Choosing a Day Care

We started our day care search this afternoon by touring a place called Creme de la Creme, which is only about 4 miles from our house. It's a really neat place, and the people were so nice. There are only three infants enrolled now, and one teacher in their room (there's a maximum 1:4 ratio with the infants). Even though we know it will probably be July before she has to go to day care, we're trying to get a jump start on making some of these decisions. This is the first place we've seen, so we aren't sure yet, but we did really like it.

We'll meet with a pediatrician next week to start that search too!

We're Normal!

We saw Dr. Gomez this morning for the last time! I say this with mixed emotions--happily, because he told us the placenta has moved to exactly where it should be, so he released me and I'm no longer considered high risk. Sadly though, because we really liked Dr. Gomez, and enjoyed all the extra ultrasounds--it was like a little visit with Wiggles every time we went in :).

The top picture is her face, turned sideways. The dark circles are her eye sockets, and we think it looks like she's smiling! Her heart rate was good (156), and she weighs 2 lbs, 4 oz right now. He guessed that she's probably about 14 inches long, but said it was tough to tell for sure since she was all balled up and practically folded in half.

The second picture is of her profile. It's cool to see how much bigger she looks now--only her head will even fit in the picture! All of her measurements were right on track, and she was moving like crazy. It's funny to be able to feel her kicks now as I watch them on the screen too.

These will most likely be the last pictures we have until little Emily comes into the world!

Check Up with Dr. Graham

I went for my monthly checkup and glucose tolerance test today with Dr. Graham. All of my bloodwork was fine, and my blood pressure is still good at 110/70. Emily's heartbeat was about 145 beats per minute, which is good.

Dr. Graham measured me and said I'm measuring about a week ahead--he wasn't concerned about it, and said it's normal to be up or down a centimeter or two. I asked him about weight gain, and he said I was gaining a little bit faster than he wanted me to. I've gained a total of 16 pounds throughout the first 26 weeks, and although he said that's fine, he also said he thought I'd be happier if I limited my weight gain to about 10 more pounds over the next 14 weeks (he's right, by the way). He asked about eating habits, and I found out that I'm eating way too much fruit. All this time, I thought eating an entire container of strawberries or cantaloupe was a great thing--because of the high sugar and high caloric content though, it can be overkill. So I'll switch some of my snacks to carrots and snow peas, and cut back on the OJ. I've probably put on an extra pound or two over the holidays too, since I went from eating almost no junk food to sampling some of the homemade desserts I've been around lately :).

The other thing we discussed was the medical records I received from the hospital where I had scoliosis surgery back in 1992. Amazingly, they were able to send me 123 pages of records and not a single x-ray! These would have been useful for the anesthesiologist in the hospital if I ask for an epidural--at this point though, Dr. Graham said I should think about IV pain medication or prepare myself for the idea of natural childbirth. Since I don't want IV drugs (anything I get through an IV also goes to the baby), that only leaves me one option! I'll still take the records to the hospital, and if I ask for it, there's a chance the anesthesiologist will be perfectly comfortable giving the epidural.

26 Weeks: What's Happening

Look who's looking. Your baby's eyes — which have been closed for the past few months (so that the retina, the part of the eye that allows images to come into focus, could develop) — are beginning to open at 26 weeks pregnant. What this means is that she is able to see what's going on now (unfortunately the view in your uterus isn't all that exciting). But do try this at home for kicks (baby's that is): shine a flashlight at your stomach. Your baby might kick in response (as in: "Get that light out of my eyes!"). The iris, the colored part of the eye, still doesn't have much pigmentation (that'll fill in over the next month or two), so it's too early to start guessing your baby's eye color. Even the color your baby will be born with might not be the permanent shade; so you may be kept guessing until she's close to six months old.
Look what else is going on this week: Your baby's brain-wave activity is kicking in at this stage in fetal development, which means your little one can not only hear noises but can now also respond to them. Not in so many words, of course, but with an increase in pulse rate or activity. Her lungs are now capable of breathing in air. The alveoli begin secreting "surfactant," which keeps them from collapsing. At this point, she is only taking in small breaths of fluid in the womb, but she could probably survive and breathe outside the womb with medical assistance.
At your baby's current height and weight (about 14 inches tall and two pounds), and at the rate she's growing, she will soon be feeling a little cramped in your uterus. Not to worry, there's still plenty of room for her to grow. It just means your gymnast will have less room for those somersaults, cartwheels, and other Olympic feats.

