Time Flies

It is amazing how fast the time goes by!  Although, whenever I say to a friend, "I can't believe how fast this pregnancy is going" they don't hesitate to remind me that in a month or so I will be wondering how much longer I have to endure this agony.  On July 6th we found out we are expecting a baby girl (yay!  so excited!) and we couldn't be happier.  I have had so much fun looking for girly things.  Ryan insists that she will learn to play golf...I say, as long as she enjoys it. 

Much of the time now I am really only experiencing 'growing pains' and not too much discomfort (thank goodness!).  I have been craving more naughty things, like chocolate chip cookies, but try to reach for fruit or cheese instead.  There really ins't a substitute for chocolate so if I just can't satisfy, I grab one :) 

Ahh, Heartburn

We are well into the 17th week (18 weeks on Thursday) and all the nausea has subsided but I am left with heartburn.  I have never experienced this flaming of the chest and stomach before and hope that after the baby gets here it goes back to whence it came.  I don't want to give up peppers and spice forever!!!  I have more energy now, which is good, but by the end of the day I am wiped out.  At least I can get through the day now though without feeling like I need to lay my head down and take a nap. 

As my baby bump gets bigger, I think I have felt the little guy/girl moving.  It was a strange feeling and difficult to expalin away as anything else but the baby.  For some reason it has only been at night when I am not moving around myself.  At my last doctors visit we listened to the heartbeat again and it started out at 149 beats per minute but went all the way up to 159 beats per minute.  Dr. Stafford said he/she is wiggling around in there, which makes its heart rate go up and down.  I am excited for Ryan to be able to feel it moving around...but I am sure that will be a while yet. 

We have the 'big ultrasound' scheduled for July 6th and hopefully we will find out the sex of the baby.  I can't believe we are already there!  Time seems like it is going by so fast!  I can't wait to find out who to will be coming to live with us...a little slugger or a ballerina :)     

The hearts of little children

Nothing in the world has touched my heart like the sound of my baby's heartbeat. My only wish is that Ryan could have been there with me.  He had to settle for a recording from my phone.  So, my second appointment was yesterday and Dr. Stafford says everything is going great.  My energy is up (a little) and I am no longer experiencing the constant cold, thanks to the synthroid.  Now that I am in my twelfth week the nausea is starting to subside - slightly.  My tummy is starting to feel more firm and (supposedly) Baby Lang is about the size of a plum.  Hopefully I am one of the lucky ones who gets to experience a smooth sailling second trimester :) 
I know I am not the first woman to be pregnant but this is my first time experiencing it.  I felt that I knew a good deal about pregnancy and babies but I am learning so much now that I think I barely knew anything!  I am so lucky to have my mother, mother in law and grandmothers (including Grammie in law) who all gently give advice and offer suggestions.  Being so far away from all of them is tough. 
So only two more months before we will have an opportunity to find out - Boy or Girl!  I just can't wait.  I am excited to know if we need to buy baseball bats and golf clubs or barbies and golf clubs.  Ryan is so excited to teach golf to Baby Lang no matter who comes out!  He might have a harder time if we end up with a prissy little girl (like I was) who doesnt care to get dirty.  But we shall see! 
Love you all!

Week 11

So I heard from my doctor earlier this week about my bloodwork.  Everything was normal, she said except my thyroid levels were low (consistent with hypothyroidism) so she sent me to an endocrinologist.  There, I gave more blood and talked wtih Dr. Shaw (easier to type than endocrinoligist :) ).  She said it is pretty normal for a woman to develop hypothyroidism during pregnancy, though I could have had it before but was never tested for it.  Since the baby doesn't develop the thyroid until week 12 my thyroid is working 30-40% harder and has a hard time keeping up.  So, I started taking synthroid this morning (at 5:30am since I have to wait at least an hour before eating) and hopefully this will help with my always being cold and exhausted.  I am going today to have an ultrasound of my thyroid just to make sure I don't have thyroid cancer (which according to Dr. Shaw is unlikely but she is just taking precautions since I do have bumps on my thyroid).

