Weekly Daisy Update: Week 19

Week 19, Daisy is the size of a large heirloom tomato. She's about 8 1/2 ounces (wow!) and 6 inches crown to rump (double wow!). She's growing in leaps and bounds! Her arms and legs are finally proportionate to her body but that doesn't mean she stops here! Her brain is developing different areas for each of the five senses and she may now be able to hear our voices. That will make Working Man happy since he talks to her every night.

She's currently protected from the amniotic fluid by vernix caseosa...which sounds a lot like queso and it ironically looks like cheese. Anyway, this will prevent her from being pickled. I wondered why babies had smooth skin at birth! I know if I spend more than five minutes in the shower I start to prune!

Daisy continues to kick and move on a consistent basis. She usually hangs out on my left side. During my appointment today, that's where they found her heartbeat. Anatomy scan on the 15th!

Oh! For fun, Working Man and I did TP Tuesday although we had just done it. We were at 12 1/2 sheets. I shrunk half a sheet! The scale at the doctor's office confirmed that I still haven't gained any weight. I'm a-ok with this. My urine shows no proteins, ketones, or sugar so I'm good in the nutrition department.

 But just so you have it:

18w3d


13w6d

So that's week 19. Like I said, we had an appointment today. I have doctors/clinicians in three cities monitoring my pregnancy. Today's visit was with the high-risk staff. I met with the mid-wife who specializes in pregnancies with diabetes. We had a lot of questions for her but my primary one is, "Will I be induced?"

Her answer is that if I do not go naturally by 39 weeks then I will be induced. Which means that Saturday of this week, regardless of whether I go naturally or not, is the half-way point of this pregnancy! What a frightening and extremely exciting thought! Of course, my plan is to eat spicy foods, take lots of walks, do jumping jacks or whatever at 38 weeks to help her along. Natural would be better but we can do the induction if need be.

By the way, thinking about the fact that my Daisy may be able to hear a little bit, I really want to start reading the first Boxcar Children or original Winnie the Pooh I found the other day.

FFR

A list

I haven't been posting except once a week really so I'm going to do a list today just to cover some of those things that haven't been posted about. Since I've been pregnant, everything in here has become about Daisy but it's important to note that life elsewhere hasn't stopped.

1. Did you know that Lowe's and Home Depot close at 8 on Sundays? I had finally convinced Working Man to finish the nursery (put up the stars, put up the DVD player and cable box...) when he said they were both closed. Don't people do home improvements after hours? I'm so bummed. If only we had more gumption earlier in the day.

2. In our bathroom is a solitaire hand-held game, you know for those longer moments there. Anyway, in the two to three weeks we've had this game, I have never won. Until tonight. Which is primarily why I wanted to write tonight. No reason else.

3. A woman's calendar while pregnant looks like this (especially high-risk women): Work, work, work then appointment, work, appointment, day off. Work, work, leave early from work for appointment, work, appointment, day off. Work, work, appointment after work, work, appointment, day off. Work, work, work then appointment, appointment, work, day off. If it weren't in my phone, I'd never know where I'm supposed to be. Multiply by 7 months.

4. The birth board I'm on has a post called TP Tuesday. Essentially, a roll of toilet paper is rolled out around your belly and you count how many squares it takes to get around your belly. It's just a fun measurement. Five weeks ago at 13 weeks and 6 days, I was 12 3/4 squares. I missed this week so we did it today at 18 weeks and 4 days. I was....12 3/4 squares. It hasn't changed one iota! What?!

5. My dogs are afraid of a statue we added in to our yard. It's a little boy playing in a little puddle. The two small dogs are terrified. I find this highly amusing. Until Honey made my pregnant self run after her while trying to put them to bed. She wanted to go bark at the statue. *Not happy*

6. I took this picture at the state fair. It was hard to capture because 1) she was far away, 2) it was dusk, 3) she was always moving!

But I love it!

7) If I had cows to play with at all, Rocky and I would be doing this!

8) Tomorrow I have to get up early again. I enjoyed my day off. I got to sleep a full eight hours.

9) I've run out of things to talk about.

10) Good night.

FFR

Weekly Baby Update: Week 18

It's here, it's here, it's finally here! It's the fifth month! Oh yay! Daisy is growing like crazy! She's approximately 5 1/2 inches and 5 ounces. Gosh she's getting big. Soon she'll be big enough to come out! Daisy is practicing her hiccuping and yawning. This is the week that "What to Expect" says you may feel some of those punches and kicks but it's our secret (not really secret however) that I've been feeling Daisy since the end of the 13th week. Our doctor was surprised but said it's not unlikely.

If there was ever a week I was going to get morning sickness, it'll be this week. Daisy is compared to a bell pepper this week. Yuck! If she tastes anything like a bell pepper I will be sick! Haha. Just kidding!

New developments for me this week: My jeans no longer button! Or they do, but with a muffin top (not attractive). This is most exciting. I've mostly been losing weight so to realize that my belly is growing even though my weight is not is wonderful!

We've got our big anatomy scan 13 days from now. This is the scan that most people first find out the gender. At the last appointment though, Working Man convinced her to do an ultrasound. She also guessed a girl. Yay, Daisy is still a Daisy.

I have an appointment with a perinatologist next week. They want me to be in touch with the high risk doctor. My doctor knows there is a high chance I'll be on insulin by the end of my pregnancy. In that case, I'll be seeing this new doctor exclusively. If I don't, I'll be seeing both this new doctor and my current OB together. They will consult as well as consulting with the dietician and the perinatal center. I feel so...loved. Haha. Lots of people making sure Daisy comes out healthy after her incubation period. Of course, also making sure she doesn't cook too long!

That's all I've got this week. She's been moving around a lot lately and I do believe this really is the honeymoon stage of the pregnancy. I'm pretty comfortable most of the time. Some back aches when I stand too long. Otherwise, a-ok.