More Christmas Gifts

We went to have Christmas lunch with Rob, Brad and Zachary today, and although we had agreed not to exchange gifts, I guess Emily wasn't included in that agreement.

She'll be all set to have her first bath at home now, thanks to her Uncle Rob & Stacy. She's equipped with a cool new rainforest bathtub, hooded towel, plenty of washcloths, and lots of Johnson's Baby wash, shampoo, lotion and powder. There's even a little rubber ducky to tell us if the water is too hot for her!

Merry Christmas!

For a weekend we thought would be quiet with just the two of us, we've been up to quite a bit already. We finished up our shopping yesterday, and bought our gifts for each other (yes, very last minute!). Then we went over to a Christmas party last night at a neighbor's house, which was nice. It works out much better for us to shop last minute, because Mick and I finally waited until Christmas morning to exchange gifts. We usually have a tough time being patient.

Gracie and Bella had stockings full of new toys, so they were very excited too. Here's Gracie showing off her new Santa.

Tonight, we're heading to another Christmas party...pretty unbelievable that Mick is agreeing to two nights of this!

Sleep Sheep

Some of us at work exchanged gifts for Christmas, and a friend
of mine gave me a Sleep Sheep for Emily--it's a really soft stuffed lamb that plays soothing sounds to help put babies to sleep. There's a timer on it so you can set it and leave the room--we tried it out last night, and Mick decided he wants one too :).

There's also a velcro strap on the back of the sheep so we can attach it to the side of her crib--can't wait to be able to use it. Thanks Alesia!

Northside Hospital Visit

This morning, we went on our scheduled tour of the Women's Center at Northside Hospital at 9:00 AM. There were five other couples on the tour and it was everyone's first baby, so it was pretty exciting. We found out where we'll be checking in, got to see a labor & delivery room, and saw some new babies in the nursery. There was a lot of information and plenty of chances to ask questions, so we both felt good about it after we left.

For anyone outside of Atlanta, you might not have heard that Northside actually delivers more babies than any other hospital in the country (over 19,000 annually)! It's nice to know we'll be in good hands, no matter what happens the day of delivery.

25 Weeks: What's Happening

Your baby is about 13 1/2 inches and more than a pound and a half in weight this week. Don't look now (as if you could), but your baby's skin is turning pinker. No, not because she's getting overheated (in fact, the amniotic fluid is perfectly climate controlled, keeping your baby at an always comfortable temperature), but because small blood vessels, called capillaries, are forming under the skin and filling with blood. She's also beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

Later this week, blood vessels will also develop in your baby's lungs, bringing them one step closer to full maturity — and one step closer to taking that first breath of fresh air. But at 25 weeks pregnant, those lungs are still very much works in progress. Though they are already beginning to develop surfactant, a substance that will help the lungs expand after the baby is born, the lungs are still too undeveloped to sufficiently send oxygen to the bloodstream and release carbon dioxide when she exhales.

The lungs aren't the only system that's gearing up for air intake. Your baby's nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, are starting to open this week. This actually allows your little one to begin taking practice breaths (Of course since there's no air in there, your baby is really only "breathing" amniotic fluid, but it's the practice that counts, right?).

We found a bassinet

We've known for a while that we want Emily to sleep in our bedroom for the first few months before moving to her crib, so I've been looking for a bassinet. I didn't really want to pay full price for something I knew we'd only use for a little while, and I was having trouble finding a new one I really liked. I've been looking on craigslist and ebay, and found one this weekend that we liked, was closeby, and almost brand new for a really good price. I'm just glad we found one so Mick can stop asking if I've found a bayonet :)!

