Dr.'s appointment today

We went back to the doctor today. Everything is going well. Baby's heartbeat was 158 - steady and strong. It's such a beautiful sound to hear!

We're going to the main hospital for our ultrasound to have it done with the best equipment. The doctor said we need the best possible look because of my brother's heart defect when he was born. Baby's Uncle Adam was born with a hole in his heart. Actually, Grandma called it ASD (Atrial Septum Defect) - a hole in the septum separating the atriums of the heart. So, what this means for us is that we get a better look at baby! Check back in about six weeks for pictures of that.

Other than that - not much else is new. As soon as we can find the cord that connects the camera to the computer, we'll post some pics of my growing belly.

All about food... (12 weeks)

Weeks 6 -11 were miserable, nauseating, and exhausting where my only thoughts of food were for survival. I ate a lot of crackers - Saltines, Wheat Thins, Triscuits, Cheez-Its (any kind that would take the edge off the nausea). I also ate lots of other starch filled carbohydrates (think bowls of mashed potatoes and one baked potato after another). Sprite was my best friend when I was feeling especially ill. Water - the enemy. Oh, and my 2-am-snack-to-fill-an-empty-stomach-so-I-can-sleep-food: Wildberry Nutri Grain bars (quick and easy, 5 bites and back to sleep). Truly, the only thing I actually craved during this time was sweets (doughnuts, fruit -mostly oranges, and cupcakes) - and that was only after 5pm when the worst of the "morning sickness" had passed. There were MANY things that made the I-don't-even-want-to-look-at-it list like: fish, lettuce, meat, and eggs (one whiff of these and it was instant vomit).

But, the fog is lifting. I'm feeling less ill (unless I wait too long to eat), have more energy, and seem to be less irritable (I even laughed so hard I cried the other day - thanks Jared). I feel as though I've turned the corner towards the second trimester where sickness goes away and energy improves. Hurray! And, with that, my appetite is improving.

Still no weird cravings like pickles and ice cream (yuck!). But, I definitely want certain foods on certain days. My favorite breakfast right now is Multi-Grain Cheerios with a chopped up banana. Still loving Triscuits (they keep the nausea away). Yesterday, I wanted Mexican. The day before - a fish sandwich (I couldn't believe it!). Another day - vegetables like broccoli and cheese, corn, and carrots. This morning, I actually made eggs - mixed with tater tots, sausage, and cheese (a famous Cline family recipe called "garbage"). I ate it and enjoyed it - eggs and all. I'm still loving fruit, but now it's pears and peaches. It seems as though my body knows what nutrients it's missing - and that's what I crave that day.

Unfortunately, the things I find myself dreaming of most are the things I can't have - a cold turkey and cheese sandwich and a hot dog. I think I only want them because I can't have them! =) Such is life.

Boy or girl?

Even though we're waiting until the birth day to find out if it's a boy or a girl, we've had plenty of "discussions" about it. Jared is convinced it's a boy, and speaks of the baby using he or him. I'm not convinced either way, but I'm advocating for a girl, just incase. I don't want Jared to be disappointed at delivery time when it's a girl. So, I say she and her.

According to the wise Mayans, it's either a boy or a girl. Ha! The formula for prediction according to the Mayan calendar is: the mom's age at conception + the month of conception. If the sum is even, it's a girl. If the sum is odd, it's a boy. My age at conception was 28. Originally, we thought the month of conception was January (month #1) meaning 28 + 1 = 29 or odd - It's a boy! But, according to the ultrasound, baby measured 8 weeks, 3 days. That would be three days earlier for conception meaning December (month #12) 28 + 12 = 40 or even - it's a girl!

We've heard from people who predict based on "gut instinct" a girl. We've read that because I'm craving sweets (highly unusual for someone who prefers salty), it's a girl. Every dream I have is about a girl. Not to mention that the one name we've agreed on since before we were married is a girl's name.

But, there is plenty of evidence on the contrary. Jared dreams about a boy. Baby boys outnumber baby girls right now. And, according the equally wise Chinese, it's a boy whether conceived in January or December.

Either way, it doesn't matter. Healthy is all we care about.

So, what's your prediction?? Boy or girl?

Our first look at 8 weeks.

Our first doctor's appointment was Wednesday, February 13th. Jared and I were both very excited and a bit nervous. I was still questioning whether or not I'm really pregnant - easy to do when the only evidence you have are five positive home pregnancy tests (I couldn't believe the first four).

The doctor didn't even make me pee in a cup to confirm the pregnancy. She just asked a bunch of questions and then performed the ultrasound. I think Jared was more uncomfortable with the ultrasound process than I was! But, after the first glimpse of baby, we forgot about what we had to do to see the image.

It's pretty amazing the first time you see this tiny little being on screen. It's really only 1/4 of an inch long, but looks very baby-like already. You can see the head, the body, and four tiny little buds for the arms and legs.

Of course, Jared and I were anxiously checking the screen for a second little being. But, it appears there's only one. Twins would've been fun, but a lot of work! So, unless someone is hiding, we're blessed with only one baby.

After checking out the physical appearance of the baby and measuring it (8 weeks, 3 days), we got to hear the heartbeat. Wow, that was incredible! That was the only moment I was on the verge of tears. A strong steady 164 beats per minutes. Jared was concerned that baby's heartbeat was so fast, but doc reassured him that this is normal.

After the appointment, they sent us on our way with three pictures and two diaper bags filled with TONS of information - all a bit overwhelming!