15 Weeks

(Click to enlarge) (Above photos courtesy of http://www.babycenter.com/)

Baby:

- Baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple).
- Baby is busy moving amniotic fluid through the nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in the lungs begin to develop.
- Legs are growing longer than the arms now, and all of the joints and limbs can move.
- Although the eyelids are still fused shut, baby can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, baby will likely move away from the beam.
- Taste buds are forming even though there isn’t much to taste at this point.

Mom:

- Well into the swing of pregnancy, but sometimes surprised by an unexpected symptom now and then.
- My stuffed up nose can probably be chalked up to the combined effect of hormonal changes and increased blood flow to your mucous membranes. This condition is so common, there's even a name for it: "rhinitis of pregnancy." Mine is ALWAYS stuffy and it’s annoying and nasty.
- They say I should start to feel movement any time now and that you can usually start feeling it between 16 – 20 weeks.
- Headaches are still there on and off, some weeks are better than others with this.
- My weight was 127 lbs at our last doctor’s appointment, Friday 3/26.
- Our next appointment is April 23rd and we will have another ultrasound done and hopefully find out if it’s a boy or girl!

14 Weeks

(Click to enlarge) (Above photos courtesy of http://www.babycenter.com/)

Baby:

- From head to bottom, baby measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and weighs 1 1/2 ounces.
- Baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb.
- Thanks to brain impulses, the facial muscles are getting a workout as the tiny features form one expression after another.
- The kidneys are producing urine, which is releases into the amniotic fluid around the baby — a process he'll keep up until birth.
- Starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over the body.
- The liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and the spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells.

Mom:

- The start of the second trimester!
- Energy is likely returning.
- Queasiness gone!
-The top of the uterus is a bit above the pubic bone, which may be enough to push your tummy out a tad.
- Headaches are still there on and off, some weeks are better than others with this.
- I have been eating more but still drinking the same (probably not enough).
- We will be able to fine out if it’s a boy or a girl in about 6 weeks!
- This week my weight is 127 lbs, according to the wii.

Stephanie-ology

I've seen this on a few different blogs so if you are reading this you should join in! Do it and name it "your name-OLOGY".

FOODOLOGY:
What is your salad dressing of choice? Regular Italian/Creamy Italian
What is your favorite sit-down restuarant? Olive Garden
What is your favorite fast food restaurant? Taco Bell
What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of? Pizza
What are your pizza toppings of choice? Pepperoni or mushroom and black olive
How many televisions are in your house? Two, but neither of them are hooked up to receive channels, we use one for the wii and movie watching and the other sits downstairs.
What color cell phone do you have? Green and silver

BIOLOGY:
Are you right-handed or left-handed? Right
Have you ever had anything removed from your body? No
What is the last heavy item you lifted? Probably my daytimer and binders for work. I don't usually lift heavy things.
Have you ever been knocked unconscious? No
Have you ever fainted? Yes

RANDOMOLOGY:

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? No
If you could change your name, what would you change it to? I wouldn't, I like my name.
How many pairs of flip flops do you own? 21 (wow, that's sad)
Last person you talked to? Tim

FAVORITOLOGY:
Season? Summer!
Holiday? Independence Day
Day of the week? Saturday
Month? August
Color? Pink, no wait blue, well maybe purple, or green.
Drink? Coca-Cola Classic
Alcoholic? None

CURRENTOLOGY:

