15 Weeks!

How far along? 15 Weeks! Baby Rivera is the size of an orange, measuring 4 ½ inches and weighing 2-3 ounces.

Total weight gain/loss? No weight gain yet, but I weigh myself in the morning so I am sure by the end of the day there has to be at least an extra pound on me.

Feeling Sick? Every day is different. Some days I feel great and others I feel horrible. Some days I feel like I would if waking up in Vegas after an all night, drunken Bachelorette party.

Clothing? I am finding less and less to wear each day. Thank goodness I wear scrubs a lot. I am thinking a maternity shopping trip may be necessary real soon.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? I am finding sleep way more difficult and I can’t figure out why. I seem to find myself waking up due to discomfort. I have no idea how I am going to manage when I am 8 months pregnant?

Movement? Nope, but anxiously waiting for it!

Cravings? No intense cravings, but I wish I could eat fish more. I am really enjoying fish tacos. I bought a lot of fruit this week and it tastes great. I don’t think I will ever give up eating these (look below). Another reason why I am surprised I haven’t gained any weight.

Gender? We still think we know what it is, but we will do another ultrasound sometime this week to hopefully confirm.

What I miss? I miss feeling normal on a daily basis. Everyday is so unpredictable.

Upcoming Events? John is going to do another ultrasound soon and my 3^rd OB appt. is on 9/9. We will be seeing a lot of family this weekend at our niece’s joint birthday party.

Best moment of the week? I am really excited that I am starting to show more. I am anxious to look more pregnant, so that is fun.

Babys first Rap music

Thursday night, Baby Rivera attended the Lil Wayne concert (as well as Keri Hilson, Lloyd, Far East Movement, and Rick Ross)! I am not a big fan of any of these artists, but it was a planned girls outing and I thought why not expose the peanut to some hip-hop jams? Not exactly my cup of tea unfortunately. First, our group of girls was about a decade older then the rest of the crowd, and second, this is what I did to stay comfortable through the whole thing....

There was such an abundance of marijuana smoke that if I would have taken a drug test after the concert, it definitely would have come up positive. My sense of smell is so sensitive right now that it took away for the whole experience. Oh well, the other girls had a great time and we all got some dancing in. That is all that truly matters, right?

Yoga

I attended my first prenatal yoga class yesterday, and to my surprise, it went fairly well. My best bud, Jessica, is a yoga advocate and has stressed to me for a while the benefits of it and how relaxing it is. I had my doubts because all of the moves she has showed me were no where near relaxing. Painful they were, but not relaxing. The prenatal class was right up my alley. It combined simple stretching with breathing and meditation, with an emphasis on connecting with our babies. It was so nice to be in a room with several other pregnant moms-to-be. I felt in good company and will definitely go back throughout my pregnancy.

Boy or Girl??

So John and I did an early ultrasound on Friday to see if we could see the sex of the baby. We have a rough idea on what we are having, but I still thought it would be fun to see what people think it is going to be (and I still want guesses from people who I told the possible sex because it still could be wrong). I am not going to officially post the sex until we are at least 99.9% sure, which may take a few more weeks. Happy Guessing:)

So apparently my poll disappeared? I tried to add another one and had no luck. Dang you technology! If you still want to make a guess, then leave your guess in the comment section.

14 Weeks!

How far along? 14 Weeks! Baby Rivera is the size of a clenched fist.

Total weight gain/loss? I still have not gained any weight.

Feeling Sick? Why yes I am. Very fatigued, nauseous, and today I experienced another sudden puking session. I hope I feel better soon. The second trimester is supposed to be better.

Clothing? I am still wearing my pre-pregnancy clothes, but I am thinking I am going to need to invest in some bigger items soon. I was going to try the rubber band trick this weekend, but could not find a rubber band to save my life, so another sundress it is.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? The fact that I am so tired had aided in me sleeping pretty well.

Movement? Nope. Sometimes and I think I mistake gas for movementJ

Cravings? I have still have yet to experience any intense cravings, but I am enjoying salads, soups, tacos, and cupcakes.

Gender? Well, we have a bit of a better idea of what we are having after the ultrasound this past week, but I am not going to announce anything until we get a better picture.

What I miss? I miss having more energy. I feel so sluggish and some days have no desire to get out of bed. I am hopeful this will pass soon.

Upcoming Events? Grandma Rivera is coming into town next week.

Best moment of the week? The ultrasound John did on Friday was fun. We got some great pictures of the baby and I am convinced I have a future dancer growing inside of me.

13 Weeks!

How far along? 13 Weeks! Baby Rivera is the size of a peach, about 3 inches long.

Total weight gain/loss? Yeah, still no weight gain, but man I swear I look bigger (in the boobs and belly).

Feeling Sick? I would have said No if I posted this before I had my first puke attack this morning. Man, that came out of nowhere. I was talking to my mom and feeling fine, then suddenly it hit me that I needed to throw up. What a strange sensation. I am hoping I don’t end up with second trimester morning sickness. I would be bummed. The heartburn is pretty regular now and I can’t figure out what foods are causing it.

