Baby Bell 2: 38 Weeks

Baby Bell 2 is... the size of a winter melon! Baby is likely 18.9 to 20.9 inches and 6.2 to 9.2 pounds. Baby continues to grow and my body continues to (albeit slowly) prepare for labor. At my 38 week appointment, I was still only 1-2 centimeters dilated and 50% effaced - same status as that from my 36 week and 37 week appointments. So not a lot of progress on that front. However, the baby has continued to drop lower in my pelvis, which is a good sign! Baby's only job now is to continue to grow, and maybe take it easy on Mommy's ribs and hips!

My bump is... a big, big bump. I have officially never been THIS pregnant. Adalee was born at 37 weeks, 5 days, so I am officially the "most pregnant" I have ever been! I officially hate wearing almost all of clothes (but don't worry, I continue to do so). It is just that nothing is comfortable anymore, even my maternity clothes. Everything just feels restrictive.

I have been feeling... all kinds of emotions. There are days when I just want Baby to be born so that we can meet her and the discomforts can be over. Then there are other days when I feel completely unprepared to be a mother of two, and I wish she could just stay inside forever. There are days when I feel super sad that this pregnancy is almost over, as I know I am going to miss certain aspects of being pregnant - I definitely did with Adalee. There are other days when I feel completely exhausted - most likely because Adalee has recently been fighting croup and an ear infection, and caring for a sick little one can be exhausting even when you are at your best. So many emotions...so goes motherhood... :)

In addition, I had my first round of big contractions a few days ago. Like super big. Like "crying while lying on the bathroom floor" big. Luckily it was only a few contractions and then it passed. But holy moly, if that is what labor is like, I am in for a painful ride.

Baby also tried to turn herself around late last week. I was at work when I felt this massive movement and excruciating pain. I actually watched Baby turn herself around 180 degrees in my belly. Luckily, we got her turned back around and we confirmed at my 38 week appointment that she is back in the head down position. Whew!

Otherwise, outside of my emotional state (which changes daily), we are feeling pretty prepared for Baby's arrival - the car seat is installed, the hospital bags are packed, the final touches are being completed on the nursery. Feels good to see the Baby To-Do list down to almost nothing! :)

I have been craving... no real unique cravings right now. I am mostly just trying to avoid eating a ton because if I eat too much I get horrible acid reflux and heartburn - small meals...that is the key (so they say)!

Our favorite thing has been... making the final preparations and spending time together as a family. Even though Miss Adalee has been sick, we have been able to just slow down and spend some quality time together, as well as spend time with our extended families the past two weekends. Ah family...it is just the best!

We are looking forward to... Baby's arrival. At this point, we are just waiting on her! Take your time sweet girl, but Mommy, Daddy, and Big Sister Adalee are so excited to meet you! We love you already!

Baby Bell 2: 36 Weeks

Baby Bell 2 is... the size of a papaya! Baby should still be in the 17.2-18.7 inch and 4.2-5.8 pound range, but I feel like she is a little bigger and I know that she continues to grow! My stomach feels like it can't stretch much further! Baby is getting closer and closer to being able to breathe on her own - only one more week until she is considered early term! Despite being term at 37 weeks, we are hoping that she chooses to stay a little longer! Adalee was born at 37 weeks, 5 days, and I feel like she could have benefitted from a little more "baking" time. Her skin is still smoothing out, but most of her systems are in working order! I can't believe we are already four weeks away - time has just flown by this time around!

My bump is... still growing! And I can definitely feel it - especially in my ribs! She hasn't quite dropped yet, so I am still carrying her pretty high, which makes it a challenge to breathe every once in a while. It has also made sleeping a little challenging because I feel like she crams into whichever set of ribs that I am sleeping on. My belly button sticks out pretty clearly through my shirt, which is really intriguing to Adalee - she loves to pull up her own shirt and show us her belly, as well as pull up Mommy's shirt to see her belly. Completely fine when we are at home - in public, it is a little awkward... :)

I have been feeling... probably on-par with how most women are feeling at 36 weeks pregnant - you just start to get uncomfortable. It is harder to do things on your own, like get out of bed, or stand up from the couch - which is annoying. Despite her space shrinking as she grows, Baby doesn't seem to want to slow down her movements. We have a very active girl, which is fun to feel and watch, but can be a little overwhelming when it is 3am and I can't get any sleep!

