20-Week Ultrasound: Boy or Girl?

Joel and I had our 20-week ultrasound this morning, and it was a wondrous experience! Baby Pearce was no disappointment when it came to some vigorous whole-body kicking and thrashing on-screen. It was so neat to see the movements that I could feel inside! The doctor measured the head and abdomen, checked the brain, heart, and kidneys, and reported that everything looks healthy and normal - praise the Lord!! We are the blessed parents of a healthy, one-pound (so far) baby.

The big question, of course, is boy or girl? Friends and family, below is a picture that confirms I am carrying neither boy nor girl, but in fact a hale and healthy Baby Skeletor:



Talk about a face only a mother could love, eh? I think this one's a little cuter, and I'm sure closer to what he or she will actually look like (sans gigantic eye holes):


We were thrilled and delighted to behold our little one, and in fact his or her sex will be a surprise when Baby Pearce makes his/her debut in January. For now, we are more humbled than ever to know that our baby is healthy, strong, and just the right size, through no virtue of our own. (Heaven knows I am eating enough to be carrying a small elephant at this point.) We are far more blessed than we deserve!

You Kicked Daddy!

We've been trying off and on over the past week or so to have daddy feel your movement. Last night, you were on a gut-churning rampage, kicking every few seconds while we were lying in bed praying and reading. Your daddy placed his hand on my belly, and he could feel you!! It was such an exciting, yet tender, moment for daddy to finally feel the vigorous movements of his little one. I wish I could have a photograph of the look on his face! He thought it was just the coolest thing.

Tiny darling, it doesn't bother me that you don't let me sleep comfortably, or that you wake me up three times a night by (seemingly) sitting directly on top of my bladder. I love feeling your kicks and flutters that let me know you are healthy and strong! And now your daddy loves to feel them, too. I'm glad you're active enough that we can let him in on your movements - he just loves to be involved with you any way he can! Precious baby of ours, we love you so much. Perhaps last night you just knew we were praying for your growth and health, and wanted us to know that our prayers are being answered. Or perhaps you just felt like stretching a bit, and testing the limits of your little home.

Keep on kicking, my love! And certainly keep on growing! People around me can easily tell that you're in there now. They are starting to place bets on whether you are a boy or a girl. You are active enough to be an exuberant little boy, but maybe you're just a strong-willed little girl like your mama was, already letting me know in no uncertain terms that you're a force to be reckoned with! There are so many funny ways for me to "find out" your gender, from examining the shape of my belly to dangling a string over myself to see which way it goes. But as much of a planner as I like to be, I am content to wait a bit longer and enjoy the mystery of pregnancy and a baby growing in my womb.

So many people are looking forward to meeting you, little one, but above all, your daddy and I try to imagine the first moments of meeting and holding you as you come into the world. Just thinking about the first precious minutes of your life with us brings tears to my eyes. What a miracle! I'm certain my little mind can do it no justice as I picture the hard work of labor, you being born, and your daddy handing you to me. Oh my darling....know you are so loved!

Love,
Mama

Feeling the Strain

This is a blog entry about my pants. Pants that fit me a just a few months ago, that were actually a bit loose in the waist back in March.

But today? Today, my friends, these pants are getting more than they bargained for. The day of the Bella Band has officially passed at week 19.

For awhile there, I would pull on my cute brown work pants, leave them unbuttoned, and tug an elastic Bella Band around the waist to keep things secure. It worked like a charm, with the pants just unfastened and the Bella Band working its magic. But this week marks a turning point in the use of the Bella Band, at least for this blossoming mama.

You see, it isn't actually doing anything. My pants, which at this point don't begin to zip, let alone button, are hanging on for dear life while the Bella Band sort of holds the unfastened flaps next to my belly - when I bother to tug the pants up and the Band down. For the most part now it just gasps for air as it stretches around my belly, riding up and down from opposite ends, while I silently thank Motherhood Maternity that their shirts are so long and flowy that nobody can see my poor pants failing miserably at their job (that is, covering me from my amply-proportioned waist down).

On the bright side, I think having tight elastic around my belly is making me look a little thinner.

BAHAHAHAHA.

A random co-worker, who has not received the pregnancy memo, stopped me in the hall today and said with wonder, "Are you going to have a baby?" Yes, Nelly, yes I am. Thank you for noticing. (Actually, I don't mind at all noticeably showing. I think it's fun! But it does let you know that I am serious about my poor pants.) She followed her question up with a statement (pronouncement?): "Boy!" and walked off. I told her I'd mark her down as a boy vote, and she said confidently that she was going to win. I guess we'll see!

