this Lil Pancake

Just a new momma to be trying to document how things feel. EDD 9/9

[this-lil-pancake]

29 Weeks

Pretty much every day feels the same. LP kicks and tumbles on a consistant basis, which is so amazing and wonderful. He has such a personality already. Each day that goes by, we get closer to meeting him and closer to being parents. (WEIRD!)

The nursery has all of its big pieces and is becoming a real, productive space, ready for LP. The rest of our house is really coming together, probably about 85% done, and hoping to be done around the 4th, just in time for the baby shower!

[this-lil-pancake]

23 Weeks 2 Days

As slow as each day seems to go by, the weeks as a whole feel like they are flying by. This Friday, I finally have my follow up with maternal fetal medicine to confirm our diagnosis of vasa previa and placenta previa, and come up with a game plan for the remainder of pregnancy.

The last two weeks, I’ve started to really look pregnant and people at work are not afraid to share the opinions. Not particularly welcome or comforting, regardless of how nice they may be sometimes. LP has started to kick and punch and tumble on a more consistant basis which is making things feel so much more real and comforting. I am so excited to be able to hold this little dude in my arms!

Our house is starting to come together and we’re aiming to be able to paint within 2-3 weeks! The pup had her first knee surgery last week and all was going well until she decided to try to chase a rabbit two days ago and then pull out some of her stitches yesterday. Given the circumstances, things are as good as they can be, but she has to essentially restart her healing.

[this-lil-pancake]

21 Weeks 2 Days

Lil Pancake’s favorite things are wiggling and kicking right before bed, waking me up at 3 with kicks and hip pain, Ceasar salads, and Hershey kisses.

Cannot wait to see his little face again next week!

[this-lil-pancake]

20 Weeks

We had our 20 week scan today and LP was moving and wiggling the whole time! After we were done with the ultrasound tech and saw the doctor he said that everything looked good EXCEPT. Except I have marginal placenta previa and a follow up to 100% determine if I have vasa previa. Trying not to stress or turn everything into a catastrophe, but having a bit of a hard time with it all.

I was allowed to take on a project at work basically only because under the stipulation that I work as close to my due date as possible. They wanted a 6 month commitment, and I could only commit to 4-4.5 months. If I do have vasa previa, it sounds like I would be in the hospital from 32-36 weeks and they would want to schedule the c-section at that time.

In about 15 minutes, this relatively easy, low risk pregnancy turned into a terrifying list of what ifs.

[this-lil-pancake]

19 Weeks 5 Days

LP was kicking like crazy and my husband was finally able to feel him kick from the outside!

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18 Weeks 6 Days

After about 24 hours of working on the house this weekend, our flooring is almost completely finished! All that’s left is our bedroom and LP’s nursery! Hopefully by Memorial Day weekend, we’ll be ready to paint. Then come the smaller(???) projects of putting the nursery all together, organizing the little bit of storage spce we have in the house and making it as effective as possible, re-tiling our fireplace, and re-finishing the mantle.

Thankfully, my symptoms have really leveled out and I’m mostly just sleepy. But, like everyone keeps telling me, growing a human is rough. Feeling his little kicks and movements throughout the day is really amazing and reassuring. I can’t wait for my husband to be able to feel him, too!

Maybe one of these next few weeks, my belly will start to pop and I won’t just look like I’m rubbing my stomach after a big meal 😂

[this-lil-pancake]

Lil Pancake is a boy!!

We went to a boutique ultrasound place for our anniversary today and this was seriously the best anniversary ever 💙

[this-lil-pancake]

16 Weeks 1 Day

We had our 16 week appointment today. After a scheduling SNAFU, I got in to see the doctor only 45 minutes late. Aside from the slight implied guilting about screening tests (which insurance doesn’t cover and we don’t have the money for the out of pocket expenses right now) things went well. LP’s heart rate was 144 and sounded great! He said that my weight, the lack of weight that I’ve gained in pregnancy at this point, looked okay, and my blood pressure was great. The fact that I have someone telling me that I’m basically doing a great job being calm is a huge win for me!

Next week is our 3D scan and hopefully we’ll learn LP’s sex, and then in another 4 weeks we’ll have an hour long 20 week anatomy scan! Truthfully, time is flying and I am so excited to meet our Lil Pancake!

[this-lil-pancake]

16 Weeks

After forcing myself to eat a dinner I didn’t like, just so it meant that I didn’t have to think about something else to eat. BUT I was rewarded with feeling those first fluttery kicks! The first time that I knew for sure that was LP saying, “hey lady, I’m in here,” not just mayyyybe that might have been something.

