5 Weeks

Pregnancy Update March 26, 2012

How Far Along: 5 weeks

Size of baby: Less than .13 inches, less than .04 oz - an "appleseed"


What developed this past week: The embryo divided into 3 layers to form the central nervous system, the circulatory system and the major organs.


Weight gain: 0 lbs

Maternity Clothes: Nope
Gender:  Can't wait to know. Caleb told me he wished there was a TINY little microscope that could detect the gender now - We're impatient :)


Movement: No movement - just a little bit of cramping, as I read is normal as the baby implants in the uterine lining. I'm drinking tons of water (75-100oz a day) to try to keep the cramping at bay.


Sleep: I'm surprised that I still don't feel any more tired yet. I've heard a lot of symptoms like that kick in closer to 6 weeks though, so we'll see how I feel in a week! I'm enjoying having energy still for sure! It's going to be hard for me to give up my activities and stay home more to get more rest than I do now.

What I miss: Using the bathroom less frequently! I hate going to the bathroom - so inconvenient. This week I've started getting up at 5:30 am when Caleb's alarm goes off to go to the bathroom (and then I go back to bed until 7). Though I used to just hold it if I woke up and had to go, now I can't stand to do that. All I can think about is the toxins I'm holding in... Gross. I'm not one to worry about a lot of crazy pregnancy things, but that's one thing that grosses me out.


Cravings: No cravings, but I have found that I'm hungry more often. Even if I eat something before I go to bed, my stomach is already growling at 7 when I wake up. Fortunately, it hasn't made me nauseous at all yet, and I can still wait until 8:30 when I get to work to eat my yogurt (though by 9:30 I'm hungry again!). I'm actually amazed at how much I can eat at one time now. I usually eat small meals, but I'm finding that I can fit more in there somehow - not every meal, but a few times I've surprised myself. Also, I'm hungrier between meals and end up snacking every couple hours.
On Saturday (4w6d), I got out of bed a couple hours later than usual, and while in the shower I started blacking out. I had to ask Caleb to run and grab me a cheese stick so I didn't pass out! Otherwise, I've felt light headed a few times, but usually I can eat something/drink something with a little bit of sugar to help amend that.

Best Moment this week: Getting through the week and therefore having more assurance that this baby is here to stay! :)

Random Thing to Remember: I've heard that you'll "feel" different and just "know" you're pregnant when it happens. But folks, I am here to say that that is not always the case. Except for a few pains/cramps/hunger things, I've felt no different whatsoever. In fact, if it weren't for all the positive pregnancy tests (and the lack of a menstrual cycle), I would not know I am pregnant. I'm hoping I don't get nauseous at all, but I wouldn't mind some other symptoms that let me "know/feel" more pregnant! So weird to know it in my head, but not in my body!


What I am looking forward to: Knowing that the baby's heart has developed after this week and that the spinal cord is well on it's way, too.

4 Weeks!

Pregnancy Update March 19, 2012

4 weeks

How Far Along: 4 weeks

Size of baby: Less than .1 inch, less than .04 oz - a "poppy seed"


Weight gain: No change yet


Maternity Clothes: Not yet! Will be a while until those are necessary, I hope


Gender: Dying to know!


Movement: I wish I felt movement just so this would feel more real! It's so surreal to know I'm actually pregnant and have a baby growing in me!

Sleep: So far, still good. No more tired than usual.


What I miss: Nothing yet - too soon to miss anything :)

Cravings: No cravings - did have a day of aversion to anything touching the back of my throat. Eating lime Greek yogurt made me gag to the point of having to throw half of it away. For the rest of the day just thinking of anything, even water, in the back of my throat made me gag. So bizarre!


Best Moment this week: Finding out I'm pregnant and telling Caleb!


What I am looking forward to: Telling my family and friends in the next few weeks. Easter, April 8 (also Dad's bday), is the big day for my family!

It's Official!

This long awaited day (about 15 years of dreaming and waiting on my part!) has finally come!
It is with GREAT JOY that Caleb and I get to announce that we are expecting our first baby this Thanksgiving!

We found out on the Ides of March, 2012 (Thursday, 3/15/12) at 10dpo. I was not expecting to see a faint second line show up so early, so when it did I decided to take a digital test as well just to make sure I wasn't seeing things. I honestly wasn't expecting it to come back positive, so I just went about my morning routine and started brushing my teeth. A few moments later, I glanced down at the test that was "processing" on the counter, and it shone back to me the word, "PREGNANT". I was in such shock that I stopped my toothbrush right where it was and just stared down at the test. After a few moments, I quickly finished my teeth and sat down on the toilet with the test in my hand and started crying and saying out loud (to myself, as Caleb was already at work), "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! No way! Oh my gosh! Thank you Jesus! Oh my gosh!..." I could NOT believe it!

The hardest part about this was that I had to go the whole work day keeping the news to myself. I so badly wanted someone to share in my joy, but I knew I had to wait until Caleb and I were together that evening to tell him because I had a plan. After I saw the positive test, I went to get my "announcement gift" for him and wrapped it up. I bought the gift in November of 2010 when I had this specific idea because I didn't want to get pregnant (even accidently, as I was still on the pill) and not be prepared. So for a year and a half, I've had a custom made onesie hidden in my side table drawer just WAITING for this day! After I wrapped the gift, I got out our new video camera and set it up on a dresser across the room from our bed. I aimed it so that it would see Caleb sitting on the bed opening his gift and capture his response. He had no idea it was set up and it went perfectly!

While I was at work that day, I texted him and said I got a gift in the mail for him (which isn't out of the ordinary as I shop online a lot) and that I was going to wrap it up and give it to him when I got home from work. He of course texted back, "What is it?!" and also asked me again when I walked in the door, but I made him wait a few minutes for me to "wrap" it upstairs and then called him up.

My heart was pounding with excitement as I handed him the envelope with a gift in it that was wrapped in white tissue paper. He took his time opening it, building the suspense, asking me if I knew what it was and saying he was excited to find out what was in it... lol
Then he pulled it out and saw the logo on the front and yelled, "COWBOYS!" They are his favorite team and he loves getting Cowboys themed gifts.

Then he noticed that that logo was on a onesie. He quickly lowered his voice and looked at me and said, "Are you pregnant?" Before I could answer, he glanced down at the onesie in his hands then looked up and asked again, "Are you PREGNANT!?" :) Of course I started crying and nodded yes, and he was as thrilled as I was. I showed him the positive tests I took and he laughingly said he would never have said that first pink line test was positive because the line was just that faint. We were glad to have the digital test to prove it (and the other tests I took for the next week! lol It was fun to see the 2nd line get darker until it matched the control line a few days later!)

It was such a sweet moment! I'm SO glad I have it on video!

This is the back of the onesie:

#2 has been his favorite number and his jersey number for every sport he plays for years!

The next day, Friday, I was sent to the ACL to get a blood test to confirm the pregnancy. As silly as I felt, I asked Caleb to take a picture of me at ACL to commemorate this moment! He chuckled, but obliged. :)

On Monday, I called my doctor's office for the results and I SWEAR the nurse paused for a good 45 seconds between the words, "It came back...." and "POSITIVE!"  Whew! I think my heart stopped in those moments, PRAYING she would give me the good news I was expecting!

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! I'M PREGNANT! :) Due November 26, 2012.

Now on to the many weeks to come of waiting, preparing for, and being excited to meet our first Baby Farrell!