Other than that things are pretty quiet.  I had a tough time with nausea yesterday but with crackers and water I was able to get through it and get some dinner down.  I can't believe I am 11 weeks already.  It seems to be going by quickly but I think that is because we are counting weeks...I do have 29 weeks more to go which sounds like alot!  I hope you all are well and miss you all very much! 
Love and Smooches from the Langs! 

Moving right along

Happy Easter for any of you I was not able to talk to yesterday.  I flew out to Pittsburgh to be with Ryan for Easter since he was stuck here for work.  I was a bit nervous - even though my doctor AND Nicole said flying is perfectly safe in the first and second trimesters.  I prayed through the first take off and landing but realized I felt perfectly fine.  Phew!  The weather here in Pittsburgh has been as rainy and overcast as Franklin.  But it is always nice to come back here and visit my old haunts and see friends I don't get to see otherwise. 
Not much has changed in the growing baby department.  I still have random nausea and find myself either still full from my last meal or STARVING and weak, needing to eat immediately.  I try to keep snacks close by so as not to get too weak and so far I have been doing ok.  Exhaustion hits me like a freight train though and sometimes I just have to close my eyes for a bit and rest. 
I have been reading some of my book to Ryan and I think things are starting to sink in for him.  He does get a little overwhelmed when I try to teach him things to be careful of (like how to try and prevent SIDS by not leaving pillows and blankets in the crib).  I think I should focus more on getting through the pregnancy with him first and then we can talk more safety and strategy when I am much closer to delivery.  He has a few months till then :)

First Doctor's Visit

We saw the baby today!  And the heartbeat!  What an amazing sight.  Dr. Stafford was very nice and was glad to hear I am healthy and moving right along.  PHEW!  They took some blood and luckily I didnt pass out.  All the doctors I met today were very nice and I am excited to work with them during my pregnancy.  My next appointment is May 16th. 
I guess that is all for today.  I am a little overwhelmed from the experience of seeing the baby for the first time.  I am so relieved it is growing normally and I am on schedule.  Now I can relax some and focus on my eating and exercise. 
Love you all!!

Interesting...

I started reading a book called "You: Having a Baby" by Michael F. Roizen, MD and Mehmet C. Oz, MD.  This book has introduced me to alot of different things; from what to expect to happen to my body to what to eat and how to recognize pregnancy depression.  I read an interesting fact about the male brain vs the female brain.  Since the 'male fetus has more testosterone than the female fetus, it typically lags three weeks behind the female fetus neurologically at birth'.  This is why females survive more commonly when born premature than males.  Due to the childbearing importance of girls there is not much variation on girls' brain development. Boys on the other hand, have a wider variety of ups and downs which 'manifests in more autism and a broader intellectual curve'.

Another interesting thing I read was about fingerprints.  I will simply quote the book here:  "Innumerable environmental factors influence the formation of fingerprints, including the exact position of the fetus in the womb at a particular moment and the exact composition and density of the amniotic fluid that's swirling around the fingers as they touch srrounding structures.  And that's what decides how every individual ridge will form.  The entire development process is so chaotic that, in the entire course of human history, there is virtually no chance of the same exact pattern forming twice."  *I thought my two scientific minded sisters (Amanda and Nicole) would enjoy these facts :)

So tomorrow is the first doctors appointment.  Since everything feels just fine I am sure that is what the doctor is going to say - " You're doing great!!"  Still I am a bit nervous.  Most of the weekend I have been pretty nauseous.  And extrememly tired.  Especially when I workout, I am pretty exhausted.  I have started shy-ing away from eggs - I just can't stomach them.  Which is sad because they are a great protein for breakfast!  I still can't even think about eating red meat...<I even shudder when I type it>...

Ryan has been pretty amazing this weekend.  I have only made one meal and that was my lunch today (he is out playing golf).  I am so greatful to have a husband who is taking such good care of me.  It makes me sad for women that have to go through pregnancy alone.  It is such a blessing to be able to share this all with Ryan and to watch him change into such a wonderful caregiver.  I am sad he is going back to Pittsburgh next week  :( 

I will update you all tomorrow after the appointment.  Love!!!