Survey time!

How far along? 13 weeks and a few days
Total weight gain/loss: up 3 lbs
Maternity clothes? not yet, but I bought some for when I do need them...
Sleep: still waking up every night around 3 am, but able to get back to sleep with more ease
Best moment this week: getting to see the munchkin squirming around at our NT scan!
Movement: none yet, too early
Food cravings: I HAVE to have orange juice and cinnamon bread every morning... and I've been eating macaroni and cheese like it's going out of style!
Gender: I think it's a boy... no real reasoning behind it, I just do.
Labor Signs: Haha, not yet, thank goodness...
Belly Button in or out? In, but seemingly more shallow than before
What I miss: wine and sushi
What I am looking forward to: actually looking pregnant, and not just bloated and fat. :)
Weekly Wisdom: nothing to speak of...
Milestones: making it to the SECOND TRIMESTER!

NT Scan

Here is the first official photo of Baby Rolston! It's not the best shot... Baby Rolston is proving to be a stubborn little bugger already (clearly takes after both parents in that regard...)! We had our NT scan today, and the little one wouldn't get into the proper position for the ultrasound tech to get the needed measurements! They poked and prodded at my abdomen to get the baby to reposition itself, which resulted in lots of flailing arms and legs (it was pretty damn cute, actually). The baby is measuring at about 3 inches, crown to rump, and we heard the heartbeat again, this time clocking in at 159 bpm, which we were told is still good. We measured ahead of where we thought we were, only by a few days, so I'm still sticking with March 4th as our due date, for now! I should hear in 3-5 days from the genetic counselor with the results of the scan (hopefully the measurements they got will give them an accurate reading!) and blood draw... and I go back again around 16 weeks to have more blood taken. Our next ultrasound should be around 20 weeks, when we will have the option to find out if we're having a boy or a girl!

"Isn't that the thing they use for the weather?"

Today, I am 11 weeks and 4 days pregnant. And I had my second appointment at Valley Forge, OB/GYN. I met with a different doc in the practice, Dr. Cantarella, who consequently I loved and will definitely be seeing for the duration of my pregnancy if I can. After taking my blood pressure and weighing me (I've only gained two pounds in 3 months, woohoo!) they escorted us into the ultrasound room. Then, Dr. C came in and informed us that she would only perform an ultrasound if she was unable to hear the baby's heartbeat on the Doppler. That's right folks, it's "the thing they use for the weather." (Dave, you are so cute... I love you so much!!!) So Dr. C whipped out a small black device, put some warm clear jelly on my belly, and began the hunt for the little one's heartbeat. Immediately, I got falsely excited when I heard a slow and steady heartbeat... only to be told it was mine. She tried a few other places, and still heard nothing. She did inform me that it was still early enough that there was a chance she wouldn't be able to pick it up... and of course with each repositioning of the Doppler, my heart sunk further and further into my stomach. Just when she was about to give up and boot up the ultrasound machine, there it was! Beating away, fast and furious, like a little drum... I could hear my baby's heart. It was one of the most amazing sounds I have ever heard. I immediately started to get teary-eyed... this was the reassurance I had been waiting for! It's so easy to read sad stories about people who went in for their 8 week appointment, and everything was fine... only to go in at 12 and find out that the baby's heart had stopped... and so for the past several weeks I had myself unnecessarily worried. But, now we know, he/she is in there, cooking away! What sweet relief!!!

Our next appointment is next Tuesday, when I will have what's called a sequential scan. It's also known as an NT, or Nuchal Translucency scan. This is when they perform a battery of tests, including a comprehensive ultrasound to determine if the baby has any chromosomal abnormalities, like Down's Syndrome and a number of others. It's an elective but recommended test. Besides, they have pretty high tech equipment and it'll be pretty awesome to get a clear view of our baby at 12.5 weeks, especially since the last time we saw it was 7.5 and it still looked like a little tiny shrimp!

Anyway, keep thinking good thoughts for us, and Baby Rolston! More updates to come!!!

Dream a Little Dream

I don't know if it's the additional progesterone I'm taking, or just the fact that my hormones are all outta whack since I am pregnant, but boy have I been having weird dreams! Sometimes they are very vivid and realistic, sometimes they are just totally ridiculous and obscure. But typically when I first wake up, I remember them clearly. Sometimes, I'm so "into" them, I don't even want to wake up! These dreams range anywhere from being about the baby, to Jon Bon Jovi, to reunions with my estranged college friends, to random escapades in places I would probably never be... but I generally feel entertained by them. They are very seldom "bad" dreams, which is a relief. But often times I find myself recapping the dreams later that day... they will pop back into my head after I'd already forgotten about them. It's just very strange. I never used to be much of a dreamer at night.

But rarely do I have a dreamless night. Also rarely do I have a night of uninterrupted sleep, which at this point is frustrating. I wake up every night, whether it's to toss and turn for a few minutes, go to the bathroom, or just look at the clock and try to fall back into a state of rest. It's very frustrating... but I suppose it's my body prepping me for what's to come when Baby Rolston finally does get here! Everyone tells me to get as much sleep as possible now because it'll be non-existant once the baby gets here... that's what I'm TRYING to do! Grrrr.