The First Trimester...AKA Hell on Earth!

7 week ultrasound - 2/1/11

The feeling we felt when we saw the heartbeat for the very first time is impossible to describe. I will never forget the moment when our doctor said, "Congratulations! You did it! You made a baby!" The little heartbeat was flickering so fast on the screen and I could not take my eyes off of it! It was love at first sight! :)

7 weeks pregnant...not showing yet...just bloated! ;)

Week 7 - The baby is the size of a blueberry this week.

Let's fast forward about 7 weeks into the pregnancy when my fantasies of the perfect pregnancy were rudely interrupted. I am still not sure why all the books and doctors call it "morning" sickness because that is a big fat lie. For me it was "all day AND night" sickness. I woke up one day and I was nauseous from the moment I opened my eyes until right before I finally drifted off to sleep at night. Thank goodness I couldn't keep my eyes open past 8 o'clock at night because the only time I felt good was when I was asleep. I am sure some of you might be thinking that I probably lost a few of the pounds I had managed to pack on over the holidays because I was so sick. Quite the opposite my friends. Even though I was nauseous 24/7 the only thing that made me feel somewhat better was to eat...and I am not talking about the healthy stuff either...I am talking carbs and milkshakes!!! Poor Danny. For about three weeks straight he was constantly running out to fetch the Neapolitan shake from In-N-Out Burger or the Banana Chocolate Chip shake from Carl's Junior. I swear shakes were the only thing that hit the spot.

In hindsight I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when I went for my eleven week check-up and discovered that I had already gained 6 pounds in this pregnancy! Let me just go ahead and tell you that this was not a very good day in the Callaway household. I truly cried for a week straight. I know I am supposed to gain weight during this pregnancy but I would really like to avoid anything more than the recommended 25-35 pounds if at all possible. My metabolism has already slowed down drastically since turning 30 so I can only imagine the havoc that this pregnancy is going to wreak on my body. I can hardly wait for varicose veins, more cellulite, stretch marks, and hemorrhoids...NOT!

Side note: Since the 11 week checkup my eating habits have undergone a complete 180. I am sure I am going to get a good report at the 16 week check-up next week. More good news...the nausea finally subsided around week 13. As a result I have cut out all daily milkshakes and the majority of junk food (with the exception of a few indulgences here or there - hey! - there have to be some perks with pregnancy) so that has to mean good news, right? Of course I am not brave enough to step on the scale at home because I will crumble if I see another 6 pound gain. Keep your fingers crossed people.

11 week ultrasound - 3/1/11

Our little squirrel is actually looking more like a baby now! The sweet pea was super active during this ultrasound. As soon as the image appeared on the screen we saw the baby doing cartwheels and somersaults. Danny describes one of the baby's moves as the "rocket launch" because it would stretch out and kick off of the side of my uterus and bounce to the other side.

We were both shocked at how much the baby had developed in 4 short weeks. After a few minutes of very active movement the baby decided to take a nap and put his/her little arms up on it's head and stretch out! This is definitely our baby...plays hard and enjoys a good flop! ;)

11 weeks pregnant...still looking bloated and a little fluffier from the 6 pound weight gain! :)

11 weeks...no bump yet...still easy to hide in clothes!
Week 11 - The baby is the size of a lime this week! ;)

Let's talk about another little fun bonus of pregnancy in the first trimester...red, itchy bumps all over my back and chest. Ewwww!!!! I swear I look like I am going through puberty again. If it were winter and we lived on the east coast I probably wouldn't care because I could hide my awful skin with turtlenecks and sweaters. Unfortunately, I live in La La land where 70 degree temps and sunny skies are pretty much the norm year round. Tank tops, sleeveless shirts, and low cut tops are completely out of the question right now. And of course you can't use any cream or medicine to dry up the spots because all medication (except Tylenol...what a joke) is off limits during pregnancy.

Side note: The bumps are slowly beginning to disappear on my chest this week. I am hoping and praying that my hormones are finally starting to settle down and that the pesky little blemishes on my back will soon fade into the sunset as well. A girl can dream right? On the bright side (if there is one) at least the bumps are not on my face...yet! If there is one thing that I have learned from this experience it is to never say never!

