Halloween 2009

I was a sexy pregnant witch and also fit into my Dorothy costume!!  Carved pumpkins, decorated the house, and made witches finger cookies too!

Feel First Baby Movements!

Today, around 12:40pm I felt the baby moving inside me.  I was at home by myself.  I felt actual flutters in my lower left abdomen and I know that it wasn't gas this time! It was the baby moving! It brought tears to my eyes and a smile to my face. I know it was the baby because its something I haven't experienced before. Kinda like butterflies or a fish swimming past you in the water. The location was correct too...we've been finding the baby's heartrate low and to the left!

13-Week Ultrasound

So today we went to OHSU bright and early in the morning for our Nuccal Transulcency Test ultrasound.  We had to wait in the waiting room for almost 20 minutes, the anticipation was killing me!  Chad accompanied me as well.  Our ultrasound tech was fabulous and very patient and knowledgable!  I drank a tiny bit of coffee to see if the baby would be more active and boy was it ever!  The tech got the necessary measurements she needed and we to see the baby moving around on the screen.  We got to see the heart beating a strong 147 bpm, and a great photo of the baby's profile, baby sucking it's thumb, the baby's face, and some awesome 3D shots.  We asked the lady if she saw any "gender clues" and she zoomed in on the baby's "nub" and her best guess was a "girl" based on the angle and she saw 2 lines.  She mentioned that if we were to buy pink, to save our receipts! LOL!  Early 13 week ultrasounds are not terribly accurate.  Everything looked healthy and normal.  We go for a more in-depth anatomy screen on November 12th when I will be 18 weeks.  Hopefully we can get a good peek at the baby's gender then for sure!  After the appointment I was sent for some bloodwork and then went to work with the biggest smile on my face all day!

My First OB Appointment

So I just got back from my OB appointment. I have the biggest grin on my face right now and am on cloud #9. I had to wait a while, but it was worth it. Chad didn't go to this one with me and I wish he would. They dipped my urine, took my vitals and told me the doc would be in soon. The doctor came in and said it was uneccessary to do an exam...I was happy to hear that!  She then wheeled in the portable ultrasound machine and said, "Do you want to see your baby?". I was like, "Oh yeah! I wish I told my husband to come to this one!". She put the gel on my belly and there I saw my little bean in there. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G how much a baby grows in 3 weeks. I could see the head, body, heart beating, hands and feet, etc. The baby was waving it's arms at me and dancing! Very active, awake little baby in there. Even the doc said, "Aw, that's so cute....it's the best reassurance...an ultrasound!". She called it "Buddy", but I'm not assuming gender. I can't wait for our ultrasound on October 9th......I will be 13 weeks + 1 day then and I'm sure baby will grow even more! Chad is definitely going to that one.  My heart just melted....I saw so much more than the speck I saw at 7 weeks.

Our First Ultrasound! 7 Weeks Pregnant

So Chad and I had our first ultrasound today at around 11:00am.  I was a bit nervous upon checking in.  We were running a little late.  I filled out the paperwork and waited for my turn.  We had our first ultrasound at the OHSU Perinatal Center, I was hoping I wouldn't bump into anyone from work!  I am 7 weeks and 1 day and I am measuring at exactly 7 weeks along, so my dates were correct.  I cried when I saw the tiny heart beating and it has made my pregnancy so much more real.  Only one little bean in there and the heartbeat was a strong 132 bpm!  The baby is 0.9cm in length. Chad was amazed along with me!  I am so happy and everything looks great!  We are going back for a 12 week scan.  So for now, here is baby's first photo.  I know it's just a speck at this point, but it's the most beautiful speck I've ever laid my eyes on!

Telling Chad's Parents in Oregon

On Monday August 17th, 2009 we told Chad's parents at their home. They are so happy and his mom and dad both had tears in their eyes! I snapped a photo as Chad's mom was making all the necessary calls to her friends and family telling them that "I'm going to be a grandma!!!!".  Chad's mom wrote on her calendar "BABY NEWS" on the day we told them! So cute! I got to talk with Chad's grandmother over the phone and with his older sister Lindsay.  Everyone congratulated us and we went home with some of Chad's baby clothes! :)

Telling My Parents in Vancouver, BC

Back during Easter time, I made decorative Polish Easter eggs called "pysanki".  Eggs are a strong religious symbol of life in the Catholic/Polish religion so it seems appropriate. Well, my mom wanted me to bring them sometime so that she could see them in person. So we arrived in Richmond, BC at my parent's house on Friday night around 10:30pm.  My mom, dad, and sister were in the livingroom.  After we got settled, I gave one egg to my mom, one egg for my dad, and one egg for my sister to examine and marvel at my work! LOL!  Then I  said, "You know, maybe next year you guys can come down to Portland to spend Easter with us....you know, we can make pysanki, go to the Polish Church to bless them, you can play with the dogs, I will show you around, you can help us with the baby...." I started to tear up....

Needless to say....they didn't get it!  They just smiled and remained quiet.  I had to say, "No, I'm already pregnant and the baby is due mid April!"  Then I grabbed my home pregnancy tests to show them proof!!  My mother, father, and sister all began to tear up and hugged both Chad and I.  Afterwards, they said that they thought that I was talking in future-tense, as if I would be hoping to fall pregnant by April!  They didn't want to upset me because they saw me tearing up!

We snapped these photos right after we told them the wonderful news!  My father got a bottle of Cognac and they all had a shot in my honor (not me of course!).  He said he was saving this bottle for a special occasion!

Our Wedding Website

Stories about how we met, photos, our Vancouver and Las Vegas weddings, our many trips and vacations, etc
 
http://chadewa.weddingannouncer.com/

I'm Pregnant!!

So today I took a HPT because I was having really bad abdominal cramping and thinking my period was on its way. To be safe however, I decided to stop by my local Dollar Tree store and pick up a cheap home pregnancy test. I took it, and only saw one line at first and got upset thinking, "Great....another month of negative tests!" Then I started looking closer and a second pink line began to emerg.....and it got progressively darker and darker until it was purple, darker than the control line!! I couldn't believe my eyes. I took another 2 tests (other brands) and they were positive as well! My pregnancy was confirmed by a blood test a few days later and my subsequent beta results tripled within a short amount of time....I'm definitely expecting!

I told Chad by placing a piece of bread in the shape of a bun in the oven....I told him after he got home from work that there is something in the oven keeping warm for him....He pulled out the bread and was like, "What the heck?! Old bread?" Then I held my tummy, with tears in my eyes....and told him..."Bun in the oven....get it? I'm pregnant!" He immediately told me to get a "real" pregnancy test since I used a Dollar Tree one the first time and then he believed me. He rushed out to the liquor store to get some alcohol to celebrate, but not for me of course.

So I am 4 weeks and 5 days pregnant today.  Based on my ovulation day and my calendar, I believe this baby was conceived in Las Vegas on a recent trip in July 2009.  So, "What happens in Vegas...didn't stay in Vegas!".  I can't wait to tell the world, but will keep this news a secret from my friends at work for 12 weeks if I can.  After two long years of struggling to get pregnant, this is FANTASTIC!!!