The Belly

I recently received a box full of maternity clothes from my cousin’s wife, Mollie (Thanks, Mollie!) While many of the items will be a great start to this collection of clothes, I learned that Mollie is a string bean. :) Being short has never been in my favor, and this was a moment when I was reminded of that.

So…I called a good friend, Donna, and asked her if she would come with me to shop for a few more items to get me by for a couple months. She jumped at the chance to go shopping (even if it was for maternity clothes…afterall, shopping is shopping).

We decided we’d head to Motherhood. I was really excited to see all the great outfits they had. I was expecting to find racks and racks of frumpy clothes, but instead I was surprised to find lots of options. So, Donna and I split up and started gathering items. Eventually we couldn’t hold everything we had in our arms and we decided it was time for me to try on some clothes.

We neatly sorted the items in groups of pants, shirts, etc. and oh the fun we had…well not really. As I started to try things on, I felt like I was swimming in just about all the shirts. (Need a visual? Picture me stepping into the middle of a tent and popping my head out of the top.) I encouraged Donna to go grab some smaller sizes (and she did, of course). I mean, really, what girl doesn’t want to wear a size smaller! Duh.

As soon as I started trying on the smaller sizes I felt better about the way they looked on me. “Whew,” I thought. But then, the truth hit. Donna asked if I thought they would still fit in a few months. Looking in the mirror, I instantly said, “Yah. Look at all this room (holding the shirt away from my body).” She laughed and handed me THE BELLY.

For those of you who have not experienced this yet, let me explain. The Belly is basically a pillow that has an elastic band to wrap around your waist so you can see how clothes will fit in the coming months. So I put The Belly on and tried on my first shirt…

The truth can really hurt. This was the moment I realized that I am going to be huge. Holy cow! We laughed so hard I wanted to cry. There is nothing scarier then looking in the mirror while you’re real belly still hasn’t quite “popped” and seeing what is just around the corner. Oh my.

As scary is it was, however, I am still excited for this little one to grow! I am anxious to feel him/her move for the first time. And I am well aware that in order for me to experience these things I need to accept the fact that My Belly is going to go through some changes, too. So here I am, fastening my seatbelt, getting ready to enjoy the ride!

OB Visit #2

Yesterday we went to see Dr. Tom for a routine appointment. We were very excited because we figured we were far enough along to finally hear the heartbeat! Unfortunately, we weren’t so lucky. :( Dr. Tom tried and tried but had no luck. I was a little worried at first, but then she grabbed the ultrasound machine, and we were able to see the little one again, including a very strong heartbeat. Dr. Tom said, “No wonder I couldn’t find the heartbeat. This little one won’t sit still!” Baby Nielsen was as active as the last ultrasound so we’ve decided that our new nickname for him/her is Little Gymnast. I sure hope he or she settles down a bit before I can start feeling all the movements, or I’m in for trouble!

Dr. Tom gave us a script for our Level II ultrasound. This ultrasound will examine the baby for any anatomic abnormalities. It’s typically performed between 18 and 22 weeks. During the ultrasound the technician will look at the fetal brain, heart, stomach, kidneys, spine, and umbilical cord insertion site. He will also note the position of the baby and how much amniotic fluid is present. Oh...and he’ll tell us the SEX OF THE BABY! Yippee! :)

Our appointment is scheduled for Monday, September 24th at 10:00 AM. (I will be 19 weeks by then.) Since this is Grandma Rentmeester’s birthday, we decided to invite her along to be one of the first people to know. I think she is very excited about seeing Grandbaby Number 5 on the big screen! We will be going to the same facility where we had the last ultrasound done (Phoenix Perinatal Associates), and we couldn’t be happier about that. They are extremely professional and thorough.

Next appointment with Dr. Tom: Wednesday, September 12th.

Baby Nielsen’s First Pictures…and Video

Today we had some first trimester tests done that can help detect chromosomal disorders. All of the results (from the blood test and ultrasound) came back really good, and we couldn’t be feeling better! We did not want to do anything invasive, but we felt like these tests would be a good way to help put our wandering minds at ease.

We know many of you have been anxious for the first photos of our little peanut, so click the link to take a closer look. You can also click a link to watch a short ultrasound video (1:50). Be patient. It may take a few seconds to load. Also, it's a smaller file size for the web so you may not want to have your screen maximized.

Baby Nielsen is still tiny…measuring just about 1 ¾ inches, but we were amazed at all of the tiny parts that were so easily distinguishable. If you look closely at the beginning of the video, you can see a very strong heartbeat. And if you stay tuned until the end, the technician does some handy labeling (don’t get too excited…it’s too early to tell the sex).

