Greetings from Aruba

I'm sitting in our hotel lobby writing this because that's the only place the Internet is available.

So far our vacation is going really well. The weather here is perfect (I got a bit burned today but not my worst). Our room at the Riu has a picturesque view of the resort grounds and ocean and we're just a 2 minute walk from the Westin where we are attending the nuptuals of friends Lou and Sara Saturday.

So far I've been Ok with not drinking. There are times when that swim up bar and all of that free flowing booze call my name but I'm not one for day drinking in such intense heat anyway so the only time I'm really bummed I can't have a few beers or a couple glasses of wine is at night.

I made Morgan promise to bring me back here when I can drink again.

My belly seems to be getting bigger by the day. I don't know if that's the all inclusive food or the baby, but I'm chalking it up to the baby so I feel better about being in a bikini.

Morgan and I fly back to reality Tuesday so we still have a few more days of fun in the sun. Tomorrow we're going on a sunset dinner cruise with a bunch of people who are attending the wedding. It should be a blast.

I don't know how many more times I'll be updating while I'm here because it's kind of a pain in the butt so look for more next week when I get back.

Morgan and I have our next midwife appointment on the 11th. I'm pretty sure that's when we'll find out the sex of the baby. Exciting!

xoxoL

Happy Friday (my pants are unbuttoned)

So, I'm walking up the stairs in my office building and feeling really uncomfortable because my favorite pair of worn-in jeans are pinching my protruding tummy.

The only solution to this problem I could come up with besides going home and changing was to unbutton my top button. Now I'm sitting at my desk with my pants unbuttoned and feeling a little smug because I have a secret.

Don't worry, when I get up to go to the bathroom I'll will pull my pants back together but for now I'm very much enjoying the freedom. *sigh.

In other news, Mo and I are leaving for Aruba on Tuesday and I can hardly hold myself together I'm so excited. I'm even wishing the weekend away so it'll get here sooner! Don't expect too many photos of me in a bikini though. I will be wearing a cover up pretty much the entire time (thanks Lauren). You may get another belly pic though so be sure to check back.

As for the video I promised from our recent trip to North Carolina: I have no idea why Mo and I can't figure out how to upload it here. We're doing everything right we think, but the playback is really slow and therefore annoying to watch. I suggest you go to Morgan's Facebook page and watch one of the videos there. It's of baby Rocco Besozzi falling asleep with a binky in his mouth. Soooo cute.

Happy Friday everyone!

xoxoL

Back from North Carolina (my first belly picture)

Morgan and I visited family and friends this past weekend in North Carolina.

My sister-in-law, Meredith, is stationed at Fort Bragg along with Morgan's West Point classmates Lillie and Gregg Besozzi who just had a precious baby boy named Rocco.

Out of this trip came Morgan's first diaper changing experience, my first brush with maternity clothing, lots of good food, some quality shopping and almost non-stop laughter (thanks in part to Rocco's constant passing of gas).

I think Gregg said it best when he stated we all have to one day live next door to each other. What a fun weekend.

Anyway, I have some pictures and video to post here in the coming days. Mostly they are of Rocco sleeping, fighting sleep and generally just being the sweetest, cutest 2 1/2 week old baby ever.

Unfortunately, I'm having technical difficulties with my new Flip Cam so the video will have to wait until tomorrow.

For now, you can all point, laugh and hopefully enjoy a picture of my growing belly. This was taken over the weekend. I'm about 13 weeks here.

xoxoL

We've gone public

Yesterday afternoon I told my editor, Mike, about the pregnancy. So, I'm officially "out" at the office. He took it very well, not that I expected him to freak out or anything.

A couple of comments he made that are so true:

1. It's going to suck to be pregnant during the summer.

2. You might need your own parking space.

I completely agree with both those statements.

The moment after I told my boss, I texted Morgan to tell him we could go public. Not two minutes later he had this blog address posted in Facebook. Good work, honey.

These little milestones are exciting for the two of us. Finding out we were having a baby was obviously the first one. Telling our families was the next one. The first time we heard the baby's heart beat; the first time we saw the baby; the moment we both noticed my stomach getting bigger; the day we told everyone.

After work today, M and I are driving up to NC to visit Mer and the Besozzis including their brand spanking new baby Rocco! I'm really excited to meet him for the first time. Stay tuned for some pictures from the weekend.

Oh and keep us in your thoughts as we attempt to navigate the roads today. It's supposed to snow down here this afternoon (about 4 inches is what's being forecasted) so everyone's freaking out. What can I say, it's the South.

