15 Weeks!

Technically this post comes a day before our 16 week mark, but you'd be surprised how hard it is to take the same photo on the same day each week. If I'm being honest, the self-imposed pressure to update the chalkboard with something new and creative is usually the real reason behind my procrastination. I'm just not that creative with chalk!

Anyway, here's the 15 week pic:

Seemingly out of nowhere, this little bump has appeared on my belly that won't go away, even if I'm sucking in with all my might. It's crazy to see how much and how fast your body changes. This little bump showed up really in a matter of days, and caught me a little by surprise. Not that I'm complaining, I was really feeling the awkward mid-point of "too big to be normal" and "too small to be pregnant."

Although now that its out there, I'm convinced everyone is staring at me when I'm in public somewhere. Its strange to feel like people can tell something personal about you just by looking at you - but they can! The good news is, I've got roughly six more months to get comfortable with this.

We also had our 16-week check up with our doctor yesterday, and she says everything is normal. She had a much easier time finding Peanut's heartbeat this time around, which means he/she is growing and getting bigger! Since our next appointment (we go roughly every four weeks) is right around the 20-week mark, we're planning to do our "anatomy" ultrasound along with the appointment. They say its so they can count fingers and toes, etc, but we all know what anatomy they're REALLY looking for, tee hee!

Technically it's a five-week wait since our doctor will be out of town for spring break, and the wait just might kill me. I'm trying to remind myself that four months have already gone by, and I'll miss all of this when it's over, but its hard to imagine a little person growing in there without knowing if it's a he or a she. We have no choice but to wait, though!

The other development I'm anxiously awaiting is feeling Peanut move around for the first time. They can it can happen anytime between 16 and 22 weeks (although realistically first-time moms usually don't feel it - or can't distinguish it - early on).

Hopefully I'll be able to write about something new and exciting soon, though! Technically I should post our week 16 pic tomorrow or Thursday, but we'll see if I actually get around to taking it.

More soon!

It's Official!!

Today is our first notable milestone!!! While we've known of our pregnancy for about five weeks now, we hadn't yet had it medically confirmed. This can cause some stress, knowing, but not knowing, at least not for sure.

That changed this afternoon!!! We had our first ultrasound, and got to actually see Baby Van Orsow for the first time. Not long after we found out we were pregnant, Jeff and I decided to nickname it Peanut (and Butter, should there have been a second baby). So here's the first real look at Peanut, our little gummy bear: 

It looks, Jeff and I decided, remarkably like a baby. We had both been expecting a small blob on the screen that the ultrasound tech would have to convince us was a baby. But this, this looks like an actual, albeit large-headed, human baby. Who knew?!?! (That's a rhetorical question...obviously anyone who has ever had or seen an ultra sound knew...)

This probably goes without saying, but we're over the moon. We have proof now, real proof, that there is a tiny human growing in my belly. We heard his or her little heartbeat and watched it blip blip on the screen.

This is crazy. 

Because Peanut is only about the size of a strawberry (and hopefully just as sweet!) he or she hasn't really made his or her presence known in the way of a bump. Yet. 

See? 

Week 9:

I'm pretty sure any bump I'm seeing is just my jeans, right?? That's just bunchy denim?? Let's hope so, I don't feel quite ready to have my body spill the beans. 

That reminds me, it's KILLING me not to be able to tell my friends. Especially those who are already very suspicious. Now that everyone is coming back into town, I'm eager to see them again and tell them our news, but I know that I will feel most comfortable in the long run if I keep quiet just a little longer. Here's hoping my excitement doesn't get the best of me and let my secret slip!

So far, so good. I'm feeling fine as long as I can get a nap in, and it seems as though what little nausea or sick feelings I had have passed. I'll be a happy clam if I'm in the clear!!! 

I hope you're enjoying reading this, Pids. So far you're the only one who knows about it. ;D