Obviously....

the tattoo was a joke.  Sorry, it was Friday night and I was bored. :)

7 weeks and a new suprise

At seven weeks, I am starting to feel a little bloated.  Who knows, maybe it is my imagination making me feel better.  As Baxter would say, "I'm not fat, I'm squishy."

Also, did you guys catch the surprise?   That's right, Bill and I got Mom and Dad tattoos yesterday.  Surprise!!  Hopefully, I can take a picture of Bill's tomorrow.  

Have a great weekend.  

Break the silence

The secret is a secret no more.  Please feel free to tell whomever you wish about the little lump of Cole.

Happy Friday!

Commentary After the Ultrasound

This by far has to be the my least favority video of myself, but I am putting it on here because I know you all will appreciate it. 

Ultrasound video

This video really does not need an introduction.  The video quality is not that good, but the sound is great and you can hear the heartbeat in the last minute of the video. Enjoy. 

Reality

The ultrasound went great today.  The baby is perfect and measuring 1 cm.  My due date is now December 12. The baby's heart rate is 135, which is great. Here is the picture (with my editorial comments of course).

Was the ultrasound everything I thought it was going to be?  No.  It was more, and different and unexplainable.  I really planned for this day because I wanted to know exactly what I could expect to see.  I didn't want surprises and I didn't want to be disappointed if I didn't see a lot.  So, I looked at tons of ultrasound pictures to prepare myself.  Baby Cole looked exactly like the ultrasounds I had seen online and in books.  I was very relieved and realistically knew this was going to be the case. But, I didn't have any initial shock when I saw the ultrasound, saw the heartbeat or heard the heartbeat.  It was almost like I was still looking at it from the outside.  Bill, on the other hand, was pleasantly surprised and grateful that Baby Cole is doing so well.

Now, for the feelings that I did have.  Nervousness.  Extreme nervousness.  Yes, nervousness towards being a mom and starting a family, but mainly nervousness towards being pregnant and delivering a baby.  For some reason, pregnancy scares the crap out of me.  The thought process goes something like this: OK baby, no questions about it, you are in the womb.  I am going to be responsible for keeping you in there the next 8 months and then responsible for sucking it up and getting you out of there without passing out.  That sounds terrifying.  Lets just take a nap and think about it later.

Bill videoed the ultrasound and you can see and hear the heartbeat, it is so cool.  I will upload it tomorrow.

7 weeks

Today is a big day for Mommy, Daddy, and the little lump of Cole.  Today, we have the first ultrasound at 2:30 p.m.  I am anxious, nervous, and most of all, excited.  I do not think 2:30 can get here fast enough. 

Today also marks 7 weeks.  Here is how the Mayo Clinic clinic describes the 7th week of pregnancy:

Seven weeks into your pregnancy, or five weeks after conception, your baby's brain and face are rapidly developing. Tiny nostrils become visible, and the eye lenses begin to form. The arm buds that sprouted last week now take on the shape of paddles. By the end of this week your baby may be 1/4 to 1/3 inch (7 to 9 millimeters) long — a little bigger than the top of a pencil eraser.

WOW, everything seems to grow so quickly. 

Tomorrow, tomorrow....

I love you, tomorrow, you're only a day A WAAYYYY. 

I just thought everyone should break out in song because tomorrow is the first ultrasound.  Our appointment is at 2:30 p.m.  I am going to bed early tonight!

More of the same

I am a little late posting the 6 week photo.  To me, the picture looks the same.  Thanks for putting up with all the inactivity.  Don't worry, I will get fat before you know it and you guys can all rub my belly like a genie in a bottle.  Please note, only one wish will be granted per person.  After that, I charge.

My friend Beth gave me a great idea that I should wear the same thing in the photo each week so we can really see my progress.  So, the answer to your question is yes, I do have more than one outfit!

Friday Night Fun

Occasionally, Bill and I like to go to Wal-Mart on Friday night, stock up on junk food, come home and watch a movie on Netflix.  My shopping trip last night looked a little something like this:

Would anyone like to guess what I have been craving? Oh, and do you have any idea how hard it is to find fruit snacks at Wal-Mart?  That took forever.  I really wanted fruit roll-ups or gushers, but Bill set his foot down and said anyone over the age of 12 does not eat gushers.  Party pooper!!  Of course, Bill got spinach dip as usual. Boring, I know.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

So you have been reading!