Happy Friday!

xoxoL

Kind of creepy

This one's kind of creepy.

The baby turns towards us. Check out that creepy face! Morgan said it looks like "The Punisher." Courtney agreed. I chuckled and kindly asked her to move him/her back to profile.

So, I learned a few things this last appointment. Here they are:

1. The baby is taking in and swallowing amniotic fluid then peeing it out. Kind of gross but I'm told it's normal.

2. I shouldn't eat honey or peanut butter. I'm sorry, but I've found little evidence online to support cutting these foods out of my diet. Here's one article that says peanuts and peanut butter can actually prevent peanut allergies in children. This one says the opposite. Honey is a tough one because it could contain botulism.

I love peanut butter and honey and I don't think either in moderation will be harmful. That's just my opinion on the subject. What do you think?

3. Prenatal massages are different than regular massages in that the masseuse does not rub the back of the ankles. Doing so can induce contractions. Crazy, right?

Morgan and I are vacationing in Aruba in two weeks. Hopefully by then my belly will be pregnant big and not chubby big (like it is now).

My weight is normal. I've gained two pounds since my last appointment, which I'm told is normal.

Hope you all enjoy the videos and update!

xoxoL

Legs and arms!

Here's some more "copy machine" footage. The baby then flips over and you can make out a couple of little arms.

At this point the baby is about the size of a large plum.

Another thing to look for: The umbilical cord. It's not a tail or an organ (Morgan).

Let's drink!

Here's baby opening and closing his/her mouth. Can you guess what's going on here? I couldn't.

Sonographer Courtney told me the baby is taking in fluid, swallowing it and then peeing it back out only to repeat the process. I think my reaction was, "Eww."

Courtney it's all sterile and it's a great way for the baby to practice the process of consumption, digestion and excretion.

Wow.

The final shot in this video shows our baby's legs and bum. Envision him/her sitting on a copy machine and you'll get the image.

Baby's heartbeat (turn on your speakers!)

In this video you can hear the baby's heartbeat. It's beating at 164 bpm, which midwife Courtney (who is different then sonographer Courtney), said is perfect.

You can also see baby putting his/her hand to his/her face. Sonographer Courtney said there's no thumb sucking going on yet. Soon, though.

At the very end of this video you can see the baby opening and closing his/her mouth. More about that in video three!

Baby's first video!

This is our baby's first video. It was recorded Wed., Feb. 10, 2010 about 4 p.m. at the Trinity Center for Women in Columbus, Ga. Our ultrasonographer, Courtney, is such a cool, funny, comforting woman. She was making sure our baby knew we were there!

In this video, baby is in profile. The arms and legs are clearly visible in a number of these shots and he/she is making a point to turn away from the camera as if to say, "Don't bother me!"

Headaches and hiccups

Since the second I found out I was pregnant, I've had a series of nagging headaches that are so bad sometimes they make me feel nauseous and dizzy.

I've heard that headaches during the first trimester are normal. Some sources say you get them because your body is producing more blood. Others say it's a hormone thing.

Whatever it is, I wish it would stop. I do take Extra Strength Tylenol when it gets unbearable. Don't worry, Tylenol is on my list of approved drugs.

As for another symptom that's just popping up: Hiccups. They come and go pretty quickly so I'm not too annoyed by them, yet.

I recently read in one of my many baby books (thanks Lillie and Gregg) that at this point in my pregnancy, the baby is capable of swallowing and hiccuping. Maybe he/she is just letting me in on the fun.

Now officially in my 12th week, I feel I should be telling more people about the baby, but I'm just not quite ready to break the news to the bosses at work. I don't know why. Perhaps it's because under normal circumstances I try not to get too personal with them and this is a very personal experience.

My second appointment with midwife Julie is Wednesday so come back to the blog tomorrow for an updated ultrasound and maybe even some video if the technician allows our HD Cam in the room.

By the way, my tummy is totally rounding out. Mer, you'll be able to take a peak this weekend when Morgan and I come for a visit. At this point, my baby is the size of a large plum. Looking at me in a tight pair of jeans or a bathing suit, you can tell there's something going on in there. As soon as I get up the nerve, I'll post a belly picture here. Be patient, though. I'm self conscious about my middle right now.

Speaking to my pregnant friend, Rebecca, at a Super Bowl party Sunday we both agreed that we just feel fat at this point. Oddly enough, hearing her say that makes me feel better because she is a very slim girl.

