Half way there!!!!!!

This is just going to be short and sweet. But since its been FOREVER since I last wrote, I have to give an update......

I am 20 weeks and 4 days along! YEEESSSSSS! Every Monday I go to the hospital and get a lovely shot in my butt of Hydroxy-Progesterone to help me make it to term. We found out 2 weeks ago that we are expecting a girl. I've narrowed the name search to about 25 names! LOL!!! We are almost on Christmas Break so I promise to give more details about all the stuff going on with my pregnancy.

It´s a Girl!!!

I had a feeling that the little one was a girl, but Mr. Lillysaur was certain that it was going to be a boy. Today´s scan at 17 weeks confirmed my suspicions. I was thankful not to have the dildo cam come into play today, and the belly wand was not bad. The gel was a little cold, and the baby wasn´t into cooperating at first, but after going for a nice walk, she was in a better position to be viewed and measured. So far things are looking good. I like hearing that. So.....

ups: I am beginning to feel movement, which is kind of an odd sensation sometimes. We are having a girl! I´m not tired anymore. I can eat, eat, eat again.

downs: round ligament pain is not a lot of fun...on Monday I went to the doctor after I got stabbing pains in what I was sure was my cervix. The doctor took a look, measured my cervix, looked at the baby and said everything was fine. She told me to get used to the weird pains and told me to start taking 600 mg of Magnesium a day...

weight gain: according to the scal at the hospital I have put on a little less than a kilo since my visit four weeks ago. Hopefully this will appease my regular gyno.

maternity clothes: Mostly, though I have some regular clothes that I can still wear. My belly hasn´t definitely gotten bigger this past week.

favorite moment: watching my little girl "kiss" my uterus today. I even got a picture of it.

Pirates vs Ninjas - the verdict is in!

Our big ultrasound was yesterday...and we're having BOYS!

I was really excited to get the confirmation, but also not surprised that they turned out to be pirates and not ninjas. I've been so certain this entire pregnancy that we're having boys that it was more of a pleasant confirmation than a surprise...I think I'd have been absolutely shocked if they'd turned out to be girls! Don't get me wrong - I'd have been happy either way, but I was so sure they were boys that that's how I've been secretly thinking of them for most of the last 20 weeks.

The rest of the scan went really well: they're healthy and active, and measuring in at 20 weeks, 3 days and 20 weeks, 4 days - it was the first time they've measured ahead of schedule, although of course this is all just based on averages, so next time they could easily be back to one or two days behind, haha! We have to go back in another couple of weeks so they can take a good look at one of the twins' hearts - the tech assured me that he doesn't think there's anything wrong (the blood flow was good, as was the heartbeat), but he couldn't get a good look or take any measurements due to awkward positioning and the other twin constantly getting in the way, so we just need to get "Twin B Heart" officially ticked on the ultrasound checklist.

Yaaaaaay for Baby Pirates!

My Husband's Getting His Little Hockey Player!

We had the ultrasound I was most looking forward to last week, and although the tech couldn't tell me for sure..... It's a boy!

I did my research before we went and studied pictures of other ultrasounds at the same time frame as our little one, and could see a little "something" between our baby's legs! The ultrasound tech confirmed it with a knowing look, and I think she was one of those nice ones that likes to bend the rules a little.

When we were doing the medical part of the ultrasound my husband wasn't allowed in the room, and I didn't realize how long it was taking, but he was getting pretty worried when he saw three separate couples go in and out before he went in. The baby is posititioned so that his head is near my ribs and his face is towards my spine, so the ultrasound tech was having alot of trouble getting his measurements. She kept asking me to turn over, turn back, and lay on my back, over and over again. He just wouldn't move, so she even tried to use the device to poke him over, and good grief it hurt! I think I had a bruise for a few days under my ribs!

So when I understood how difficult it was for her to get what she needed I was scared that she might not be able to get the gender either, but when I asked she smiled and said, "I already got that picture, do you want to see?" I, of course, said yes, and that's when I noticed the little package he's carrying. Then later on she was trying to get a profile picture, and again he wasn't cooperating, but she said, " see that, poking up?" With what I saw and the way she acted I'm almost positive it's a boy! It's very exciting!