At my 36 Week check-in with my OB, I was dilated between 1-2 centimeters, and about 50% effaced, which is a good sign that my body is preparing for labor. A few small contractions every now and then, but so far everything has been manageable by moving around and drinking water. As we get closer to the due date, I am getting a little anxious about this whole labor thing. It was something I didn't really think about with Adalee because we knew we were scheduling a c-section. I know I am not incredibly pain tolerant, so I am nervous to see how things feel - we shall see!

I have been craving... mexican food! Tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, salsa - you name it and I have wanted it! I have also been loving snickers ice cream bars for dessert - nom, nom, nom...

Our favorite thing has been... watching Baby move! Like I said, she has been super active, so every night we get to watch her roll around and kick in my belly!

We also took maternity photos at the beginning on May, and recently got the photos back! It was a chilly and cloudy day at the Nelson, but I love how the photos turned out - our last ones as a family of three! Special thanks to Erica with Anecdotally Yours for the photos!

We are looking forward to... making the final preparations for baby! We are almost done with updating the nursery, and feel like we almost have our lives in order! Just a few more to-do items to go. In the meantime, we will just be soaking up time with Miss Adalee - probably spoiling her a little bit - as well as spending time with our family and friends. We can't wait to meet this little one!

Baby Bell 2: 28, 30, 32, and 34 Weeks - Yikes!

Oh man... do I feel like a failure or what... It has been FOREVER since I have done an update on Baby Bell 2. And while I managed to get photos at 30, 32, and 34 weeks, I completely forgot/ran out of time for the 28 week photo. Life has just gotten super busy...I guess that is what happens...

So let's get caught up...

Baby Bell 2 is... the size of a butternut squash! Wow that sounds big - and weird! Since my last update EIGHT weeks ago, she has grown from the size of a head of lettuce, to an eggplant, to a zucchini, to a squash, and now to a butternut squash. And I have just become keenly aware of how weird it is to measure the size of your baby by food. Anyways...her hearing is starting to develop, which means she hears all of those loud and loving screeches from Adalee; she hears all the songs that Mommy sings in the car driving Adalee to and from daycare; as well as all the stories that we read to Adalee in the evenings! She is going to be one smart cookie! With less than two months to go, baby is between 17.2 and 18.7 inches long and is weighing in between 4.2 and 5.8 pounds. Over the next 6 weeks, she is going to continue to put on the pounds for Mommy and Daddy! Grow baby, grow!

My bump is... big...just big. That is the only way I know how to describe it. I constantly find myself a little off balance and bumping into walls when trying to turn a corner to quickly. I find myself always resting my hands on my belly and rubbing my stomach when she is moving. The bump has been very useful for holding things, including laundry while folding and dessert while lounging after dinner. I am still carrying baby a little high, which is causing some acid reflux issues - never fun. But I am also not really wanting her to drop down further - I already have to go to bathroom too frequently! Adalee has started to notice that there is something going on with Mommy's belly. She likes to lift my shirt to look for my belly button. I try to explain that her little sister is growing in there, but lets be honest - she is 17 months old. She is smart, but...

I have been feeling... so good! Overall, I feel like this pregnancy has been a breeze (knock on wood). Of course there have been the challenges with heartburn, the trouble sleeping, and the on-set of Braxton Hicks contractions recently, but keeping everything in perspective, we have had a great pregnancy with this little one. Days are getting a little long, making me want to go to sleep pretty early. And Michael has been a great help running around after Adalee when my energy gets a little low. He is such a great Daddy.

I have been craving... random things over the past few weeks. Cookies, particularly different types of Oreos, have been a consistent favorite. Snickers ice cream bars - heavenly! I have gotten cravings for comfort food - like chicken fried steak, pot roast, meatloaf, etc., as well as lots of mexican favorites!

Our favorite thing has been... oh so many things...

At 32 Weeks, we had our 3D sonogram. I wasn't sure if we were going to do a 3D picture this time around, but we had so many sonograms with Adalee due to the placenta complications, that I just had to see this little girl another time - twice is just not enough! She had lots of fun faces for us - smiley, pouting, and laughing! She liked to keep her hands up near her face - just like Adalee did! Everything looked great with baby - right on track for her June 13th due date!

I have also been in major nesting mode. I made a big to-do list of everything I wanted to get done with regard to the new baby and I am almost done with the list! We have moved most of Adalee's things into her new big girl room. While she still sleeps in the crib in the nursery, we have really started trying to get her to think of the other room as "her" room. We have all of Adalee's old clothes pulled out, washed, and put into the nursery again. We are almost done making some decor/color changes to the nursery - just to make it feel "new" for the baby - pictures to come soon! We have most of the baby gear /supplies out and put together and ready for use! Just a few more to-do items to go and we are going to be ready for this one's arrival!