24 Weeks: What's Happening

Your baby's growing steadily, and weighs more than a pound and a half right now . Since she's about a foot long, she cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon start to plump up. At this point in fetal development, that beautiful face (though still tiny) is almost fully formed. Her brain is also growing quickly now, and her taste buds are continuing to develop. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help her air sacs inflate once she hits the outside world. Her skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon. Your baby is also starting to produce white blood cells, which will help fight infection after she leaves your body and enters the world. You may be surprised to notice that your baby responds to the sound of your voice or even the touch of your hand on your tummy by quieting down or occasionally increasing activity as a way of communicating with you! In the past few weeks, the top of your uterus has risen above your belly button and is now about the size of a soccer ball.

Daddy felt her move!

Mick and I both came down with severe colds this week (which explains the red, puffy eyes in the 23 week pic) and haven't been able to sleep very well, so we were up late last night. Emily was wiggling around a lot, so Mick decided to try to feel her again--up until this point, she has stopped moving every time he put his hand on my belly, but she was cooperating last night. For the first time, her daddy felt her move--twice! It was quite exciting :).

23 Weeks: What's Happening

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound, you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes (I haven't yet seen her move, but am feeling her more often, so hopefully Mick will be able to feel her any day now!). She'll more than double her weight by the end of this month! Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

We've already decided that Emily will know Bella's voice very well by the time she's born! Bella is our resident loudmouth.

Wiggles has a name

Although most of you who read this blog already know, we have decided on a name for our little wiggler. For a long time, Emily has been our favorite name for a girl. We actually took it out of the running for a while because it was the most popular girl's name for more than a year. We noticed that it's fallen out of the top three names in the last couple of years, so we came back to it. We had a couple of names we liked for her middle name, and have landed on Claire after lots of discussion.

In just a few months, we'll be welcoming little Emily Claire Jackson!

3-D Ultrasound

Click here to check out the pictures from our 3-D Ultrasound on Sunday: View Album - Jackson, Libby

Wiggles was being a little uncooperative--her head stayed tucked in the placenta almost the whole time, so we only got a few pictures of her face. Her hands and feet were very active though, and we confirmed (again) that she's definitely a girl!

22 Weeks: What's Happening

At 22 weeks pregnant, your baby has finally broken the one-pound mark, and is about 8 inches long from crown to rump. This week, your sweetie is making more sense of the world as she develops the sense of touch. In fact, your little one's grip is quite developed by now — and since there's nothing else to grab in utero, she may sometimes hold on tight to that umbilical cord (don't worry — it's tough enough to handle it). The sense of sight is also getting more developed. She can now perceive light and dark much better than before (even with those fused eyelids). But remember — unless you're shining a flashlight over your belly (which you can do, by the way), it'll be mostly dark for your baby inside that cozy womb of yours. Moving up from the eyes, the eyelashes and eyebrows are well formed now — and even more hair is sprouting atop that cute little head. You'd be quite surprised, though, if you could see your little one up close and in color. Hair at this stage of fetal development has no pigment, so it's bright white.

What We're Thankful For...

This was the first month I was able to schedule both doctors' appointments on the same day, so we had quite an exciting morning! Dr. Graham was first--I've gained another 5 pounds (so 10 pounds total so far, which they said was good), my blood pressure was good, and we heard the heartbeat (about 160 now). I'll go back in 4 weeks for another checkup and my blood glucose test.

Then we headed to Dr. Gomez's office, which we always look forward to (not only because we really like him, but also because we know we'll be able to see Wiggles!). They confirmed that we definitely have a girl, and all of her measurements are right on target. She's already weighing in at 1 lb, 1 oz, and was dancing up a storm! I'll see Dr. Gomez again in 5 weeks. The placenta has moved away from my cervix some, which was good news, but he said it was so close that he'd still call it marginal previa, and wants to keep an eye on it.

Here are a few of our favorite pictures from today! The top picture is her face--looking a little less alien-like.

