Haven't posted a belly picture in awhile....here's my 14-weeks pic. Sorry about the jammies...I don't feel like getting dressed today!

So, this bites really bad. I have a sinus infection. Finally went to the doctor yesterday...again! And he prescribed antibiotics for me (I think it's called Keflex). Two a day for ten days. I hope they kick in SOON! Last night I had a coughing fit and felt so bad for my hubby, who's a very light sleeper anyway. And today my nose is horribly stuffed up and I'm just so uncomfortable. Ya know, in the past three months, there has not been one single day that I have felt good. If it's not one thing it's another. UGGGGH. But I think things will be better soon.
It is soooooooo gorgeous out today - sunny and 64 degrees! Spring has definitely sprung! Wish I felt good enough to go out and enjoy the weather!
I was looking at my belly a little while ago. Oh my gosh! I am really starting to look pregnant, kids! I love it! Still haven't felt Gummi Bear move since that one night a couple weeks ago....but absolutely cannot wait to feel him again!
Is it September yet?

Listen to this:
"Your baby can now turn its head, open its mouth, and press its lips together. Not bad for somebody who only weighs 1 ounce and stands only 3-1/2 inches tall!"

Baby C is making mommy hungry! Today for lunch I ate a piece of pizza, a big orange, a bag (small, but still a whole bag) of low-carb chocolate covered peanuts, a banana, and apple juice. Oink. And I was actually hungry for dinner tonight - something that doesn't happen often.
I think Scotty gave me his cold. I've been waking up in the morning with a terrible sore throat that, thankfully, mostly goes away after I eat breakfast. My mouth and throat are SO dry first thing in the morning. And my nose is super stuffy. Got some nasal spray and some Sudafed at the store today. I asked the pharmacist if Sudafed is okay for pregnancy and she said there haven't been enough tests done to know if it's safe or not. However, my OB, as well as several web sites, says it's fine. I'm gonna take it only if I absolutely have to. Hopefully I won't have to take it at all.
So yeah, between the cold and the continued acid reflux, my throat is in bad shape.
I can't wait til I can feel the baby move again!! It hasn't happened since that one night last week. I wish I could fast-forward to September cuz I so wanna meet this little peanut!

Not a whole lot to report right now, except that I am 14 WEEKS today!! This is what a 14-weeks fetus looks like - VERY much like a tiny baby!

PHEW!
I was a little worried this morning because when I got up, I started having weird cramps in my very low, right abdomen. It was kind-of a quick, shooting pain that would last about three seconds and then be gone...and it would come and go. After almost three hours of the on-and-off cramps, I called my OB because I just didn't want to take any chances. They told me to come in so I went in at noon and saw my doctor.
She asked me if it hurt when she pressed on the area where the cramps are. I said no. Then she did a quick exam and said everything looked fine - cervix is closed and firm like it should be, etc. Then she listened around for the heartbeat and that little heart was beating strong! Hallelujah!! 154 bpm. She said that was great.
So...the conclusion she came to was that it is, indeed, ligaments stretching to support my growing uterus. In fact, she said now that it's the second trimester - to expect more cramps similar to the ones I had today. The only other thing she said is that my appendix is in the area where the cramps were, but she said if it were my appendix, the pain would be much worse and more constant.
My next scheduled appointment was supposed to be this coming Monday, but we did everything at today's visit that we would've done then, so I gave her a urine specimen and just rescheduled my next appt for April 18. I gotta say - it was a treat to hear that heartbeat today!!! It sounded so cute and SO fast!! It was like "woosh, woosh, woosh...." SO cool!

I know this is gonna sound crazy, but -- last night, I woke up out of a very sound sleep because I FELT something in my belly!! I kid you not - only 13 weeks along, but I KNOW I felt the baby!! It felt very subtle, like a butterfly in my gut or something. But it was unmistakable, and apparently was enough to wake me up. My hand automatically flew to my belly cuz it was the funkiest feeling! All day I've been hoping to feel that again but nothing so far. See, now comes the FUN part of being pregnant, eh? 'Bout time I get to start kinda enjoying this whole crazy being-pregnant thing!

I read this on a week-by-week pregnancy website:
It may feel like butterflies or it may feel like gas. Some mothers may feel fetal movement (quickening) around week 14, though others may not be able to identify movement until around week 20. Soon, though, you’ll be playing footsie with a fetus who insists on poking you in the ribs and dancing the rumba—just when you settle in for a good night’s rest.

Lol - the rumba! Whenever I drink a little caffeine, I say that the baby is probably in there doin' the "YMCA." Hee!