I have had a few questions about responding to my blog posts.  If you get email updates, don't respond to the email because I will never get it.  Instead, just open an new email and email me.  I promise I will respond.  Or, you can leave a comment on the blog by clicking in the lower right corner of each post.

Sorry if anyone thinks I have been ignoring them or cannot stay awake long enough to respond to an email.  That is not the case.  I most certainly would have responded with an email that did not make any sense as it most likely would have been written while I was half-asleep.  But, hey, it would have been a response nonetheless.

My little Sweet Pea

Sorry for the lack of post lately, I have been trying to preoccupy my time so that I do not become consumed with waiting for the doctor's appointment, which is a week from today. Yippee!!  I have many emotions associated with the upcoming appointment, including excitement, anticipation, nervousness, and worry.  Yes, lots of worry.  It is a weird feeling for me because I usually have little tolerance for worrying about things over which we have no control.   However, when it comes to this pregnancy and the upcoming appointment, I find myself really worried.  Mainly, I just pray that this isn't some cruel April fools joke that the world is playing on me. Maybe taking a pregnancy test on April fools day wasn't such a great idea after all.  I have thought of every reason in the book as to why this pregnancy thing could be a false alarm even though I haven't started my period and I took enough pregnancy tests to keep First Response and Clear Blue in business for at least the next 5 years or so.  Hopefully, once I see the ultrasound my mind will be put at ease.  But then again, I will probably just find something else to worry about.  I know, I know, welcome to motherhood!

I have began to feel the beginning symptoms of pregnancy.  I am tired, uncontrollably tired.  In fact, as Bill was catering to me in bed, bringing me dinner, my work, etc., he noticed that my coaster, which is usually on my night stand, was placed on his by the cleaning lady.  As he went to retrieve it, I laughed and said "you know, I am pretty sure that I can still roll from one side of the bed to the other."  Bill and I both get a kick out of my newfound laziness.

Usually my day consist of me waking up mentally prepared and determined to have a productive day.  By noon, I am searching Netflix instant queue to find which movie will put me to sleep at 8:30 p.m. and thinking of nothing other than that movie for the rest of the day.  Well that and food of course.  That is another strange thing.  Who knew that you could feel queasy and crave food at the same time. Weird, I tell you, just weird.  In truth, the queasiness has not been that bad as long as I maintain my garbage disposal habits and eat every 2 hours.  If I don't eat every two hours, I start to feel a little queasy, almost the feeling you get right before getting sick.  It usually goes away once I eat.

One last thing, this is not lump of Cole related, but please keep our dog Bailey in our thoughts and prayers.  Starting Saturday, she began losing balance and will only walk to the left.  There is no other way to describe it, she looks drunk.  I took her to the vet today.  They checked her ears to make sure there was nothing impairing her equilibrium, ran blood test (I'm not sure why) and it came back fine.  She then put Bailey on antibodics and anti-inflammatory meds and is keeping her overnight for observation.  Hopefully, I will be able to pick her up first thing tomorrow morning.  More importantly, hopefully nothing permanent has happened and she returns to her chipper, happy, balanced self in no time.

Good night folks! Hopefully I will be able to upload the weekly photo tomorrow.

Apple seed

Yesterday marked 5 weeks, meaning that the baby is the size of an apple seed.  An apple seed seems SO much bigger than a poppy seed.  I think I like apple seeds!  Then again, I think I'll like all fruits until I get to watermelon.  That may get annoying.

5 weeks also means we are less than two weeks away from our first doctor's appointment.  Now that is something to look forward to.  And yes, I have been peaking ahead.  Baby will be the size of a blueberry by the time the doctor's appointment comes.  Anyway, here is the five week photo.

Looks the same to me as 4 weeks, which is a good thing considering the baby is still tiny!  The other day Bill swore that he could see a "baby bump".  After I told him that was physically impossible and it was just my bloat he was noticing, we got a big kick out of it and I had a fun giving him a hard time about drawing attention to my jiggle.  But in truth, I think we are both really excited to notice any little change at this point. 

Video

As promised, I am finally uploading the video Bill took the first day we found out.  Please excuse the mascara on my face, Bill did not tell me he was starting to film until it was too late.  Considering that I have mascara on my face 50% of the time, you guys are probably used to it.  Oh, and you can blame Bill for it being sideways.

Now we all know I was not meant to be an actress.

The lump's cousin!

