Well it's only been a little over a month since my last baby update.
Took my glucose test. Completely different from my last experience. Last time they had me take the drink at my appointment, then go down to the lab to have blood drawn. I could drink as much water as I wanted - even during the 3 hour Glucose Tolerance Test I had to take last time. This time, no food, no drink (not even water) and you had to sit quiet the entire 1 hour. No walking around. Interesting because I passed this one with flying colors, tons of room to spare. Last time I failed by under 5 points. So good news - no gestational diabetes. That working out and less stress job must be helping!
I'm at every 2 week appointments due to my history of hypertension. My blood pressure has been normal or low this entire pregnancy. It has started to trend up to "normal" (120-130/75-80) in the past few weeks, which is still perfectly normal, but I'm keeping close track of it just in case. I'm measuring small, but baby is measuring big, so as the doctor says I'm "hiding baby well."
First growth ultrasound at the beginning of December showed baby at about 3 pounds, measuring 2-3 weeks ahead on all measurements and in the 70th percentile overall. The growth scan at the end of December showed baby at about 4 pounds, about 1-2 weeks ahead on most measurements and in the 56th percentile.
I'm still going to OMM every 2 weeks, which has really helped with my pelvic and back pain. Also discovered that this new pain I was getting where it was like this shooting pulling stretching pain in my low abdomen was related to scar tissue from my first c-section. But somehow the OMM doc figured out how to make the pain go away. My carpal tunnel has been getting worse the past few weeks. My hand routinely goes numb for most of the morning, every time I drive and just this week - whenever I write. Think I'll have to break out the splints and use them more frequently again.
Still going to Pure Barre - in fact went several times over the holidays. And it feels good to have gone several days in a week. Feel a lot less out of shape, and some things are getting easier. I've also realized a lot of stuff I can't do. Pulling off the barre is even harder for me now due to the carpal tunnel. I don't get many reps in before my hand is going numb. And I've even had to drop down to no weights for the arm section because my hands will go numb holding the weights for that period of time. My belly still has about an inch before it hits the ground during planks. My goal is for it not to hit the ground by the time I deliver :)
Baby still is moving around like crazy. Frequently, looks like a gremlin is trying to escape from my belly. And I've noticed that it's TONS more active than it was even two weeks ago. Baby was breech up until my ultrasound at the beginning of this week. That was the first time they said it was head down, and I could actually feel that it was. Hopefully, it likes that position and stays there...
They finally called to schedule my repeat c-section. So if baby doesn't come sooner - we'll get to meet baby on February 21, 2013. Makes me realize that baby will be here soon!
Here is an ultrasound pic from my first growth scan in early December. The tech was in 2D and noticed baby playing with it's foot, so she switched to 3D. When she did, baby covered it's face and wouldn't move. Top photo is baby's head with the arm across the face. You can make out hte ear, and the left eye. Think it took some tips from it's sister - "when the tech tries to get a picture of your face, cover your face with your arms and don't move!" Bottom left is a profile shot, and bottom right is two feet together.
We had our 3D Ultrasound on December 15. We decided to find out the sex of the baby since Chris and I both had a strong suspicion thanks to all of the ultrasounds I've had. No matter how hard they try to stay away from the area, or if they tell you to look away, as they're scanning around, it's definitely possible to make it out, especially on a breech baby.
Our suspicions were confirmed - It's a BOY!!
This was how he spent the entire ultrasound. He was folded in half in a piked position. His butt was down by my left hip and his head up by my ribs - Frank Breech. His feet and hands were directly in front of his head. I tried to eat some sugary breakfast, and drank some juice on the way, but I noticed he was having a lazy day. He really wasn't moving around much, and he wasn't doing any of his usual morning calisthenics. He was also facing with his back out and his face toward my spine. So the tech had a hard time getting any good photos of him. It was a pretty disappointing 3D.
On the let is his leg, his heel and foot are at the top pointing to the right. Next to that is an arm. And that rounded thing on the right is it's head. You can almost make out an eye by the arm.
On the left is the leg again. Will he have the Steele Calves? Looks possible! In the middle are the hands, you can particularly see the right hand on top, and left fist below that. And it's face is on the right.
He threw his head back at one point and the tech caught this shot and the next one quickly, so it's kinda distorted. Think he was getting pissed at us for poking and prodding him to move. You can see his fist toward the middle, and his face. Fist is right by his right cheek, nose right next to that, lips below that. He's got chubby cheeks just like Ryleigh did.
Grumpy old man face - mouth open.
We wanted to tell our family all together. And since Chris's parents were in town the following week, we tried to get everyone together at the same time before we left for California. Ryleigh knew she was going to have a brother, and we didn't trust her to keep the secret. So after work on Friday, December 21, I came home from work and kicked Linda and Rusty and Ryleigh out of the kitchen to make their "surprise" dessert. This was their dessert.
My parents came over and everyone bit into the cupcake cones at the same time to reveal blue cupcake. We took a few to California the next day to give to my grandma, my brothers who couldn't make it the night before and my aunt and cousin who were over at my grandma's house. They got a kick out of the reveal too.
We're excited for adventures with a little boy. We have the princesses, dolls, tea parties, and doll houses down. Now for some cars, trucks and action figures. Only 7 more weeks until we get to meet the little guy and see if he really does look like his grumpy old man 3D photo :)