You can probably tell this one is her profile. She had the hiccups during the ultrasound, so some of the pictures were tough to capture.

I love this one because it looks like there's a heart around her hand! Or maybe my imagination is causing me to see things. Her hands were very active--at one point, she even gave us a thumbs up!

Here's her sweet little feet and toes! Her foot is almost an inch long this week! Dr. Gomez said she looked like she was doing a little dance, and I've been telling Mick that's what it feels like, so it was really cool to see it.

21 Weeks: What's Happening

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot! The rapid growth phase has slowed, but organs and other body systems continue to mature. The swallowing reflex is in full swing and your baby will begin to "drink" amniotic fluid, which helps her digestive system to develop. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.

I was just telling Mick the other day that I think I've figured out her schedule--she's definitely not ready for action when we get up around 5:00 or 5:30 every morning, but by 9:00 am or so, she's moving around a lot, and usually keeps going most of the day and night.

The most comfortable seat in the house

Last weekend when we bought furniture for the nursery, we also picked out the chair we wanted (truthfully, I had it picked out from the first time I went in the store--if you have a chance to sit in it, you'll see why!). Because of the sale, we were able to purchase a chair/ottoman that was already on the floor for a significant discount. That also meant we were able to bring it home with us! Mick moved it into the nursery after it was painted, and I've almost fallen asleep in it twice already. The chair and the ottoman both rock/glide, and

every time I sit down, I say it's the most comfortable chair I've ever sat in. We can hardly wait to be able to rock our little princess to sleep in it!

20 Weeks (Halfway There!): What's Happening

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now! She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against her torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of her head to her bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, she's measured from head to toe.) She's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for her digestive system. You're officially at the midpoint of your pregnancy! Keeping pace, your fast-ballooning uterus has also reached the midway point, just about even with your belly button now.

Your baby is aware of all kinds of sounds, from the beating of your heart and growling of your tummy, to songs on the radio and the buzzing of your alarm clock. If you feel a "bounce" in your tummy when you hear a loud noise, it's because your baby hears it, too! This is the start of her active phase. You'll feel every twist, turn, and wiggle.

The Nursery

We painted the nursery today since we knew what the furniture would look like now, and the weather was beautiful, so we could open the windows for plenty of ventilation. We also bought this cute little chandelier and Mick put it up this morning. We had planned to use the smaller of our two upstairs bedrooms, but decided yesterday that it made more sense to use the larger room, so Mick ended up moving quite a bit of furniture today too!

It's tough to tell the color from these pictures, especially with nothing else in the room, but I was afraid I wasn't going to like it when I first started painting. I kept going though, and ended up loving the color--it looks different now that the whole room is painted, and we both keep going in there and picturing what it will look like with everything moved in. We left the top undone because Mick is planning to add crown molding soon, which should really look pretty.

Week 19: What's Happening

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you (Mick has already been doing plenty of this!). Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

One thing I've noticed lately is leg cramps, which wake me up some nights. I read that it's relatively common around 19-20 weeks, for unknown reason. Some doctors think it's because certain blood vessels are being compressed by the growing baby. Luckily, they haven't been too bad or happened too often so far.

Baby Furniture

Today, to me, was probably the equivalent of Christmas morning to a little kid--I knew this week that The Baby's Room (the store we planned to buy furniture from) was having a year end clearance sale today. There were "early bird" specials from 8-10am, and we were literally in the parking lot when they unlocked the door. It was actually a little tougher than I expected--there was so much to choose from, and it all looks adorable in the store. Here are some pictures from the store's website of what we decided on--it's really beautiful, and Wiggles is going to have such a little princess room. The top left is the crib, top right is the hutch/changing table, and bottom is the nightstand we picked out. We decided not to get the tall dresser or armoire. They told us to give it 8-10 weeks to come in...we're hoping it won't take that long though.

