Week 18

• How far along? 18 weeks!
• Baby’s Size: sweet potato 
• Gender: Still don't know, but we'll find out on September 7th if the baby cooperates!
• Movement: I feel things here and there, but nothing consistent.  I'm pretty sure that it is the baby moving around in there, but just feels like a tickle right now!
• Sleep: I am getting up just about every two hours to visit the bathroom.  I usually don't have any problems falling back to sleep, which is good! 
• Food Cravings: steak, mexican, anything with a lot of strong flavors
• Food Aversions: chicken....all chicken
• What I am Looking forward to: Finding out if we have a girl ECG or a boy ECG!  Just about two weeks to go!!!

16 week check up

Hard to believe I am almost to the halfway point of this pregnancy.  Time is just flying by.  Most of the time I don't feel pregnant, which makes it all that more surreal.  I haven't felt the baby yet, so I have to rely on my growing waistline to reassure myself that there is indeed life growing inside me.  I'm hoping that little ECG starts making his or her presence known soon, because all my clothes being snug is starting to get annoying!
We had our monthly check up this past week.  I had blood drawn, talked to the doctor, and heard that lovely heartbeat again.  I don't think I could every get tired of hearing the sound that is the mix of a washing machine and a galloping horse!  Scott could clearly hear it this time and I loved the beaming smile on his face when he knew what he was hearing....already such a proud daddy!
So today I get a phone call from the nurse at the doctor's office.  I love her!  She is by far the best nurse, I have ever had contact with.  She talked to me on the phone for at least 10 minutes explaining every lab that had been run and answering every single question I had.  Everything came back just perfect with all my blood tests, I just still have this pesky infection.  She said I'd probably have it throughout the rest of my pregnancy.  She said having it and not treating it is safer than treating it at this point, so I just have to deal!  Of course this isn't hard because I don't feel like I have an infection so dealing is something I can do.  This does mean that I'll need IV antibiotics during delivery though....that's 5 months away...I'll worry about that when the time comes, in about 160 days :-)

A Letter From The Baby

Dear family and friends,
     I thought you'd be interested in learning some more about me this week.  Can you believe that I'm already the size of a lemon?  Think of me when you pass the lemons at the grocery store this week :-)  I have also learned to do some pretty cool things this week.  I can pee now.  Lucky for Mommy and Daddy, they don't have to take care of it yet, I'm just practicing for all those diaper changes.  I can also make facial expressions.  I can grimace when Mommy feeds me spaghetti and grin when she feeds me Starbursts and nectarines.  Mommy thinks I'm a girl and Daddy just wants me to be healthy.  I'm going to reveal all the first week of September, if I feel like cooperating!  And last but not least, Mommy and Daddy have decided on my name whether I'm a girl or a boy.  I can give you a hint.....my initials will be ECG either way (any guesses?).  Ok, that's it for this week, my 14th week :-)

Lots of Love,
Baby ECG....the lemon

pic courtesy of www.babycenter.com

Farewell 1st Trimester

I'm now in my second trimester!  It is crazy to think that I'm 1/3 through the pregnancy.  These past couple of weeks (since I have been off school) have seemed to drag by, but I'm sure once I get back to school, January will be here before I know it.  So just as all the books have said, the symptoms have started to phase themselves out the past couple of weeks.  The only thing that is driving me crazy is these stupid antibiotics I'm on.  I have to take them  FOUR times a day!!!  So add in my prenatal vitamins and all I'm doing all day is taking gel cap pills.  To make matters worse, the antibiotics have to be taken on an empty stomach, 1 hour before I eat or 2 hours after I eat, and the vitamin has to be taken with food.  Everything has to be timed just right so I can make sure I'm eating, taking the antibiotic, and taking my vitamin.  I even have to take a pill in the middle of the night, which isn't a huge deal since I'm up every two-three hours to go to the bathroom anyway.  I'll manage though!  40 minutes until my next pill and 5 days until my last!!!

thump, thump, thump, thump

That's the sound of Baby Gerke's heartbeat and we got to hear it today!   The heartbeat was a little tough to find, but once the baby stopped moving all around the heartbeat was strong and very fast (according to the doctor).  Scott was so nervous.  I don't think he took a single breath while the doctor was searching for the heartbeat.  I kept hearing a couple of beats here and there, but Scott wasn't hearing that.  As soon as the doctor would start to hear the heartbeat, Baby Gerke would move away. But bottom line is that we heard the heart beat and the doctor said that puts us in the clear....we're in the safe zone!!!!

I do apparently have a small infection, but that is being treated with some antibiotics and should be gone in about a week.  News to me, but glad it is something easily taken care of.  Our next appointment is on August 10th.  The day after we get back from out next vacation.  Scott's boss has got to love him...he goes on vacation for a week, then has an appointment the first day back.  No really his boss is incredibly supportive, so it's not a big deal!  And if all goes as planned, looks like we'll be finding out boy or girl, the first week in September!  It seems like so far away, but I know it will be here before we know it!

If you're lucky enough to be at the beach...

then you're lucky enough! Or so the saying goes! We just got back from the Gerke family vacation to Duck, NC. It was a great time. Lots of time with family, hours spent in the sun, splashes in the pool and ocean, time playing games....what's not to feel lucky about!

Every alone moment Scott and I were able to steal, we reminded ourselves that our trip to the beach next summer will be very different. We'll have a baby in tow, which comes with so much more. More gear to pack, more time inside than out, but more importantly, more smiles, laughter, and love. We can't wait!!!!

The Gerke crew on the 4th of July

Big News!

Well many of you may know, but some of you may not. We have some exciting information to share!!! We are pregnant and expecting a little baby in January!!! God is absolutely amazing and we know He has answered ours and so many others' prayers over the past months. It has been fun to share the news with friends and family as we see or talk to them. The reactions have been the best! Most people scream only to be followed with tears (of joy, of course).

So far I'm feeling just fine. Typical pregnancy symptoms I suppose...a little nausea and fatigue, but other than that, not bad at all! We've been to the doctor a couple of times and seen our little nugget on an ultrasound a couple of times. So far the little guy or girl is growing and has a really strong heartbeat. We are planning to find out whether we have a little girl or a little boy, but won't know until late August, maybe September.

I know I haven't been the best at keeping this blog up in the past 5 months, but we were waiting for really good news to update the blog! So there's our really good news!!!! And just because we're already proud parents, here's one of Baby Gerke's first pictures. The little nugget was waving to us in this one!