We are looking forward to... seeing our maternity photos, which we took this past weekend! These will be our last photos as a family of three, which is super special. We are also really looking forward to all the things we have going on in May, including a few visits to Manhattan, my birthday weekend,  Mothers Day, and a visit from Michael's brother's family to KC over Memorial weekend! It is going to be a great month, and boy will it go fast! June is going to be here before we know it!

Some photo out-takes...Adalee wanted to make an appearance...She is totally camera shy... (insert sarcasm)

Baby Bell 2: 26 Weeks

This week...

Baby Bell 2 is... the size of a head of lettuce - weighing between 1.5 and 2.5 pounds and measuring 13.6 - 14.8 inches long. Wahoo...we are officially measuring baby in pounds now! :) Baby's eyes are forming and eyelashes are coming in as well. Baby has starting taking breaths (of amniotic fluid) and is soaking up Mommy's antibodies so she can be nice and healthy! Keep growing little lady!

My bump is... feeling much bigger this time around - which supposedly happens! But I keep comparing bump pictures from this pregnancy to when I was pregnant with Adalee and I feel like I am about a month bigger than I should be. We will see what the means in the end! :) I think that Adalee has started to notice my growing belly. She likes to sit in my lap and push her hands into my stomach. Something Baby doesn't always appreciate...

I have been feeling... fairly good. A few back pains after long days. Heartburn flares up everyone once and a while. And there have been a few contractions here and there. But otherwise, this pregnancy is going really well - which is great! Mentally, I am starting to get a little overwhelmed about the idea of become a family of four and having two little ones running around. Adalee has been a bit of a handful lately (mostly due to a cold that she can't quite kick), and I constantly find myself wondering how we am going to manage with two. Just have to keep reminding myself that we will figure it out as we go! People do this every day, right?!?

I have been craving... anything sweet! Ice cream, chocolate, cookies, cupcakes, brownies, etc. Any dessert will do! :) With Easter around the corner, those reese's eggs have already made an appearance (or two) in our kitchen cupboard...

Our favorite thing has been... our vacation in Hawaii! We just got back last Saturday, and while we are still getting readjusted with the time change, it was such an amazing trip! I am so glad to have had the quality time with my family! I will be sure to post some pictures from our trip soon!

We are looking forward to... getting back to normal life after vacation. Plus, our to-do list for baby is starting to grow. I feel like I was much more on top of getting things done with Adalee. We still need to work on Baby's nursery and organizing all of the baby things we had put into storage. Oh, and that whole "find a name" thing...still working on that... :)

Baby Bell 2: 24 Weeks

This week...

Baby Bell 2 is... the size of a cantaloupe! Wow...that just sounds so big! Baby is weighing between 12.7 and 20.8 ounces, and is measuring 10.5 to 11.8 inches. Her skin is becoming more opaque and pink, as small capillaries begin to form. I still can't believe how fast this pregnancy is going - June is going to be here before we know it!

My bump is... an actual bump - sticking out and everything! Baby has been moving and kicking a lot lately - exploring her home! Part of me loves getting to feel her move all the time, but at night when I am trying to sleep...not so much! I am finally getting used to the side-sleeping again - as long as I got a few pillows tucked around me on all sides!

I have been feeling... much better! So glad to be over all the gross sickness! I am starting to feel some of the discomforts of pregnancy - heartburn, leg cramps, and backaches. I think I need to be more intentional about drinking water throughout the day, as well as watching how much I am holding Adalee. Picking her up has become quite the task, and I get tired after holding her for longer than 10 or so minutes. We are going to have to figure something out, because she looks at me with those "puppy dog" eyes, raises her arms, and says "up" - and of course I give in...

I have been craving... nothing too specific, but I have definitely noticed an uptick in my sweets intake - ice cream and chocolate are the current favorites!

