Just Another Update

This is another “update” post…as opposed to an introspective post that might actually be of some use to someone.  I apologize.  I’ve been staring at my computer for hours over the last two days, trying to remember all of the clever ideas for posts I’ve had in the past.  I can’t remember them…but I’m working on it.  So, for now, you’re stuck with a crappy update (and this weekend…I’m going to do a “book review” of the three donor egg children’s books I bought…real creative, I know).

• I’ve started taking oral medication for gestational diabetes.  My fasting blood sugar levels were consistently elevated, so Dr. B made the decision to put me on an oral medication at bedtime with the understanding that, if it does not help, I may be looking at the use of insulin during my pregnancy.  This isn’t a matter of diet (although, lack of exercise could be having an effect).  My blood glucose levels are very consistent (and within normal limits) throughout the day, while I am eating (indicating that my diet isn’t the issue).  But the fasting levels are the important ones…and they aren’t so good.  We’ll see how well the medicine is working at next Wednesday’s Week 16 appointment.

• I am crying constantly.  I feel like a crazy woman.  I cried while struggling with infertility, but I was under so much stress and dealing with so much pain and disappointment, I knew my crying was justified.  I’m happy right now…so why the incessant bawling?  Sometimes at work, I start crying for no reason at all.  And worse yet, at night my mind tortures me and I end up “fantasizing” about giving birth or breastfeeding…causing me to cry tears of joy and fear for hours on end (hours that I would much rather spend sleeping).  I’m not depressed or even anxious.  I’m just hormonal…make that REALLY hormonal… I guess.

• I feel more and more certain every day that we are having a boy.  I selfishly am a little hopeful that I am wrong…as I am dying for pink and frills and bows.  The Prince keeps joking that perhaps we will get lucky and our baby will be “a perfect little clone” of him.  I say, “Yeah.  We can only hope” [insert eye roll].  I have no idea what is leading me to believe that the baby is a boy.  I don’t say Baby Hamish anymore (although The Prince won’t give the nickname up).  But I say “he” and “him” whenever I am referring to the baby.  Both of our families keep thinking that we know the gender and just aren’t telling them…and that our male pronoun usage is a slip-up on our parts.  In reality, it is 5 more weeks before we find out the baby’s gender…5 VERY LONG weeks.

• The Prince got re-motivated to work on our kitchen and nursery renovations.  He spends hours each day, after work, drilling, sawing, measuring and doing various other construction activities (Last night he broke a giant wrench in two while removing a radiator from the space where the refrigerator is going to go…my Muscle Man).  I’m just so thrilled that we are finally making some progress.  Two weeks ago I was convinced that our baby would be getting his diapers changed on top of the dishwasher that is currently in the nursery room.  Now I have hope that we may make our deadline.

• And last, but certainly not least…Yesterday we FINALLY heard the baby’s heartbeat (loud and clear) on the home Doppler.  Our baby is either VERY strong or my uterus is REALLY sensitive, because the baby’s movements are really evident whenever I am laying down trying to sleep.  I’ve heard that baby movements feel like a butterfly fluttering, but that is not my experience.  Mine feels like a pinky finger is gently scraping or pushing out on my belly, from the inside.  It isn’t painful, but it’s not some tickling fluttering feeling either.  Yesterday, when I was trying to take my after-work nap, the baby was moving like crazy.  So, since I could tell exactly where the baby was, I decided to try the home Doppler.  It took about 10 seconds to find the heartbeat.  I brought the Prince in to listen and I started crying when I saw him getting choked up (again with the crying).  Every day we are making progress in our pregnancy journey…and those little milestones make all of the difference in the world to me.