3D/4D Ultrasound

When Preston and I were 16 weeks pregnant, we made an appointment for a recreational ultrasound to determine the sex of the baby. While we were there, we scheduled another appointment for a 3D ultrasound at 29 weeks. At the time, it seemed like 29 weeks was SO FAR AWAY. Now, at 29 weeks, it seems like 16 weeks wasn't that long ago.

The appointment was this past Saturday in Tyler, which is about an hour away from our town. The big thing about 3D/4D ultrasounds is that you see what the baby's face looks like (kind of) and we were able to invite our parents. It was a neat experience but didn't come with the "OK, this is really happening" feeling I expected. Since I've had a chance to look at the images over the past few days, it feels a little more real and familiar and like something I can put my hands on. Another difference I noticed is that, where I wanted to show everyone the 2D (regular) ultrasound images at 16 and 20 weeks, I want to keep the 3D/4D images for myself and my family, so you won't see them online (Sorry!).

After the ultrasound, we went to lunch with our parents and then to do a little shopping in Tyler. The big purchase of the day was a gliding chair from Lazyboy (for baby purposes!). At the end of the day, I was exhausted, and I noticed something. 

Normally, people tell me I don't look that big or that my face looks slim, etc. I'm not really one of those women that hasn't gained weight during pregnancy. I know where the new weight is, but it's nice that not many other people can see it! Well, we ended the long, exhausting shopping day in Target, with me waiting on Preston in the food area. While I was sitting there, looking a hot tired mess, this woman told me I looked like I was about to explode. I think she was trying to relate - keep in mind that she just watched me hobble my way over to a table and creak down into the chair. I don't usually act that way. So, I think the way you look while you are pregnant has a lot to do with the way you carry yourself. 

The Glucose Test

One of those pregnancy milestones that I didn't know about until I was pregnant is the glucose test. It detects if you have developed gestational diabetes. You drink this really sweet, concentrated liquid and then have your blood drawn an hour later. If you fail this test, you do another one that lasts three hours. And you do the second test fasting. I just took this test on Tuesday. I failed the first one, so I had to go back in the next day for the three hour test, which I passed. SO, I do not have gestational diabetes (YAY!).

People (pregnant people) say lots of things about this test: That drink is so gross! Don't eat candy the week before the test. Don't get the orange flavor. Oh, I remember that test (grimace).

I was a little worked up about this test for the month leading up to it, just from what people have said. But it's really not that bad. It's certainly not fun, but compared to other horrible things that could happen during this baby making business, not that bad.

The drink is really, really sweet. I was given the fruit punch flavor which tastes like one cup of red Kool-Aid powder mixed with one cup of water. The worst part about the drink is the after taste, because you can't drink water throughout the duration of the testing time. I think when people tell me I can't drink water, I immediately want a large glass of it, filled with ice and sweating on the sides.

If you have to take the three hour test, you drink twice as much of this liquid. It seems more gross the second time around because you drink more of it, you are stuck with the after taste for three hours and probably you're bummed that you have to take the second test anyway. Either time, you feel like you just ate 5 jelly filled donuts.

The second part of this test is having blood drawn, which makes me anxious because a phlebotomist hit a tendon or nerve in my arm at the beginning of this pregnancy (OUCH!). For the first test, they draw blood once. For the second test, they draw blood 4 times, once every hour. It definitely felt more tender every time they drew blood, and my elbow pits look like pin cushions, but it wasn't painful.

In my small little town, I got both test results back the same day. My friend in Houston said she waited a week for test results, so it varies. But that's it. Not a hard test to take - from the perspective of a person who does not have gestational diabetes!

I mean, really, a food related health issue that this food allergic girl does not have. What a relief!

Slow steps back to normal

I'm making this start back to blogging as easy as possible, which means there will be a few lists of interesting things for a while. So, let's dive right in. (The word dive makes me think of scuba diving, which you can't do while pregnant. Just FYI.)

Baby News:  I've got a new nephew, Nick, who was born last week on Thursday, Nov 6. Exciting! As for myself, I'm 15 weeks, or 3.5 months, pregnant. Our next doctor's appointment is next week. I believe it is possible to find out the sex of the baby at that time, but we've been told we should wait until 20 weeks to be sure. Also, in the next few weeks, I should be able to feel the baby move. More excitement!

Writing News: At the end of our Italy trip, I was notified that one of my stories was accepted for publication in New Texas, a literary magazine out of Sul Ross State University. The story is a non fiction piece about my study abroad trip to Costa Rica.  I actually submitted it as a fiction piece a few times with no success when someone suggested that I switch to non fiction. It only took a few minor changes to make the switch. Another factor that I believe contributed to the story being published is that New Texas requires non fiction submissions to "engage key issues in relation to Texas culture." So I guess you could say, in business terms, I marketed my story to a targeted audience. (Also, I got published! I got published!)

Health News: For the past few years, while I've been involved in triathlon training and working out regularly, I assumed that when I was pregnant (which was always a far off type of thing) I would be that pregnant lady in the triathlon suit at the sprint race or that really fit pregnant lady at the gym. There was no way I would "let myself go" when I was pregnant. Ha!

THAT is not what happened. Not this girl. I know that everyone is different, but it's HARD. I was way too sick during the first trimester to do anything and now that I can actually, you know, move without vomiting, I can't breathe. I have no balance. I have to sit down after two flights of stairs! I have to hold on to the treadmill because I start to lean to one side like a falling pine tree. When I do lunges, my arms flail about like the wings of a crashing airplane. I've fallen over at least twice. And really, it's mostly funny to me when something like that happens. I just laugh at myself and think, "yeah, that's right. That's what you get for thinking all those other pregnant people were slackers. In yo' face, Katie, In yo' face."

I actually buckled to one of my stubborn fitness vows (To never hire a personal trainer because I can just read a book and learn the same thing) and hired a personal trainer. I'm glad I did. Right now, I need that really fit person standing next to me, counting for me and being partially responsible for what I'm doing. It's nice to only have to worry about breathing, and to be able to laugh at myself when I start falling over or have to sit down after ten lunges.

Travel (Un)News: When my mom and I went to Italy, I was 4 weeks pregnant. I felt great at the beginning of the trip, not so great at the end of our trip. It's possible that I vowed never to fly on an airplane again. I think my unreasonable pregnancy "thing" during the first trimester was that everything related to Italy made me sick. Everything. Italian food, cheese, the pictures from our trip, the clothes and shoes I wore on the trip, the Amanda Knox trial, the smell of leather. I rid my closet of leather, bought a Vera Bradley purse and only wore plastic beach flip flops for three months. I have just now looked at the pictures from our trip. So you won't see any posts about Italy for a while. Maybe later. Sorry!!