Our favorite thing has been... just spending time with family and friends. Sometimes it is the simple things in life, and we have definitely needed some family/friend time lately. Plus, Adalee is doing much better when we go out, making eating dinner at restaurants much easier! No progress on the nursery or baby's name...we will probably need to start working on those things soon! :)

We are looking forward to... VACATION! We leave this Friday for Hawaii - and I couldn't be more excited! Our family is headed to Oahu with my parents and sister for 8 days of fun in the sun! We had originally planned a trip to Turks and Caicos, but with the Zika virus going crazy in the Caribbean right now, I thought we would have to cancel our trip. Luckily, my mom and I were able to work out all the details in order to change the location of our trip - one month out! I am so glad it all worked out, and now, I just need to get us all packed and ready to leave by Friday - that part will be stressful - but once we are there - it is all rest and relaxation! :)

Baby Bell 2: 22 Weeks

This week...

Baby Bell 2 is... the size of a papaya! Weighing anywhere from 12.7 to 20.8 ounces, and measuring 10.5-11.8 inches, baby continues to grow, grow, grow! Hence, the shortness of breath that I have been experiencing every once in a while - she is starting to invade my space! Baby's eyes and lips are becoming more developed, and she is starting to have recognizable sleep cycles, where I can tell when she is awake and when she is asleep!

My bump is... getting bigger, but not too big yet! My belly button has pushed out - you can now see it through my shirt. The bump has become bigger, to the point where I catch myself resting my hand on top of my belly. We have just started to see her movements from the outside, which means she is getting stronger, and I feel her movements more often. At first I had been worried about how little I felt her movements, but after we had the sonogram, the doctor let us know that my placenta is actually along the inside of my belly - so when she kicks forward, she is actually kicking the placenta - which is why I may feel less movement or less strength behind her movements. So that was good to know!

I have been feeling... for the most part - fairly good - with the exception of the past few days. Last Friday, I came down with one of the horrible viruses going around right now. I have never felt sicker in my life. Literally throwing up every 15-20 minutes for 8 hours straight.  Once we hit the 8 hour mark, our doctor became concerned with dehydration and I went to the Birth Center to have everything checked and to get some fluids and nausea medicine. The fluids were helpful, but I was basically a mess for three days straight - quarantined in our bedroom and not able to do much more than rest and sleep. Finally the following Tuesday, I began feeling better and started to eat normally again. It is times like these that I really dislike winter and all the sickness that gets spread around! Now, we are just hoping that Michael and Miss Adalee don't catch anything from Mama!

I have been craving... nothing really right now - except red gatorade - but that probably has more to do with the virus and sickness than with the actual pregnancy! :)

Our favorite thing has been... obviously the sonogram was the highlight of the past two weeks! Getting to see our baby girl and see how much she has grown was the absolute best! Also, now that we have started planning Adalee's big girl room, we have also started thinking about how we are going to change things up in the nursery for baby. I am playing around with some colors and themes, but haven't gotten anything decided yet. The color palette will definitely include navy - no way are we painting those walls again! :)

We are looking forward to... hopefully choosing a name soon?!?!? Or maybe that is just wishful thinking on my end. We chose Miss Adalee's name super early on in the pregnancy, and I loved being able to call her "Adalee". The first time around, Michael and I just had a really easy time agreeing on the name - and that was that. This time around, it is a little different. We are not quite on the same page. At this point, we don't even have one name we agree on. Welp, we have 18 more weeks to get it figured out!

Another Baby Girl!

We are super excited to be welcoming another GIRL into our family! And Miss Adalee is SO EXCITED to have a little sister!

On January 27th, we had our 20 Week sonogram and anatomy scan. It was incredible to see how much our baby has grown since the last sonogram at 7 weeks. At 7 weeks, baby was just a little oval ball. And now, well baby actually looks like a baby! As it was our second time around, I felt like the ultrasound technician did not go into as much detail on everything, but we still got to see all the highlights - her brain, her spine, the four chambers of her heart, all of her little bones, her hands, and her feet! It is so cool to see - to know that this little tiny person is just growing away in my belly! You would think the "wonder" of it all would fade the second time around - it doesn't. Not one bit.

While baby initially was sleeping in a downward position with her legs crossed, it only took me eating a little bit of candy to get her up and moving about. After 10 or so minutes of coercing, she eventually changed positions and the ultrasound technician was able to confirm that we were having our second girl! When she said "girl", I immediately looked at Michael to gage his reaction, and he was all smiles! We both were fairly confident going into the sonogram that we were having another girl - so many of my pregnancy symptoms had been the same as with Adalee. I am so excited that Miss Adalee and Baby Bell will have a sister to grow up with - it is such a special bond that they will be able to treasure forever!

