17 Weeks

Well...this past week has been an emotional rollercoaster! Several of my family members spent a wonderful weekend in Oklahoma City for the 10th Annual OKC Memorial Marathon. I, for several reasons relating to my pregnancy, did not finish the half marathon, but I did finish the 10K (6.2 miles)!!! When I think of 13.1 miles, I think, "Oh, that is nothing....anybody can do it." But when it really comes down to it, it is hard! I am just happy I finished the 10K! The rest of my family completed the half marathon, and my cousin-in-law ran the full marathon in 4 hours and 28 minutes! Now that is real dedication!

I have noticed that I am becoming much more emotional. I have a tendency to cry at EVERYTHING! I have also been having crazy and vivid dreams! I kind-of look forward to having these crazy dreams each night. :) I have also begun having more hip pain, which I expected would come sooner or later. I was just hoping it would be later :) I have heard that this is just all part of pregnancy. This week...17 weeks...my baby is about the size of an onion. By 20 weeks, he or she will be about the size of a cantaloupe! No wonder I am beginning to "pop"! I have also begun having major cravings! I have never wanted Cheetos so much in all my life! Only about 2 weeks until we find out if it is a boy or a girl!

Survivor

Yesterday was kind-of a bittersweet day for me. It marked the 15 year anniversary of the the OKC Bombing and the death of my grandparents. It was also my 16 week OB appointment. I was so excited to finally hear my little one's heartbeat, yet I was thinking of how I wish my grandparents were hear to see all of this and share these moments with me. I know it has been 15 years, but I still miss them everyday! Several members of my family will be walking/running in the 10th Annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon this weekend as a tribute to the victims, family members, and survivors of the OKC Bombing. I am looking forward to spending this time with my family, and remembering my wonderful grandparents. (I am also hoping I can make it through the 1/2 marathon!)

On a bit of a lighter note...I FINALLY heard the baby's heartbeat yesterday. I was a bit nervous going into the appointment because I still had not heard the heartbeat. The doctor said that everything was fine at the 12 week appointment. The baby was just resting under the scar tissue on my lower abdomen, and we could only see the heartbeat on the ultrasound. We finally found the heartbeat yesterday! YEAH!! He/she is still resting right under my scar, but the heartbeat was strong! 150 beats per minute! My doctor said she thinks it might be a boy because he is a little stinker and won't move for us! I, of course, cried a bit when I heard the heartbeat! Shocking for a pregnant woman, right?!? Seeing the baby is one thing, but hearing the heartbeat just makes it that much more real! Matt and I are looking forward to our next appointment. 20 weeks! We are going to find out the gender of the baby!

Let the swelling begin

Well, I am now 15 weeks pregnant, and he or she is about the size of a naval orange and growing by leaps and bounds every week. I feel the baby "moving" more and more. The little flutters really increased when I went on my business trip to New Mexico this week. I guess the altitude change affected my baby too! I believe the plane ride and altitude change has also jump-started the swelling. I put on my sandals this morning, and had to loosen them because my feet are swollen just a bit. Despite the swelling, I have been feeling great! I have finally remembered to take a belly picture. The first one is me at 14 weeks, and the second is 15 weeks. There isn't much of a difference, but I feel bigger each day! See below :)

**14 Weeks**

**15 Weeks**

Always a fruit!

Well, I have fogotten...again...to take a belly shot so everyone out of town can see how big (or fat!) I have gotten. According to all the baby websites, my baby is about the size of a lemon now. No wonder I feel him/her all the time. Since Saturday, I have felt the little flutters constantly. I also seem to have developed additional symptoms of pregnancy, as if the ones I have are not enough! I now get a headache pretty much every day. They tend to come in the afternoon and last throughout the evening. I know they are just because of the increased hormones rushing through my body, but they still stink! I have also begun to have round ligament pain. I coughed this morning, and it felt like my muscles were being ripped to shreds. Now, the pain only lasts for a few seconds, but man does it hurt! My gag reflexes are now acting full force! (Sorry, to those of you who have weak stomachs!) I have not been nauseous in about a week and a half (YEAH!), but I can't seem to keep my cookies down. And brushing my teeth is the worst!! I never thought I would hate to brush my teeth. I have to psyche myself up to even take my vitamins.

However, no matter how bad the ripping muscles or how annoying the headaches, I am very grateful to have this little one growing inside me!! I can't wait to met him/her.

Is that what I think it is?

I think I may have felt the baby move....I think. Of course, I don't really know what it feels like because I have never been pregnant. Most information I have read says that new moms don't usually feel the baby move until at least 16 weeks. But I know I felt something! I felt something a bit odd on Monday. It was like a little fluttering feeling. I thought that it could be the baby, but I just dismissed it thinking, "There is no way I could be feeling the baby now!" However, I felt it happened again yesterday afternoon, but it was much stronger! I felt it several times within about five minutes. I am sure it was the baby. Am I going crazy? Maybe I want to feel the baby so badly that I just think I felt it. I guess I will really know when the baby gets a bit bigger and really starts to move!