15 weeks, 3 days: Happy Halloween!!

We had a fun year this year. Low key, but fun! Jessica threw a Halloween Party at her house in Temecula on Saturday, so we drove out to see her! It was a great party and we met a few new people. There were lot's of couples and everyone had fantastic costumes. Sexy nurse/hot doctor; The boss/His secretary; Superman/Lois Lane. So fun!!



Check out our costumes! He was the baker and I was the bun in the oven! I made my shirt by designing the bun/oven using Word drawing tools, then printed it on iron-on paper. The shirt was available online for $40, but I made it for about $20. Great deal!











The party was the first time I had someone feel my belly and I've been a little worried about how I would feel about that. Jessica was the first to do it and since she is a really good friend, I didn't mind at all! If it would have been a stranger, I think I would have been a little put off by it.



On the way home from the party we became so enthralled with each other and the conversation that we were having that we completely missed the exit for the 91! We had to turn around and go back...good thing we noticed fairly soon after it happened or we would have been on our way to Vegas! We had a really great time at the party and it was fun to spend time with each other in the car on the way home.



We carved pumpkins on Sunday evening. This year I bought 3 pumpkins, so Scout would have her own. In reality, I just wanted to buy the pumpkins for the seeds...mmmmm, toasted pumpkin seeds!! I bought one big pumpkin for Christopher and 2 smaller ones for me to carve.



So I get everything prepared after dinner and then search the internet for face ideas. I draw on my first face and then draw the second face on the other pumpkin. In the mean time Christopher is still working on coming up with something. I then proceed to cut into the first pumpkin, all the while I have Scout sniffing my toes, hoping desperately that food will just show up (yes this is what our dog believes...it doesn't help that I drop food while cooking). I reach into the first pumpkin and begin pulling out....greenery?!?!? Where are the seeds?? I keep pulling stuff out and there are some seeds, but lots of plants! The pumpkin seeds started growing right inside the pumpkin!!! So much for seeds from that pumpkin...but at least I got a cute face out of it.




I start on the second pumpkin and I reach in and begin pulling out the guts. Okay, so I'm thinking that these guts feel a bit mushier than they should. Sure enough I get them out and realize the pumpkin has already begun rotting!!! Ewwww, gross! We used this pumpkin for the trash and then threw it away. Christopher's pumpkin was the only one that had good seeds, plus he carved a super cute face on it.





Scout wasn't so sure about the pumpkins though.



On Halloween night we just stayed home and gave out candy to all the trick or treaters. Scout just barked at all of them. Too scary for her I guess!

Hope everyone had a safe and happy Halloween!!

15 weeks 2 days: Prenatal Appointment #2

What's happening with the baby:

The fetus now measures 4.1 to 4.5 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 1.75 ounces. Its body is covered in ultrafine hair, called lanugo, which is usually shed by birth. Eyebrows and hair on the top of the head are beginning to grow. The baby may even be sucking its thumb by now. The bones are also getting harder.



We had our second doctor appointment today and actually got to meet the doctor for the first time! Dr. Jennifer Lee is fairly young and I am very happy with my blind choice (remember I was only handed a sheet of paper with doctor's names on it)! She is very down to earth, easy to talk to, and has a great personality.



The heartbeat was at 146 bpm so the baby is doing well. Momma is also doing well since all the blood work came back perfect! She said to keep doing whatever I am doing as far as my iron intake goes since I am not even close to being anemic. Not sure what I'm doing other than craving the right foods (leafy green salads, vegetables, chicken). I also found out my blood type: O+, so no need to worry about the Rh- factor (where mom and baby can get really sick because of conflicting blood types). I also only gained 1 lb since my last appointment 4 weeks ago so things are looking good!



Our ultrasound is scheduled for the morning on Nov 19th, so we're hoping to find out the sex then. We plan to keep it a surprise until Christmas though! The doctor also told me that there is a good chance that what I was feeling a week or two ago was the baby! She showed me where I should be feeling movement and told me to pay attention because I'll start to feel it more often. It's so exciting!!



Did I mention my latest craving?? There is a restaurant called King's Fish House here in California that has amazing food. It is one of my favorites!! Anyhow, they have this Cajun Power Garlic Sauce on the table that I use to dip my bread in. It is the perfect amount of tang and spice and I just can't get enough. Since the restaurant is just a block away from work I found myself wanting to go there up to 3 times a week!! Well at $12-$15 per lunch, I was spending way too much money just to fulfill my new craving....so what does a pregnant woman do in this situation, you ask? Forget the restaurant and order the sauce online (www.cajunpowersauce.com for those who are interested)!! And I didn't just order 1 bottle, I ordered 12!!! Well, partly because that's the smallest quantity they sold it in, but mostly because I wasn't sure 12 bottles would last me a month!



At least so far I've been pretty good, since I don't want to get sick of the stuff and never be able to eat it again. But I'm warning you...everyone might just get their very own bottle of Cajun Power Garlic Sauce for Christmas!!!