Overall, everything checked out wonderfully with baby. Her growth pattern is right on track for her due date of June 13th. And there were no issues with my placenta placement this time around, which was such a relief! Now only 20 more weeks to go!

Baby Bell 2: 20 Weeks

This week...

Baby Bell 2 is... the size of a banana - approximately 10.2 ounces and 6.5 inches. I can't believe we are already halfway through! Baby is working on developing taste buds and is swallowing lots of amniotic fluid. Yum!

My bump is... getting a little bigger every day. Maternity shirts are a must now - they are the only thing that is comfortable! I think Adalee is maybe starting to notice that Mommy looks different - when she sees my belly she will look inquisitively, as if to ask, "what is going on in there?"

I have been feeling... fairly good! My energy has been a bit low lately - so I have been trying to get rest and sleep when I can, but otherwise I feel good. The heartburn is starting to kick in a little bit. And I have some back pains here and there, but all normal for this time in the pregnancy - so nothing to worry about!

I have been craving... Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha with Caramel - which is terrible - you are supposed to limit caffeine during pregnancy, but it is all I want! I have indulged a few times, but I need to get this under control!

Our favorite thing has been... honestly just relaxing. The last two weeks have been fairly low key - and you just need that every once in a while. Things are work are going to start getting busy toward the end of February, so I will take the rest when I can get it!

We are looking forward to... our 20 week sonogram and anatomy scan is in two days! Boy or girl? Girl or boy? We shall see!

Miss Adalee wanted to get in on the photo action!

Baby Bell 2: 18 Weeks

This week...

Baby Bell 2 is... the size of a sweet potato - approximately 6.7 ounces and 5.6 inches. Baby is starting to do lots of fun things, like yawning, hiccuping, sucking, swallowing, twisting, rolling, and kicking! We continue to feel baby move every once in a while, but it is still pretty faint. Keep working on your muscles little one!

My bump is... growing, but I do not seem to notice it much yet...except when I am trying to go to sleep. I have started trying to sleep on my side, which is my least favorite sleeping position. I would rather be flat on my stomach or flat on my back, but those positions get uncomfortable after 10 minutes or so, and I have to change it up. I am sure I will get used to side sleeping again soon!

I have been feeling... pretty good. The morning sickness has pretty much gone away, making my days much more pleasant. The only complaint I have right now is the back aches. Between already having a bad back, and toting around a growing Miss Adalee, and now having a new baby growing inside me, it is a lot of pressure on this back of mine. Last week I am pretty sure I pinched a nerve - ouch! - so I was moving slow for a few days. Luckily, with some rest over the weekend, the swelling went down and I am feeling back to normal. Hopefully this isn't a struggle for the rest of the pregnancy!

I have been craving... still on the milk kick, but I have also been getting random cravings for random things, including wedge salads, flaming hot cheetos, cheese tortilla rollups, and peanut butter. There have also been a few nights where we have made dinner, and then I sit down to eat, and none of it sounds good any more. Grateful for my patient husband on those nights... :)

Our favorite thing has been... continuing to feel the baby kick and move around - usually before we are going to bed at night, or early in the morning when we are waking up. We have also been picking out new furniture, which is always fun. With the new baby moving into the nursery, we will be moving Adalee into another bedroom upstairs that we are currently using as a guest bed. We are also in the process of finishing our basement (adding a guest bed, while decorating a playroom and living area). So lots of projects going on that are keeping us busy, but we have had so much fun thinking about how we are going to decorate the kids' rooms and their playroom. Well maybe I have been having more fun than Michael, but he is being a great sport about it! 

We are looking forward to... our 20 Week Sonogram and Anatomy Scan at the end of the month. At our last few doctors appointments, the baby's heartbeat has been in the high 160s. With such a high heartbeat, plus the intense morning sickness, doctor thinks that we may have another girl on the way...we excited to find out for sure, as well as see our little one again!

Baby Bell 2: 16 Weeks

This week...

Baby Bell 2 is... the size of an avocado - approximately 3.5 ounces and 4.5 inches. Thanks to tiny bones forming in baby's ears, our little one has started listening to our voices. Baby is also growing hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows, as well as forming taste buds!

My bump is... feeling much bigger this time around! They always say that your bump "pops" a little sooner the second time around, and that is definitely true for me! I have already moved my maternity clothes into my closet. Let the frustrations with getting dressed begin!