Also, I'm finally starting to feel something too! It seemed like it was taking forever, but I am starting to feel what I can only compare to a tiny muscle spasm deep inside. I felt it for the first time when we were out at lunch on a Sunday and I said to my husband that I thought I felt something and as I was saying it it did it again. I said if it does it one more time it's definitely the baby, and it did mere seconds later! Then I didn't feel anything again for a few days, and now it's happening more frequently!

I have started gaining a little weight I think too. I am noticing a minute increase in my appetite, and at least am making more of an effort to eat even when I'm not interested in it. So, I hope the baby is healthy. I go in for my next midwife appointment on the 16th, so I will check my weight again on the scale I like to use there, and I think I can expect an increase of about five pounds. I have struggled with my weight ever since adolescence and it feels very strange to be worried about how much weight I'm NOT gaining. I'm definitely not trying to diet or anything like that, but I am worried about the lack of vegetables I'm getting. The thought of them still makes me gag, and I have to try to sneak them into things so I don't notice so much that they are in there. Thankfully my husband has been great and makes dinner almost every night so he can sneak a little better than I can. I'm so thankful for him!

I am still struggling so hard to balance work, being so tired, school, and my part time job. It's not coming together as easily as I thought it would! I have neglected my school and part time job so badly that I'm scared about how I'm going to get it all done. I am plagued with headaches and being so tired makes it incredibly difficult to get through my regular eight hour day let alone doing everything else on top of that! I am trying so hard to stay calm and not stressed, but being a naturally anxious person does not help me in that area. The holiday season is only going to make it more difficult to get things done, but I do have about ten days off at the end of December to hopefully get some neglected things done! The sad thing is that I actually miss my schoolwork, and wish it just wasn't so overwhelming right now!

Anyway, more soon! Wish me luck with organizing my much too chaotic life!

Pirates vs Ninjas

Like any good nerds, Mr Bibliosaur and I wage a constant battle about which are superior: pirates or ninjas.

I'm firmly on the side of ninjas. Mr Bibliosaur is a pirate groupie. So when it comes to the Bibliosaur Bebbehs expected next year, we'd clearly reached an impasse. Forget sex, money or religion - how do you raise children in a house divided over such a critical matter as who would win in an epic pirate-ninja battle? So we decided: if we had girls, they'd be ninjas like their brilliant mama. Boys would be pirates, like their well meaning but clearly deluded daddy (ahem).

And with the big, gender revealing ultrasound only a week away*, the question of the day is: will the Bibliosaur Bebbehs be pirates or ninjas? Keep in mind that they're identical twins, so we'll be getting a matched set -- none of this one-of-each business.

Here's what the plethora of stunningly inaccurate old wives' tales have to say on the matter:

Pro-Pirates
I didn't have morning sickness early on (I did have it, but it didn't show up right away).
I'm looking good during pregnancy, or so Mr Bibliosaur tells me...although he'd probably still say that if I stopped bathing and grew a snaggletooth, because he knows what's good for him.
I crave salty/sour/savory foods, not sweet.
Average baby heartrate is below 140 (boys supposedly have lower heartrates than girls).
My belly looks like a basketball, not a watermelon.

Pro-Ninjas
I'm carrying high.
The hair on my legs isn't growing any faster than it did before.
My feet aren't any colder than they were pre-pregnancy.
My nose hasn't changed during pregnancy (who the hell comes up with this stuff?).
The Chinese Gender chart says girl.

And what do the parents-to-be think? Well, as much as I'd enjoy getting to have the upper hand in all matters PvN in our house, I think we're having boys. No real reason why, but I will be genuinely shocked if they turn out to be ninjas.

Mr Bibliosaur, on the other hand, is 100% convinced we're having girls. When I asked him for a reason, he said, "Having twin teenage girls with boys sniffing around them would be serious karmic payback for all of my horny adolescent fantasies." Can't argue with that, can you?