Now that I'm past the first trimester, I'm gonna try going back on the prenatal vitamins. I'm assuming they won't bother my tummy. I hope. Got the prescription filled today and broke all of the pills in half so I can take half in the morning and half at night. I think Gummi Bear and I might need the extra iron that's in the prenatals so figured it would be wise to start taking them again.
I've really been craving FRUIT!! Fresh fruit, fruit juice, fruit-flavored stuff....Today at the grocery store I bought a little cup of fresh tropical fruit (mango, guava, pineapple, etc.) and ate it as soon as I got home. It was soooo good and really hit the spot! Also drank a bottle of iced tea with lemon so I'm gonna have to pee every ten minutes here pretty soon!
The cashier at the grocery store was so nice. She tends to call me by my first name and today she laughed at me cuz I had her ring up a package of little cinnamon donuts that I had opened and eated a couple of already. Told her I'm three months pregnant and my appetite is pretty crazy. She thought this was my second or third pregnancy but I told her it was my first. She offered to get me help with putting my groceries in the car but I told her I'd be fine. She's a really nice lady.
Scotty goes to the doctor tomorrow - a new doctor that's close to us in Round Lake. He's been having heart pain off and on for the past few days and that's something I do not want to mess with. I wonder if it is just stress - with me being pregnant and stuff. I pray that it's nothing serious but I don't think it is. I'm very glad he's willing to see a doctor.

Hallelujah! I made it to the second trimester!!!!!

Not much to report today.....
I'm not quite as acidy as usual today and am actually feeling pretty okay. The extreme tiredness, however, is definitely not going away yet. I took a nap this morning and am just about to try to take another one! This little gummi bear is knocking me out, man!
Went to Panera for lunch today cuz I really wanted a chicken salad sandwich on multigrain. It was so good. And instead of potato chips, I had an apple on the side. Good girl, I know. Hee! And I loooooooooove their iced green tea. I could drink that stuff by the gallon. I'm not a real tea fan but am starting to like iced teas. I still can't figure out if green tea has caffeine in it or not; maybe some does and some doesn't? I don't think Panera's does, cuz if it did I would be all buzzy right now and I'm not.
It's the weekend and I'm glad. Scotty and I are going to Mom and Dad's tomorrow for good ol' Gianorio's pizza! We haven't had Gianorio's in aaaages. It's our favorite pizza ever. We used to live right across the street from it. Oh there are so very many reasons I would love to live back there.
Devon's baby girl is three months old today. Happy three-month birthday, sweet Gracie-girl! I cannot wait to meet you, precious. I hope Devon doesn't mind but I wanna post a picture of Gracie here in honor of her three months in this great big world. Auntie Wendy loves you!

Yesterday, despite feeling awful, I was laughing so hard I couldn't see straight.
Quite a few people claim, when they see the ultrasound picture to the left, that it's a boy. I, personally, think that what's between the legs is simply the umbilical cord. Well, I posted a blown-up version of this picture on the forum I'm a part of and asked the ladies what they think. Most of them said you just can't tell this early and don't think they see a weenie there. Patti said - and I quote - "I hate to break it to you, but it looks to me like you're having a gummi bear." OH my gosh. I was ROLLING!!! Cuz how right is she?! Baby C DOES look like a gummi bear in that picture!!! It felt good to laugh that hard.

Baby C is about 2-1/2 inches from head to rump already!

Last night I was sooooo acidy. I called my OB yesterday to ask if there was anything I could do to relieve it, but the nurse said I pretty much just have to grin and bear it. Ugh! She said everything I've used so far is fine - Tums, Rolaids, Maalox. She even said that a lot of pregnant women "pop Tums like they're candy" and that that's okay too. Rolaids chewables give me a little relief if I chew three of them at a time...so I guess that'll be my lifeline til this subsides!
How exciting, huh? A whole entry about acid. Oh, pregnancy is so.....interesting.

Oh, guess what? I've got a cleaning company coming to CLEAN MY HOUSE today!!! Merry Maids quoted me $330. HA!!!!!! Are they senile?!?! In the local paper, I found a much smaller, independent company that said they could do it for about $80. MUCH better! When I think about cleaning this whole house, it is overwhelming right now. I think that once it's nice and clean, I'll be able to maintain it pretty easily. So I'm very glad that's happening today!!

It's hubby's birthday today! 35 years old....and almost a new dad! He's gonna be a good dad. He's scared of the possiblity of having a little girl because he doesn't think he'd know how to raise a girl. He thinks he'd be a better dad for a boy. I, however, know without a doubt that he will be a fantastic daddy to a boy or a girl. All it'll take is for him to see that little face after the baby's born - and he'll be whipped. I just know it.

Well, I'm 12 weeks today! Feeling extremely acidy still...hopefully it will subside and I'll start feeling really good!
I can't believe the baby looks like this already!!

I think I may have already found my first stretch mark!

Warm fuzzies!
I used to work for a ob-gyn before we moved - Dr. Stough. He was a sweetheart....still practicing gynecology at age 70. Anyway, today I emailed him and his wife (whom I also love dearly) to tell them the news of my pregnancy. Dr. Stough emailed me back and I just love everything he says. I hope he wouldn't mind - I have to share his email here!

"Wendy,
Congratulations! I know how exciting it is to see a little one on the ultrasound screen. I do them at CareNet pregnancy center on Fridays and occasionally on Wednesday as well. It helps the girls who are considering an abortion to change their minds when they see a heart beat or see the baby moving around. I kmow you will be feeling better in a couple or three weeks. Keep the faith. We will be waiting to hear all about it in late September.
Jim"

I just wanna hug him!

