Baby Bumpin' Round 2 {The 1st Trimester}

Because I'm all about "documenting" memories, I’ve been keeping a list of things that I wanted to remember about my pregnancy with Baby Ritchie #2. Now that the cat is officially out of the bag, I can finally share the big highlights that were top secret during the good old first trimester.

10/23: The positive pregnancy test. Matt was in the living room watching Monday Night Football as I sat in the bathroom with a case of shy bladder! Don’t get me wrong…I really had to go…but my nerves were setting in and I knew that within a few minutes we would have a Yes/No answer to whether Charlotte would be a big sister. When I saw the word “pregnant” appear on the pregnancy test, my heart stopped momentarily. All of a sudden I was hit with a wave of crazy emotions. I was ecstatic and terrified all at the same time.  In a daze I walked out to Matt on the couch and held the test up for him to see (not a big exciting reveal, I admit!). Then, I crumbled across his lap as tears started to run down my face. We are so blessed.

Week 6: BLAH. I was never sick with Charlotte and I felt like I was getting my butt kicked. I had lots of nausea, but luckily no vomiting. A week or so later…TADA! All better!

11/24 (Thanksgiving): Matt and I originally wanted to wait to tell our families about baby #2 until we heard a little heartbeat, but after some discussion decided to share the news at Thanksgiving. After all, we figured that we could use some EXTRA BIG prayers early on. Here’s how it all went down.

We had lunch that day at my aunt and uncle's house (Matt’s mom included). I had been racking my brain for weeks trying to think of a fun way to tell them and ended up sneaking this beauty into the Kohl’s Black Friday shopping ad! Perfect!  

It took a little while for everyone to catch on (especially stubborn Grandma Debbie who didn't want to look at ads and Grammy Vicki who...well...had a bit of a delayed reaction.)

That night we had dinner at Matt’s dad’s house. This time I left the cleverness up to Matt. I wasn’t 100% sure what he was going to come up with. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw out Australian Shepherd Stella walking around with a bright green Post-It note stuck to her collar. She just walked around like it was no big deal…and it took quite a while for someone to actually LOOK at the note to see what was going on.  On the note were the words “Proud New Puppy Sister.” Haha! Welcome to our weird family little one!

Needless to say, everyone was excited. It was a good day. We are so blessed.

12/2: One week later I had by first OB appointment. Yes, I was a bit of a wreck. I have a new doctor this time around and really like her. She asked me about Charlotte…she let me cry…she was reassuring and wonderful. Then I got to see the teeny tiniest little black and white flicker on the ultrasound monitor…a strong, beating heart. More tears. It’s so different this time around. I’m not naïve to the things I was early in my pregnancy with Charlotte. I know that that little heart was in its final stages of development and I know that it could be holding a secret that’s still too early to detect. But at the same time I am filled with hope and faith that it will be a healthy heart, in a healthy baby.

12/8: I was expecting that my belly might make an appearance a little sooner this time around—first off because its baby #2 and that just seems to be what happens, and secondly because I’m in nowhere NEAR the shape I was in before I got pregnant with Charlotte (can you say stress eater?). Well, at 10 weeks pregnant I officially found a button imprint on my belly at the end of the day. Lovely. Gotta love that “I’m pregnant but just look chubby phase!” Or not.

12/25:  Merry Christmas, Little One and welcome to the last week of our first trimester!  Crazy that I've been writing this all "behind the scenes" and that by the time others lay their eyes on it, I will be rockin' the 2nd trimester and probably back into big girl maternity pants!

12/28:  This time around I opted (with some encouragement from my OB) to complete a first trimester screening.  Basically, they draw blood and do an ultrasound...and from that are able to determine the probablility of little Baby Ritchie having Downs or other chromosomal defects.  There is also some correlation to a risk of heart defects...hence the recommendation that I have it.  I was somewhat hesitant...these tests have a high false positive rate, and even if there was a defect of some sort, it wouldn't matter.  Our baby is our baby...and is perfect to us no matter what.  I worried that results would cause more anxiety and worry than anything else.  BUT on the other hand...an ultrasound means a sneak peak at the little love that I otherwise wouldn't get until 20 weeks!  SIGN ME UP!  The test results ended up being great with a risk for Downs, Trisomy 13 and 18 significantly less than average for my age.  WOOHOO!  Baby's heart was still pretty tiny looking, but I'm pretty sure I could count 4 little chambers pumping away in there.  AND, because Matt and I are a little on the impatient side (we exchanged Christmas gifts on 12/10 just for the heck of it!)...I asked the much anticipated question "How soon can you tell if its a boy or a girl??"  Well, well, well...we THINK we know what it is!  

......Curious?