But really, let's be honest: we have a 50/50 chance, and one way or the other, either Mr Bibliosaur or I will be right. So what do YOU think?

poll by twiigs.com

*Yes, we will be finding out the gender. No, I do not think it's one of the few great mysteries in life and want to "wait to be surprised." I'll STILL be surprised. Just 20 weeks earlier.

Baby Citysaur...

That's right - snips, snails and puppy dog tails - that's what our little boy is made of!

The ultrasound yesterday (possibly our only of the pregnancy) was everything I hoped for. The u/s tech was wonderful and so very sweet. She explained everything as she scanned all the organs. They had a huge screen hanging up so we could all see the action (me, Mr. Citysaur, Nana [my mom], and my best friend). I can't even describe the feeling I had when our baby's image popped up on the screen. Everything looked great according to the u/s tech, and heartrate is a healthy 156, which was confirmed by the midwife at my appointment at the Birth Center right after the u/s.

The moment she told us it was a he was wonderful. Mr. Citysaur had inadvertently referred to our baby as a "he" early on during the u/s, and when it came time to check out the parts (thank you for not being shy, little boy!), the tech said "Well, dad, it looks like you were right!" I think I'll remember that moment the rest of my life.

I'm going to leave with a poem. And I'm going to wish Nana a Happy Birthday - today is her birthday!

A Boy's World
By Rea Williams

The world was made for little boys

With infinite wonders and myriad joys

As he explores the source of brooks

Or recorded lore in interesting books.

As he trails fierce bears imaginary

Or listens quietly for the wild canary,

There are trees to climb - birds to hear,

Animals to greet with love - not fear.

He tramps the woods, fields and streams

Dreaming those wondrous boyhood dreams,

Of conquering worlds - as yet unknown

In that far off day when he is grown,

To manhood stature with noble goal

Imbued with nature's gentle soul.

In the cool of evening or midday sun

Knowing that all of life is one -

Knowing with all its strife and noise

The world was made for little boys.

Baby Luckysaur is a...

Girl! All my motherly intuitions were completely wrong. Haha. The ultrasound was this morning and our little girl was very active. All her measurements are on track with where they're supposed to be and no abnormalities were found (whew!).

I'll post the ultrasound pictures as soon as I can get them scanned, but I wanted to share our good news and to introduce our little Sophia Avery to all of you.

It's a...

After feeling the baby kick, the next big milestone we would be hitting would be our "big" ultrasound where we would find out if we were having a boy or a girl. My ob/gyn actually gave us the phone number for the perinatologist who would be doing the u/s at our 9 week appointment. You betcha I called that same day to schedule this u/s! I tried to get in as soon as they would take me. I tried to schedule it during week 17 so we would know the baby's gender before our parents came to visit us (they were coming for DH's graduation), but they wouldn't let me. They said that as little as one week can make a difference and they don't like to see their patients until they are at least 18 weeks along. Well, I wanted to at least find out before our parents flew back home, so I fibbed about my EDD and got our u/s scheduled for 17w5d. I figured just a few days couldn't really make a difference. Plus, I have heard of many women saying that their u/s techs were able to get a good guess in as early as 13 weeks...

Image Source

Some women just "have a feeling" or say it's a "mother's intuition," but I had no idea if we were having a boy or a girl. Mr. Chocosaur really wanted the baby to be a boy, because he is the only male in his family, and it is really important to him that we have a child that will be able to carry on the family name. I really didn't care either way, as long as the baby was healthy. The only real reason why I was leaning towards wanting the baby to be a boy was because then I knew DH would be happy and then I wouldn't have to worry about the baby's gender when we have our second child.

There are so many different myths out there about gender prediction. Some say that higher heart rates, particularly over 140 bpm, indicate that you are having a girl. My baby's heart rate always hovered between 135-140 bpm at each visit, meaning we should be having a boy. Then there are the Chinese gender predictor charts - according to these charts, we were going to have a boy. I've also heard that if you have a very dark/prominent linea negra, then you are having a boy. Most women do not even develop a linea negra until later on in pregnancy, but mine started to develop as early as the late first trimester. So according to this myth, I was having a boy. Then there is the Drano test - yes, you read that right - Drano, as in the household drain cleaner. I have heard many women swear by this test, stating that they have not once heard of this test failing. Unfortunately, I did not do this test so I can't attest to its accuracy. So, according to most methods of gender prediction, we were going to have a boy...


