Kumquat at 10 weeks - bigger than a quarter!

At 10 weeks, the baby has grown to the size of a kumquat! The most critical stages of development are completed, and the baby is now officially a fetus. I’ve read that the baby’s placenta is now managing hormone production, so nausea related to increased hormones should wear off soon. I have still been feeling nauseous, with a few moments of respite particularly after a meal. And I feel dizzy if not careful, so am just being more conscious and careful with my movements. Apparently with all the extra blood circulating, it’s natural to get these dizzy moments.

We heard back from the results of last week’s tests at our first prenatal appointment, and all is in good shape, and all pregnancy hormones are normal!! This last part made me cry – just hearing someone say this – your pregnancy hormones are all normal. I think I’m entering a new emotional stage.

I started a great pregnancy journal that has daily information about what’s developing for the baby and for me, along with tips and quotes. There are also places to write weekly and monthly thoughts, and some questions about your hopes and dreams. While going through these questions with Jose, and also talking with a friend yesterday who asked if there was anything we really wanted to do before entering baby world, the truth just appears again and again that we are excited and embracing this time ahead to share with our baby! The baby just seems a lot greater than any dinner out, travel experience, or anything else. 

So we now have the next 3-4 weeks to round out the rest of the first trimester – at the end of this period, I should be feeling less queasy and have more energy, and we’ll have the fun of sharing this news more widely with loved ones. I’m also looking forward to showing more that we’re pregnant. At a party this past weekend, people asked if I was not drinking since I’m the designated driver. I look forward to visibly appearing pregnant at parties, on the metro, and in life!

Week 9 - blueberry to grape!

I started week 9 yesterday, and not only is the baby now the size of a grape, but the embryonic tail has also disappeared! Back in California, around week 5, we referred to the baby as the cells. Now it's not only a little creature formed from the cells, but a creature with hands, who can even make a fist now and move his or her joints! So I guess when you think about all this major development over last week (losing an embryonic tail and starting to move your joints seems really big), it's no wonder how tired I've been. And it's amazing to think that I churned out our biggest grant report of the year while all of this even greater work was going on inside my womb.

There is now a whole lot more blood in my body, which is supposed to put some pressure on my heart and make me tired, but also can give you redder cheeks and a very real pregnancy glow. When I met my good friend Vikram for lunch last Friday, I asked him if he noticed anything different about me, and he said that I was glowing!

Our first official prenatal appointment (after the initial sonogram to determine due date and confirm that a viable pregnancy) is Wednesday this week. I wish we could do more sonograms too!! The all important sonogram to show gender is at week 18 or 20, around end March - so this could actually be around our 4th wedding anniversary!

Smells and Cravings!

I quickly learned while in Sea Ranch, California with family (at about week 6) that I need to eat more frequent meals throughout the day. I can (sort of) beat nausea by not being hungry, and just need that extra constant energy. After all, my uterus has doubled in size already, and I’m working on doubling my total amount of blood for this wonderful period! Each day in Sea Ranch, I woke up with a very different craving – one morning, it was eggs. The next morning I never wanted to eat eggs again, and really wanted to eat yogurt.  Then when back in LA, I just wanted cereal to start the day. These cravings keep changing! Last night I was so in tune with lentils and veggies, now I just want yogurt and hummus again. 

SMELLS – there are some old flowers in the trash at my office kitchen, and I can barely walk by the kitchen! There is another food smell near the copy machine, so I’m not going near there again today! Sometimes the smell of red wine or coffee really bothers me (former things I loved, but now cannot imagine stomaching).

It’s really an interesting journey, and I love each day and new feeling with the blueberry!

Corazoncita Thank you!

Last night, I found a little black box with a note that said: Thank you Mama for giving me my corazoncita. Love from your BB. Our thoughtful baby gave me a necklace with a blue topaz heart. What a thoughtful little baby, giving this gift of a heart necklace on the very day that we first heard that fast little heart beat!!

First Sonnogram - Aug 26 Due Date!

Today was our fist sonogram. The little baby's heart is beating at 147 beats per minute, and she/he really is a little blueberry! No limbs yet, or placenta. But the baby is definitely there, and that heart is beating! We are 7 weeks, 2 days right now, and the official due date is August 26. We have our first official prenatal visit Jan 25th. And the second trimester starts Feb 12 - at which point we'll more widely share this wonderful news!
With love to friends and family from Jose, me and the blueberry.