Week 13

~~Amanda

End of Week 13 Status:
Weight: 143.6 lbs.
Estimated Baby Size: Lemon

Well it was Baby Schwartz's first ultrasound this week, and we were blown away by the experience. I had no idea how much joy hearing our little baby's heartbeat would bring me. It was just sooo cute! Like a little rabbit. When the nurse first did the sound ultrasound...not sure what this is called...she said she thought she could hear two heartbeats. We both heard it too, and were a little shocked. We started getting excited at the thought of having two babies for the price of one pregnancy, but as it turns out, Gorthar or Baby Schwartz I sometimes call him/her now that i've seen his/her gorgeous face, was just playing a little April Fool's joke on us. I don't blame him/her since his/her Grandma Harper just tried to play the same joke on Grandpa Harper yesterday. I guess he/she showed us how it's really done, ha!

The visual ultrasound was just as remarkable as the audio version, as we could see the baby rolling over, stretching, moving its arms, and we could see its little heart beating away. Ahhh, what a relief to see it being a healthy little baby. Our next appointment will be in the first few weeks of May sometime. We should be able to find out the baby's sex at that time. I think that while everyone agrees they are contented to see a healthy baby, Grandma Harper is pulling for a girl, and Andy for a boy. I can't make up my mind at all. I used to think I only wanted boys, but I can see being just as excited if she is a girl. I just know it will be nice to have a specific pronoun I can use. :)

Well, I think I'll have some peppermint tea, and watch something. I could use some relaxation after all this excitement today.

See you next week!

Week 12

~~Amanda

End of Week 12 Status:
Weight: 142.5 lbs.
Estimated Baby Size: Medium Shrimp

Woohoo!!!! We've made it to the SECOND TRIMESTER! We are officially 1/3 of the way to having a baby. Week 12 was rather dull....so I'm not going to have a whole lot to say. All that happened was school related, and wasn't interesting. Babywise, we are really excited about our first ultrasound appt and visit with the doctor scheduled for this time next week.

My diet has been hard. I have been trying to avoid sugar, but the quest is driving me crazy, and I seem to only crave fatty, salty, or sugary foods. I have to basically force-feed myself broccoli and mixed vegetables along with my meals. If I followed my cravings I would have some sort of pizza, cheesy Italian , spicy Thai, Indian, or Chinese dish with dessert for every meal. I can't imagine that would be very good for Gorthar. Sooo, I've been being good for the most part. I do sneak the occasional sugary glass of V8 Splash once in a while, but as soon as this last jug is finished it will be banished from the shopping list. I have decided to allow myself pure dessert-type sweets in small portions once every two or three days. I am combatting generations of sweet-tooth genes; my dad's side has a notorious weakness for desserts, and my grandparents on my mom's side used to manufacture their own chocolates for the whole family every single Christmas!

Other than cravings, I've been getting headaches, which I can only guess mean I need to drink more water. I try to have a bottle with me at all times, but it can seem a chore to make constant trips to the bathroom. They wouldn't be so annoying if I wasn't having to utilize the nasty public toilets of Old Dominion University. I can't imagine hovering will be very easy to manage in the later months of my pregnancy. Ha! In any case, I will have to get better at forcing myself to drink up.

Well, I hardly want to drone on forever about pizza cravings and potty breaks, so I shall bid you adieu. Tune in next week for the ultrasound update!

Week 11

~~Amanda

End of Week 11 Status:
Weight: 142 lbs.
Estimated Baby Size: Lime

Welcome to Week 12! Week 11 wasn't incredibly eventful...I didn't feel well for the better part of it, and going back to school and dealing with rainy weather didn't help. I do feel better now, however, and have a weekend packed with studying to look forward to. Both Andy and I have exams on Monday; I also have two papers due. It's interesting how our classes seem to use the same day to make all big projects due. Anyhow, this is hardly of any interest baby-wise.

My arm has a bit of a charlie horse right now from the flu shot I endured earlier today. When I first was shot, I had the impression that I got off easy. I barely felt grazed. In a chipper mood, I carried out the rest of my daily tasks not realizing the second I ceased my scurrying about I would pay for it with an achey deltoid. I only wish they would have picked a less useful "muskel." I can't remember the last time I used my extensor carpi radialis...furthermore, I can't remember the last time I had the flu! However, I guess it's a mandatory vaccination for pregnant women. It takes about two weeks for my system to build enough antibodies to combat the virus, so I will be shunning sicklies until then.