Wiggles is on the Move

Everything I've been reading says I should start to feel little Wiggles moving around any day now, and I was getting impatient. When we went to bed last night, I thought I felt a few flutters, but I woke up at 1:00 AM this morning and she was definitely moving around! It was so exciting I couldn't go back to sleep--it sort of felt like a butterfly in my belly. So I'm completely exhausted this morning, but it was really cool to feel our little girl dancing around in the middle of the night. I can't wait until Mick can feel her too--then neither of us will get any sleep!

Good News!

I got a call from Dr. Graham's office today with test results from the AFP 4 Test from last week. This was a blood test used to help identify pregnancies that may be at increased risk for open spina bifida, Down syndrome, or trisomy 18. My test results were negative, which significantly reduces the likelihood that Wiggles has an open neural tube defect, Down syndrome, or trisomy 18. The test detects 75% to 80% of Down syndrome pregnancies, more than 60% of trisomy 18 pregnancies and greater than 80% of pregnancies that may have open neural tube defects.

Baby Shopping

I knew as soon as we found out the baby's gender, I'd be dying to decorate the room and start shopping! We went on Saturday to Babies 'R Us to start our registry. Mick was such a trooper--he wanted to be as excited as I was, but after a few minutes, he was a little overwhelmed. We decided that he'd help pick out the big stuff and then he would leave me to do all the girly stuff. After about an hour, he went next door to Dick's Sporting Goods to check out golf equipment. Mick stayed home to watch college football when I headed to Target to register there.

Today, we went with Robbie, Zachary & Stacy to an outlet mall and started Wiggles' wardrobe with some sweet little clothes on great clearance sales!

Week 18: What's Happening

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the size of a lobster tail) and she weighs almost 7 ounces. Your uterus is now about the size of a cantaloupe! Baby is busy flexing her arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. Her blood vessels are visible through her thin skin, and her ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from her head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around her nerves, a process that will continue for a year after she's born. Her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place.

Baby's rapid growth period is beginning to slow down, but her facial features are starting to form. Your baby can now yawn, frown, smile, and make other facial expressions. Taste buds have developed, and your baby can sense bitter from sweet, and swallowing reflexes are now present. She may even start getting the hiccups! Because baby's eyes are still developing, they're very sensitive. If a light is shined onto your belly, your baby might flinch and try to cover her face.

I also went today to get my H1N1 vaccine. I know, I'm a skeptic too, but both doctors advised me to get it, so I figured it was more risky not to. It was comforting to go to my doctor's office for the vaccine, and to see all the other pregnant women there for the same thing!

First Baby Gift

Wiggles received her first gift today! I was surprised at work with a basket of goodies for our little girl. My friends/ coworkers sent us this--two onesies, a bib, booties, a hat, a blanket, a washcloth and hooded towel, and that sweet little bear wearing a tutu. All of it has a tiara and 'Princess' embroidered on it--too cute! It's hard to believe we'll have anything small enough to fit into this stuff, but I'm quite sure Wiggles will probably have to grow into some of it.

Thanks Devlin, Jeanie, Theresa and Gerry! Gracie and Bella have already done their sniff inspection and approved this for use in our house :).

It's a Girl!

We had our long awaited appointment with Dr. Gomez today. It was raining this morning and traffic was terrible, but we were determined to make it on time, so we left an hour before our appointment. The office is only 8 miles away, but it literally took us the entire hour to get there. Ridiculous!

The ultrasound technician came in and asked us if we wanted to know the baby's sex. I told her we were DYING to know, so of course she saved that for last, after checking measurements and heartbeat and everything else. When she finally told us it was a girl, I started crying--I know, I'm a total wuss, but I couldn't help it.

Jenn had told me last night that I should drink a little caffiene this morning to make sure Wiggles was awake and moving around so they could tell the gender. I stopped and bought a Coke and drank about half of it (it was delicious, by the way, after 4 months of no caffiene!). When Dr. Gomez came in to take a look, his exact words were "look at that kid move!" So I think she's a fan of Coke--thanks for the tip Jenn :)!

This picture is a profile--the little black dot in her abdomen is her stomach, which he said shows she can swallow. They measured her to be right at 17 weeks, 3 days and about weighing 9 oz. Her heartbeat was strong and all measurements were perfect.