I am anxious to be out of the first trimester! (only about 1 ½ weeks to go) I have been feeling great! No sickness. No extreme food aversions. And I am finally starting to feel a little energized. Long days still wear me out, but overall I am feeling super!

We will be seeing Dr. Tom next week for a routine visit and will check back in to let you know how that visit goes…

Children vs Pets

A couple days ago my Aunt Linda sent us an article that made her think of us. She called to tell us it was on the way, and laughed at the thought of us reading it. She wouldn’t tell us much about it, but she said we would enjoy it.

I was so excited when I received the letter in the mail I could hardly wait to open it! It is a fairly short article, so it didn’t take me long to read. She was right. I laughed as hard as she did all the way through each word.

Now, for those of you who know Chris and I well, you know how much we adore our canine child, Chloe. Yes, you have received the pictures and you’ve heard all the stories…we spoil her like she is human. I thought it would be fitting to include a link to this article for you to read. And as you read it I am sure you will laugh as we did, and smile knowing that we are about to endure exactly what this author talks about when the new baby arrives….however, we promise to make every effort to keep her a close part of the family. After all, we think she will make a great “big sister!”

And just in case we fall short on that promise, Aunt Linda has reassured us that if indeed we find ourselves waiting without patience for that “Lassie Moment” she will come to Chloe’s rescue and adopt her! (Don’t count on it, Auntie!)

Click the link under Fun Articles to read "Demoting the Dog".

1st Prenatal Visit

I had my first prenatal visit this morning. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. Dr. Tom asked a whole bunch of questions, medical histories, etc. and did an exam. When we walked in the room, I was a little disappointed because I didn’t see anything that looked like it would be able to let me see or hear the baby. But lucky for us, I was wrong. Apparently there are only two machines in the office so they have to wait and snag it at just the right time before someone else gets it. Chris and I were so excited because we did indeed get to see the little peanut and the heartbeat! (only one…sorry, Mom) YAY! Chris saw it right away and well, it took me a minute, but I think I saw it. Needless to say, I didn’t exactly have the best seat in the house. Dr. Tom says there’s a nice strong heartbeat though, and that’s all I needed to hear. She tried to print a picture of the little one, but it just wouldn’t print. That was a bummer.

So, we are officially 9½ weeks pregnant with an estimated due date of February 15th. (Happy Birthday, Dad!) We got a huge pile of paperwork and informational type stuff. I need to stop by the lab tomorrow morning for some routine blood work. Like a dummy I walked out of the building without going there. I hate it when that happens!

Next appt: Tuesday, August 14th. (I will be seeing Dr. Tom every 4 weeks until I’m 30 weeks at which time I’ll start seeing her every other week.)

Until then, Chris and I will keep you up-to-date with what's going on in Baby Land. We just bought a bought a book called "Pregnancy: Your Ultimate Week-by-Week Guide." Our plan is to read the chapter that applies to our stage in the pregnancy together and try not to read ahead. This book will basically tell us what's going on in Baby Nielsen's world each week. We'll share the highlights with you as we go!

Dream a Little Dream

I had my first dream about the sex of the baby. I have been told this will happen frequently especially as I get further along in the pregnancy. It wasn’t anything extraordinary…in my dream there was a way to test for the sex of the baby by peeing on a stick. :)
Kind of silly, but in my dream it was a boy. It’s way too early to know, but we’ll see…

Chris and I aren’t exactly on the same page as far as finding out the sex of the baby before he/she arrives. I most definitely want to know beforehand, but he doesn’t think he wants to know. I told him I can keep a pretty good secret, so if he really doesn’t want to know I just won’t tell him! ;) I have a sneaky suspicion though that he’ll be just as anxious as me when the time comes to find out!

Where’s Snow White?

She’s gone missing, but the Seven Dwarfs seemed to have appeared rather quickly…Sleepy, Sneezy, Happy, Grumpy, Dopey, Crampy, and Bloaty welcome aboard!

All in all I feel well, besides the fact that I am constantly exhausted. I sure would like to find some energy somewhere. I am having a little trouble sleeping at night, waking up every few hours and sometimes every hour on the hour. Not much sickness as of yet, although the occasional queasiness does pass by, but no puking…stay away Pukey!

I’ve decided that I need to get back in the habit of riding our recumbent bike. My goal right now is 20 minutes a day. Today I got a little crazy and rode for 40 minutes. Wow-Wee! Reading helps keep my mind off the fact that I’m actually exercising. hee hee ;)

I’ve started reading What to Expect When You’re Expecting, and Eating Well When You’re Expecting. Both are good reads so far, packed with great information!