First Trimester Recap

Wow! The first trimester has flown by! Here is a little recap.

How I Found Out:
Despite all of my Lyme complications, my period still remained very regular. I didn't think for one second I was pregnant, but when I didn't start my period on time I decided to play it safe and get a cheap pregnancy test from the Dollar Store. I was taking medications for my Lyme that could be harmful during pregnancy, so I figured better safe than sorry! On January 4, I went on my lunch break and bought two cheap tests, and I proceeded to take them in the bathroom stall at work. (Not at all where I imagined finding out I would be a mama!) I totally would have waited on Shane had I thought I was about to receive such exciting news. I took the test, and browsed my phone while waiting for the results. I glance over and saw two lines, and said OH S*#! -- I quickly took the second test and sure enough -- another pair of lines appeared! On the way home from work, I stopped by Publix to get a real pregnancy test, and after a few minutes the word PREGNANT popped up on the screen.

How I Told Shane:
I didn't know how to tell Shane, but I knew I didn't want to frantically call him while he was at work which was my initial reaction. So I waited -- an ETERNITY -- well more like a 6 hours until he got home.



I wrote Daddy on a few different things that we normally use throughout our evening routine, and I decided it would be best received if he had a chance to come in and get settled first. I wrote it inside a mug he uses for hot cider and on a dog toy thinking I could just causally share the news with him when the time felt right. Well it felt right just moments after he walked in the door, and I just blurted out -- "Wanna hear something exciting? We are pregnant" He had NO facial expression and just said "Nuh uh" -- then he could tell by the look on my face I was serious. He gave me a hug, and I could tell he was stunned. He said "How did this happen?" and I just busted out laughing as if I needed to tell him about the birds and the bees. Come to find out, my Lyme medications messed up my birth control, and well -- sex really does make babies!

I could hardly wait a single second to tell my parents and sisters. I FaceTimed them, and they were just as stunned and excited as we were!

^^ I thought my mom's phone froze because she was like this for a solid 3 minutes. Snow was in the forecast that weekend, so my parents were making a big pot of chili when I FaceTimed them. I asked what they were doing and they said "cooking chili", and I told them, "I am cooking something, too! A baby!"

I didn't take a screen capture of Tina's reaction... 

but it looked much like these. Eyes wide // jaw to the floor! 

5 weeks - Appleseed

At this stage your embryo is dividing into three layers of cells. The top layer will eventually become the central nervous system: the brain, spinal cord, spinal nerves, and backbone. The middle layer will develop into the circulatory system and the bottom layer is where the lungs, intestines, thyroid and other major internal organs will develop.

6 weeks - Sweet Pea

Your baby is rapidly growing and will triple in size this week. Basic facial features such as eyes and ears are becoming more developed and the neural groove will have closed by this time. The tiny heart is starting to pump blood.

Along the midline, 40 tiny blocks of tissue are developing which will eventually become the backbone, ribs, and muscles of your baby's back and sides.

7 weeks - Blueberry

This week your baby's brain is becoming more complex and is developing cavities and passages vital for circulating spinal fluid. Your baby's face is also becoming more defined with the lenses of the eyes and middle part of the ear forming. Tiny arms, legs, hands and feet are also just beginning to bud.

8 weeks - Raspberry

By now, your baby's head is proportionally larger than the rest of the body and the ears and eyelids are developing. Fingers and toes are developing from the arm and leg buds which now have distinguished wrists and elbows that can even flex. At this stage your baby's heart rate is around 150 beats per minute.

Baby is as big as a ... raspberry

Mama is craving ... anything [and everything] that doesn't smell gross

& feeling ... some morning sickness and battling a bad cold. [Lyme symptoms are still at bay!]

9 weeks - Green Olive

This week the embryonic tail disappears. The hands and feet look a lot less like paddles and have more formed fingers and toes. These changes give your baby a more human shape. Your baby's head is still larger than the rest of the body and the eyes are fully developed, but are covered by the eyelids which are fused shut for the next 16 weeks or so.

Inside your baby's body the internal reproductive organs, testes or ovaries, are starting to form but will not be quite distinguishable until the next couple of weeks.

Baby is as big as a ... green olive

Mama is craving ... a Falcons victory #RiseUp

& feeling ... gross. Lots of morning sickness.

10 weeks - Prune/Strawberry

The tenth week marks the beginning of a critical period in your baby's development when all the vital organs have formed and are beginning to function. Your baby is also growing tiny nails on the fingers and toes, as well as tiny buds for teeth.

Baby is as big as a ... strawberry

Mama is craving ... everything -- all the time. SO hungry!

& feeling ... pretty good as long as I stay fed. (Way more sleepy lately!)

11 weeks - Lime

You can’t see it, but baby’s moving fluidly and gracefully in there.

Baby’s skin is see-through, but is on his or her way to looking more like a baby.

Baby’s fingers and toes aren’t webbed anymore.

Baby is as big as a ... line

Mama is craving ... chipotle.

& feeling ... GREAT! 

12 weeks - Plum

At 12 weeks pregnant, baby is as big as a plum. The average fetus at 12 weeks is about 2.1 inches long and .49 ounces. Now that baby's got pretty much all his or her important organs, his or her main job is to keep on growing. Go, baby go!

Baby is as big as a ... plum

Mama is craving ... SO much food.

& feeling ... STARVING & sleepy.

13 weeks - Lemon

Your baby now has his own unique fingerprints, and his veins and organs are clearly visible through his still-thin skin. His body is starting to catch up with his head, which makes up just a third of his body size now. As you approach your second trimester, most of your baby's critical development will be completed and your risk of miscarriage will drop. Early pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness and fatigue may soon fade, too.

Baby is as big as a ... lemon

Mama is craving ... eggos

& feeling ... excited for the gender reveal this weekend!

When we conceived, I was about 20 lbs underweight due to my Lyme symptoms, so as soon as the baby started to grow I started to show. I absolutely LOVE my sweet bump because I felt so betrayed by my body for so long and now it is creating such a miracle! 

^^ Shane announcing the news!!

^^ Rowan was so thrilled! She had lots of questions about how the baby got in there! I will leave those up to her parents -- I just told her we prayed really hard. Haha! 

^^ My sweet family. 

^^ Shane's 30th birthday party

^^ We traded in my convertible for a Sante Fe Sport, and I LOVE it!