As Billy Fucillo says:

It's HUUUUUUGGGGGEEEE! (my belly that is). Took this one lying on the couch. So big, round and Buddha like, no?Dani and I went for a walk with Gail the other night. Great neighborhood for walking--lots of kids and puppies to wave to. Also, they have a playful, declawed kitten who seemed to enjoy being tormented by Dani.

And lastly, some pre-bedtime stretching.

Final ultrasound tomorrow--keep your fingers crossed that we see something dangling!

New baby update: we seen no peen.

Actual text I sent to Big Man this afternoon: "your sperm have failed me".

Well dear reader (dad), we have news. It's not as good as I'd hoped, but we had the 20 week ultrasound today. This is the 3-d profile of the baby--nose pointing to the right.

Apparently, I'm going to be giving birth to a hairless cat! Below, a newborn Sphynx, or hairless cat.

I can't really tell the difference.

Oh, but you're probably reading because you want to know the gender. In the event the title of the post didn't clue you in, it's a girl. No peen to be seen.

Honestly, I'm pretty bummed. I was sure it was a boy. The psychic Gail and I went to last week said it was a boy. Big Man was meant to have a boy! Yes, healthy baby most important, blah, blah, blah, blah. But two girls? Sounds like purgatory after about age 6. Big Man predicts another "Bethany junior". Be afraid. Be very afraid.

We need a name, 'cause I think if we stick with Tommy, she'd have some issues.

God bless America.

What an overwhelming night it was, no? I'm inspired. I'm proud. I am so happy that my baby will have no doubt that she can be absolutely anything in the world, despite being of mixed racial heritage.

I just layed in bed last night, listening to Obama's speech feeling the baby kicking and with tears in my eyes, just happy.

McCain's speech was surprisingly gracious. I even tuned into "fair and balanced" fox news, and heard Karl Rove talking about what a positive and progressive thing this was for America. I'm just downright inspired.

In local news, my old boss is now my congressman-elect!

Tomorrow's the 34 week, super-cool 3d ultrasound. Wes thinks I'm crazy, but I'm predicting that a penis will, indeed, be spotted. He thinks I'm in total denial, but I just think it's a boy. Tomorrow will tell. At the very least, I should have some cool pics to post.

Houston, we (don't know if) we have a penis.

We went to the doctor for the big reveal today, the 20 week ultrasound. We were supposed to find out if the baby is a boy or girl. Baby stretched out and moved and appeared to be in a decent position for measurements by the ultrasound tech...but when the doc came in to finish the job, the baby literally curled up into a ball. I think he flipped us off too but I can't be sure. In any event, we have no idea if it's a girl or boy. We did get a 3-d photo which is really scary. Like animated baby-zombie scary. So, boy or girl, I am apparently carrying a psychopath. Fun times. We will have one more ultrasound at week 32, but I'm not going to pin my hopes on that!

The photo below is a 3-d shot of the baby's head, and the round balls are baby's fists. I swear I didn't retouch these. Baby looks scaaaarrrrrry! Maybe we should name him Lon Cheney.

Baby 3, Doctor 0

Third week in a row of the nuchal translucency ultrasound. Stubborn baby still wouldn't get into the right position, so we will have to rely on the 16 week quad screen blood test for our birth defects testing.

Baby's now 8.84 centimeters! He grew over two centimeters in one week! Super baby! The ultrasound photo was pretty blurry so I'm not going to post it.

Next visit at 18 weeks, but not another ultrasound until 22 weeks, so we won't know the sex for two more months!

Baby 2, Doctor 0

Went for the second try for the nuchal translucency test today. I also refrained from the iced coffee this morning. While the uncaffeinated baby was definitely acting less like a ping-pong ball, he still wouldn't get into the right position to be measured...but he did grow more than a centimeter in one week! There was one time that the baby got close, and they switched over to 3D, and it was SO cool. He looked like ET. Really, at 13 weeks, babies sure don't look like people. But it was our cute little alien!

So, I have to go back Monday for one more try. Nothing like making extra trips to Latham when gas is a million dollars a gallon!

Anyway, that's the news here. My buddy Deb and I are going to head to CT this weekend to see my Gram, and meet my mom, who is flying in. Should be fun.

Went on a double date this weekend--with Aimee and Seamus, their first night out after having a baby in Feb. Very nice. Went to see the new Indiana Jones after dinner, and wow, I was disappointed. They had 20 years to come up with a better story line, and the cg effects were unnecessary and downright distracting. Monkey scene in particular. Disappointing. Glad they finally brought Marion back; she really got the shaft in the first trilogy.

Random Sunday thoughts

Why doesn't Hillary just drop out of the race already???? I can't wait to put my Obama lawn signs up!!

Headed for the 3-D ultrasound in the AM, can't wait to see the baby in high-def.

After a long vacation, Wes goes back to work tonight, can you say king size bed all to myself? It's the best of both worlds, he snuggles with me until I'm fast asleep, and heads out of the bedroom around 10:30, and then I have the bed all to myself. Which is great. Unless I have a bad dream, or there is a scary noise. Then it sucks. But, since he's working, I can always call him if I get scared, which I have done from time to time.

