We're Expecting!

Michael and I are very eager to share "officially" on the blog that we are expecting. The estimated due date of our bundle is January 5th, 2009. I am hoping (now) for a later baby so there can be some distance between the holidays and the baby's birthday.

We have tried to get to most of our friends, co-workers and family with the news personally over the last two weeks. We told our parents first during the last week of the first trimester. We both agreed that we didn't want to start telling people too early.

Even though we were trying, it still took us by surprise. We both seem to be adjusting to the thought of being parents though. It's interesting to think that this time next year we could have a 6 month old baby.

We do not know if we are having a boy or girl yet. We do plan to find out if possible. Some people (Nana Doaner) are firmly in the camp of one gender or the other, but Mike and I are not spending too much emotional energy on it until we get an ultrasound confirmation.

The first trimester for me wasn't too bad. The standard symptoms, especially being tired and having heart burn. (You may have noticed the marked decline in blog posts through the first trimester.) But uneventful enough that I didn't feel truly pregnant until my June 17th ultrasound when the little fetus could be clearly seen bouncing and waving erratically. And oh yes, I must post the obligatory ultrasound photo.

We had a second ultrasound on June 24th, when Michael got to see the baby bounce around on screen for the first time. We had the second ultrasound as part of our first trimester screening and the results of that were favorable. This ultrasound photo is from June 17th, but it is better than the 2nd ultrasound photos. The baby would have been 11 weeks and 1 day into development at the time of the photo.

I thought the second trimester was suppose to be the "good one," so I had been expecting my energy to return and all symptoms to go away. Unfortunately, my energy has not bounced back yet and a few of the symptoms have worsened. It still could be much worse, but our doctor says that many woman experience this and that there's nothing to worry about. My doctor also made mention that sometimes with girls that the symptoms can get a little worse in the 4th trimester, but that is just his observation and he said there is absolutely no research to back that up.

Child care has really been the biggest issue so far. A few woman from work had mentioned to me that once you get a positive pregnancy test that you have to start putting yourself on child care center waiting lists. We are on a few so far and I am still searching for more. None yet that even remotely seem like they will have an opening come the end of April 2009 when we estimate I would return to work. The hospital has a child care center, which would be the ideal location, but we are only #83 on the waiting list in the infant room.

You better believe there will be many more prenatal posts.