This has been a crazy busy 2 weeks. I wanted to get an update out last week and just never got around to it. So, it’s another combo post!

Here are a few non-pregnancy related updates!

We got the house all gussied up for the holidays – inside and outside!

I spent almost a week in Salt Lake City for work but did get some time to drive up in the mountains…

…and then I was hauled off to jail.

Sort of. See the Utah State Penitentiary is across the highway from our office and they have a café (or food truck) that is open to the public – the Serving Time Café. It is run by the prison. Some of the workers are prisoners and some are not. They actually have a pretty extensive menu. I got a Patty Melt and fries and both were quite good.

And I never felt like my safety (or food!) was in jeopardy!

Now on to the baby and pregnancy updates!

I’m definitely feeling bigger and more uncomfortable. When I think that I still have 5 months to go, it’s somewhat daunting but I know it’s only temporary and so worth it for what the end result is!

Zzzz….

Good sleep is getting harder and harder to come by mostly because it’s impossible to find a comfortable position. You can’t sleep/lie on your back after the first trimester and of course stomach sleeping is out. So that leaves side-lying (which is normally how I sleep anyway). However, it’s still awkward. They say to put a pillow between your legs to protect your back but I’ve tried it and that does not work for me. I tend to rollover a lot and having a big pillow under the covers makes movement a lot harder.

So I pretty much have a constant crick in my neck. It moves from side to side but it’s always there. Last week it was on the left side, this week it’s on the right.

Items purchased:

We actually bought something for the nursery last week! Well, CJ did. He found a cute little stuffed Very Hungry Caterpillar that will be perfect! AND he found it at a used toy store for like $1.50. That’s my man!

Isabella is already attached to it because she snuggled with it on the car ride home. We’ve had to explain that it’s for the baby and that she can play with it but ultimately it’s not hers. She said, “But it loves me and wants to be mine.” Ha! She’s getting good at the manipulation I tell ya!

I also bought more maternity clothes this week. Just a few tops to keep me going as I get bigger.

I’ve noticed that maternity fashions have changed in the 3 short years since my last pregnancy. In 2009, everything was empire-waisted and loose around the belly.

Now, the trend seems to be for shirts to be fitted and tighter – showing off the bump.

Isabella photo bomb!!

I kind of like the updated trend as some of the older style shirts made me feel like I was wearing a tent!

Sister or Brother? Isabella continues to change her mind about whether she wants a brother or a sister. One day last week she said “Brother, so that I can teach them about the planets.” Then the other day she said she wants a sister named Jane (after the little girl in Mary Poppins).

Speaking of names, no we haven’t decided on anything and no we won’t share when we do. 🙂

And now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for….!

Ultrasound results!!

We had our ultrasound today and agreed to not find out the sex of the baby (CJ still wanted too but consented to letting me decide. Smart man!). 

I was told to arrive with a full bladder. And boy did I! It was so full that it pushed the baby up so that it scrunched. They made me go empty it. I did not protest.

I tell you what – ultrasounds today are not what they were 3 years ago. The images were so incredibly clear. We could see not only the heart beating but actually all 4 chambers of it. We also saw the brain, with both sides and the line running down the middle. The spine was perfectly visible and clear. It was amazing.

The baby was cooperating just beautifully too. It was laying face up with its feet up by its head and giving us some great views. Then of course when it was time for the fun stuff (like the 3D ultrasound), it rolled over, covered its face and went to sleep. Ha!

When it was time to determine the gender, she had us look at each other and away from the monitor. It must have been pretty clear and obvious what it was because she was done checking pretty quick!

Picture time!

Here is a profile shot.

It definitely has the Atencio chin…

And a profile with its hand up on its chin, thinking.

This one shows the front of the face.

Here are the little feet.

And a hand.

Finally, the 3D view of the face.

Somewhat hard to see because the baby is nestled back in the placenta. You can see the forehead and right side of the face peeking out (top half of the picture – one closed eye, nose and mouth). Just below the face is the umbilical cord.

The best news of all – baby is perfectly healthy! All markers lined up to where they should be and all organs, bones, etc. are tracking normally. Baby weighs 1 lb. 3 oz. which is 52% – right in the middle! Doctor said she couldn’t be happier with what she saw.

I get to have another ultrasound in 10 weeks to check growth rate. They’re doing an extra one because of my Advanced Maternal Age. By then we should get some really good images!

I am relieved to know that our baby is healthy and progressing as it should. Was it hard to not find out the sex? Not at all! I wasn’t even tempted to change my mind or peek! I’m sure there will be moments as we go along but right now I’m really happy with my decision.

Here are posts from the previous weeks, in case you need to get caught up!

20 | 19 | 18 | 16 and 17