When we went in for the ultrasound, the first thing the u/s tech asked us was if we wanted to know the gender of the baby. We both emphatically answered, "Yes!" and then anxiously waited for her to do the scan. It really seemed like she was scanning everything else on the baby... she checked the brain to make sure there wasn't any fluid on the brain, she checked the heart to make sure there were four chambers and no visible defects, she checked the spinal cord, stomach, kidneys, length of the long bones, etc. and then finally she scanned between the baby's legs. I half squinted at the screen, trying to make out a male body part, but couldn't see anything... and then the tech announced that it was a girl! Haha, so that's why I didn't see anything. I had almost convinced myself that we were going to have a boy that I was fairly shocked to find out that we were having a baby girl! I immediately looked at Mr. Chocosaur to see if he had a look of disappointment on his face, but he more just had a look of surprise. I asked him if he was disappointed and he said that he was not disappointed and that he was happy that everything on the u/s showed her to be healthy. Shortly after the u/s tech finished her scan, the perinatologist came in and repeated the scan, this time going much quicker... he only briefly mentioned some of the big things he was seeing, probably because the tech had already taken so much time to show us everything. It wasn't long, though, before he confirmed that we were in fact having a baby girl. So much for all those gender prediction tools, huh?!

When we polled our families to see what they thought we were having, everyone said "boy" except for my mom who only said "girl" because she felt like someone had to. Some said that they were confident it was a boy because Mr. Chocosaur walked into the room after the u/s with a glow on his face. This made me feel a bit better about the fact that our baby was a girl, because even though DH had wanted a boy, he still looked happy after finding out we were having a girl. I was excited to be on team pink, because little girls are so much more fun to dress up. I could not wait to start buying tons of girly clothes once we found out the gender! The only thing DH had to say was that he wasn't going to let our little girl date until she is 30 - ha! Yeah, good luck with that one right?

Image Source

And with the big reveal that we were having a baby girl, I finally felt like I could go out and start buying things for the baby... up until then, I hadn't really made any baby purchases, even after we had safely made it into the second trimester. Once you start buying things for the baby, it all starts to feel so much more real....

Go Team Pink!

We had our Level II Ultrasound today and it's confirmed...we're having a girl!

Everything is great and we got to see her for about 45 minutes today. She's measuring ahead by about a week and is in the 73% for size...about 12 ounces and has super long arms and legs. No doubt she'll be tall like mommy and daddy...I am thinking future basketball or volleyball star!

Here are some more photos from today:

FACE:

ARMS:

BOTTOM:

I burst into tears when we heard her heartbeat...it's so amazing to hear and see a little being growing inside of me, even though I don't feel her yet. I hope I will soon! And we are relieved that so far, everything is right on track and looking really good! Yay for Team Pink! She'll be named after her grandmothers....Elizabeth Joan...her first name is my mom's middle name and her middle name is Mr. Divasaur's middle name...and we'll call her Libby. We cannot wait to meet her!

Where has the time gone?

Wow. I didn't realize it has been well over a month since my last post! I'm still having blogger issues (only on my home computer) so welcome to our new Pregosaurs! The few times I've been able to comment on posts were when I was at work and had a free minute, which is rare when you're an RN. But I still read every post and am sending good thoughts to all!

Anywho...I'll catch you up on the haps. If you recall, at my NT scan, baby was looking definitely girly until the doctor came in and checked again. At that point, the nub looked like it was pointing up, indicating a boy. I told the doctor I was going to go to one of those 3D/4D ultrasound places to find out the gender at 15 weeks, which is when they say they can tell. He told me not waste my money and that he would just refer me back for a follow-up at 16 weeks. Cool, huh? So instead of paying $99 or whatever it is, I just paid my $15 co-pay.

Technically, I was 15w5d at my last ultrasound and everything is looking good. They mentioned that it looked like baby might have a echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) and we saw the bright spot on the heart valves on the ultrasound, but the doctor assured us that it's nothing to worry about. Of course, I googled it as soon as I got home and my mind was put more at ease.