In addition to the inconveniences associated with nausea, weight gain, and the bumps, I also spend way too much time in the bathroom these days. I am convinced that the little squirrel growing in my body is using my bladder as a trampoline. I didn't think it was humanly possible for a person to go to the bathroom so many times in one day/night. It is not at all uncommon for me to wake up at midnight, 3 a.m., and 5 a.m. to go to the bathroom. Danny finally insisted on buying a night light because he was afraid that I was going to injure myself when stumbling to the bathroom in the middle of the night. In his defense I have turned into somewhat of a klutz since becoming pregnant so I agree that it was definitely the smart thing to do. Besides the fact that it is annoying to get up and go so many times in the middle of the night, it is also making it really difficult to get a solid night of sleep. I guess the sweet little nugget is preparing me for all the sleepless nights that lie ahead, right? :)

Needless to say I was ready to throw a party when the 1st trimester ended 2 weeks ago. Besides all of the dirty little secrets associated with pregnancy that no one tells you about, I also managed to have a few little terrifying incidents that had nothing to do with Mother Nature during the first twelve weeks. One involved a trip to the ER in Las Vegas (that was an experience) after falling down a few stairs at my mother in law's house. Two ultrasounds and 4 hours later we were relieved to hear that our little angel was kicking around without a care in the world. I guess all the extra pounds, along with the amniotic fluid, cushioned my fall. Maybe I should be thankful for that 6 pound weight gain after all. :)

The second incident included a frantic call to Poison Control after the liquid Drano we used to unstop the shower drain suddenly came back up the pipes and filled up the bottom of the tub while I was taking a shower the next morning. As soon as my feet started to burn I knew something was wrong. I jumped out of that shower so fast I nearly took the shower curtain with me. Luckily the only damage sustained from this incident was the slight irritation my piggies suffered from the chemicals. The Poison Control representative and our doctor assured us repeatedly that there was no way this incident could harm the baby. If you have another opinion about this incident I don't want to hear it.

Full Disclosure: I would be lying if I didn't tell you that I was positive our baby only had one arm because of this incident. When we went for our 11 week ultrasound the angle of the image only allowed us to clearly see one of the baby's arms. I didn't say anything at first because I didn't want the doctor to think I was crazy, but after we left the office I later confessed to Danny that I was worried about this and I blamed it all on the Drano incident. Danny already knows that I am crazy so I didn't care what he would think about my latest fear. Thank goodness we had our 12 week genetic screening scheduled for the following week because I am sure I would have obsessed over this for months. When the tech pointed out both legs and arms on the screen I have never felt such relief in my entire life ! Phew! :) Let's continue to pray for all 10 toes and fingers. Oh...and more good news...our risk factor after the genetic screening came back as a 1 in 7,000 chance for Down's Syndrome & a 1 in 77,000 chance for other genetic abnormalities. Those are odds we are willing to take. The genetic specialist was also very happy with these results and he recommended that we pass on the invasive tests like the amniocentesis and CVS. No arguments here. The idea of a giant needle being poked into my stomach or cervix does not sound appealing to me at all.

In a nutshell I had no idea pregnancy would be so hard. I have never worried about something so much in my entire life. I guess I finally understand what parents mean when they talk about how much they love and worry about their kids. Even though I haven't met this little person growing inside of me yet I feel so incredibly connected to him/her and I would do whatever it takes to protect them.

My heart goes out to Danny too during this time because he constantly worries about the squirrel and me. He refers to me as the vessel and he gets a little anxious when I am out of his sight. He wants to protect us and he is convinced that I am going to get injured if he is not around. For example, I rode the train to work the other day and he was convinced that I was going to get rolled by a gang member or get involved in a tragic crash. :) Apparently the Metrolink in Los Angeles has the highest rate of crashes in the United States so I get it. He is SO cute! He talks to my belly every morning and night and he cannot keep his hands off of my stomach. I know he is going to be an amazing father. There is one thing I know for sure at this point...this baby is loved!

Stay tuned for more updates. We have our 16 week check-up on Tuesday and we are hoping to find out if it is a boy or a girl then. I feel like it is a boy but I would not be surprised at all if it is a girl. We will be happy with whatever God sends us...we just pray that he/she is healthy and happy.