different.
I often forget that I am pregnant.  I really don't feel like it - short of being EXTREMELY tired.

My boobs didn't start hurting until about a week ago.  Before it was almost immediate.
I haven't had the same acne problem that I did before.  My skin actually looks pretty great.
Like I said, I have been VERY tired.  Last time I wasn't really tired.
No puking.  I do feel a bit nauseous before I eat in the morning and then again after dinner.
I don't have the want to over indulge when I eat like I did last time.
I have had some CRAZY dreams.  I often find myself wondering where that thought came from!

I was able to lose almost 20 pounds prior to this pregnancy.
(Yes, I still have a ways to go before hit my goal weight and that's now on the back burner)
I don't want to flush all of my hard work down the drain so....
I'm sticking to my healthy ways and I plan on doing so throughout the entire pregnancy.
For the record, I'm not actively trying to lose weight.
The plan is to continuing eating healthy and to continue with my workouts.
I told James the other day that I'm actually a little jealous.
He will be losing more weight and getting buff and I'll just be getting bigger.
All for a good cause though.  I can't complain about that.  :)

I will be back to my weekly blogging - baby talk this time. 
I will keep you updated on new symptoms - the good or the bad.
I will be doing weekly photos too.

The doc says that the baby is measuring about 6 days ahead of what we were thinking.
They are keeping the due date at December 11th for now.
After the 20 week ultrasound measurements, they may or may not move the date to the 5th.
Regardless, Baby Bell is looking healthy.
We saw the little heart beating and could see a defined baby shape growing inside.
Here's what we got to see...

First "baby bump" (or not) photo - 8 weeks pregnant and feeling pretty great!
**Note to self... clean the bathroom mirror!  LOL! ;)

Week 8: Doctor's visit #1

Onto week 8, month 2!  The baby is now the size of a raspberry or kidney bean.  We are nearing the end of the first trimester! Wow! That's crazy to think. I realize that there are still 4 more weeks before that but those weeks creep up on you in a hurry. Before I know it, this little fella or gal will be here!

Anyhow, today was my first visit to the doctor to check things out. Exciting. I was looking forward to it all week.  As the time to go got closer, I was a bit more nervous than I thought.  Things went well though.  Got a flu shot.  Had 5 vials of blood drawn.  The best part, we got to see the baby.  This early in a pregnancy, they do an internal ultrasound.  They take this long, stick like thing and insert it through the vagina, into the uterus.  Don't worry, it's not bad at all and doesn't hurt.  I say long too, but they don't insert much of the stick thing either.  We saw the baby's heart beating at an incredible rate.  We didn't hear it yet but you could definitely see that the heart was beating away.  Totally cool.  James is already wanting to know when we can find out the sex of the baby.  We still have a ways to go there!

As far as any changes in how I'm feeling... nothing too different, other than more frequent trips to the bathroom (I'll touch more on that in a minute). Still have acne. Still get nauseous from time to time. Nothing that isn't manageable though.  I have noticed that my two tender ladies aren't quite as tender anymore.  They are feeling somewhat normal again.  WOOHOO!  I have been told that it only gets worse when your milk comes in though.  I dread that day. 

About my excessive need to pee all of the time.  I have always seemed to have a small bladder and had spent a good amount of time in the restroom.  Yeah, that was nothing compared to this.  I wake up at least once a night, sometimes two.  The mornings seem to be the worst.  After breakfast I'll take a potty break and then, no joke, not even 10 minutes later I seem to have a full bladder!  The other day I was in the bathroom 4 times all within an hour.  I guess tinkling is better than spending my time in the bathroom puking my brains out!  I'll take this over that!  I must say, I'm doomed when the baby is big enough to be putting pressure on my tiny bladder though.   

I have noticed that some of the muscles in my stomach seemed to be getting a bit tight from time to time. I noticed this as I went to roll over in bed the other night.  It has made me realize that my nights of belly sleeping will probably soon be coming to an end. I probably sleep on my belly 90% of the night. I'm hoping that I'll be able to find a new favorite sleep position when the time comes.  Maybe a body pillow will come in handy.

All in all, this week has been a good week.  I'm more excited today than I was when I found out.  Like I've said before, I have KNOWN that I was pregnant, just never really FELT it.  I know there are symptoms that I've nagged about but still.  Maybe it's just me.  Seeing the baby today was the official confirmation for me though.  I AM PREGNANT!  I am going to be a mom.  And so my journey continues onward.  :)