So on to the real reason for my ultrasound - gender check! I was pretty convinced after the NT scan that she was a she so I would have been pretty shocked to find out otherwise. I've always wanted a little girl! And luckily, I was not disappointed! Here's the "money shot". (Haha...the doc actually typed that in on the photo after I called it that. Other photos said "Baby Hoo Hoo" with the same arrows pointing to her girly parts.)




And, finally, my first bump pics to share. Here I am at 4 weeks and 17 weeks:



I still don't really think it's much of bump...it's more of a bigger pooch than what I had pre-pregnancy. I've gained 4-5 lbs and am definitely thicker in the middle. But I don't look pregnant in clothes yet and it's easily hidden. But my clothes have been noticeably tighter the last two weeks and I broke down and bought the BeBand from Target. I must say, I love it! I haven't had the rolling problems that I've read about so it must just depend on your body shape. I think I'll be able to keep wearing my regular jeans for quite a while with the band. I'm not quite ready to start buying maternity clothes because I don't want to outgrow them before I even get a chance to really wear them!

PS. I think I figured out my blogger issue. I'm pretty sure it's Zone Alarm, because when I turned it off, blogger started to work for me. So if anyone is looking for a firewall/internet security suite, stay away from Zone Alarm! It's given me other issues and I definitely do not recommend it!

Sweet relief

Since I got my BFP, I've been cautious and wouldn't allow myself to get to excited or plan for the baby because I was so afraid something would go wrong. Even though everything looked fine on my six week ultrasound and we saw the heart flickering, I wouldn't let myself get too excited. It's weird to think that there's really a baby growing inside you when you can't see, hear or feel any of it. I have had very mild symptoms - just slight nausea, food aversions & cravings, and tender nipples. They're mild enough that if I didn't know I was pregnant, I probably wouldn't really notice them.

As you can imagine, the countdown to my NT scan was agonizing because I'm super impatient, and because I was so anxious and excited to see our baby looking like an actual baby, rather than a little blob. I was literally counting down the days and they could not have gone by fast enough. Finally, yesterday was the day. And it was fabulous. I teared up when I saw our baby for the first time. It was so surreal. And it was the greatest feeling to find out that so far, everything looks great! Baby is measuring another 2 days ahead (12w instead of 11w5d), but it won't change my due date. We got 6 photos printed and a DVD of the whole scan. =D

Here's baby, waving at the camera (you can see 3 fingers above the nose):


We definitely want to find out the gender because we're totally planners and we want to be able to decorate appropriately. There's a theory about the "angle of the dangle" where you can determine the baby's sex at about 12 weeks. In females, the nub points down at less than 30° relative the the spine. In males, the angle is greater than 30°. Here's our first look:


The arrow points to the nub, which clearly looks girly. It looks just like the girl photo from the website I linked to above. This image was taken by the tech. After she did the whole scan, the doctor came in and asked if we wanted to know the sex. We said we thought we knew so he took a live look and snapped this image:

Doh! Now baby is looking like a boy! He looked again and baby moved and then looked girly again. Plus, the doctor said that the heart rate (which was 165bpm) made him think it was a girl because he said girls tend to have higher heart rates. So now we just don't know. We'll find out in another 4 weeks for sure when we have a 3D ultrasound. Yet another thing for me to countdown to!

Old Wive's Tales

So even CNN was talking about IntelliGender yesterday, but personally I don't trust any test that won't tell you what it is measuring to get it's results. I'd rather keep my $35 (it's not available in the UK anyway) and use methods that are just as reliable and--- free!

