Second Trimester

Yay! I am officially done with first trimester and on two the second. Second trimester is known for its significantly lower risk of miscarriage and an increase in energy. I like the sound of that. 6 months to go.

13 Weeks

The difference between baby #1 and baby #3 might very well be shaping up to be my complete and total inability to get these posts done on time. But better late than never.

Baby is the size of a lemon at 13 weeks pregnant. At 13 weeks pregnant, he has vocal cords, teeth, and even fingerprints. He is about 2.9 inches long and weighs about .81 ounces, and proportion-wise, his head is now about 1/3 the size of the body instead of ½.

How far along? 13 weeks (and 4 days, actually)

Weight gain/loss: As of my appointment last week I was actually down a pound from my first appointment, which was probably best given that first appointment included some Christmas over eating!

Sleep? Going well at this point. We had a few rough nights but that was more due to Jay's cold than anything pregnancy related. Everyone is feeling healthy now though. AND, Noemi decided she no longer wants to wear pull ups at night. Last night we let her try and she actually did it. I am thrilled.

Best moment this week?We took the kids to see Matilda, the musical. It was fantastic and so fun to do something really special with the kids that we might not be able to do again for a while.

Movement: I thought I felt something. But maybe I was just digesting dinner.

Food cravings: Oranges. And I am having an anti-craving -- a full on revulsion of meat that requires a knife and fork. I can't explain that one.

What I miss? Really good exercise. It is hard to be intentionally easy on myself.

What I am looking forward to? Girls night out with my two favorite ladies this weekend. Can't have a drink but it will be a great night.

Milestones: Finding out the gender, of course! That was huge and very exciting.

What I'm nervous about: Our country. Watching the first 10 days of Trump's presidency has been stressful on multiple fronts. I hope we are better as a nation than his vision. As a lawyer, I am particular concerned with his apparent disregard for the rule of law.

12 Week Ultrasound Picture

Here's baby boy at 12 weeks and 3 days.

Big News!

12 Weeks

Well, I am technically 1 day short of 12 weeks but I skipped week 11 so I thought I'd get back to it today! Baby is the size of a plum at 12 weeks pregnant. The average fetus at 12 weeks is about 2.1 inches long and .49 ounces. Now that baby's got pretty much all his or her important organs, his or her main job is to keep on growing. Baby at 12 weeks is opening and closing his or her fingers and curling toes. And baby’s brain is developing fast!

How far along? 12 weeks

Weight gain/loss: I still haven't replaced the batteries in our home scale. Laziness or intentional blindness? You be the judge.

Sleep? Well, Noemi has been a champion and has been sleeping in her bed all night ALL WEEK. This is amazing and has made a huge difference, especially for Jay, who very kindly has been the one to go down to her bed at night when she wakes up. I think that Joaquin offering to sleep in her bed with her has been making a big difference. The two of them in the queen sized bed is just too cute and I love seeing Joaquin be such a caring big brother to his little sister when she is scared. As for me, sleep has been fine but I am starting to wake up with a sore back from the awkward positions already, so this may be a long few months.

Best moment this week? Jay and I had a great date at a newish restaurant on Balboa Island called Royal Hen. I still can't decide if my favorite dish was the pate with cherry compote, the zesty arugula and brussel sprouts caesar, my short ribs or the banana/chocolate heaven that was our dessert. Plus we ran into friends while there!

Movement: Just a few more weeks for this!

Food cravings: Pepperoncinis. Right from the jar. I'm serious.

What I miss? RED WINE. For a couple weeks it sounded gross but now it sounds like a little glass of heaven.

What I am looking forward to? Saturday. We are marching in the Women's March in Santa Ana. I am absolutely not looking forward to tomorrow's inauguration but I am glad that we will be part of the visible resistance to the many misogynistic and otherwise contemptable things our next President (ugh, do I have to say that?!) has said and done. Plus my shirt is awesome. It says "Keep Your Tiny Hands Off My Human Rights." Nothing like being a pregnant lady to really reflect on that one.

Milestones: Everyone at work knows now. That's always an interesting conversation but it is what it is. I could write a novel on all of the ways being a mom impacts a career but truly the biggest impact is during pregnancy and, obviously, maternity leave. While my employer is absolutely supportive, it is hard not to think about the fact that this may slow down my professional progress in a way that a man would never understand.

What I'm nervous about: Nothing. Truly. I am really enjoying not worrying about this pregnancy in the ways I did with Joaquin and Noemi. I was a ball of nerves my entire pregnancy with Joaquin; completely convinced that something could go wrong at any minute. I felt similarly nervous with Noemi, just to a slightly lesser extent. I think having a miscarriage before each of those pregnancies was incredibly difficult and created a lot of strain. This time I am not worried. Of course, there are no guarantees that nothing will go wrong, but after having two healthy babies the odds are in favor of relatively smooth sailing. In any event, worrying doesn't help anything and can in fact cause some complications. Maybe it's being older and wiser or maybe it's part of the natural letting go that happens when you have kids and realize that you can control everything, but whatever it is, it's definitely serving me well in this process.

10 Weeks

Baby is the size of a strawberry at 10 weeks pregnant, measuring about 1.2 inches long and weighing about 0.14 ounces. Baby has working arm joints, and cartilage and bones are forming. It's vital organs are fully developed and they're starting to function. Fingernails and hair are starting to appear too! And can you believe that baby’s busy practicing swallowing and kicking already?

How far along? 10 weeks

Weight gain/loss: My scale is out of batteries at home so I am not quite sure. I am actually thinking I may have lost a pound or so since last week just by virtue of getting back to my regular, healthier diet. The holiday food was a bit over the top!

Sleep? Pretty good this week! We are still working on getting Emi to sleep in her bed all night so that continues to challenge all of our sleep but overall I am feeling pretty well rested.

Best moment this week? We had a pretty mellow week this week. It is new year and that is always exciting. We worked with the kids on setting goals for the New Year and they came up with some great ones. I am really proud of their big hearts and willingness to challenge themselves.

Movement: Just a few more weeks for this!

Food cravings: Bread, which is of course the one thing I am trying not to eat. But with a tummy that is always just barely on the edge, the only thing that sounds good sometimes is toast with butter. I am being pretty good about avoiding it so far but it's tough!

What I miss? Energy and strength. Yoga is a whole lot harder these days!

What I am looking forward to? A date with Jay tonight. No idea where we are going but I always look forward to our dates as a chance to relax and talk without any kid interruptions and enjoy some great food (if not any wine!).

Milestones: Nothing major this week. I am looking forward to the NIPT test this coming week though when we will find out if baby is a boy or girl and, more importantly, whether there are risks of serious genetic issues. We are also waiting to tell the kids about the baby until after this test - mostly because we don't want one to be disappointed about it being a boy or girl (you can guess that the kids have preferences and they do no match!). I felt it was best to tell them about the baby and the gender at the same time so no one got their hopes up and felt disappointed later.

What I'm nervous about: The NIPT. I am excited and nervous about this test. The odds of something being wrong are probably low given our two healthy kiddos, but at age 35 the risk increases dramatically so it will be a major relief to get past the test.