Whatever the gender, he or she is certainly active. Perhaps my pants would stay up a bit better if it weren't for all the wiggling that's going on in my belly! It is just too cool to sit here churning out transfer and closure summaries on my patients like it's my job (oh wait....right...) and feel that little thump thump of baby appendages against my tummy. I am past wondering if it is gas, because if this is a digestive issue then I should be seriously worried. I've also been feeling sort of crampy the past few days, making me wonder if a growth spurt is afoot - the last time I felt this way, my belly popped out over the weekend.

My belly's saying yes, but my pants are saying, no, no!

Guess it's time to shop!

[*Rachel L.: How in the world did you wear your normal jeans through your whole pregnancy? You're making me feel like a bit of a hippo here...]

Week 18 Belly Progression

The long-awaited first installment of the Belly Progression Photos has arrived. Take note, those of you who cling to your belief that I am "still tiny" or "barely showing". Ha!

May 10 (4 1/2 weeks)
("still tiny", if you believe I started out tiny)

July 1 (12 weeks)
("barely showing" is somewhere between this photo and the next one)


August 11 (18 weeks)
(uh, hello Baby P!)

And, folks, now you're up to date with the Belly Progression!

So...yikes...the more times I scroll down through the progression, the more I believe I already look truly huge. What will the next four and a half months bring? And yes, there is only one in there, so far as we know.

Also - I definitely have felt the baby kick today! It startled me in the middle of a meeting, when I felt movement - against my arm, which was draped across my belly. Gas does not usually cause sensation in my extremities, so I'm fairly certain it was the baby. The midwife confirmed it at my appointment by saying she could feel movement with her hand, as she placed the doppler to check the heartbeat. So much for our mild-mannered little bell pepper...perhaps we have a soccer player in there!

Week 18 Already!

I told Joel last night that we need to do a new belly picture, stat. Things are really rounding out, and I don't want to miss this stage of the belly progression. In the past week, my belly has actually started getting in my way. To others, it may not look so huge; but to me, it is a definite change from pre-pregnancy belly, and I find myself needing to re-assess how much space I need. For instance, I was making our guest bed the other day for my parents (can't wait to have you visit!!), and squeezing between the bedpost and wall was something I could have EASILY done a few months ago. But now - well, my guests might have to bring their own sleeping bags in the near future. I also tend to underestimate how far open the bedroom door needs to be for me to fit through...we keep it closed to hold onto the cool a/c air, and put something in front of it to keep it from swinging open. I'll eyeball the narrow opening and assume I can fit, and find my belly banging off of the door jamb.
I better adjust now, before it gets even worse, eh?

I've announced the pregnancy at work now. Several supervisors said they had been suspecting that might be pregnant. One of them has suspected for at least two months, since I went home sick one morning and had to cancel supervision. I should have known, working with a bunch of psychologists, that they would all be super observant and privy to my secrets.

Our baby is about the length of a bell pepper, and weighs about 5 1/2 ounces. I swear I felt him/her move a week or so ago, but I haven't felt the same thing since so - either I was mistaken, or this is one sleepy, mild-mannered child! (I would be ok with the latter...) I do look forward to feeling his/her movements in the next few weeks, and I know Joel can't wait to be able to feel the kicks too.


Other miscellaneous symptoms, for the record: leg cramps at night, and the need for a pregnancy "wedgie", as Joel calls my wedge-shaped pillow that helps support my belly at night. That thing is my saving grace when it comes to better sleep. The past few days I have felt more woozy with the heat, just a little light-headed at times. The baby's heartbeat continues to be strong and steady on our home doppler. My appetite - well, it's not quite as ravenous as it was, but I do still need a pretty steady stream of food and calories or else I get quite cranky. No stretch marks yet, and I hope to keep it that way! (Do you hear me, genes?)

I have a midwife appointment today, and our 20-week ultrasound is in a few weeks. Stay tuned for a new baby portrait :-).

Whirlwind Weeks

It's difficult to believe how quickly the weeks are going by. Not only am I counting weeks of pregnancy (15), but I'm also counting down the weeks until my internship ends (only 5!). And we've also been counting down to our move, which begins tomorrow(!!). In the midst of all this counting, I've had little time for blogging - but plenty of time to notice and treasure all that's happening with our precious little one.

Most notably, I've been experiencing more round ligament pains in the past few weeks. In the last couple of days I've also started to feel some minor cramping off and on. I'm not sure whether that's just the old woom-bah stretching to accommodate our growing baby (now the size of a large navel orange) or possibly the beginnings of Braxton-Hicks contractions, which I read can begin as early as 15 or 16 weeks.

