El Plano

Is that even really spanish?  El plano?

Probably not.

::runs to check translator::

Nope, it's just el plan, and in french they switch it to le plan.

We're all very original apparently :).

So, obviously my amazing doctors have an equally amazing plan for this pregnancy, all past things considered.  

And they've already begun :).

I have had four ultrasounds already (which I love), with Oliver I only had the one at 20 weeks.  

Oh, you want to see these ultrasounds of my adorably cute baby where you probably won't even be able to tell what you're actually looking at?

Well okay, if you're going to force me.

Our first ultrasound was around 5 1/2 weeks, and there was no baby to bee seen yet (normal), and so this is actually our second ultrasound where we got to see actually baby for the first time and a flickering little heartbeat.  The baby is that little white blob with the line through it (the tech was measuring length).  The white blob at the top was a polyp (they think?) that has actually since disappeared!  Wahoo!

I was 6 weeks 4 days at this appointment but baby was measuring 2 days behind (not a concern).

 These next three pictures are from my appointment when I was 9 weeks 5 days, and in my opinion, actually looks like a baby here.  The head it on the right, and you can still see that polyp in the top left of the sac.  This is also the first appointment where we got to hear the heartbeat, which is the last picture, it was 171 bpm.

 These last two pictures are from my appointment with my perinatologist (the specialist), the tech was awesome, and we discovered that polyp had disappeared, and that the baby was measuring two days ahead.  I was 11 weeks 5 days here, baby measured 12 weeks.  First one is a full body shot, second one is a profile.

So yup, LOTS of ultrasounds.  Starting on monday I'll have an ultrasound every two weeks until 36 weeks to check my cervical length, if it begins to shorten I'll come in every week for an ultrasound, and if it shortens too much then they get to put a lovely stitch in, that will stay there until the baby comes :).  Pretty much if the cervix shortens it means your body is getting ready for labor, which we obviously don't want until a certain point.

Which means along with my 20 week ultrasound, having ultrasounds every two weeks, I'll have a minimum of 16 ultrasounds this pregnancy.  Wow.  No complaining here though, I'll see my baby as often as they'll let me!

Along with cervical length checks, this monday I get to start my 17P injections.  It will be an injection I take every week until 36 weeks.  They've been proven to prevent preterm labor in some women so I'm excited to give them a go.  The exciting (scary?) part of it is Evan might be the one giving me these injections :).  I'll let you know how that goes.

With these shots they say 80% of women give birth within two weeks of stopping them, which means it's very likely I'm having this baby in August and not September!  

Whew, I think that's it!

In other news, I am showing a lot sooner with this little one that I did with Oliver.  The doctor said my uterus is measuring 2 weeks ahead, and with second babies your uterus (I'm sure you love all this womanly parts lingo I get to use :)) grows faster just because it already knows what it's doing.

I also bought my first maternity clothes today, which totally freaks me out.

I only bought one pair of maternity pants with Oliver, and then we lost him right afterwards.  I realize there it absolutely NO connection between the two, but I couldn't help but feel super apprehensive when I was checking out today.  It probably didn't help that the very sweet, very pregnant lady checking me out asked if this was my first baby.  

I seriously have no idea how to answer that question.

I say yes, I immediately feel guilty for denying that Oliver was real, he existed, he IS my son.

I say no, they immediately start asking about my other children, and then it gets more complicated.

I answered with, "sort of."

And then she asked how far along I was.

Me-"16 weeks."

Her-"Oh, so is it your first that's made it this far?"

Me-"No, I had a son prematurely who passed away."

Cue the tear up.

Dang hormones.

She was so sweet about it and shared that her sister had lost a baby at 26 weeks and that they called him her angel baby.

I was grateful no one else was in the store :).

And the last bit of exciting news is that I can feel the sweet little one move around now.  You can give this the side eye if you want, doesn't matter to me, but I've been feeling those wonderful pops and flutters for a couple weeks now.

I also get to hear the baby's heartbeat every night!  We bought an amazing home doppler so that we could listen to it whenever we want, and it has been such  blessing.  

I LOVE having it.

And of course I can't end this without giving major props to that seriously incredible husband of mine.  He is sweet and kind to me.  He cooks dinner for me almost every night now because I'm too tired to do it, or I can't stand the smell.  He is also very understanding of the occasional hormonal breakdown, they are few and far between, but wow.  I may have broken down in sobbing tears over cold bath water.  

Oh my.

I love, love, love that man.