Week 20, Day 4

Less than 20 weeks to go and I can’t believe it!

The past week has brought some slight disappointments for me. I finally went to the Endocrinologist to get the results of my FNA for my thyroid. Turns out I now have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. It is an autoimmune disease where the thryroid begins to attack itself and eventually stops working altogether. They think I will eventually need to go on thyroid replacement hormones, but as of my last check, my levels were fine. I have to go to the doctor more frequently for ultrasounds and bloodwork since I am preggers. It seems the extra demand for TSH during pregnancy has pushed my thyroid over the edge. I am not too terribly upset about it. It is something I can live with.

The other blow came yesterday at my OB visit. I had sent in a detailed letter with a request to be allowed to try a trial of labor instead of automatically being signed up for a c-section. After my myomectomy the specialist who performed my surgery told me that they highly recommended a c-section to deliver my babies because the uterus had been compromised by surgery and was not ‘as strong’ as before. Well, after almost two years of healing, I thought the risk was not that high. Turns out it is a bit higher than I thought because of where my fibroid was located and that is the reason the doctors are adamantly against me doing a vaginal birth. They fear uterine rupture during the labor since my incision was made on the fundus of the uterus and it is the major working part of the uterus during labor. The OB I saw yesterday really went into great detail with me to help me better understand. In the end I told him I’ll consult with a couple of other doctors and then decide. Next visit I’ll go in with my tons of questions to ask and then Mr. Butterbean Sr. and I will make our final decision. We are both against cesearean due to the heal time and then having to deal with a baby, plus I may (I pray to God I don’t) need another surgery for fibroid removal. We’ll see.

So, that’s what’s going on with me for now. I continue to grow day by day and marvel at this whole pregnancy thing. My nausea is about non-existent and my appetite has increased, but I can’t eat too much or I’ll get sick. I am able to cook dinner again and have a bit more energy now and I thank God for that. I continuously thank God for allowing an infertile like me to finally conceive. I thank Him for this opportunity that so many women take for granted or think they are entitled to just because they are women. I thank Him because He has proven to me that I can trust him to take care of me and I love Him for that.

We are moving along in this pregnancy and its nothing like I thought it would be, but I simply would not trade it for anything in this world.

Anatomy Scan

The chinese lunar calendar was right for us... we are expecting a baby girl in August. She is perfect in every way and so very active.

We had our anatomy scan this morning and I got to see the heart, kidneys, measure the legs, arms and torso and all that good stuff. It all took about 30 minutes. Mr. Butterbean Sr was so into the whole thing, but when it came time to see the gender he did not want to believe it and had the tech show him twice. It was so funny. He is a bit dissappointed and I was too for a second. Its hard to believe that after all of my struggles with infertility and being blessed with a baby and then having the nerve to have a preference on what I wanted.

Now all I can think about is a baby girl, in a pink onsie, smelling like Johnson's baby lotion snuggled on my chest. Its gonna be a long 20 weeks yal!

I am in love!

Week 19, Day 1

Here me! I am still here plugging along with Lil’ Butterbean in tow. We have two more days before we do the anatomy scan. I am praying for a perfect baby and cannot wait to see all the perfect body parts.

Last night the baby had the hiccups. It was the cutest things. I had spicy cabbage, turkey and rice for dinner, then a slice of sweet potato pie made by my Great Aunt. It was so good. Next thing I knew Lil’ Butterbean began to dance and move around (I think that was due to the sugar in the pie). Then I started feeling these rhythmic movements. I figured out it was hiccups and I sat giggling in bliss, when Mr. Butterbean Sr. asked what was going on. I told him and then he had to feel and see for himself. It was so cute.

We are in the throws of preparing the nursery. We are moving from our huge master bedroom that will be divided into two smaller rooms and then moving into what is truly the master bedroom that we’ve used as a guest room. When we first looked at houses in the area, we noticed some had three upstairs rooms and some two. We ended up buying one of the two with the plan to divide the huge room into two. So now its time and I am so excited. I think by the end of April the nursery will be set! Yippee.

My DSD called in and left a message that it was urgent that she speak to her dad and she needed to talk to him about something. He was panicked thinking something was wrong. When he called her back she asked 'have you found out what the baby will be?'. That's all she wanted to know, she is banking on a baby sister!

Okay, so other than a huge growth spurt that left me with abdominal pains from the stretching, nothing much is going on. I have truly popped and am showing. I went out and got the Bella Band to help with my clothes since all the maternity clothes are a hot, frumpy mess. I am enjoying the Bella Band so far and recommend it to you all.

I’ll check back in on Thursday with the news from the anatomy scan. Keep your ear to the ground.

Week 18, Day 1

When will the fatigue end?!?!?! I am like a sinking ship all through the day. I am in need of a serious nap right about now. It never fails. I had to lay my head down on my desk and just let whatever happen happen. My sister called and we chatted a bit about how I am doing. I told her I am 18 weeks today and feel as though I should be coming out of this sleepy stage. The good news is my nausea is almost gone. I only feel like I cannot eat too much and if I do then I’ll be sick.

Mr. Butterbean Sr. shocked me today by knowing that I was 18 weeks and that his email reminder did not come that updates him on my progress. He likes to be in the know about what is going on with his baby. He is convinced it is a boy but said today that he wants a healthy baby first and foremost but he does want a boy. He said he wanted to place a friendly bet against me because I want a girl. Well in actuality I want what he wants, a healthy baby first and foremost and then a boy. I came to realize this just over the past week or so. I think it’s more because that’s what he wants and he’s waited so long for this opportunity. All the lunar signs and most of my symptoms point to girl though. Its all good, to hold my Lil’ Butterbean and kiss and coo over him/her is really all I want. I also want the opportunity to do this a few more times. And from what I’ve learned about God…I know it will happen.

Week 17, Day 2

The quickening! I felt distinct movement from my Lil’ Butterbean yesterday. I noticed it in week 16 as well but was not sure. It felt like little thumps on my abdomen, almost like gas bubbles. Yesterday I had a full bladder and had eaten a slice of chocolate cake and then was playing with my co-workers baby. That got Butterbean going for sure. It was some constant movement and I was delighted. After a while I was like hmmmm wonder what this will be like when Butterbean is bigger. I have nto felt anything today though. I think the fact that my bladder was so full really attributed to me being able to feel the baby.

So we are closer to our anatomy scan and hopefully finding out what we are having. The lunar calendar says girl and so does most of Mr. Butterbean Senior’s family. I have one co-worker betting on girl and another saying definitely boy. Mr. Butterbean Sr. is hoping and praying for a boy and now I am swaying towards a boy (especially after holding my co-workers son yesterday, he was sooooooo adorable in his powder blue outfit and conductors hat). Most of all I do want a healthy child first and foremost, then a boy. There I said it!

My loss of appetite is very mild now. I can eat but it can only be a small portion or I start going under. I am also quite gassy. Mr. Butterbean Sr. laughed at me because I went to use the bathroom and begin to toot like a horn. I was not able to control it. I am very private regarding my bathroom time, so when I told him I thought I felt the baby moving, he replied that ‘I would move too if you were f@rting like you did this morning’. I just gave him the side eye and told him I cannot help it. I thought, ‘The nerve of Mr. Trumpet butt to call me out’. But its all good, it is what it is and all a part of this wonderful journey to motherhood.

Toot, toot!!!!