We found our crib!

John and I stopped by The Goodnight Room on NE Broadway yesterday. What a cute store!! We visited the one at Bridgeport Village when we first found out we were expecting, but didn't have the best experience. It was a big shop and there were 3 young girls working there. Not one of them ever greeted us or asked if we needed help. Good customer service is big for us (working at Nordstrom will do that to you!) so we were really disappointed! So it was a wonderful thing to walk into the Broadway shop and immediately feel welcome. We learned all about safety regulations of cribs, the difference between brands and types of woods, and all sorts of information I've forgotten since (damn pregnant brain!) I've been researching cribs for awhile now, and John and I both like the lifestyle cribs where the front is lower than the back and doesn't slide down. They just look more modern, a style that we love. After looking at several cribs we both kept drifting back toward one in particular, the Metro by Bonavita. Look how pretty!

The Metro Lifestyle Crib by Bonavita

It can be converted into a toddler bed AND a twin:

The woman at TGR told us a huge percentage of her customers don't end up making the bed into a twin because usually the crib is needed for another baby by that time, but at least it's an option. We're going to order this in a couple months but are just so excited we finally found something we love!

Week 14: Lemon baby

Today I am officially in my 2nd trimester! I am feeling MUCH better these days, although still exhausted (and I don't really expect that to go away). A larger variety of foods are starting to sound good, and I even ate chicken last night. Whoo hoo! I'm having crazy dreams at night and have been feeling a little sensitive and emotional, but my spirits are high and I generally feel happy and at peace. Work was a bit stressful this week but I made an extra effort to keep myself in check and stress out. Having a baby growing inside of me has taught me that it's not just about ME anymore– I have to be careful and do what is right for the little one. The little one who is now the size of a LEMON, by the way... Crazy! Here's what is happening this week:

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 he 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 pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Week 13: Shrimp baby

Our baby is the size of a medium shrimp and weighs nearly an ounce! He/she's almost 3 inches long, head to bottom. How crazy is this?!

BabyCenter.com's summary:
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.

So much love!

I really felt the love today at work! I surprised all my co-workers with our big news before an afternoon meeting, and everyone in that room screamed in excitement. It was so awesome to feel so much love and support! The best reaction was from Ken, one of the owners of KO. I never work with him, and actually never really see him when I'm here. Out of everyone who works here, he's the person I know the least about. I wanted to tell him before everyone else today, just so I didn't throw him off guard. I figured one of the first questions he might ask is if I planned to return after maternity leave. So I went into his office today and shut the door behind me, and he laughed and said, "You never come into my office and shut the door!" I agreed that the only time I'm in there is asking for money to purchase art supplies for our department, or to share news. He looked worried, and asked me if I was ok. I smiled and said, "Actually I'm great... I'm having a baby." His jaw dropped to the ground, he gasped and held his hands to his chest. He whispered, "You're pregnant?!" I smiled and nodded, and he just started laughing and got up to give me the biggest hug I may have ever received from any human being. In between laughs and "Wow"s he said, "You're going to be such a good mom, you are so warm and loving. I am so excited for you! This is wonderful news!" He asked me how far along I was, how I was feeling, if we were going to find out if it was a boy or girl... Man, it was just awesome. It was just the last reaction I was expecting, but it was so great. Telling people we're having a baby is just too fun :)

12 week check-up

Today was my 12 week appointment with Dr. Grant! John had to work, so I went alone. I had my BP taken (110/70, totally healthy), and I've only gained 2 pounds. I was worried it was more than that but luckily I'm right on track! Next I met with Dr. G, and we listened to the heartbeat through the doppler (which, by the way, is super cool and I want one). She found it right away, but the baby moved and she lost it. It took a few seconds to find it again because the baby was on the move... Hard to believe a child John and I made is moving around like crazy and won't sit still :) Anyway, she found it again quickly and said, "It sounds great!!" What a HUGE sigh of relief. I have no reason to believe the baby won't be totally healthy, but you just never know. So it's wonderful to hear the doctor say things like the heartbeat is great! So there you have it, I have a baby in my belly and it has a heartbeat and all is well!! Tomorrow I'm going to let my co-workers in on our little secret, and I believe our parent's will be doing the same. It will be so nice to finally tell people and have this out in the open. Yay for babies!

Week 12: Lime baby

Aaaah! Our baby is the size of a lime! Do you know how big that is?? Well it's still very tiny but compared to where we started (poppy seed size) what seems like just the other day, that's huge.

How your baby's growing:

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 and weighs half an ounce.

Almost in my 2nd trimester!

Tomorrow I will officially be 3 months pregnant. I can't believe it! Time has definitely crept by. A few weeks ago I cried my eyes out to John and in between sobs I asked, "Will I ever feel normal again?!" He replied, "Yes, you crazy hormonal basketcase, you will!" Just kidding. He just hugged me and told me everything was going to be ok. Slowly but surely, I can see the light and that everything WILL be ok. It's been a roller coaster of emotions during these past 2 months since we found out we're having a baby. From the constant worry that I'll lose the baby, to wondering how the heck I'm going to decide on colors for that nursery (and trying to figure out how on earth I'll fit my entire office in our bedroom...), all the while feeling like I could fall asleep at any moment. Luckily we have 6 more months to figure out the logistics of fitting a baby in our home! And hopefully the crazy, paranoid, worrier part of me will chill out a bit and focus on staying healthy. A few times this past week I felt tiny little flutters in my lower belly, and I'm pretty sure it was the baby. I've heard you can feel little movements this early on, even though a lot of people on these baby message boards say it could just be gas or some other crazy thing happening inside. But I choose to believe the "goldfish swimming in my belly" feeling is the little one, happy as can be, swimming around in his/her home. It's the coolest and most amazing feeling, and really brings it all into perspective. Pregnancy isn't supposed to be easy– hello, I'm growing a HUMAN BEING inside of me. Of course I'm going to feel a little off. But it's all worth it in the end. And we can't wait for November!!

Week 11: Fig baby

I'm 11 weeks along today! I can't believe I'm almost in my 2nd trimester... I am SO ready to be out of the 1st trimester. It really hasn't been as awful as I expected, but still not exactly fun. When people ask how I've been feeling, my first reaction is to complain, but I try to end it with, "It could be worse!" I'm still really tired all the time but haven't been as queasy on a regular basis. And more and more foods are starting to sound good, except poultry... Yuck. I'm also looking forward to being past 12 weeks so we can share the news publicly. We've already told way more people than we originally planned, but have told each of them to keep it quiet for now. Well, not too long ago a random All Saints mother saw my mom at the hospital where they both work, and congratulated her on the news. My mom tried to throw her off and say that we're actually still trying to get pregnant, but the woman said that she heard we already were. I honestly don't care if people are telling other people our news, even though we said to keep it quiet. It just means that people are really excited about it and want to tell someone, which I think is sweet! What I'm afraid of is that other people who don't know (some of my friend's parents, and a few co-workers) will hear through these random people who know. We thought about just going public now, but I feel strongly that I want to wait until my next appointment with Dr. Grant on the 19th. So we're just going to stick to the plan and hope not too many random people find out!

On to the baby! Here's BabyCenter.com's summary this week:

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.

Week 10: Kumquat baby

I totally started crying reading about our baby's progress this week! The little one (who John and I call "boo"), has fingers now! No more webbing. And the little fingernails are slowly growing in this week. Here's BabyCenter.com's summary of what's happening:

Though he's barely the size of a kumquat– 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.

If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair 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.