It's not just my belly that's growing either. My hips and thighs have gotten noticeably bigger. Argh! Soon I fear I'll be shopping for maternity clothes. Today I'm wearing a dark pair of jeans and a black, flowing shirt that covers everything from my neck down to my hips.

Maybe it's time I start reading about and shopping for pregnancy fashion.

It's definitely time for Morgan and I to take a look at and sign up for some parenting/birthing classes. We're actually really looking forward to them. I'll let you guys know what we decide to take when we do our research.

Third trimester...here I come!

Pains in my bloat belly

Last night, right around bed time, I started to get this pain in my lower abdomen.

It wasn't an intense stabbing pain or anything, just waves of discomfort I guess you could say.

Today, it's persisted, but only intermittently and again, it's not debilitating.

After checking online, I am confident this dull ache is due to round ligaments stretching and thickening around my pelvis and uterus.

Though I'm not yet in my second trimester, I look like I am. My belly is super bloated, which I know is a common complaint of many women who don't think they're supposed to be showing yet.

Because I know that overeating and under exercising leads to weight gain which leads to a potentially unhealthy pregnancy, I've been committed to taking extra good care of myself since I found out I was pregnant. Even before I got knocked up I was always very health conscious.

I also know that just because I'm eating for two I can't cram whatever I want into my maw.

I exercise almost every day and really focus on putting good, nourishing food into my body. But I have to admit, being at the point where I can barely button my pants at week 11 is kind of frustrating.

Does/did anyone else have this issue?

Here are some exercise tips I found on the American Pregnancy Association's web site.

Let me add that I'm not really too concerned about my bloat belly (as Morgan and I affectionately call it). The only time I actually think about it is when my tummy hearts or when I think about the fact that I am Aruba-bound this month and the horror of me in a bikini sporting mid-winter white skin and a pudge keeps me up at night.

I know my body is going to change quickly now. I guess I just thought when I started to show it would be a cute, hard, round baby bump. Not a fatty blob of bloat. Too much information?

Surprise! I'm pregnant!

I would be lying if I said happiness was the first emotion that swept over me the day I peered at the white, plastic stick teetering on the edge of my bathroom sink and literally saw my life change before my eyes. There was that beautiful blue plus sign, but where was my elation?

Instead, there were just so many questions: How are we going to afford a baby? Is it smarter for my husband, Morgan, to stay in the Army after all? How are we going to renovate and sell our house before my due date? What about our upcoming, long-over due honeymoon to Aruba? Is that a chocolate bar over there?

And concerns: I don’t want to give birth in a military hospital. I hope my holiday drinking didn’t have an adverse effect on the fetus.

The positive test result at least explained my bloated belly, incessant headaches and psychotic episodes (sorry, honey).

It’s been three weeks since I found out I was pregnant. Since then I’ve chosen an amazing nurse-midwife named Julie to be my care provider, I’ve had my first ultrasound and I've heard my baby’s strong heart beat. I’ve felt the tendons around my stomach pull and stretch, winced at how sore my swelling breasts are and relished in my skin’s new dewy glow.

As each day goes by, I fall more and more in love with my unborn son or daughter and with the idea of being a mother.

Ask me what I want to have -- a boy or a girl -- and I’ll tell you, “I want a healthy baby.”

Monday I go in for my 12-week check-up. That’s when Julie and her staff will conduct the various screening tests such as a nuchal translucency screening and triple and quadruple screening tests. These screening tests will determine our chances of having a child with Down syndrome, trisomy 18 and other chromosomal abnormalities.

Now, I know some people decline these tests because they simple don’t want to know if something's wrong with their baby. That's their choice, but Morgan and I talked it over and we both feel it’s important to have them done to prepare for the road ahead.

Tell me your feelings on screening tests. Would you want to know? Did you have the tests done when you were pregnant? Are you a first time mother-to-be?

Welcome to my blog! Please continue to follow me on my journey to first-time motherhood. This will be a multi-media blog that contains pictures, helpful and interesting links and video (thanks to my new HD Flip Cam).

My next post will tell the story of a woman (who may or may not be me) who thought she was six weeks pregnant when she was really 10. I'll also share with you how my second ultrasound went (hopefully I can bring my Flip Cam into the room and record the images and heart beat), and also when I plan to tell my employers and human resources about the pregnancy.

Oh and did I fail to mention MY due date? It's Aug. 22, the day after my mom's birthday.