Missing someone? Yes, everyone I don't see every day.
What are you listening to? Scooby Doo
What are you watching? Nothing
Worrying about? Nothing
What’s the last movie you saw? The Whole Nine Yards and The Whole Ten Yards.
Do you smile often? Sure
If you could change your eye color what would it be? I don't think I would.
What’s on your wish list for your birthday? Nothing, I never want anything for my birthday.
Can you do a chin-up? No
Does the future make you more nervous or excited? Excited
Have you been in a car wreck? Someone bumped into me once but no harm was done.
Have you caused a car wreck? No
Do you have an accent? An American accent I guess. I have been told I have a Canadian accent - I'm from Florida, figure that one out.
Last time you cried? I don't remember.
Plans tonight? Nothing then sleeping.
Name three things you bought yesterday? Breakfast, Urban Decay complexion primer potion and lunch.
Have you met someone who changed your life? Yes
For the better or worse? Better
How did you bring in the New Year? Sleeping
Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? No
What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't usually sing in the shower.
Have you held hands with someone today? No
Who was the last person you took a picture of? I don't remember, probably Tim.
Are most of the friends in your life new or old? New
Do you like pulpy orange juice? I only like orange juice if it comes straight from the orange so I guess so.
Last time you ate peanut butter and jelly? The other day, Thursday I think.
What were you doing at 12 a.m. last night? Sleeping
What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? Why is my stomach still hurting?

13 Weeks

(Click to enlarge) (Above photos courtesy of http://www.babycenter.com/)

Baby:

- Almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce. (They couldn’t come up with a more appealing food picture than a shrimp? Ick!)
- Fingerprints have formed on tiny fingertips.
- Veins and organs are clearly visible through still-thin skin.
- All twenty teeth have formed and are waiting under the gums.
- Baby can smile and vocal cords are quickly developing.

Mom:

- This is the last week of the first trimester.
- Apparently I’m supposed to be eating 300 extra calories a day, I’m pretty sure I don’t even eat the normal 2,000 a day let a lone any extra.
- The eating is getting better though, I am eating normal meals more often during the day now.
-Drinking is always a chore, I really didn’t require much liquid before getting pregnant so I try and force myself to drink more and it doesn’t go over too well.
- Headaches are still there on and off, some weeks are better than others with this.
- I have been having more and more stomach aches. I’m not sure if this is because I’m eating more variety and my stomach isn’t used to it or maybe I’m just choosing the wrong foods to eat.
- They say this is usually the most enjoyable and comfortable part of pregnancy as the feelings of sickness are ending (or soon will be) and your tummy is still small enough that it is not getting in the way or making you feel uncomfortable, we’ll see.
- My weight is still 125 lbs, according to the wii.

99 Things

Borrowing from Kaitlin, Cheryl, and Holly.

Instructions: The post is a list of 99 things you may have done, and you are supposed to bold the ones that you yourself have done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to DisneyWorld
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse - I've seen a lunar eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community - I live among them!
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - Money doesn't equal happiness.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa - I'll leave this one to my crazy grandma!
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance - I've been the transporter many times but never transported.
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie - the home made kind as a kid. lol
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy blanket
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt - a pillow sized quilt.
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

12 Weeks

Click to enlarge) (Above photos courtesy of http://www.babycenter.com/)

Baby:

- Just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs about half an ounce.
- Fingers will soon begin to open and close, toes will curl, eye muscles will clench, and mouth will make sucking movements.
- Intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into the abdominal cavity about now.
- Kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.
- Nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously.
- Face looks unquestionably human: eyes have moved from the sides to the front of the head, and the ears are right where they should be.

Mom:

- More comfortable in loose, less restrictive clothing – yes please!
- Not as tired throughout the day anymore, usually starts in the evening and I’m ready for bed around 9pm.
- Eating more than just toast and fruit now. I can usually manage a bagel for breakfast, a morning snack, a normal lunch and an afternoon snack. I think I’ll try adding dinner back into my day soon though. I really want to eat dinner but so far if I try I usually feel sick for the rest of the night.
- Headaches are back and stronger than ever! I’m currently on day 3 with the same migraine.
- I had my intake appointment on Thursday, March 4th (12 weeks and 2 days along).
     - Blood pressure: 123/74
     - Weight: 125 lbs
     - Babies heart rate: 168 bpm (It was 170 bpm during the ultrasound, staying nice and high for a little girl...or so they say.)
     - They said all I can really do for the headaches is ice packs and a dark room.