And I can really tell that our sweet pea is growing! Between frequent trips to the bathroom and pants getting tighter and tighter....it's a weird sensation to feel one of my organs gradually enlarging, but it is the coolest thing ever to pick up the heartbeat more and more easily with our borrowed home doppler. Last night I had my first conversation with baby Hugo as I listened to his/her heartbeat. I'm happy to report that Hugo is feeling great, highly active, and can't wait until I can feel him/her kicking me in the stomach. Hugo also can't wait to meet us all in person, but I think that was assumed. I look forward to moving into the house in the next week, and starting to set up Hugo's room - then we can sit in there, and I can tell him/her all about the room we have ready and waiting to greet him/her!

Incidentally, the pronouns are getting a bit cumbersome, aren't they? That's one reason why it would be nice to find out whether Hugo is a he or a she...but, alas, we shall be stuck with the gender ambiguity and multiple pronouns all the way until January 14ish. At which time it will hopefully become very, very clear whether Hugo is a he or a she.

So. "Our" house now has all its new carpeting, new appliances, new windows, fresh paint, remodeled bathroom, and new countertops and is waiting to receive our first load of stuff tomorrow. I think I will take a load of laundry to do while we're there just because I CAN. And I won't need any quarters to do it. Heaven? I think so.

And, quick update on the job: Dr. Elizabeth Pearce will officially begin at Providence Behavioral Health on September 13! I suppose this is still slightly contingent upon my references not telling EVERYTHING they know about me, but the practice has already ordered billing receipts with my name on them. So I'm pretty sure that it's a done deal. Pre-order your copy of my new business card now!

The best part about my new job? They are super excited to help support me through pregnancy, and to give me all the time off I requested when the baby comes. The clinical director there asked me all about my pregnancy so far, and told me that she will be watching to make sure I am a mommy first and a clinician second. She emphasized that if I feel too overburdened or strained, or as though I'm not seeing my baby enough, I can talk to her about my hours and workload. I feel so blessed to be joining such a warm, supportive group of Christians who are encouraging me to have a family rather than seeing it as a possible roadblock to a career.

Thanks to our family and friends for your prayers and encouragement. The Lord is opening His storehouses and showing His goodness in tangible ways for us. We pray that He will help us to use our new circumstances to demonstrate His love and generosity to others, for His glory.

Week 14 Update

In two days, I will be 14 weeks pregnant. I had my second prenatal visit yesterday with a midwife, and she clocked Hugo's heart rate at 160 bpm. Also, my blood pressure is fine. That's about it from the check-up, but in other news...

(Hugo is our current nickname for the baby, fyi. Along with peewee, sweet pea and "our little potato".) This is what he or she might look like right this minute:


Theoretically I am into the second trimester, but so far the experience has been somewhat different from what I expected. The fabled energy boost definitely has yet to become a reality. In fact, I have been more tired than ever before during the past week. I feel like I have mono, except this time I haven't been kissing all the boys (my hilarious Mexican doctor, whom we fondly called the "frito bandito", insisted this was how I contracted mono in college.)

Two nights ago, I got a solid 8 hours of sleep (except for the predictable 2:00 bathroom visit). I woke feeling more refreshed than I had over the weekend. By the time I got to work, I had a headache and could barely keep my eyes open. Having struggled through the day, I headed to the Kayes' to babysit Khloe for a few hours. I think both of us were in a similar place with regard to fatigue, which did neither of us any favors. She finally fell asleep, and I napped for about an hour til Brittany got home. I, in turn, arrived home around 9:30 and immediately went to bed. This morning I helped myself to an extra hour of sleep and came into work a little late. I feel...like a normal human being. Not super refreshed, but fairly normal.

Also. I finished breakfast literally 15 minutes ago (I was a grazer this morning...pineapple and cottage cheese, eaten leisurely at my desk) and my stomach is starting to growl.

In sum, I'm actually feeling more pregnant and out-of-sorts than all through the first trimester. Or at the very least, it doesn't feel as though anything has changed. Maybe my body is on the "gestation" or "conception" method of trimester calculation and didn't get the memo that thus saith the mama, the second trimester hath already begun! What, I can't speak it into reality? You mean the Word-Faith movement is bunk? Well crap.

I'm so excited to move in a couple of weeks. Really I am, and I am so grateful that we get to stretch the move over a span of a whole week. Because doing it all in one day? Now that would be magical. I would have to take the next month off of work to recover.

Speaking of the move, our landlords painted the second bedroom a sweet, soft shade of yellow. It's going to be just perfect! And the new refrigerator and stove are slated to arrive Saturday, and the new carpet within a few days of that. The bathroom is coming along, with a brand new enclosed bathtub/shower. Friends, moldy grout is about to become a thing of my past. The house is super exciting, even if the only bathroom is on the second floor (hey, it will keep me exercising throughout the pregnancy!). We signed the lease on Monday so...I sure hope this job thing works out...

Thanks for checking in! :-)