19 Weeks and 26 Years Old Next Week!

Wow, when I thought about my birthday when I first found out I was pregnant it seemed SO incredibly far off in the distance. I thought it would take ages to get to this point and now here we are a matter of days away. I made sure I got my hair done yesterday to help me feel a little bit more celebratory, but this year I think I will be celebrating the 19 weeks part more than the 26 years old part. For the first time I do not have a single plan for my birthday, and I think it might even be more enjoyable that way. I kept thinking that I would have all these amazing plans with the friends I haven't been home to enjoy my birthday with in the past few years, but so far with everyone's busy schedules it just hasn't worked out. I think my husband and I will just lay low and enjoy some quiet time (with cake though, there has to be cake) together.

I went for my monthly appointment with my midwife, and asked her a few questions, but thankfully nothing critical has popped up so far. Apparently, my uterus is measuring 16 cm's which according to her is right on track even though I haven't gained a single pound yet! I had about ten or fifteen pounds extra weight on me before I got pregnant, so I do feel like this lack of weight gain is not unhealthy for me and the baby. I think probably in a couple of weeks I'll start to notice some increases there. As long as the midwife isn't worried, I'm not! It just will be nice not to have to lose a ton of weight after having the baby, but we'll see maybe what happens. Thankfully, I'm not depriving myself of anything or dieting in any sense of the word, but I do wish I was able to eat more and want more of the healthier things too. Right now I'm just trying to eat whatever I can as healthily as I can and it could be going much easier.

Also, I asked about the H1N1 vaccine, and it was actually interesting to hear what she had to say about it. She gave me the information as a doctor would and then answered the questions I had. According to her I am not in the high risk category of the already high risk category of pregnant women, so that means that because I'm still less than twenty weeks the baby isn't compromising my lung capacity and won't while the flu is in it's peak period (until Feb). They are most worried about that because of the complications the flu brings to respiratory function. I explained how I felt about the vaccine and she said that while she couldn't tell me what to do she could give me some facts about prevention etc. She also noted that my job doesn't not put me in contact with many people, and any socializing I would normally be doing with potentially infected people has been drastically reduced because of how miserable I've been feeling. She also mentioned that Tamiflu (the common treatment of H1N1) is available at their office so I wouldn't even need an appointment with my family doctor. It isn't a perfect cure but it reduces the effects of the flu drastically. I feel comfortable with that information and have decided not to get the vaccine. I can influence the chances of getting the flu by washing my hands as often as possible, drinking warm liquids, gargling with salt water, and even salt water up the nose if I'm really ambitious or worried (I don't see that last one happening).

On a less scary note I think I'm starting to feel something in my tummy! I am at the stage where I truly can't be absolutely positive of what I'm feeling, but I think there's a good chance it's the little one. I heard the heartbeat at my appointment again yesterday, and I can't help thinking each time, "Oh good, you are still in there!" I keep thinking that it might not be real, and then my husband says.... ummmm your belly is growing..... but I can't really tell... Like I said before I had about ten pounds sitting on my belly before so it's hard to see much more of a change there.

Only twelve more days to the big ultrasound! Which like I mentioned, doesn't necessarily mean anything considering we won't find out the gender at the actual ultrasound. I hate that we have to wait for the report! It's so silly! I can't get over my frustration about that, but I am very excited to begin thinking about this little person as having a personality as well. I'm really hoping for a boy, but I could make peace with a girl I'm sure. My friend is having a girl just before me so it would be cute to have the same, but I'm in love with the idea of having a little boy. I think it will take some of the pressure off having another child because my husband really, really wants a boy. I think we can really only afford to have two kids, and if we get two girls I think he will want to try for a third. I know he would love a baby girl just as much as a boy, but he really wants a little hockey player, and I think it's the cutest thing in the world to picture them out on the ice together.

Anyway, I will write again soon, and sorry for the late update on the H1N1 vaccine. It took ages to make up my mind and the midwife certainly helped me out.