Other than a sore arm, my belly has been raising an itch fit. Every few minutes or so I have to run my fingers across it lightly to stop the stretching itches. It may not be that apparent from the tummy shot, but I am definitely in a process of expansion at the moment. It's a good thing low-rise pants have been in style the last few years; I don't know how women in the 80's managed without them....that's just painful to think about! And kind of funny...let's find a picture...

Well, Ok, she might as well be living in the 80's....what's with the double belt???

Alrighty, it's past Gorthar's bedtime, and I'm pretty exhausted myself. I am observing the kiddies at the elementary school tomorrow and it might be my last day there. Those 30 hours flew by.

See you next week for the 2nd trimester!

Week 10

~~Amanda

End of Week 10 Status:
Weight: 142 lbs.
Estimated Baby Size: Fig

I know I am late writing this, as it's already day 3 of week 11, but Andy and I have been enjoying our break, and I just didn't feel like writing until now. Spring break has been a wonderful respite for both of us. We started it off with a trip to the Back Bay Wildlife Refuge just south of Virginia Beach on Virginia's outer banks. It is an awesome place, so filled with beauty. I plan on making many more trips there in the next few years. Sunday afternoon we had a barbecue in the park with our friends Bob and Marcia. We are going to their daughter's birthday party tomorrow, which little Caroline told us is going to be a Wonder Pets fiesta!

I was hoping there would be lots of exciting stuff to add this week as my first prenatal appointment was on Tuesday, but it ended up just being some sort of orientation for the hospital, and there were several other pregnant couples present. I didn't eat before we left, not sure why, but I definitely regretted it when I found out they wanted 8 vials of my blood. I am lucky I didn't pass out. I guess I had more than enough to spare. :) It will be another few weeks before we get to hear our little one's heartbeat, and we can't wait. April 2nd, Day 1 of Week 14!

Fourteen weeks is a long time to have to wait for most people, but I am fine with it. I was really impressed with the hospital, and I feel completely confident and comfortable to be in their care. Naval Medical Center Portsmouth is more progressive than most civilian hospitals, as they allow options such as natural birth, midwives, shower labor, and even low lighting or music at birth. I am very relieved, since after watching the instant viewing film "The Business of Being Born" on Netflix, I am not incredibly keen on the idea of drugs, or being on my back for delivery. I'm going to go with the Europeans on this one, ha! I have been in a lot of pain many times in my life and it has never killed me. I know this will hurt more than anything I've ever experienced, but I consider it a rite of passage, and am determined to do it my way on God's time, not some hospital's.

Well, Gorthar is thirsty and hungry and I'm still not really in the mood for writing--which you can probably tell from my lackluster sentence structure--so I'm gonna sign out for this week. See ya soon.

Week 9

~~Amanda

End of Week 9 Status:
Weight: 142 lbs.
Estimated Baby Size: Kumquat

Week 10 has gloriously arrived and I revel in disbelief at the fact that I am already a quarter of the way through my pregnancy. I will admit that I am forcing myself to write this week. Today marks the beginning of our Spring Break, and the last thing I feel like doing right now is writing...but I know I would regret it later if I didn't. Now that Week 9 has come and gone, I suppose it is time I fill you in on all the excitement. We finally have a house that is under contract, which we are hoping to close on in April sometime. Here are a few pictures just to give you a taste:

We are very excited about it, it has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living rooms, a dining room, and an eat-in kitchen. It also has an attached garage, and a detached garage/workshop art studio in the backyard. The yard is my favorite part, see the picture. It was taken from a tree loft--I won't call it a tree house because it has no roof--which has a place for a swing. In any case, I'm sure I'll be writing a lot about its progress and the baby's room in the future weeks...but just in case something happens and we end up not closing on it, I have nothing more to say about it for now. Besides, it feels like all I've been doing in my French class has been describing houses, their rooms, and whatever else...I'm bored with the idea of writing it in English.

Andy and I continue to do well in school despite the insanity of juggling midterms, huge writing/research assignments, orchestra practice, and (for me) observation at the elementary school, (for Andy) NROTC stuff and writing for the newspaper. We are planning on thoroughly relishing this Spring Break, and I already have a cookout planned at one of the parks in Virginia Beach to enjoy our 70 degree weather this weekend....finally! I miss exploring trails.