I have been feeling... fairly good...at least for the past week. The first 15 weeks of this pregnancy were pretty miserable. I thought I had terrible morning sickness with Adalee, but I feel like it was much worse this time around. Plus, already having a little one in the family makes lounging around when you are feeling sick pretty difficult. Luckily, I have a wonderful husband who has been a great help with getting Adalee ready for school in the mornings and helping in the evenings! 

I have been craving... milk! I swear I am drinking at least 2 gallons a week. As far as food goes, I am not craving anything specific, but I have a serious aversion to eggs and certain smells right now. The smell of seafood, as well as Adalee's dirty diapers, causes some serious nausea.

Our favorite thing has been... sharing the exciting news with our family and friends, as well as teaching Adalee the word baby. She received a baby doll for her birthday, and we have had a lot of fun talking to her about babies and how to be a good big sister! Also, we felt the baby's first movements this past week. I thought I was feeling some flutters about a week ago, but then, as I was going to bed on Christmas, I felt a few faint kicks. Michael could even feel it too, which is so exciting for both of us!

We are looking forward to... actually having some time to think and talk about the new baby. I was taking a doctoral class this past semester, and I feel like between work, and school, and taking care of Adalee, I feel like I have hardly had any time to start thinking about this baby. But that is all going to change now that the semester is over! We have our next doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon and I can't wait to hear baby's heartbeat again! At our last appointment, baby's heartbeat was a solid 167 beats per minute. With the high heartbeat, doctor thinks that we may have another girl on the way...we shall see in late January!

Bell...Party of Four...

Whelp...it's official...the Bells are becoming a family of four in June 2016...and we couldn't be happier about it! Here's the story thus far...

Michael and I had always talked about having our kids fairly close together in age. My younger sister and I are only 15 months apart, and while that caused some challenges growing up (i.e. competitiveness), I definitely appreciate how close we are now - and that is something that I want for my kids. Plus, we are already in the newborn/infant/toddler routine with Adalee...might as well power through...right?!?

Once I stopped breastfeeding Adalee last July, we knew it would take some time for my cycle to restart, then we would be able to begin trying to get pregnant again. It end up taking a few months for my cycle to finally comeback, and once it did, it was all over the place - I couldn't even keep track of it! However, something must have worked out right, because we found out we were pregnant with Baby Bell 2 on Sunday, October 4th. It was a bit of a shock, mostly because I had convinced myself that I was not pregnant. I had previously gotten two negative tests on September 26th (2 days late) and September 29th (5 days late). However, I was leaving to go to Las Vegas that morning for a work conference, so I thought what the heck, I will just take one more test to confirm that I am not pregnant...but sure enough...two pink lines!

I remember being in the bathroom and shouting downstairs to Michael, who was playing in the living room with Adalee. I just kept saying "oh my god...oh my god...it actually happened...oh my god..." It was such a great morning and I couldn't stop smiling (still can't stop smiling actually...). We told Adalee she was going to be a big sister, and while I am sure she had no clue what we were talking about, she just gave us the biggest smile! It was a little bittersweet though, because about an hour after we found out, I had to leave to head to the airport - cutting our celebration a bit short. But we did have time for a quick family selfie... :)

The whole family is excited!

Miss Adalee can't wait to be a
BIG SISTER!

The first couple weeks of the pregnancy were a little rough. After I got back from Las Vegas, we had plans to head to Manhattan the following weekend to visit my parents, as well as see my sister who was driving in from Colorado. As we were getting ready to leave Kansas City that Friday afternoon (October 9th), I ended up having some bleeding. Of course, I immediately panicked and began thinking the worst, but Michael eventually got me to calm down and call the doctor. We ended up heading to the doctor's office for a sonogram, just to check on the baby and make sure everything was okay.

At this point, Michael and I thought we were about six weeks along, but the sonographer measured the baby closer to five weeks. Our first sonogram with Adalee wasn't until we were almost 14 weeks along, and the difference was incredible. This baby was just a little hole on the screen. You could hardly see him/her, but she was able to find a faint heartbeat, which was great to hear so early on. Ultimately, while the sonographer did see some bleeding around the sac holding the baby, she was hopeful that it would resolve and heal itself, as long as I took it easy and rested. We scheduled a follow up for two weeks later (October 23rd), and by then almost all of the bleeding had resolved. At this second appointment, the sonographer also confirmed our due date of June 13th! It was such a relief for both Michael and I to hear the heartbeat again and know that everything was okay...what a scary way to start a pregnancy!

First Sonogram - Almost 5 Weeks

Second Sonogram - Almost 7 Weeks