This truly is a journey like no other.

Middle-of-the-night meals are becoming a bit of a norm. For example, last night there was absolutely nothing I had a taste for at dinner time. So I had a piece of Scotty's (early)birthday cake and that was it. Woke up at 3 a.m. starving hungry. So I got up and had peach yogurt, a peanut-butter-and-banana sandwich (hello, childhood revisited), and a glass of milk. And now I feel much better and so, I am certain, does my wiggleworm.
So here I sit at 3:52 in the morning.

Now let me tell you why I was eating Scott's birthday cake on March 6 when his birthday is not until March 14. I knew in my mind that his birthday is on a Tuesday. So yesterday morning (Monday), I got myself ready and was out the door by 8:30 to get his birthday gift. I found his new self-cleaning shaver at Walmart, after which I made a quick trip to the grocery store to get a small cake and some candles. Got home, put the cake in the fridge, wrapped his gift, wrote out the card, and eagerly anticipated surprising him when he got home from work with a little "birthday eve" celebration. Um. His birthday is next Tuesday. This is a fact it took a casual phone conversation with my mom to reveal. When I told her what I got him for his birthday and mentioned that I was kinda proud of myself for being ahead of the game since his birthday wasn't until tomorrow, she said, "His birthday is tomorrow?!" No, no it's not. How very assured I was to read in What to Expect When You're Expecting that absentmindedness is quite common at this stage. It did my heart good to be reminded by my friend Rachel last night that during her first pregnancy, she made lasagna with only one layer of noodles. Yum. By the way, the cake was very tasty and he likes his shaver.

One last thing for now: So far I have only revealed to my closest of buddies but I figure it can't hurt to disclose it here too. I want to eat plastic water bottles. For the last couple days, whenever I drink water, I want to chew on the bottle. A quote from that same conversation with Rachel last night: "Hm. I definitely don't remember the urge to eat recyclables."
And something comforting that another friend told me: During both her pregnancies she went through phases where she had to constantly chew on straws. Sweet, sweet reassurance.

So like I said - this is truly a journey like no other.

*cough, cough, gasp, gasp*
Acid reflux sucks.

Holy cow! Listen to what my pregnancy journal says today:
"Every baby shows a distinct individuality in behavior by the end of the third month. This is because the actual structure of the muscles varies slightly from baby to baby. The alignment of the muscles in the face, for example, follows an inherited pattern. The facial expressions of the baby are already similar to the facial expressions of the parents."
Isn't that wild?!?! Picturing our tiny baby making facial expressions like the ones Scotty and I make is hilarious!
I also read online that by 11 weeks, "All vital organs are formed and, for the most part, function normally. From now on, they will grow in size and efficiency."
Baby C is now about the size of my pinky finger.

I so wish there was a little window in my belly so I could watch my baby wiggle any time I wanted!!!

I cried like a baby yesterday. Tony Evans was on the radio talking about how close God wants to be to us, and at one point he said, "Absolutely nothing happens in your life without God either causing it or allowing it." It's not like I didn't know that, but hearing him say it like that - it just hit me like a ton o' bricks! I, of course, started thinking about how staggeringly amazing it is that God chose to create this little wiggleworm of ours!! So I'm in the car on my way to walk Gracie the dog, and there are tears running down my face. It's a good thing I was by myself! That was just a really, REALLY awesome thought and it hit home SO much.
The other day I heard a song on the radio that really touched me, too. I forget who sings it but some of the words are "I couldn't live one day without You; You are like water to me." And it made me think of how very, very much I need and depend on God to get me through every minute of every day - and to protect and nurture my growing baby. He IS like water to me. I could not live without Him.

Happy March!
Wow, am I TIRED right now!! Mom came to hang out with me today and I'm so glad! She has a really sore knee and has trouble getting around, so I'm really happy that she still came. We went out for lunch and then to Walgreen's. Not a huge deal, I know - but now I'm totally pooped! Phew! It'll be nice to get some energy back! ...It felt so good to be able to sit in a restaurant without wanting to gag - and the chicken quesadillas (which we both had) were sooo yummy.
And the nausea has continued to gradually decrease (thank you, Lord!!!), but now my main problem is acid reflux. Big-time! Tums don't help much. In fact, nothing helps much. Well, eating does, but very temporarily. So yeah, that's pretty uncomfortable. But I'm trying not to complain much; I think about that ultrasound and I look over and over at the pictures from it, and I think about those wiggly, squirmy, teeny-tiny arms and legs and it all becomes more and more worth it. I am SO in love with my baby!!! I mean, completely enamored!!
I posted one more ultrasound picture cuz it's so priceless. In this one, it looks like he's waving! See his little hand sticking up?! Oh my gosh! SOOOO stinkin' cute!!!! (Once again, if you click on the picture you'll see a bigger version.)
Thank you for reading my blog and sharing this amazing experience with me!