Hidden Baby Chronicles: Nine Weeks

August 10, 2009

Today was the big day, folks. We saw the heartbeat on our first ultrasound and I'm quite certain I'll never be able to put into words how amazing it was. Wow. Just wow. I'm totally in love with our little Olive:


(side note: This olive picture makes me crave a dirty martini, nice and salty and cold. Mmmmm. Dirty martinis. 7 more months....)

And for my 9 week belly shot, I don't care what you say....this is a major pooch! Let the bloat-fest begin.
9wks


So anyway, the appointment went a little like this:

1. Weight taken: haven't gained or lost a pound. I'm sure I've lost a ridiculous amount of muscle and gained a lot of water weight, thus evening it out. I admit, I was nervous I'd be 10 pounds heavier already but who knew.....I tend to be overly dramatic?

2. Blood pressure taken: HOLY HELL I'm nearly hypertensive! It was 142/70 which is crazy high for me. I'm positive it had something to do with every ounce of adrenaline in the world pounding through my veins with nerves. No joke. I couldn't sit still and I guess since the doc wasn't worried about my BP I'll let that one slide out of the 'worry' box for me. I might take it at work tomorrow when I'm less of a neurotic mess.

3. Doc comes in, says she is so excited. I introduce her to Nate and they immediately hit it off starting to talk about golf. Of course. I knew they'd be a match made in heaven. But why did golf talk have to take place at our first appointment? Pesky little critter you just can't get rid of, huh?

4. A little touchy feely on my sore and gigantic boobies. Poking and prodding 'down there' to assess my enlarged ute. Small talk. Me thinking, "Get that effing ultrasound in here lady, or I'm going to have a stroke!" More small talk. GAH!

5. FINALLY time for the transvaginal ultrasound. Doc had the screen turned towards her and away from us at first but I'm stellar at reading faces, so when I saw the smile creep up and heard her say, "Such a beautiful, beautiful sight," I started to breathe again. She whipped the screen around for Nate and I to see and voila! A perfect little bean with a ticker ticking away like mad. It was the cutest little bean in the entire world, I'm quite certain. I heard Nate say, "Awww...." and all I could do was just stare at the sight. This is really happening! The baby is okay! Oh Em GEEEE.

Then the doc says, "I REALLY like the looks of that umbilical cord. It's very nice." And I do a double take because holy freaking cow that is one big fatty cord! Impressive. The doc mentioned it again before she left the room, so apparently we have one championship cord giving the babe it's nutrients. I hope little bloob liked my donut choice then, huh?

So yeah, that's basically it. Pretty much one of the best days in my entire life (besides when Nate proposed, our wedding, and getting our positive test. This totally ranks up there on the best day ever indicators).

So now the golden question is this: when do we spill the beans? The doc said that the 'second trimester' rule is rather outdated because really, now that we've seen cardiac activity our chances of losing the bloob are about 5%. If we wait until the second trimester, thus hearing the heartbeat at our next appointment, it might drop to 3% or so. At this point, I just want to fully embrace the fact that I am pregnant. I want to think positively and not feel so full of reservations, so much negativity, so many 'what ifs?' I'm so sick of this thought: "Sure, I'm pregnant and everything BUT what if something goes wrong? I can't let myself get too happy just yet because this pregnancy might not stick." You know what? If something does happen it's going to be totally devastating even if I 'prepare' myself with negative thoughts ahead of time. It's not going to make it any easier to handle. And these thoughts are really stealing away all of the joy of the first trimester.

My reasons for holding out until the second trimester are pretty silly, really. I'm worried it will jinx the pregnancy somehow. I'm worried people will think we are being stupid, first time parents who are way too excited for their own good. I'm worried people will assume we are ignorantly believing nothing bad could happen to this baby. And really, if something bad happens at this point I'm going to need more support than ever to make it through. I'm fully invested in little bloob. There's no turning back now. A little heartbeat, you guys. Wow.

So perhaps the big announcement will be sooner than I once thought. Hmmmm...

And because I'm SURE you all are dying to see the ultrasound, here you go. Complete with labels for those that think it just looks like a blob.
baby9wks explained
I mean, seriously. Is this not the cutest fetus in the entire world or what? Yes, I'm biased, but I can't contain myself. It went from an embryo to a 'fetus' this week which basically means: this dude ain't messing around and is growing all kinds of body parts. Cute ones, for sure. Very cute.

18 comments:

  1. 1. I see the teeny tiny pooch. Isn't bloat fun? ;)

    2. My BP was through the roof at my first two appointments. I was just so nervous for the first appt. cause I couldn't believe I was really pregnant. And then the second one (a week later) was to confirm the heartbeat (I was too early at the first one - only 5 weeks). I was so sure that something was wrong that I cried the entire way to the appt. and my heart was beating like crazy. Then when the doctor said all looked great and let us hear the heartbeat, I started crying AGAIN because everything was OK. But, BP is now officially back to normal at every appt. since. :)

    3. And yes, that is one heck of an adorable bean!

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  2. My best friend went in for her first u/s after finding out she was pregnant. They told her they were going to do tests for AIDS and STD's and THEN took her blood pressure. Well, of course it was super high. Hearing the words "AIDS and STDs" would make anyone anxious, even if you knew you were all clear.