Bill and I received exciting news today.  Bill's sister, Amber, is currently 5 weeks pregnant!!   I think she was very surprised when she told us her news today only to find out that the little lump of Cole's is due the day after new baby Battistone!   Bill and I are so very happy for her and excited that our little bundle of joy will have a playmate so close in age.  It is going to be a very good Christmas!!

Saturday night fun

As I was randomly searching for pregnancy blogs, I came across the pregnant chicken.com.  It is a hilarious pregnancy blog in which all posts contain just the right amount of sarcasm.   Bill and I laughed until we cried looking at this particular post on creepy baby shower cakes:

http://www.pregnantchicken.com/pregnant-chicken-blog/2011/3/15/cake-wrecks-baby-shower-edition.html

Enjoy!

We interrupt your regular programming.......

To bring you exciting news about my hcG levels.  I had blood work on Wednesday and again this morning.  My HcG result Wednesday was 353.  Today, it was 811.  Your HcG levels should approximately double every 2 - 3 days during early pregnancy, so mine are doing great!!  I was so excited to hear this news.  Heck, I may not even need to take a pregnancy test tomorrow. I have been taking them every few days since we found out.  So, tommorow I may save the $1 and get some ice cream instead. 

On other news, my progesterone level was a little low, 14.5.  My doctor likes for your progesterone to be at 20.  So, she prescribed progesterone pills for me to take daily.  I was a little nervous about these at first, but after talking to several people and receiving the high numbers above, I am more at ease. 

Saving the best for last, Bill and I were able to move up the date of our first ultrasound!  It was originally May 3rd, but has now been moved up to April 26th.  I'm looking forward to posting pics of the little lump of Cole for you guys to see. 

Going back to work now, have a great weekend!

Let the belly pictures begin!

Yesterday marked the fourth week of pregnancy, AKA I feel the need to begin taking pictures of my belly that show nothing other than the fact that I need to lay off the girl scout cookies!  Anyway, without further nonsense, here is the "little lump of Cole" (as my sister in law Savanna has named him) at 4 weeks.  

Before you comment as to how cute the baby belly is, please note above. The baby is the size of a poppyseed.  The rest is me, and the girl scout cookies of course.  

OK, enough uncomfortable talk about my belly.  Other great things happening this week: (1) I am getting blood work done this morning to confirm the home pregnancy tests, (2) I ordered a heart rate monitor so that I can continue boot camp and running, and (3) we made our first big appointment, it is May 3rd.  Bill and I are both looking forward to the appointment on May 3rd and I cannot wait for my heart monitor to come in.  I found myself constantly worried about my heart rate at boot camp this morning. Hopefully the monitor will put me at ease.  

Boot Camp

Well, I think the baby likes boot camp!  So far, it doesn't seem harder than normal, but I guess we will just have to see how I feel as the weeks progress.  Don't worry, I am going to ask my Dr. today about exercise during pregnancy.  I have read several medical journals that say is it perfectly fine, and actually beneficial, but I want to make sure my Dr. says it is OK.

Also, for those new to the blogging world, you can leave a comment to any post by clicking on the word "comments" in the lower right corner of each post.  On the left hand side, you can either choose to follow the blog in your google reader, or you can submit your email address to get emails sent to you when a post is made.  Either of these will prevent you from having to constantly check this blog to see my latest ramblings. 

The Test

Thought you guys might want proof so you know this is no April Fools joke.

Well.........

It's true. Bill and I have jumped on the baby bandwagon. The due date is 12/13/2011. At the request of family, we have started this blog so our loved ones far away can travel this journey with us.  Here's to hoping for a smooth ride.

Very few people knew we started trying to conceive in February 2011. We feel very fortunate our TTC journey was short. On April fool's day, I took a pregnancy test just for fun. I had been telling Bill all month long that I didn't think this was the month, and in fact, got a negative pregnancy test the night of 3/31. With very low expectations, I decided to take a test before boot camp Friday morning (at 5:20a.m.). At first glance, I didn't see anything. However, after brushing my teeth, I looked again and saw the faintest red line. Bill jumped out of bed, yelling SHUT UP JODI, STOP, and saw it too.  After one more line test and a digital that clearly told him yes we were pregnant, I think it finally sunk in. We did a small video Friday morning. I will try to upload it later.

Please do not tell Baxter and Bailey, we haven't broke the news to them yet. ;)