We thought this was a sweet picture of her hands--it looks like she's praying or clapping!

If anyone can tell what this is, I'm thoroughly impressed. This is a shot of her legs in a sideways V shape, and right by the little star shape is how they could tell Wiggles is a girl!

This one is a shot of her face--and no, you won't offend us by thinking it's alien-like! You can see her eye sockets and forehead on the right of the picture, and a big round belly on the left.

Week 17 Checkup

I had a checkup today with Dr. Graham (my regular OB). My blood pressure was great, I've gained 5 pounds, and my belly is measuring at almost 18 weeks. He said I was "growing well," which I already knew since I can no longer button my pants!

All of the blood work they did last time came back normal--the most significant was the cystic fibrosis test, which was negative.

As for Wiggles, there was still a lot of movement--the nurse found the heartbeat and then lost it 4 or 5 times, and she said that was because there was still a lot of room to move around. The heartbeat varied between 130 and 160, which they said was normal. Only one more day until we know if we have a little boy or girl...we can hardly wait!

Week 17: What's Happening

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

Here's me at 17 weeks!

I've noticed lately that I seem to be dreaming a lot more--almost every night, and then I read that many women report that their dream life shifts into high gear during pregnancy. What's weird is that during the second and third trimesters, you spend less sleep time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the cycle in which most dreams occur. So it's probably at least in part because I'm waking up during the night a lot more for a bathroom run or to try to get in a more comfortable position. I used to sleep straight through the night, but not anymore--thanks Wiggles!

Week 16: What's Happening

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of your open hand--about 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

Too Much Rain!

We've had so much rain lately that Gracie and Bella are going stir crazy from being inside. This is one example of what a terribly tough life they have. This morning, Mick had to work for a couple of hours, so I decided to take the girls for a walk before it started raining again. The word "walk" always gets Gracie super excited, which in turn gets Bella excited. They were exhausted when we got home, and I'm sure it was great exercise for Wiggles and me too.

Week 15: What's Happening

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces, about the size of a naval orange. She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. So what keeps your baby busy all day? Mostly, she is in rehearsals — practice, practice, practicing, and getting ready for that big debut. Babies practice breathing, sucking, and swallowing so that when they leave your comfy womb and move into your comfy house, they'll have the skills necessary to survive.

Week 14: What's Happening

This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb. In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches, about the size of a lemon, and weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little one's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Another Day, Another Doctor

I had a checkup today with Dr. Graham (my regular OB/GYN, who will deliver the baby). I had to give about 8 vials of blood for different tests. No ultrasound today, but I did get to hear the heartbeat again (166 today!).
I'll go back to Dr. Graham in 3 1/2 weeks (on the 26th). It gets a little exhausting keeping up with all the appointments--I'll be glad when I'm down to seeing just one doctor, although all the extra ultrasounds have been great!

Growing Right Along!

We had a checkup today with Dr. Gomez, and everything looks great! Wigglerina is measuring at 13 weeks, 2 days (I'm 13 weeks, 3 days, but they said the measurements are never exact). The heartbeat is about 153, which is right where it should be. And the name still fits...there was lots of wiggling around, curling up and stretching.

We asked Dr. Gomez if it was too early to tell if it's a boy or a girl, and he said he could take a guess, but we couldn't go buy anything! So he took another look and said if he had to guess, he'd say it's a girl. I know we can't get excited yet, but it's a little too late! My next appointment with Dr. Gomez is in 4 weeks, which also happens to be the day after my birthday--he said we'll be able to tell then with more certainty.

So the bottom picture here is a profile--hopefully you can make out the head and face. You can't see much in the top one except for a little hand, waving at everybody! We thought that was really cool. There are 10 other pictures they gave us, but some are very hard to distinguish, so I picked out the best two.

Week 13: What's Happening

Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head -- which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce. As you start your second trimester, most of your baby's critical development will be completed!