I also finally got around to talking to HR about maternity leave. I am so excited and very lucky that I live in California. I get to take 18 weeks off at 100% pay!! That's about 4 months off without the stress of not having two incomes! Plus Christopher gets to take 6 weeks at 55% pay, plus any vacation he has (up to another 3 weeks off). He can take it any time within the first year of the baby's life. So the baby will be nearly 6 months old before we have to do daycare. That put my mind at ease since I can't imagine leaving a 2 month old baby at daycare all day every day!

I'll post pictures of our pumpkins we carved and our costumes tomorrow...so check back soon!

14 weeks, 3 days: Don't Squish the Baby!

Holy heck...if I hear it one more time, I might actually lose it! I don't know how I can keep my cool all day at work because everyone and everything annoys the heck out of me!!! The mail lady at work is super sweet, but she is driving me nuts!!! Every morning when she drops off my mail in my office she comes up with something else to tell me "Don't squish the baby!" Here are some of the things she has said:



"Don't sit like that, you'll squish the baby." (As I sit with my belly touching my keyboard tray.) Um, hello...I don't get longer arms when I get pregnant, just a bigger belly!!!



"Oh my gosh, you're going to squish the baby!" (As I sit with my arms crossed.) I'm pretty sure the baby is below my belly button and unless I'm a monkey, it is not possible to cross my arms below my belly button. Besides I think my ribs are plenty strong enough to hold the weight of my arms!



"What are you wearing today, you're going to squish the baby!" (As I sit in my chair with maternity pants that have a stretchy waist band and a comfy cotton t-shirt on.) Believe me, I would be stripping off clothes if they are too tight, long before I squish the baby! I say, don't squish the mommy!!!



Any ideas on how to get this woman to stop, without being mean?!? I can't take it anymore.



Also...I really thought that all the dead pets and plants that came before our super cute, very alive dog were not a reflection on my ability to be a mother. I'm starting to worry. Everyone keeps asking me if I've done anything to prepare for the baby. My response? Nope, I'll worry about that later. I'm too busy living my life, going to work and studying for school.



Well, it just dawned on me that we did nothing to prepare for getting a dog. Literally. Not a single thing. I mean we took money out of the ATM to pay for her, but nothing more. We drove 2 hours to go get her, and once we got in the car to leave, I put her on my lap and realized that we didn't have anything for her!



So with our brand new puppy on my lap (which is completely unsafe by the way) we drove 20 min to the nearest Petsmart. We have to carry her in because we don't have a leash yet. We immediately get a leash, rip open the package, but realize we need a collar too. So we rip open another package and I think we're doing okay. Then we look at each other and ask, what else do we need?? We had to get help on buying a crate, dog food, dog bowls, treats, poop bags, toys, etc. We almost picked up a 'Puppies for Dummies' book, put put it back down.



So I can just see it now...we are going to be stopping to get diapers on the way home from the hospital. At least this time I know I have to have a carseat or they won't let me take the baby home. Do they have a 'Babies for Dummies' book?? This time I won't be putting it back down!

14 Weeks: Honeymoon Phase

What's happening with the baby:

The baby measures 3.2 to 4.1 inches from crown to rump and weighs almost an ounce. The ears are shifting from the neck to the side of the head and the neck is longer and the chin more prominent. Facial features and unique fingerprints are all there. The baby is starting to respond to outside stimuli. If the mother's abdomen is poked, the baby will try to wriggle away.



This is the best time of the pregnancy! Now I know why they call it the honeymoon phase. I don't feel pregnant at all, in fact I feel like I'm back to my normal self. I still have a little less energy and I am also uncomfortable while I sleep. I'm a stomach sleeper and with the ever-growing bump, being on my stomach isn't working so well lately. Plus I am a super light sleeper now (what?!!? I used to sleep through anything) and Christopher snores...so between hitting him to make him roll over and trying to get comfortable it's no wonder I have less energy!



And this new thing started but I'm not sure what it is. Two or three times in the last week I'll be sitting down and all of sudden there is a weird flutter or tapping feeling below my belly button. It freaks me out a little so I move positions and it goes away. I've read in all of my pregnancy books that this is what it feels like when the baby moves, but that I'm not supposed to feel it until somewhere around 17-22 weeks. This seems awfully early to feel anything, but I know it's not gas either. At this stage I don't much care for it, so I'm hoping that my feelings will change on the subject since I'm pretty sure I will have another 26 weeks of it!



I keep being told that "Your life will change forever." This statement annoys me so much. First of all, people say it all ominous, almost in a doom and gloom sort of way. They never say whether they mean it in a good way or bad way. And second, when exactly did I say I expect or want my life to stay the same?!? I know it's going to change and I am absolutely looking foward to it! My entire life has been full of changes and I have always looked back and said "Now, that was the best time of my life." I hope that I continue waking up and looking back on my life in the same way. I have no doubt that being a mother and raising children with my incredible husband will be the best thing we ever do in our life. It will be life changing, and it will be hard, but I'm willing to bet that it will also be exhilarating!



