Hallelujah! Farewell First Trimester!!!!!

I am officially into week 14 of my pregnancy, and first word that came to my mind when writing this post is “hallelujah!!”  It is amazing how much better I feel lately.  It really began to turn around right after I hit that 12 week mark.  I actually have ENERGY again!   The difference is remarkable!   In hindsight, the first trimester flew by, but when I was going through it, the days were very LONG.  But it is all worth it!

Well, here is my first picture of our little lemon (that’s the size this week, thanks Babycenter for the endless fruit size references!)  Before kids, I thought it was hilarious when people showed ultrasound pics because I thought they mostly looked like Rorschach inkblot tests, but since most of you are moms yourself, I know you will humor me.  

With Emma, I just got one ultrasound at the standard 18 – 20 weeks. It seems like a lot has changed in the past three years.  They are now offering the sequential screening test for birth defects, which includes an ultrasound at 12 weeks with blood work, and more blood work to compare at 16 weeks.  It is optional, but I said, sign me up!  I want to see the baby as soon as I can!   

I had no idea what to expect or what the baby would look like at 12 weeks.  I had even heard from numerous people that they were able to find out the gender at this ultrasound!   Although, I have also known a handful of people that were told the WRONG gender, and it turned out to be the opposite at the 18 – 20 week one.  Crazy!   I didn’t know if they would venture a guess at ours, but I was dying to find out.   I am one of those people that wants to KNOW.  I like to plan and call it “he” or “she” and relate to it as one sex or the other.   Gender aside, I was most anxious to go and (hopefully) see and hear that everything was looking good.  I couldn’t sleep much the night before.   Even though I had a gut feeling that all was OK, I still felt that nervous anticipation, praying that the baby was healthy. 

I was so happy when the day finally arrived!   Luckily, we got the nicest ultrasound technician ever.  She was so sweet and happy, just my type of gal! 🙂  I am getting paid back big time because our ultrasound tech with Emma was so short and dry and unenthusiastic.  That first ultrasound with her was a monumental day for us.  It was the first day we would see her and the day we would  find out the sex!  Those that know me know I am a tad bit of a chatterbox.  I tried to make conversation to calm my nerves, but the tech asked me NOT to talk until she got through all her measurements.   It was torture!  I wanted to ask what things were, and if everything looked okay, etc.   Then, after 30 long minutes, I remember her just saying “girl.”  Like that.  Flat tone, no “It’s a girl!” exclamation point!   Seriously.   Can’t one drum up a little more emotion for first time parents about to find out the sex of their first born child?!   My husband to this day still finds it amusing because he knows me so well and she couldn’t have been a worse fit for my enthusiasm!   

I digress, back to this ultrasound… Before she even got started, I ask her, “is there a chance we might get an idea of the gender today?”  She says “absolutely!”   My husband and I looked at each other, holding hands, both thinking, this is big!  I don’t know if we were prepared for it!  I was sort of expecting her to say it was too early to tell.  I had friends that were told that as well.   Then she starts and up on the screen pops our little baby.    In 5 short weeks, it went from being a little coffee bean of a blob at our 7 week ultrasound, to a little human being with arms and legs and everything in place.  My jaw dropped and I got teary.    My husband said “wow!!!”  We were shocked.   Isn’t it truly a MIRACLE?  That is the only word that can describe it.    The baby didn’t stop moving!  Kicking, stretching, twisting, the technician was laughing because it was hard for her to measure due to all the movement.  But baby finally slowed down and we got the news everything was looking good.  I wanted to cry in relief.  Correction, I did shed some tears.    I know there are many people that don’t get that news, and I just felt so blessed and grateful. It is something I don’t take for granted.  Not for one second.     

I asked again about the sex, and she said she thought she had a good idea.   Knowing we have a child at home, she said ” I think we are seeing a little “________” in there!  But I can’t tell you just yet!!!!  We are having my in-laws come to visit on Feb. 7th for a little gender revealing dinner celebration with both the grandparents, so I can’t spill the beans until they hear the news!   I asked, how confident are you?  And she said she was very confident!!!! 

So, that week it all starts to sink in, and to me it is kind of a big deal!   The entire way you envision your family is changed with those words.  Whether we have two daughters or a daughter or a son, Emma will get a little sister or little brother, it really changes your entire view of your life as a family unit.  Especially since we both agree 100% that we are going to be DONE with two, end of discussion :-).  

So, over the next week, I fall in love more and more each day with this little human that I am now thinking of as my little girl or little boy.   And, I am getting more and more excited.  So, that is the latest.  Thanks for listening to my long story and for your well wishes and enthusiasm…More to come!  xo Jen  

{Graphic from Tiny Prints}