First Belly Pic

I'm not in maternity clothes yet, but I can't deny the fact that all of my pants are tighter, so I decided to take the first belly pic. I'm 12 1/2 weeks along here.

The most wonderful invention I've discovered is called the Bella Band (http://www.ingridandisabel.com/). It lets me keep wearing my regular clothes, but smooths out the lines so I don't have to button my pants, which is fabulous.

Week 12: What's Happening

The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

Week 11: What's Happening

Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden. She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.

Looks Like a Puppy!

Just a few days after Wigglerina was named, we had an appointment with Dr. Gomez from Atlanta Perinatal Consultants (http://www.apc.med.pro/), a high risk doctor we were referred to from RBA. I had another ultrasound, and when I sent the pictures out, Julie told me the baby looked like a puppy! If it turns out as sweet as the two we already have, I'll be fine with that.

Wigglerina's First Closeup

It was after this ultrasound that we started the nickname Wigglerina--the baby was kicking and moving around so much and actually looked like a little person! It was the first time we saw arms and legs, which was pretty amazing.

Week 10: What's Happening

Though only a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature. He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy. Tiny nails are forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair is beginning to grow on tender skin. In other developments: your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.

Second Ultrasound

Starting to look a little more like something growing. We heard the heartbeat and could actually see it beating--looked like a little butterfly!

First Ultrasound

Doesn't look like much yet, but this was the first real proof we had that there was a baby in there!

Two Pink Lines

Mick was out of town the week of the 20th-24th, and I had some pregnancy tests under the bathroom sink that I just didn't want to waste. The doctor told me not to use these because we might get a false positive, but I couldn't help it. I took three that week, beginning on Wednesday, and all were positive!

Day 5 Embryo Transfer

We had the embryo transfer scheduled for this morning at 9:30, and had to be there half an hour early. I had to arrive with a very full bladder (helps them see my uterus with the ultrasound for the transfer), which was honestly the worst part of this entire process! The nurse told me to drink 40-60 oz. of water before the appointment, so I did, but I didn't make it. The doctor was in a procedure and was running late, so they ended up doing the transfer with an empty bladder.

The embryologist came in and talked to us and showed us a picture of our two embryos that were ready for transfer. He told us they were beautiful, and perfectly developed. We decided to have both transferred, which was what Dr. Straub had recommended all along. We also found out today that these were the only two embryos that developed to the blastocyst stage, so out of all 8 eggs that fertilized, these were the only two that were viable.

It was a pretty emotional morning for both of us--after all these years of wanting to have a baby, and all these months of doctors and procedures, it had all come down to this! The process only took a couple of minutes, and I had to rest for 5 minutes afterwards and take it easy the rest of the day. We scheduled a visit for July 27 for the blood test that will tell us if I'm pregnant!

Embryo Transfer Update

Out of the 14 eggs retrieved, 11 were mature, and 8 of those fertilized. We were told that with IVF, the doctor will typically transfer the embryos on either Day 3 (if they don't look like they'll continue to develop in the incubator), or Day 5 (if they're developing well). Today was Day 3, and I got a call from the nurse this morning to let me know the embryos were developing as they should, so they would do the transfer on Day 5. Good news!

Egg Retrieval

After a long few weeks of daily injections, doctor visits, ultrasounds and blood tests, we went in for my egg retrieval on July 11. It was a pretty quick outpatient surgical procedure. While I was in recovery, the doctor came in and told us they retrieved 14 eggs. I guess those daily injections worked!

How it all began...

About a year ago, my doctor referred us to Dr. Straub at Reproductive Biology Associates (http://www.rba-online.com/) after we had been unsuccessfully trying to have a baby for over two years. There are several organizations in Atlanta that specialize in infertility, but we decided to stick with RBA, even after finding out they were an out of network provider with our insurance, because the doctors there were so terrific.

When we first started talking about IVF, it was a little scary and we weren't sure that was the right option for us. Dr. Straub was great at explaining all of our options and we always felt like he was being completely honest with us about everything--from cost to risks to chances for success.