So I've played around with some Old Wives' Tales and these are my results. A lot of the OWT clues didn't apply to be, such as how I'm carrying etc, since I am still early, so I left them blank. This is what we've got so far:

1)You're more likely to be carrying a boy if...
• Your baby's heartbeat is lower than 140 beats per minute • you're carrying all out front • you're carrying low • you're blooming in pregnancy • you didn't suffer from morning sickness in your first trimester • your right breast is bigger than your left • you look at yourself in the mirror for at least a minute and your pupils dilate • you crave salty food or protein, such as cheese and meat • your feet become cold more quickly than before you were pregnant • you tie your wedding ring to some thread, hang it over your stomach and it moves in circles • your skin becomes dry • you combine your age at the time of conception with the number of the month you conceived and the resulting number is even • your hair has become more full-bodied and shiny during pregnancy • the hair on your legs has been growing faster during pregnancy • you are more prone to headaches • your pillow faces north when you sleep • you're asked to show your hands and you present them palms down • you lie on your left side when sleeping • your urine is bright yellow • you were the more aggressive partner during love-making when you conceived • you eat a clove of garlic and the smell seeps out of your pores • your previous child's first word was "dada".

You're more likely to be having a girl if...
• Your baby's heartbeat is faster than 140 beats per minute • you're carrying all round • you're carrying high • you've missed the "blooming" period altogether • you suffered morning sickness during your first twelve weeks • your left breast is bigger than your right • you look at yourself in the mirror for at least a minute, but your pupils don't dilate • you crave sweet things, such as juice, fruit and sweets • you tie your wedding ring to some thread, hang it over your stomach and it swings from side to side • your skin is soft • you are more moody than usual • you're asked to show your hands and you present them palms up • you were the less aggressive partner during love-making when you conceived • you eat a clove of garlic, but you don't smell of it • you combine your age at the time of conception with the number of the month you conceived and the resulting number is odd • your hair has become thinner and dull during pregnancy • you lie on your right side when sleeping • your pillow faces south when you sleep • your urine is dull yellow • your previous child's first word was "mama".

Boy: 3/22 13.6 %
Girl: 7/20 35%

2)Old Wives' Tale Gender Predictor

3)Boy or Girl Test

And Here's Why...

You are carrying the extra weight around the hips and bottom, so it's a girl.

The hair on your legs is not growing any faster during your pregnancy, so it's a girl.

You refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread. You are having a girl.

Dad-to-be hasn't been gaining weight along with Mom-to-be, so it will be a girl.

The maternal grandmother doesn't have gray hair (dyed or natural), so a girl will be born.

You had morning sickness early in pregnancy, so you are expecting a girl.

You are not looking particularly good during pregnancy. Therefore, it must be a girl, because girls steal their mother's looks.

Your chest development has been quite dramatic during pregnancy. You should expect a girl.

Since the sum of the mother's age at conception and the number of the month of conception is even, it will be a boy.

You are craving sweets, which means that it is a girl.

Your nose hasn't changed during pregnancy, which indicates a girl.

You are having headaches, so it's a boy.

4)Chinese Gender Chart

It's all just fun really, I've always like sweet things better than salty and I tend to get headaches anyway, but it's still fun to play. It's certainly cheaper than a test that as far as I know contains Kool Aid mix....

Update: I'm having a GIRL!

Just a quickie post to update you all that I've got a little lady on her way! 

I'll post more later about our 20 week u/s but everything checked out good and so we're now TEAM PINK!

It's a ...

.......... Boy or a Girl? Take a guess in the comment section! 

I find out tomorrow afternoon at our big u/s what the sex is, assuming my babe is not shy and shows us his or her stuff!

To aid in your guesses, here is some random information: 

• I did not experience m/s; my face did not break out
• I have gained about 10 pounds and it's all in my belly
• It's too early to say if I'm carrying high or carrying everywhere though
• I crave BOTH sweet stuff (frozen yogurt! OJ!) and salty foods (nuts! cheese! meat!)
• The Chinese gender chart said I'm having a boy (age 32; conceived mid-Dec)
• But if you go by lunar months, then the Chinese chart says it's a girl! 
• According to this quiz, we have a 76 percent chance of having a boy...
• But according to this chart, we have a 56 percent chance of having a girl!
• DH's dad sired a girl first, then a boy; his maternal grandfather did the same; but his paternal grandfather sired two boys, then a girl
• DH just turned 40, so you might think his swimmers are slow (girls) but you never know!
• Based on the timing of sex (3 days before, 1 day before, on the day of O), it means...

I give up! I have no idea! Place your bets now...