Clothing? Still wearing my same ol’ clothes.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? Okay. Sleeping at night really well, but some days I toss and turn. Maybe it is the heat?

Movement? Nope.

Cravings? Hmmm? Frozen yogurt cones! Peaches, fresh bread, vegetables. Enjoying everything at the farmers market I find every week.

Gender? Boy? Girl? Who knows? John and I are going to perform ultrasounds on a weekly basis from now on until we see private parts.

What I miss? I miss feeling like I belong. I am starting to feel that sense of awkwardness being the pregnant girl out dancing with all my single girlfriends. I am not sure if booty popping suits me anymore. Bummer. But I swear I am going to try and own this pregnancy and work it even when I am huge.

Upcoming Events? My second prenatal appt. is tomorrow.

Best moment of the week? Spending alone time with my baby’s daddy, and finally being able to openly discuss my pregnancy with all of my friends and family. I also had a hair appt. which was long overdue. My hairdresser did good!! It is all starting to feel real.

Hashimoto's Disease

So I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease prior to getting pregnant and I thought I would share a little info about it as to the importance it plays in fertility and maintaining pregnancy. Here is a brief description on what it is.....

What is Hashimoto's disease?

Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. It also is called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (theye-royd-EYET-uhss). The thyroid is a small gland in the front of the neck. The thyroid makes hormones called T3 and T4 that regulate how the body uses energy. Thyroid hormone levels are controlled by the pituitary, which is a pea-sized gland in the brain. It makes thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which triggers the thyroid to make thyroid hormone.

With Hashimoto’s disease, the immune system makes antibodies that damage thyroid cells and interfere with their ability to make thyroid hormone. Over time, thyroid damage can cause thyroid hormone levels to be too low. This is called an underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism (heye-poh-THEYE-royd-ism). An underactive thyroid causes every function of the body to slow down, such as heart rate, brain function, and the rate your body turns food into energy. Hashimoto’s disease is the most common cause of an underactive thyroid. It is closely related to Graves’ disease, another autoimmune disease affecting the thyroid.

I was very surprised to learn that I had this disease because I was asymptomatic. Fortunately I found a great endocrinologist who agreed to manage me during my pregnancy. I have blood work drawn every 4 weeks to check my TSH and T4 levels to make sure they are within the very strict parameters they should be in during pregnancy. Due to the overwhelming demands on the body during pregnancy, my medication regimen may change several times to ensure the safety of the baby and myself. As in most thyroid related diseases, I will remain on medication for the majority of my life.

I wanted to put this out there for anyone who may have or may think they have a thyroid disorder. I didn't realize the importance of the thyroid when it comes to getting pregnant and carrying a healthy pregnancy. Don't hesitate to ask your doctors questions about testing your thyroid if you have had complications getting or maintaining pregnancy.

Hello Second Trimester-12 weeks!

How far along? 12 Weeks!!! Baby Rivera is the size of a large plum, about 2 ½ inches.

Total weight gain/loss? I lost the 1 pound that I gained, so I am now back to my pre-pregnancy weight. But I am excited to start gaining in my second trimester and finally look pregnant.

Feeling Sick? Nope. I feel pretty good. I am now starting to get heartburn, but it is not bad. My mom had heartburn from 4 months on, so I guess I take after her.

Clothing? I still refuse to put on a pair of jeansJ I have yet to buy a bellyband or any maternity attire. I am still comfy in the majority of my clothes.

Stretch Marks? Nope.

Sleep? Some nights/days I sleep well and others I don’t. I did buy myself a body pillow this week to see if that aids in me sleeping better.

Movement? Not yet, but a lot of movement in the ultrasound again this week. Baby Rivera is already sucking his/her thumb (the left thumb, so the doctor thinks he/she will be left handed and smart).

Cravings? No new cravings. Still love Fruits, Salads, Bread, and sweets that contain fruit in them.

Gender? I am still convinced it is a boy. John, and several of my family and friends, thinks it is a girl. John even purchased a gorgeous sequin pink purse for me to show how much he thinks it is a girl (they had the bag in blue too, but he is convinced).

What I miss? Not much actually! Oh wait, I do miss over easy eggs and bleu cheese. Hehe. I love being pregnant, so there isn’t much to miss.

Upcoming Events? I have a few doctors’ appointments this month and a prenatal massage.

Best moment of the week? The nuchal translucency screening. Hearing that the baby was healthy and thriving was the best news I could have received. Also just seeing how big he/she has gotten was incredible. I feel so lucky.

One Healthy baby!

Today was a very exciting (and nerve racking) day. One of the perinatologists I work with performed my nuchal translucency screening. This is a 3 part test that includes blood work and an ultrasound anatomy screen of the baby. They specifically measure the fluid on the back of the baby's neck to detect Downs Syndrome or Trisomy 18. My appt. couldn't have gone better. The baby looks perfect. The doctor laughed and said you couldn't have paid someone for better results. He took over 50 pictures of the little peanut! Here are a few........I feel so blessed!!

Arms

Legs Crossed

4D head, arm and belly

Head and Belly

This is my favorite!! Head, right ear, and little peanut sucking it's arm.