5 Weeks!

How Far Along: 5 weeks!

Total weight gain/loss: 0 pounds so far.

Maternity clothes: Not yet, but some of my jeans aren't quite fitting right.

Stretch marks: None.

Sleep: Hard to come by at night; what I wish for every day around 5pm.

Best moment this week: Seeing our baby during the first ultrasound!

Movement: Too early

Food cravings/aversions: This is embarrassing, but pickles! And pasta. Carbs are my friend. No real aversions yet.

Belly button in or out: Still an innie.

What I miss/What I am looking forward to: I'm sure I'll miss wine during our mini trip this weekend. I can't wait to tell the rest of our family starting next weekend.

Symptoms: My back hurts and my boobs sometimes get little twinges. I think I felt a little nauseated this morning? Maybe?

Hello Black Hole!

That's what the ultrasound tech called Mini today. As a big black blob jumped onto the screen, we realized that's our little one!

Let me back up a minute: We weren't scheduled to see my OB until February 8th, two weeks from today. Last night I started experiencing some weird pinching on my right side, near my ovary. I tried to ignore the small feeling of panic and went to sleep. This morning the pain intensified and started to feel almost like it was pulsing. I decided to call the Dr's office, hoping they would tell me to relax. Not so much. Instead, they asked me to come in for an U/S. And the panic hit a new level!

I immediately called E and couldn't reach him by cell so I did something I NEVER do... I called his office. They put me through and as soon as he picked up the phone I started bawling. I was so scared something would be wrong with our Mini Marsh. E was with a client but got away as soon as he could and came with me to the appointment.

I was so anxious that we ended up being 20 minutes early. They got us in right away and told me to get myself ready for a (sorry Dad) vaginal U/S. I've never dropped my pants so fast! I hopped up on that table like a pro, praying the whole time that this wouldn't be an ectopic pregnancy. After a few, um, uncomfortable seconds the wand was in and I saw the most beautiful picture: the sac that will become our baby!

So back to that stabbing pain thing; turns out I have a cyst on my ovary and another one that recently ruptured. The tech wasn't concerned and neither is my OB. They are having me come in again next week just to check on my progress. I measured at 4 weeks 5 days which is right in line with my calculations. Mini is still the size of a poppy seed.

What started as one of the scariest days of my adult life ended with one of the most touching; meeting my child, my husband holding my hand the entire time, and bringing home Mini's very first picture. I am so in love!

And so it begins

5 days ago I fell in love. Instant, deep, and overwhelming. And all I have to show for it are 5 positive pregnancy tests.
I didn't have much hope that we would conceive this cycle. I had some symptoms that the end was near and was already thinking ahead to month number 6 of trying for a baby. And then Sunday afternoon hit. I was feeling "funny" and decided to take a test for the heck of it. The first test came up invalid (meaning there was no control line) so I tried another. 3 minutes later I saw a faint but definite line! I tried 3 more cheap tests and then whipped out my super expensive, super important digital and after another 3 minutes of waiting, feeling slightly dizzy with possibilities, the most beautiful word appeared.
Pregnant. Wow! This stuff actually works. Huh.
I calmly walked into the guest room where I had stashed a Cowboys baby hooded towel which I snagged off of Amazon over the holidays. I put the towel and the digital test behind my back and walked out to the living room where Daddy was watching the football playoffs (and now I pause for the male readers to groan). I handed him the towel and he said I had a weird look on my face. He examined it and gave me a wary look, so I handed him the test. Nothing can ever erase that moment from my heart, seeing his eyes get teary as realization sank in and reality struck us both over the head.
We're going to have a baby!