14 weeks!

I do apologize for the lack of updates.  I have a good excuse, I promise.

About halfway through week eleven, I started coughing and it got progressively worse and worse.  At just after 13 weeks (i.e., last Thursday), I gave up on getting better on my own and went in to the doctor's office (even though I had just been there the previous Wednesday) and received a diagnosis of bronchitis and a prescription for antibiotics.  Of course, my first dose of antibiotics made me sick to my stomach and I then proceeded spend the evening throwing up. I ended up missing an entire week of work because I couldn't breathe/function.  Thankfully, I finished the antibiotics on Monday and I'm now feeling somewhat better, even though I'm still not 100%.  The cough is still lingering, but everything that went with it is pretty well resolved by this point and the cough is getting better on a daily basis.

So, again, I apologize for the lack of updates, but I thought I was dying over the past couple of weeks and have just recently returned to the land of the living.

So, minus the bronchitis, what else exciting has happened over the past couple of weeks?

On January 12th, we had our 12-week appointment and had the amazing privilege of hearing Stick's heartbeat on Doppler for the first time.  One week later, on January 19th, we successfully reached the end of the first trimester and begin our journey into the second one!

Symptoms have pretty well disappeared by this point; however, from what I understand, that's pretty normal upon starting the second trimester. I'm just glad the nausea's gone!  I mean, I know I didn't have it all that bad, but I'm a baby myself when it comes to being sick.

We're still weighing in lower than my pre-pregnancy weight; however, considering this is a plus size pregnancy and we're only a week into the second trimester as I type this, I'm not too concerned about it.  Starting weight was 205 and when I weighed myself last week (mind you, I was sick) I was weighing in at 197.  Tonight when I weighed myself after supper, we were at about 203.  I haven't gained six pounds in a week though, the 197 was a morning weight on an empty stomach and I'm sure water weight has varied mightily over the past week or so as well since I've gone from being horribly ill to almost completely functional again. =]

I know we're a few weeks behind on belly pics, but we're just going to have to deal with it.  When I look in the mirror, I still don't see a change, but as I'm glancing through the pictures, I am thinking that perhaps I'm starting to see a small one.  Definitely no bump yet, but thicker I think.  If you look back at the pictures, my pajama pants are covering up the lower part of my belly up until about my belly button, so what you really see in the pictures is everything belly button up.  Without further adieu, here's what Stick and I look like at week 14!

After my appointment on the 12th, we stopped by Wal-mart and they happened to have holiday baby clothes on sale for $0.75 a piece.  Not even exaggerating, a whole whopping three quarters!  So, naturally, we splurged and spent a whole $1.50 on baby clothes. =] They're pretty stinking cute though if I do say so myself!  I've included three images here.  One of them together and then a close-up of the words on each of them. =] I apologize for the flash washing out some of the images a bit, but that's what I get for trying to take pictures at 11 p.m. when there's 0 natural lighting! 

And with that, this mommy-to-be is definitely heading to bed.  Two more days of work this week until I get to hit the weekend! 8D

11 Weeks (+1 Day!)

That's right!  11 weeks and 1 day today!  Because I'm cool like that and never quite manage to get things done on time. =]

I weighed myself this afternoon and I'm still checking in at a steady 205, which was my pre-pregnancy weight.  Which means I haven't gained anything yet.  Considering that I started at 205 though, not gaining anything in the first trimester is just fine!

If you look at this weeks belly pic. though, I'm starting to think that maybe I do look just the tiniest bit fluffier! From what I've read, at about 12 weeks is usually when the uterus gets big enough to start raising out of the pelvic cavity.  So, hopefully there will be some real changes soon! =]

On a side note . . . those spiffy pajama pants?  My husband's.  He got them for a Christmas present and they're sooooo soft that I steal them once in a while.

Symptoms have definitely kicked it up a notch over the past couple of weeks.  Morning sickness kicked in about week nine and, usually, I'm able to keep it at bay, but I've had a few rounds of hovering over the toilet. Surprisingly, some days, the only thing I'm able to keep down (like today), is fast food!  I know that's hardly the healthiest thing for me and Stick, but I assume a burger is better than NOTHING all day.  At least the burger has protein and some veggies and stuff on it, whereas nothing . . . has nothing.  This evening, I've been feeling pretty good.  I ended up going home early from work today though because I had a KILLER headache throughout the day.  A short, three-hour nap upon arrive home plus two Tylenol seemed to have done the trick though and I'm functional again!

I've heard that 10 weeks is supposed to be the worst in terms of unpleasant, first-trimester symptoms and we're quickly closing in on the end of that though, so I'm hoping this feeling good tonight starts showing up a lot more often! =]

Our next prenatal appointment is quickly closing in as well!  Next Wednesday we'll be visiting Dr. Clark for our second prenatal appointment and, hopefully, we'll get the opportunity to hear Stick's little heartbeat on the Dopplar!  From what I understand, they're typically audible through Dopplar by week 12, so, fingers crossed!  I'll keep you posted! =]