I had a simulation this weekend for school where we run a company and try to beat out competitors. What happens when you put 4 men and 1 pregnant woman on a team together, stick them in a room for 12 hours in a high stress environment, and don't feed the pregnant woman in a timely manner or allow her bathroom breaks every 2 hours??? You get four VERY quiet men. I'm pretty sure I was a mean grouch to all of them! It was a fun experience, but incredibly exhausting. And we didn't do very well...we almost drove the company out of business! Too funny. Now I know I shouldn't try to run a company while I'm pregnant.



I'm going to try to get another belly pic up tonight. I plan to take one every 2 weeks.



Also, Christopher and I are going to a Halloween Party next Saturday (although it will have to be an eary night for me since I get so tired so quickly). Check back next week to see a picture of our costumes!

13Weeks: Getting Excited!!

What's happening with the baby:

The fully formed fetus measures 2.6 to 3.1 inches crown to rump and weighs between 0.5 and 0.7 ounces--about the size of a peach. The head is still disproportionately bigger than the body, but the rest of the body is starting to catch up. The baby is growing rapidly these days. The face is starting to look more human, with eyes moving closer together. Toes and fingers are clearly separate, and ankles and wrists have formed. External genatalia are becoming visible and intestines are shifting to their proper place.



So I am finally starting to get super excited about the baby. Up to this point, I've been kind of on the fence about the whole thing. It's a little bit alien to me to have a human being in me, but every day I get more excited and less freaked out by all the changes. I can't wait to see the ultrasound in November and find out if it is a girl or boy. I'm even more excited to see what the baby will look like and to hold it. It just makes me smile.



It is very strange to see my body changing so rapidly and even stranger to notice that I can't physically move the way I used to. I've noticed that it is a bit more difficult to sit up in bed or get off the floor. It just feels like my stomach muscles are broken. I'm doing lots of walking, but I can't walk nearly as fast as I used to. I used to walk a mile in 15-18 min, but now I do it in about 20 min. I really listen to my body and make sure I don't push it too hard. I'm going to look into finding a prenatal yoga class since I'm sure it will help with stress (work and school are killing me right now!).



So we got our first two congrats cards in the mail the other day! I loved them!! One was addressed to 'Baby Derichsweiler' and came from Grandma Jacqueline. The other one came from Great Grandma Gleason (GGG). Looks like our parents are starting to figure out what they want to be called. I love it! So much fun!!



If you haven't seen the new pictures of Maile, check them out by following the link to Mikael, Che & Maile's blog. She is so beautiful and we can't wait to see her again!!!

12 weeks: Updated Pictures

What's happening with the baby:

The fetus now measures 2.5 inches crown to rump and weighs between 0.3 and 0.5 ounces. It is fully formed from tooth buds to toenails and the baby's job will be to continue getting larger and stronger for the rest of the pregnancy. With the most critical development behind the fetus the risk of miscarriage drops considerably after this week.



I found a new aversion last night--Taco Bell!! Yuck, it makes me so sick. It's strange because I crave Mexican, but I guess this pregnancy settles the debate...Taco Bell is NOT Mexican!



I'm feeling pretty good otherwise. I am really tired again, so bedtime is around 8 or 9 on nights that I don't have class and I take 2-3 hour naps on the weekends. I am starting to feel crazy about the house not always being perfectly clean. I feel like it's full of germs and I need to mop 3 times a day. I don't, but I feel like I need to.



I think Scout is as excited about the baby as we are! We went on a walk yesterday and every small child we walked by, she just couldn't get enough. She about ripped my arm off trying to run across the street because she saw a 2 year old little girl. She especially adores them when they are babies up to age 3.



Well I'm off to do some homework now...check out the new pictures I posted and don't forget to vote on what you think we're going to have!

11 weeks, 4 days: Feeling good

What's happening to the baby:

The fetus is about the size of a large lime, measures 1.75 to 2.4 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 3/10 of an ounce. The rapid swooshing noises of the heartbeat can be heard through a Doppler sound-wave stethoscope. Fingernails and external genatalia are showing distinguishing characteristics, and the baby is swallowing and kicking, but the mother still won't feel it.



So the morning sickness has passed and I'm not starving all the time! My abdomen is starting to feel a little strange. Almost like I swallowed a large tennis ball and it got stuck. Plus my legs and back are all crampy. My boobs are over-flowing out of a 36D bra, so I might have to upsize again. I can't believe it!! I'm loving the thick hair and long nails!



Some of my cravings:
Tomato based anything--LOVE ketchup (I could squirt it directly in my mouth), BBQ sauce, marinara sauce (yum spaghetti), salsa, whole fresh tomatoes
Cereal (Lucky Charms)
Ice-cream (rocky road)
Lemonade

Some of my aversions:
Asian cuisine--soy sauce, sushi, teriyaki (Just thinking about it makes me queasy.)
Sour cream
Too much candy or chocolate (a piece is okay, an entire candy bar makes me sick)

Everyone at work is starting to know because I've started openly talking about it, plus I'm showing. The HR manager came down and congratulated me and told me to come talk to them about how maternity leave works. The General Manager stopped me in the hall and was genuine with his congratulations. It is so much more fun now that everyone knows!