End of First Trimester...

I haven't been writing as often as I was before. In fact, I'm not doing much writing at all. I'm not sure why but I'm behind in my pregnancy journal, and I haven't written about my last 3 ultrasounds. I guess I assume you don't need to hear over and over again how excited I am, how much I feel like crap, and how excited I am. ;-) 

But, this is my blog, and I'll tell you, I'm crazy excited...and terrified. I'm always in my head about how few babies I've been around. How few newborn babies I've ever seen. How uncomfortable I've been when holding babies. But everyone assures me that when it's my own "it will be different". I hope so. I'm just scared.

There is an episode of Friends when Rachel is about to have her baby when she realizes that she's been reading so much about being pregnant and about giving birth that she forgets to read about what to do when the baby gets here...that's how I feel.

On a less scary note, I'm feeling much better since my last post. I haven't thrown up in several weeks, my dizziness is slowly (very slowly) going away, and I'm pretty much sleeping at least 12 hours per day. It could be so much worse.

At my 9 week appointment, things were mostly fine except I had a tiny bit of spotting from a...I don't know what it was called. On the ultrasound it was a small blackened area that the doctor wanted to watch closely and told me to take it easy. He wanted me back in a week.

At my 10 week appointment, everything was better. The spot he saw a week before was almost entirely gone. No longer a worry. He said things looked great and wanted me back 2 weeks later.

At 12 weeks, I had two appointments in one day. My first OB appt. and my last IVF Michigan Fertility appt. My OB will change each time I go. It's an office with several doctors who rotate so they want you to see as many as possible because they won't know who's on call when you go into labor. I think there is good and bad to the system, but I'm ok with it thus far. My OB did a routine female exam, answered lots of questions, and we heard the heartbeat for the first time! So cool! Hershey's heartbeat was a strong 158!! I was happy with the doctor, happy with the health of my baby, happy with the overall appointment. My next one is for 16 weeks, on July 1st.

My last IVF appt was really good.  He is such a fantastic doctor. He immediately, without blinking, answered my question about when I could come back. I expected a, "you're only 12 weeks pregnant and you're ready to come back?!" But instead, I got a simple, clean answer. He did the ultrasound and when he first started, the baby was moving. I saw the baby move! Hershey is getting big. About the size of a lime now. He let us hear the heartbeat and this time was a fast 169! I think it was so fast because Hershey was moving just before. It was great. Both Amanda and my mom got to hear the heartbeat, one at each appointment. The doctor congratulated me, hugged me, and made sure that I'd come back to visit with Hershey. Such a great day. On my way out I was congratulated by more people and hugged by one of the nurses. They are genuinely happy for me. So cool :)

So things are good with baby. No more pokes in the butt every morning. No more vomiting. Dizziness almost gone. And almost 1/3 of the way there.

Still on quite the roller coaster as we don't think Marty has many more days with us. He's home now, hospice is in place, so I trust he's comfortable too. We gave him an early Father's day gift. A photo frame that says, "I Love Grandpa", with the latest photo of Hershey in it. Very sad for all of us. Amanda's mom was also sick in the hospital for a short time, but we are happy to say that things are looking up some for her as she is slowly healing and can now be with her husband.

Amanda has been truly amazing through all of this. She's never been on such a roller coaster in her life. She lives and works 70 miles from her mom and Marty and yet is able to see them several times a week. She spends every weekend in the Flint area so she can spend time with her family. She has a brand new job overseeing a brand new business that doesn't allow her just any days off. She keeps up the house, the lawn, as I've been mostly bed ridden for the last five weeks or so. All while trying to prepare to be a mom in December. She's certainly being tested, and doing an amazing job. I couldn't do all of this without her support (and my mom!!). And she says Hershey is her saving grace through this tough time. She's simply amazing.

Everyone else who has shown us support have been amazing too. Thank you for all the words, thoughts, prayers, time, energy, and love. Thank you.