waiting, waiting and more waiting

So, I really like my obstetrician. She seems like a very hands-on doctor who really cares about her patients. At the same time, I don't really think that waiting 3 hours for a 5-minute consult is a worthwhile endeavour. Because I visit the doctor at the hospital, I (along with 30+ other pregnant ladies) get to see her in between deliveries and emergencies and other such things on Fridays.

I had a 9:15 am appointment, and I saw the doctor at about 12:20 pm. I saw the nurse within the first 30 minutes, but then had to wait. And wait. And wait. It's essentially a big waste of time, in my opinion. If I was unhealthy, or had some sort of concern, I could see why it would be important to wait to see the doctor. But the way things are going, I'm pretty happy just talking to the nurse, having her ask me the relevant questions and then leaving. I'm sure once I get further along there'll be things I need to see the doc for, but right now, I'm seriously thinking about going the private route next time, only so I can cut down on the wait times.

In other news, yay for more presents! Just got a package with lots of good books about pregnancy from a west coast mom, and I look forward to digging into them.

14 weeks

"Crown to rump, your baby is around 3 and a half inches / 9 centimetres long and weighs one and a half ounces / 43 grams. The body is now growing faster than the head. This week, its parchment-thin skin covers itself with lanugo (ultra-fine, downy hair that usually disappears before birth). Though eyebrows are beginning to grow and the hair on top of the head is sprouting, this hair may change in both texture and colour after birth.

About now, the fetus can grasp, squint, frown, and grimace. It may even be able to suck its thumb. Researchers believe these and other movements probably correspond to the development of impulses in the brain."

--from babycentre

Spoiled rotten

What is it about being pregnant that makes people want to do nice things for you? Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining! I guess I'm just surprised by all the kind gestures.

Several of our friends have send us "congratulatory" gifts so far, including some lovely spring flowers we received yesterday. There's nothing better than coming home to a package that you weren't expecting, especially when it brightens your day!

Just wanted to give a shout out to all of you for your kind words, thoughts and gifts!

new threads

One thing I have not been excited about with being pregnant is having to buy maternity clothes. I'm hoping I can get away with wearing my regular clothes as long as possible. But, there is hope. A friend & I stopped in at a maternity shop in Westmount yesterday just to browse. Turns out, they actually have some decent-looking jeans I think I might be able to pull off. Work clothes might be slightly more complicated, but if spring ever decides to arrive I might be able to stick to skirts for the most part.

In any event, I will definitely have to find at least one dress, since we have several weddings on the schedule this summer. Any and all suggestions are welcome!

13+ weeks

So on the advice of a good friend, I signed up for an e-newsletter that informs you of how much more developed your baby is each week.

Here's an excerpt from this week's version:

"The fetus is now nearly 3 inches / 7 to 8 centimetres long from crown to rump and weighs nearly an ounce / 23 grams -- about half a banana. Its unique fingerprints are already in place. And when you poke your stomach gently and she feels it, your baby will start rooting -- that is, act as if she's searching for a nipple.

If you're having a girl, she now has approximately 2 million eggs in her ovaries; she will have only a million by the time she's born. She'll have fewer eggs as she gets older, and by age 17, the number will have dropped to 200,000."

Neat, huh?

baby's first photo shoot

Today we had our 12-week ultrasound. In Quebec, this is a service you have to pay for unless you are at risk or +35 years old. If you don't opt to have the 12-week ultrasound, you wait until week 20 to see the little peanut. So, we opted to have it, and here's the proof! It was amazing how squirmy the little bugger is. Moving around, flipping over, waving its little arms...amazingly cute for such a small thing.

They measured the head, and the length of the baby from head to bum (6.5 cm) which means we're right on track at about week 13, ie: the due date is still Sept 23. We also heard the nice, strong heartbeat pounding away at 160 beats a minute.

Technology is cool.

now we are three is born

So, we're expecting to become parents sometime in late September (officially Sept 23). The first question everyone seems to ask us when they hear the news is; "are you excited?" Of course we're excited! We've been keeping this news a secret (relatively speaking) for almost 3 months and it's a big relief to be able to share with our friends & family.

For those of you wanting to know how the future momma fish is doing, so far so good. No morning sickness to speak of, and aside from developing a habit of curling up for naps more than usual, I haven't had any specific aversions or cravings yet. And no, I'm not showing, but I'll be sure to let you all know (and maybe post some photos) as soon as the tummy grows a little.

I got to hear the heartbeat loud and strong at my first doctor's appointment at 9.5 weeks. Nothing makes it feel real like hearing someone else's heartbeat in your stomach.