Monday, July 21, 2014

3's a crowd, 4's a party

We're growing. Our family and my belly.

Walter baby number 2 is due February 6, 2015. I would include a picture of our fetus but right now it looks more like something from the set of a science fiction movie than a human. Every time Baby Center sends me a Your Pregnancy This Week email, I think, "Ahhhhhh, look at that massive head and visible digestive track! Coochie coochie coo!" I would include a photo of my belly but it looks more like I've been eating too many carbs, which actually, I have, so maybe the bump is just gluten at this point.

Ivy seems to be okay with babies so long as I'm not holding them. The last time I had an infant in my arms, Ivy said, "No baby." So we have some work to do on that front.

We have a boy name we really like and a girl name we really like, so we're cool with either gender. If when I was pregnant with Ivy I told you that gender didn't matter, I was lying. I really wanted a girl. But this time I sincerely would be excited about a son or daughter, though my maternal instincts are telling me it's a boy. So I'm 50% sure it's a boy.

The first trimester has been challenging as I think most first trimesters are. Luckily, Zofran took my morning sickness from completely debilitating to just annoying. And at twelve weeks I'm over the fear of ectopic pregnancy or standard miscarriage. My energy is finally returning, I can open the fridge without dry-heaving, and I've only had one hormonal melt-down in the past week.

Last Friday I went to the doc for my monthly appointment and he pulled out the doppler. I panicked before the tool hit the stomach, suddenly convinced that something had gone horribly wrong and Doctor L would hear nothing. But then the sound of static transformed into a clear, strong rhythm, and I cried listening to baby's beating heart. So it looks like this family of four thing is really happening. Wish us luck....