I know I shouldn't complain when my brother and sister-in-law in Rochester, NY have had so much winter weather, but I have been spoiled by beach weather for too many years now...I need my swamp! Hmmm...I will most likely eat those words along with any other smorgasbord that gets set before me around July when I weigh another 20 lbs, and it's a humid 98 degrees outside.

Pregnancy has become considerably easier this week. My fatigue has started to wear off a bit, and I have been getting fewer mood swings. It is nice not to have random road rage. I do, however, still have the handicap of baby brain which likes to send me off on wild goose chases.

I have my first prenatal appointment on Tuesday this week, so Week 10's post should have lots of pregnancy specifics.

Until then, enjoy your week everyone. I know we will!

Week 8

~~Amanda

End of Week 8 Status:
Weight: 140 lbs
Estimated Baby Size: Grape

Week 9 has arrived, and I have been working at Hermitage elementary school observing the art program there. It's intense to think that in a few years I will have one of these little rapscallions that I've been watching weave paper and play with glitter. Actually, I'll have one in a few months, but I am talking about a school-aged child. The kids are all so different; some are sweet, intelligent, and/or shy, while others are rotten, rude, and rambunctious. I pray for patience. If I can handle twenty children that belong to other people for a few hours of the day, I have a feeling I will be fine with one or more of my own all the time every day.

As is usual, I have been really tired all week. Doing exercises helps, but the prenatal pilates made my abs really sore. I am assuming that means they are working, so I plan to continue my regimen of them every couple days, along with a mile run. I have been eating healthy again all week, sticking to Kashi cereals, fruits, yogurt, and other yummy stuff. --Sidetrack-- Dinner is always my favorite part of the day. I love salmon and wild rice.....mmmm...and all kinds of pasta. Getting hungry.....very hungry....

Other than fatigue and hunger I have been pretty crampy off and on. I finally broke down and went to my primary care doctor this week because I was afraid I might have had a UTI. I had one earlier last year and didn't even notice, so I didn't want to take the chance. My abdomen had been pretty sore for a few weeks. Thankfully, I was cleared. Getting sleepy....very sleepy.... Hmmm, what else... We're going to our friends' baby shower this weekend; it was fun looking at the baby stuff on the registry ,yet kind of scary too. There is so much stuff we're going to have to buy! Ok, really, I'm tired....I'm gonna go veg out now, sleepwise and tummy wise...see you next week!

Week 7

~~Amanda

End of Week 7 Status:
Weight: 139 lbs

Estimated Baby Size: Kidney Bean

Today is Day 1 of Week 8. So.....I just ate six pieces of pepperoni pizza, which I drove three miles to get...in Norfolk traffic, just a 20-25 minute trip. I didn't wait to get home to eat, so anyone peering into my truck window saw a nerdy, skinny-looking girl with Clark Kent glasses trying to navigate city traffic with an open pizza box in her passenger seat and a silly preoccupation with the slice in her hand. But I didn't notice their stares. I was much too concerned with savoring every cheesy, salty, pepperoni bite. I don't know what it is about pizza, but it's got a hold on me and Gorthar. This is probably the third time this week I've had the craving for it, and I can only hope for both our sakes that this primal hankering for Pizza! Pizza! can be replaced by something a little more healthful.

Prior to this week, I've been very mindful of the quality of food I've subjected Gorthar to. Each day I have prepared an apple, pear, or plum, baby carrots, a PB & All-Fruit sandwich, cheese and yogurt to take to school with me. Andy has been making nice healthy homemade dinners as well. Perhaps we were just not getting enough grease. In any case, every time I indulge in my cravings for grease, an inevitable coma follows that requires me to nap for a minimum of one hour.

I think I may need one now, nothing else has really happened this week, so I'll see you next week (the beginning of Month 3!!!).

Week 6

~~Amanda

End of Week 6 Status:
Weight: 138.5 lbs
Estimated Baby Size: Blueberry

Today is Day 2 of Week 7. Very little happened this week, as it seemed to kind of crawl by. Don't be alarmed by the apparent tummy loss, I took the picture in the morning when I hadn't had anything to eat. The others were taken in the afternoon.

I have been dealing with mood swings off and on all week, alongside an apparent case of baby brain. I have developed a strong aversion for going to school, studying and doing homework. I think fatigue is partly to blame, but it can not account for all of the anger I experience at knowing I have to get up and go. It's pretty weird, since I usually enjoy going. I know it will pass, however. In the meantime I am half-heartedly going through the motions.