Did 2 political events today with the candidate for Assembly. He's great--dynamic and hardworking and I hope he does well. I got to speak at both events, and maybe I've just finally been doing it long enough the lawyer-politics combo that is, but no butterflies. Not nervous, just comfortable and talking. This is progress I like!

Need to start networking again now that I'm feeling more like a human being--had a burst of clients at the beginning, and it has begun to wane, so I've got to start working it! Baby's gotta eat!

More later.

New baby v. Old baby

I had an ultrasound today. I'm at 10 weeks and 4 days. During my last pregnancy, I had one at about the same time, and thought I'd look at the pics side by side to see if I notice any differences. I'm glad I did.

Today's baby pic:
See how there is a perfectly round yolk sac above, and the baby has room to stretch and play. Strong little heartbeat of 150bpm.

Below is the 10 1/2 week picture of the first baby. As you can see, there's barely anything around the baby, and it looks like the yolk sac is squeezed up above his/her head, and the space looks really cramped. That is no doubt because there was softball-sized fibroid crowing the space. Needless to say, I've been really nervous and will be until I get past 16 weeks, which is when we lost the last baby. BUT, just looking at the ultrasound pictures, I feel better--because I have visual proof that this new little baby has lots of room and is doing well.

In 9 days I go for the nuchal-translucency ultrasound. Hubby will be home and will get to attend. This is the super-new 3-D ultrasound that measures the baby's head and neck to see if there are birth defects. The cool thing is that we will get a 3-D image of the baby! Woo hoo!

Anyway, I thought I'd be posting every day when Wes was in Chicago, but I've been so crazy busy--worked until 9pm last night, that I've barely had time to read other people's blogs, much less post my own. The long weekend is upon me, and I've lots to post, so loyal reader (I mean you Dad!) come back soon!

Oops, I did it again...

So much can happen in a month.
Life slowly got back to normal. Started feeling less sore.
Went back to work, and started working on generating my own clients. Re-joined Curves.
After the mid-February surgical follow up, the OB scheduled a date in April that we were to have the final surgery followup, and then, ideally, get the green light to start trying again.

Last week, my period was due. Had bad cramps for three days, but no period. I just thought my body was playing tricks on me and getting back to normal after the surgery and stress. By Thursday night, I thought I should pick up a pregnancy test, just to ease my mind. After all, I was paying attention to my dates to ensure that there was no sex during any possible time of fertility (although disregarding my pledge to the doc that we'd actually use protection while I was healing). Friday morning, I wake up to still no period. It's early, and I'm not sleeping well and my allergies are awful. So, it's 6:30am, and I take the first pregnancy test in the two-pack. Positive. Decide that I'll try again after I shower. Positive. Pregnant!

Panic. Of course we wanted to start trying as soon as the doctor says I can, but we are about 3 weeks early! I began to imagine every worst-case scenario including a uterine blow-out at the surgery site or the doc saying it's too early and we have to terminate. I crawl into bed to wake the hubby to tell him, tearfully.

Coincidentally, neither of us remember having sex since 3/13, the day of my last cycle...so we actually get up, head to the home office, to look at the calendar and try to figure when we actually could have conceived this baby. We arrived at the Friday or Saturday before Easter. Who knew? Neither of us remember!

Why is it that every woman I know has described a similar scenario when they tell the father to be of their pregnancy. Even the most educated and sensitive men seem to have this caveman moment, that almost instinctual, "Me make baby. My sperm strong." moment. Hubby says, "Damn I'm good," and proceeds to kiss my forehead, and we snuggle in bed for a while.

I realize I have to get to work which is now a family-friendly three blocks from my house, and leave, intending to call the OB when I get to work to see if they want to move up my appointment with the doc, which I seem to think is at the end of April. I decide that a little McDonald's is an okay treat, so I hit the drive thru for a mcmuffin meal. When I get to work, I realize they threw in an extra hash brown, and decide that's a good sign, one for the baby!

At work, I look through my wallet for the appointment card, find it and learn that my OB appointment was that day! I call the hub and we decide it is another positive sign.

Scary bit: the ultrasound showed a small (15mm by 16mm) fibroid, but the nurse said it was not near where the baby would be. I immediately tear up, and fill with fear that this fibroid will exponentially grow and crowd out the baby, just like last time. But, I can't dwell on that.

Hopefully, I'll get an ultrasound at every visit to keep an eye on the fibroid. That's one benefit of a higher risk pregnancy--lots of ultrasounds!

Due date looks to be 12/17/08.

So, I'm 4 weeks pregnant and have already told half the universe. We are having a few couples over for dinner tonight and it will be obvious that there's a reason that I'm not drinking...

In a social setting, I'm always drinking. When you have a husband who doesn't drink very often, it just tends to work out that way. This pregnancy will be a nice break for my liver.

Anyway, our network of friends and family already were with us through the worst pregnancy news last year, so why not keep them informed of the good news.

Truth is, I can't keep a secret. Hubby's like a vault. His parents will probably find out when I'm in labor. I would have told the mailman if I saw him today!

Ultrasound--see the baby!

So tired.

Ultrasound this week. More later.

Had to photoshop in a football to send to the family.

Just a little guy but already throwing his first pass.