    Very cute picture. I love the labels!! And seriously, hate to break it to you but there is no bloat there. I wish my stomach looked that good on a day to day basis!!

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  3. Your updates are too cute! I love reading your blog and having it feel like you are talking right to me. Not an audience... I can be that way sometimes but not all the time.

    Love this picture and yes, it's a cute fetus! :)

    Congrats and I'm glad everything went well!

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  4. I think I can see the pooch under a microscope when compared with your other shots. So cute!

    Spill the beans already (or olives?)! Although, I am secretly digging the fact all of us know but family doesn't.

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  5. I love it! You crack me up:) Congrats, the little jelly bean is beautiful!

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  6. Oh my gosh Julia. Just wow. You are pretty much right on... that's the cutest little bean I ever saw! This is so flipping exciting! My heart does little flips everytime I see you blogged because I just wan't to see! Such a lucky, little babe you have brewing in there. Ahh!!

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  7. Yes, I definitely see the beginning of a baby pooch there :) Love the ultrasound. Cute bean.

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  8. I'm sorry to burst your bubble...but I still dont think you have a "pooch" yet...like that's what I look like after pigging out at a Chinese Buffet! :)

    Just wait until you forget what your feet look like!

    Happy olive!

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  9. so basically, half of you see a pooch and the other half think I'm imagining things. The drama!

    -my BP is much better now. I've taken it at work and we are a-okay so it must have been first time jitters.

    -and remember, since these posts were written BEFORE I told everyone, the timing is not exactly right. I actually told family and friends the week before I told the internet world...confusing, I know.

    -I'll hit 12 weeks this Sunday. So I still have some catching up to do before I'm in 'real time'.

    -thanks ladies! 9 was a fabulous week.

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  10. I'm a lurker, but I had to speak out to wish you my congratulations!! I've never been pregnant, but I can imagine how excited and nervous and in love you already feel (even though your baby bump is TINY....for now).

    I have to ask one thing though, about the words boxed off on the left hand side--yolk sack? Is that what we're calling the uterus and placenta now? The yolk sack??

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  11. Looooove Looooove Looooove these posts. You were cute before, but now you are completely precious! And are you kidding me with that "bloat"? I love how there is the slightest little teeny bit of convex-ness, but mostly you have the tiniest stomach ever.

    I remember seeing the HB for the first time...we had thought we had lost her and when I saw it, I started bawling. Best feeling ever...every time you hear/see it.

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  12. Julia,

    I love your blog! I've been on both sides - I was nervous when I was pregnant with Claire and afraid that I was going to lose her, and she was perfectly healthy. I wasn't as nervous this time around, and then I lost the baby between eight and nine weeks this past June. All of those feelings are very real and scary. It's so overwhelming and such an amazing feeling to see your baby on the ultrasound and find out everything is perfect! I hope your journey continues to be positive and wonderful...after all...when it ends in a beautiful little baby, every single feeling you experience throughout the entire pregnancy will be 100% worth it!

    Best wishes,
    Allie

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  13. 1. No pooch, even though I don't doubt that you feel it.

    2. Be positive. You're totally right.

    3. Cutest little beaner!

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  14. I am absolutely loving these chronicles! We're not quite "at that point yet' but when we are, I'm definitely heading here for some insight on pregnancyhood. :) I bet your little tot will love to read this one day. Oh and PS you look fantastic!

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  15. That baby looks just like you! :)

    Really though, I love these posts. I thoroughly appreciated the play-by-play of your appointment.

    For the record: I see no pooch.

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  16. Ahhh! Julia this is so exciting for you and Nate! Congratulations! Definitely the cutest bloob ever. ;-)

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  17. hools - you are so funny. i love reading your blog and now with baby posts - even more so ;) i love your pooch comment too- b/c i was the same way. when you know your body and you are not used to anything bloating out - you know something is growing in there! may take everyone else until like 4 months to notice your belly, but i agree b/c to you it may look different! you look great - and you are glowing! and being in such great shape will come in handy after baby. the heartbeat appointment is amazing and i loved hearing it at each subsequent appointment. the 20 week big appointment is awesome too to see how much your olive has grown! it'll be like a pineapple then or whatever! haha! i recommend the 3-d ultrasound too. blake and i did it really early on and it was awesome. sophie's hands looked like sausages. it was great. anywho - love ya and wish you guys the best and can't wait to keep reading about the bambino! so fun!

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  18. Your pooch is way cute!! Love the updates.

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