The baby brain situation is something else completely. It is actually quite amusing until it gets out of hand. Earlier this week, I left for school with a novel I was reading the night before, an apple, and some cheese, but no notebook, or writing utensil. I have no idea why. Just yesterday, I was supposed to complete observation in an elementary school, but despite the fact that I had just talked to the school teacher a day or two before, remembered about it the night before, I woke up and completely forgot about it. This is not unprecedented behavior for me if I go back to say high school, more likely middle school, but I haven't pulled an irresponsible misstep like that at least since graduation back in 2001. Now I have to deal with the embarrassment as best I can, and hope the teacher doesn't hate me and give me a hard time for the remainder of my observation for the next few weeks. Oh well, out of my hands :)

I also started my prenatal exercise regime this week with two videos (Prenatal Fitness Fix, and Prenatal Pilates). I didn't start earlier because I still haven't been able to see a doctor, and one of the videos says women should wait until week 7 before they use the film. Everywhere I've read says you are supposed to keep your heartrate under 140 bpm when you are pregnant, so I wore our Garmin heart rate monitor while I was exercising. Needless to say, it was a pretty ridiculous task. Before I even started the videos I walked/jogged a mile on the treadmill, only walking because I couldn't keep my heartrate low enough otherwise. The videos made the issue even worse, with specific movements designed for the sole purpose of raising your heartrate, do they not know this 140bpm advice I see everywhere? Or is the advice simply outdated? In any case, I completed the first portion of the video after several breaks to keep my heartrate low. Hopefully if I keep going like this I will be able to take fewer breaks. I remember even when I was able to run 21-minute 3-miles a couple of years ago, my heartrate was still never at the target range for my age group. Perhaps mine is just always faster. Surely everyone cannot be lumped into a category of "this is normal for you."

Will all of these mounting frustrations, I am so grateful to have a husband who does everything he can to make my life easier. He has been making dinner from scratch lately, chicken rice soup, and chili, sooo yummy! I also am comforted by the knowledge that God is watching over my pregnancy, and will not give me more than I can handle.

With that said, Yay for Week 7!

Week 5

~~Amanda

End of Week 5 Status:
Weight: 138lbs
Estimated Baby Size: Lentil Bean

Today is day 2 of Week 6, and Week 5 was a really busy week for us. We started the week off with an all out house-hunt to accomodate our expected family addition. Anyone who has ever embarked on a similar journey surely knows this is not an easy task. We spent the better part of our time holding our noses and raising our eyebrows in amazement at the quality and condition of the homes in the price range and area we were looking for. Thankfully, with a little effort and perseverence, and a great realtor -- Fran Barbaree of Long and Foster for anyone looking in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia -- we were able to narrow down the search to the quality of houses and neighborhoods we desire. We put an offer on one house today, and have another in waiting in case the conditions we laid out in the first offer are not met by the seller.

As for pregnancy particulars, Week 5 was host to some cramping, spontaneous mood swings, and some monster naps. The fatigue was pretty overwhelming at times; we attempted to attend a super bowl party, but by half-time I was borderline comatose so we headed home.

In other news, we settled on the womb name Gorthar. Apparently a running joke in the Schwartz family, the name just seems to fit and has given our "little one" a pet-like presence. I have recently taken to using such phrases as "Gorthar is hungry" when I feel like snacking, or "Gorthar is renovating" when I start to feel crampy.

Yesterday we attended the memorial service for Andy's grandfather Lawrence Ollie Schwartz, in Southern Pines, NC and it was a very special time. The family was amused at the baby's womb name, and Andy spoke about the connection in the timing of Grandpa's passing, and Gorthar's conception. If Gorthar turns out to be a boy, we are considering giving the baby the middle name Lawrence to memorialize him further. Prior to this idea the Schwartz consensus seemed to be Grover Cleveland Indian Schwartz :)

I am a little peeved right now because my prescription prenatal vitamins are being discontinued, and they are the second prescription to do so. Also, the Navy apparently wants me to go to their hospital in Portsmouth, so instead of having my first appointment next Tuesday at the OB/Gyn they've been perfectly happy to send me to for the last 6 months, I have to wait until March 10. I don't know how long after that my first ultrasound will be, but they said it should follow it shortly. As annoying as all of this felt at the time, I am so blessed to have free health care, and be in good health, so I thank God for that.

