7 Weeks, 1 Day Cooked

Today could have been one of the most amazing days of my life.  Adam and I went in for our first ultrasound and it was FANTASTIC! Right away we could see Baby D and the heartbeat was located immediately. The heartbeat was fast and strong and measured at 151. Not gonna lie - the tears started coming as soon as I heard that noise. Most beautiful sound I've ever heard. The baby was measured at 7 weeks, 1 day old. This is two days older than Adam and I had estimated, so our new due date is 14 June 2012. The doctor said everything looked great. I will go to the doctor every month for the next few months. After that we will move to once every two weeks, and then in the final countdown we'll move to once a week. I don't think we'll get other ultrasound until the 20 week mark at which point we will be able to find out the gender.

The doctor told me to continue my workouts, but just keep an eye on my heart rate, and she said I should probably think about taking spin class out of my weekly schedule. That will be a tough rule to follow, but I'm going to do whatever it takes for this little gummy bear. She said I should be gaining about half a pound a week right now, but once we move into the second trimester, it'll amp up to about a pound a week.

My next appointment is on 2 December, but that will mainly be to measure my belly and take my vitals.

Below is the first picture of Baby D. You'll quickly learn why Adam and I are  calling him/her a gummy bear! (The top of the image shows Baby D's head and the black shading on the top is the brain - looks pretty big to me!!!)

Baby D's First Picture

Baby D is 6 Weeks Old!

Baby D is 6 weeks old today! According to a weekly baby email I get:

Baby's now the size of a sweet pea! Growing like crazy, baby is starting to sprout eyes, ears, nose, cheeks, and chin. Those little hands and feet -- still webbed like paddles -- might wiggle by week's end, the heart is beating (almost twice as fast as yours!), and blood is starting to circulate. 

Wow!!

Still feeling great and loving life. Adam and I have been busy starting to cram on how to raise a baby! Last weekend we bought the double pack, What to Expect When You're Expecting, and What to Expect: The First Year.  Adam also got a special book on becoming a father and the baby's first three years. My eyes well up when I see him reading that book and marking it up with a highlighter! No doubt in my mind, Adam is going to be a top-notch daddy.

After our trip to the bookstore last week, we took a quick stroll down the baby aisle at Target and decided we had to buy just one pack of ceremonial newborn onesies! As my mother pointed out, it was hopeful of me to buy those, because if this baby is anything like me, she/he will need to go straight into 3 month old clothes... I weighed in at a whopping 10 pounds, 10 ounces! So we're going to hold off buying anymore newborn clothes until I get closer to the end of term when we'll have a better idea at the size of our little bean.

Will update again after our first ultrasound on Friday!

Baby Journal my parents sent

Adorable footie pajamas from my dear friend Chrissy

The ceremonial pack of onesies Adam and I bought. Soooo little!! :) 

Shhhh!!

One more thing - this blog is currently only for close family and friends. Adam and I aren't planning on announcing my pregnancy to the "world" until early December. So please, nothing on Facebook...yet. 

WE'RE PREGNANT!!!!

On October 6, 2011 my life changed forever. I found out around 5:45 in the morning that I was going to be a mother. Adam and I always knew we wanted a family and when we moved into our new apartment this summer, we both decided it was time to start trying. After only three months of trying, we were able to conceive. The morning I took that fateful pregnancy test, Adam was still in bed. Like the couple months before, I figured this one would be negative too. Nonetheless, my heart was pounding and my hands were shaking watching the hour glass flash on the digital screen. In less than a minute the one word that has changed the rest of my life flashed on the screen…”Pregnant.”

My heartbeat grew faster and tears of pure joy started streaming down my face. I ran into our bedroom and woke Adam up in a frenzy saying, “I’m pregnant! I’m pregnant!” We shared a beautiful couple of minutes together while Adam was still wiping the sleepy from his eyes. Somehow I was able to get in the shower and get myself to work that day. 
Fast forward a couple weeks and I am still in utter disbelief. I’ve never been happier and more excited in my life, but it still just hasn’t completely sunk in yet.

I’ve been to the doctor twice so far to get my HcG levels taken: 
The hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (better known as hCG) is produced during pregnancy. It is made by cells that form the placenta, which nourishes the egg after it has been fertilized and becomes attached to the uterine wall. Levels can first be detected by a blood test about 11 days after conception and about 12 - 14 days after conception by a urine test. In general the hCG levels will double every 72 hours. The level will reach its peak in the first 8 - 11 weeks of pregnancy and then will decline and level off for the remainder of the pregnancy.

My numbers came out beautifully! At 4 weeks, 2 days my number was 936. Just three days later it was 2792! They are increasing beautifully and I couldn't be more thrilled. 
My next appointment is on 28 October, the day before my birthday. At that point I will be one day shy of seven weeks pregnant. At this appointment I will be receiving my first ultrasound and Adam and I will be able to hear the heartbeat of our precious baby for the first time. I don't think I could have ever asked for a better birthday present.

I plan to document Adam's and my journey to parenthood to the best of my ability in the next 8 months.

A few questions you all may be wondering: 
1. What are you calling the baby? Right now we're calling the baby, Baby D. D is for Donat. :) 
2. When are you due? Our estimated due date is 16 June 2012!!! 
3. Will you find out the gender? Yes, Adam and I have decided that we will find out the gender of Baby D. We will know when I am between 20-28 weeks pregnant. We will let you all know! 
4. How are you feeling? I feel GREAT right now. No morning sickness or anything. I heard that all starts around 6 weeks, though, so I'm enjoying as much tasty food as I can right now. 
Here's to a healthy and happy 8 more months!!