[this-lil-pancake]

14 Weeks 5 Days

It’s been a minute. Things are good, we even heard LP’s heartbeat the other night before we went to bed. Most of the nausea and serious exhaustion has subsided, UNTIL I decided to see what would happen if I didn’t take Unisom and B6 last night. I woke up at 430am this morning and dry heaved on and off for a couple hours after I had breakfast. Then one of the dogs got sick on the couch next to me and I lost it while trying to clean up. Lesson learned, I still need a little help on the nausea front.

My moods are less and less predictable with all of the changes at work and I’m finding myself to be less happy and engaged at work, especially under my new manager. Because our company’s maternity leave is SO generous, I have no choice but to stick it out through at least whatever grace period is required after leave so I won’t have to pay them back. Hopefully, things will go back to normal between now and then and I’ll start liking management and my coworkers again.

We picked up our flooring this morning and we’re hoping to have the wallpaper removed and walls patched in the next two weeks so we can start replacing the flooring in the next few weeks!

We scheduled a 3D ultrasound for our anniversary, when I’ll be 18 weeks so we can find out gender a little early and finally know what name we can call LP!

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We announced yesterday! 🥰🥰

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After almost a whole week with little to no symptoms, yesterday I could hardly go an hour without feeling like I was going to throw up, I was constantly out of breath, and did actually get sick just looking at the chicken for dinner.

Today, I slept for 8.5 hour and then took a two hour nap after lunch.

The good thing about it all, though, is that we tried the doppler again today and weren’t able to find a heartbeat. I know it’s still early, so I’m not terribly worried. Cannot wait for my next appointment this week!

[this-lil-pancake]

One of my coworkers gave me a doppler and I knew it might be too early to find a heartbeat at home, buuuuut we figured we’d give it a shot. I had prepared myself to not be able to find it and then after barely a minute, there it was ❤️ this has been the best Valentine’s day.

[this-lil-pancake]

This nausea today is killing me. I threw up Twizzlers and ginger ale after work and then I could barely sit up without feeling like I was going to hurl. My dogs know something is up and our oldest has been a velcro dog. Even to the point of not wanting to get up from being curled by my belly when I needed to go throw up. B6 and unisom are my best friends right now. Let’s just hope it doesn’t make me too drowsy tomorrow.

[this-lil-pancake]

10 Weeks 1 Day

Okay, so I’m finally a liiiiittle bit less bloated and I have the teesiest bump. (Maybe it’s still most bloat, but I’m enjoying the thought that it’s not.) I’ve been feeling nauseous for mostly all day, every day. It’s nothing crazy, it just kind of lies undernath everything else. I’m still eating plenty, even mostly normal meals, and my weight seems to have leveled off.

I will admit that as much as I try to be super chill all the time, my hormones are definitely rearing their fun, ugly little heads. Today I cried over a promotion that I didn’t get, that I didn’t even really want. What????

All in all, things could definitely be going worse. My husband is a saint and is indulging as many of my cravings as he can, while still trying to keep me on budget. Our house is starting to shape up and the soon-to-be bursery is just about ready for paint! If only we could agree on a color!

[this-lil-pancake]

9 Weeks

Y’all, believe me when I tell you the bloat is so real. In my reading, I’ve come to accept that this week may be the worst for symptoms. The mood swings, the constant lowkey nausea, and of course, the bloating. I am able to eat and keep food down, most of the time, which is a relief. Even if talking too much or too fast gets me winded and then feeling like I’m about to hurl. Less than ideal for someone who spends the vast majority of her day talking on the phone.

As eager as I am for this all to pass (especially the nausea!) it does sort of make me feel calm. If I’m still nauseous and if my boobs are still sore, it means LP is growing and my body is still nurturing the way it’s meant to.

Bring on the next three weeks! I’m looking forward to seeing what the rest of the first trimester really has in store. Maybe even beginning a registry and painting the soon-to-be nursery!

[this-lil-pancake]

Dating Scan

I had a dating scan today, so I got to see Lil Pancake again! It was even cooler because my mom got to come with me. Our new official due date is 9/9 and I cannot wait to meet LP! At 8 weeks 3 days, LP had a heart rate of 168 bpm. I will never get tired of hearing that heartbeat!

In terms of symptoms, the last few days have been really tough. Instead of sporadic nausea that would be calmed with a mint, crackers, or a few sips of ginger ale, I’ve had an underlying nausea all day and night. Almost everything food related item that is not the thing that Imm craving in that particular moment makes me feel like barfing, too. Obviously, I’m not trying to complain, I will take whatever symptoms thrown my way if it means that LP will arrive safe and sound. I just thought I was going to be one of the lucky ones who gets off easy.