Other than that, the week was about going to court and writing papers or taking tests for school. I really don't feel the need to expound on any of these, except to tell you, DO NOT be as dumb as I was and speed on New Year's Eve or you'll end up with a 150.00 fine and an annoying trip to the courthouse.

See you all next week!

Week 4

~~Amanda

End of Week 4 Status:

Weight: 136lbs

Estimated Baby Size: Sesame Seed

Well, it's officially week five today, so I thought I would recap the first week of expectant parenthood, Week 4:

A majority of new parents decide not to tell their family and friends until they are past the first trimester. While I can understand the reasoning behind it--the greater risk for miscarriage in the first three months--it's not my style. If I were to have a miscarriage I would be devastated, and would want the support and understanding of my close friends and family. I also don't like the idea of giving into that kind of fear. Expect the best unless you have reason not to. As for those unfortunate ones of us who get morning sickness, hiding the real cause for our condition may simply worry everyone if they don't know what's happening.

So, once the initial fun of telling family and friends was over, by day 2 of week 4 ( Jan. 23rd, 2009) I became very anxious and overwhelmed. I began to analyze my every action and how it may impact the baby. I went out and bought a book "What to Expect When You're Expecting," which really only seemed to perpetuate my fears. I started to worry about the baby, whether or not my diet was sufficient, whether exercising would effect the pregnancy, and so on. After a day or two of nerves, some good advice from friends, and embracing the reality of the situation, I managed to relax

Around 6pm on day 2 the nausea hit me. I felt gruesomely ill, hot flashes, accompanied by a chill sweat and dry heaving. I won't go into all the grisly details, but lets just say I ended up sitting on the toilet not leaning over it. This particular side effect seemed only to affect me for that one evening, thank goodness! However, the nausea continued for day 3 and less severely on day 4. It generally felt like my body was rebooting its digestive system to adapt to the many hormone changes and new hardware being installed. Digestive problems, whether accompanied by full out nausea or not, are very common in the first trimester. By day 5 I reclaimed some normalcy, and didn't feel apparently pregnant at all. I would have been concerned by this, but I had checked out a video blog of a girl who had actually delivered her healthy baby a few months ago, and she had almost the exact same experience. She had nausea around week 5 for a couple of days and then she was fortunate enough to have it dwindle away.

Days 6 and 7 were the same as day 5, with everything seeming normal except for some fatigue which I had been experiencing since day 1. Andy and I spent these last few days searching for new places to live. We contacted our friend's mother who is a realtor, and she is going to start showing us places starting this Saturday! We know all will be well in that category of our lives, some way or another. Well that's pretty much it for Week 4!

We're Pregnant!

~~Amanda

On Wednesday, January 21, 2009 I noticed I was not experiencing any of my usual menstrual symptoms and I was supposed to start my cycle that day. So, I took a Walgreen's Early Response pregnancy test first thing that morning. It was positive! However, the line was very faint, so I didn't want to get overly excited. I sent Andy a text message--he had already left for PT at school--and started scouring the Internet to see the likelihood of a faint line meaning anything other than "positive." After browsing several answers websites and blogs, it was apparent it was extremely rare for it to mean anything but positive, so I decided I would go to the doctors and get a blood test to confirm it after school.

Needless to say, it was hard to concentrate the whole day. Andy was really excited about the possible pregnancy as well, so he decided to accompany me to the clinic. When we got there the physician's assistant drew my blood and told me it would take about 30 minutes for them to let my blood clot, spindle it down, and to confirm the presence of hCG (the pregnancy hormone). After an interminable 35 minutes, the PA came back and with a slight pause, looked at us both and said..."Positive!"

Woohoo! We did it! :)

On the drive back home, we both called our mothers and told them the good news. I decided, however, to keep it a secret from Rachel (my sister) and my Dad until Friday, since it was my dad's birthday, and my sister's was Sunday. Happy Birthday dad, you're getting a grandchild this year!

Welcome to Amanda and Andy Schwartz's Baby Blog

Welcome all! This is the Amandy Baby Blog: A Journal of the Journey of My Pregnancy.

I really wanted to keep a record of my thoughts and experiences during the next nine months. I realized when I first heard the news how intriguing it is for first-time mothers to hear the experiences of other women, especially family. I plan on recording all of my ups and downs along the way, so I can someday share my story with new moms and my family-to-be. Enjoy!