16 Week Belly

And so it begins. I am 16 weeks today and I have officially entered the point in my pregnancy where I feel like I need to start taking belly shots. I’m trying not to compare this to my first belly shot with Ana at 17 weeks. Everyone says you show faster with the second pregnancy and I am firmly supporting that theory. Well, it’s certainly not because I’ve been eating too much lately! Quite the opposite, in fact. Food and I are not on the best of terms right now. When something does actually sound good, I get about half way through eating it and I am done. Like, get it away from me. NOW. And we won’t be eating that, oh, ever again. Yep, I am still overcome with morning sickness.

But enough about that, let’s get to the baby bump! Here is Baby Bateman 2.0:


And Ana wanted to be in the picture too, so here she is giving some lovin’ to her future sibling.

My Little Ballerina

Ana had another ballet recital today (the last day of her “Tip Toes” Ballet class is always a “recital” performed on the stage). It amazes me how well she is doing in her ballet class. I know she has been doing it for a year and a half, but she’s only three! Heck, I couldn’t do half the things she does. She is so comfortable up on a stage or in front of a crowd, that I can definitely see performing in her future. But more than anything, I love seeing the happiness on her face when she dances. It just warms my heart.











You can see all the pictures from Ana’s “recital” here. Enjoy!

Doctor’s Appointment Report

I had my 14 week (I’m rounding up, since I will be 14 weeks tomorrow) doctor’s appointment yesterday morning and have this to report back:

Weight: down 1/2 lb since last month (3 lbs total gain)
Blood Pressure: 130/70
Baby’s Heartbeat: Normal, in the 150s

It was just a routine once-a-month doctor’s appointment, but it’s always nice to check on the baby and hear the woosh, woosh, woosh of that little heartbeat. Ana loves going to my appointments with me because my wonderful and amazing doctor really likes to get her involved. She is always asking Ana to help her out and this time Ana was THRILLED to get to help run the fetal Doppler that allows you to hear the heartbeat. All in all, things are looking great and I go back for my next appointment in a month.

I am so happy that I was able to keep track of my pregnancy with Ana here on my blog. It is so comforting to go look back through my archives and remind myself that all this is normal, I went through it before, and everything turned out just fine. I know every pregnancy is different, but it’s still fun to compare (sorry, baby #2, but it looks like the comparing-you-to-your-older-sister actually starts in the womb). For example, this pregnancy has followed the same trends as with Ana: I’m nauseous, I’m exhausted, I can’t stand to eat vegetables, and brushing my teeth is one of the worst forms of torture. However, things aren’t quite as intense. Maybe I’m not as dramatic this time around or maybe it’s the fact that I’m keeping up with Ana and don’t always have the time to focus so much time on ME. I will admit that not having to go to work each day as been the greatest blessing. When I get tired, I just curl up on the couch with Ana and we read a book or watch a movie. Ana still naps, so most days I get to nap as well. Even if I don’t actually fall asleep, I still get to lay down and rest. Plus I have Sim around to help me anytime I’m not feeling well. Having him work from home has been such a blessing. He’s quick to bring me a glass of juice and a wet washcloth when I get sick, he puts on a movie for Ana when I’m curled up in bed with a headache, and he is understanding beyond belief when I suddenly can’t eat certain foods that I have always loved, when I refuse to eat leftovers, and when I can’t eat the same food more than once (as you can imagine, I’m quickly running out of things to eat here). I have an amazing support system around here, and I couldn’t do it without them. I love you, Sim and Ana!

Making the Official Announcement

Well, it’s been a long time coming, but I am finally ready to make the official announcement: I AM PREGNANT!! We are going to have another baby!

Two lines! Two lines!

Seven week ultrasound picture.

Nine week ultrasound picture.

I am 12 weeks pregnant today and just starting my second trimester. The chance of miscarriage drops significantly at this point which is why we are finally comfortable sharing the good news. This gives us a November 14th expected due date! Wahoooo! In light of my previous experience, it’s really hard to let myself get excited and be happy, but I think we are finally at that point. I cannot wait to share this journey with all of you.

So backing up a little bit, after my miscarriage, the doctor told us to stop trying for a cycle to give my body a chance to recover. Then we tried the Clomid again. We did the same dose as before, since obviously it worked, just something else didn’t. I charted, tracked BBTs, and had my blood drawn (checking various hormone levels) more times than I care to recall. But it was all worth it in the end. I brought my doctor my successful chart and she joked that it was the most perfect chart she has ever seen, saying she would have thought it was the sample chart if it didn’t have my name on it. I couldn’t have been more happy!

I have been keeping a little journal for myself (since I wasn’t able to post it all here yet) and wanted to share that with you now. Ya know, just to catch you up.

3/9/10
My boobs are killing me, my face is breaking out, when I opened the fridge the combination of all the smells made me gag and I’m over-reacting to every little thing (I can see myself acting crazy but I can’t seem to rein it in). I must be pregnant. There is just no other logical conclusion.
(Please let me be pregnant. I know it sounds like I’m complaining, but I’m really not. Please, please, PLEASE let me be pregnant.)

3/14/10
After 18 days of elevated BBTs I took a pregnancy test as soon as we got home from the beach tonight. I know the tests all recommend the first urine of the day, so I had low expectations. You can imagine my surprise when the second line showed up immediately, confirming what I already suspected: I’m pregnant!!

3/29/10
Despite the fact that I have taken SEVERAL pregnancy tests over the last couple weeks, it was still a shock to me when I had an ultrasound today and we saw a baby! We were even able to see (and hear!) a heartbeat. It was so comforting to have a positive outcome and happy tears. Looks like I am a little over seven weeks along and are looking at a November 14th due date!

4/14/10
I had a doctors appointment today (I’m 9w3d) and we got to have a mini ultrasound to check on the baby. I was so nervous, but sure enough there was a tiny baby and a steady heartbeat. They printed the picture and Ana carried it around the office telling everyone it was a picture of HER baby.

A big thanks to all of you who have offered us support and shared your experiences with us along the way. We are excited and scared but we wouldn’t have it any other way. I have started a “Maybe Baby TWO!” category where any and all baby related pictures will be posted. Check back often!