Karen, Erik and Jack

Hi everyone! Sorry this is a day late – I got very busy yesterday!

This week, Baby Boy Garrett is just about 6 inches from the top of his head to his butt, and weighs about 7-8 ounces. He’s about the size of a large mango and will be the size of a large heirloom tomato by the end of the week (seriously, the fruit/veggie comparisons just get more ridiculous from here on out) He’s moving like crazy by now, and I can usually feel it every day (and it TICKLES!). Blood vessels are visible through the skin, and the ears are now in their final position, although they stick out quite a bit from the rest of his head. A protective coating of myelin is developing around his nerves (this process will continue even after birth). He can also get the hiccups now, although I haven’t felt them yet.

As for me, I’m getting bigger every day. The nausea/vomiting has been better, but I refuse to say “it’s over” for fear of jinxing it back. Our baby is definitely growing – every day, it feels like there is a balloon in my stomach that is inflating a little more every day, and I can feel my skin and muscles stretching to accommodate it. Two days ago, I visited my friend Kat whose baby Jackson is now 10 weeks old (his delivery is the one I attended when I was 8 weeks along). Jackson and our baby are going to be great buddies, and Kat has been a wonderful source of information and advice for me! Kat took a picture of me while I was there, and I’ve attached it to this email so you can see how big I am already. If I keep growing at this rate, I’ll be the size of the Titanic by the time I deliver. Erik has been taking pictures of my growth as well, but we have not uploaded them yet.

We hope you’re all doing well and have a wonderful week!
Love, Karen, Erik and Baby Boy Garrett

Hi everyone, I wanted to give an update from this week.

We just got back from the appointment. First, we met with a genetic counselor who explained the NT test results, and went though our medical history to identify any other possible conditions they need to test for. She also explained that an ultrasound COULD show evidence of Down’s Syndrome, but that 50% of DS cases do not show up in ultrasound. So all the ultrasound could do would be to lower our risk, but could not say definitively whether the baby has DS or not. Only an amnio could do that. We opted out of doing an amniocentesis, because no matter what we would still have this baby, and my need to prepare as much as possible with information did not trump the possibility of a miscarriage with the amniocentesis.

Then we had the ultrasound, and the very first thing was saw was the baby’s sex (more on that in a minute) – this baby was ready to show off! Everything else checked out great – healthy heart, healthy bones, 10 fingers and toes. We saw the baby waving its arms and legs, smiling, swallowing amniotic fluid, and moving all around. The doctor said that there was nothing in the ultrasound that gave suspicion of DS, but again stressed that this does not mean the baby does not have it. But our risk was lowered from 1:125 to 1:250.

As for the sex…. lock up your daughters, we’re having a boy!

Hi everyone, hope you’re doing well. Here’s the weekly Baby Garrett update…

Kraken is a bit over 5 inches now and weighs about 5 ounces. By the end of the week, S/he will be just under 6 inches and weigh as much as 7 ounces. In a few weeks, the baby’s weight will have doubled.  Sweat glands are beginning to develop, and all joints can now move. The startle reflex has also developed, so when Stanley randomly barks at a falling leaf or Fred knocks something off the counter, Kraken is likely jumping at the sound. Starting now, Kraken will begin to develop brown fat deposits which help regulate temperature and give the skin a less transparent look. Kraken is also beginning to develop its sleep cycles (hopefully as long as possible through the night) and improved muscle control allows him/her to grasp things with its hands.

Today was a big day – Kraken must have known that we would be sending an update to you all today! First, I got my very first Braxton-Hicks contraction. These are “practice” contractions which get the uterus ready for labor. Typically they begin around 6 weeks but are not felt until about halfway through the pregnancy. Then about a half hour later, it felt like I was being tickled from the inside – it was the baby moving! It was such an odd but amazing sensation.

As I mentioned in previous weekly updates, I had a Nuchal Translucency test (ultrasound to measure the back of the neck, and a blood test – the results are combined to determine the Kraken’s risk ratio for having chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down’s Syndrome). During last week’s appointment, I had the second part of the test done, and the results came back today. Typically, the risk ratio for a woman of my age is 1:500 risk of chromosomal abnormalities. My risk came back as 1:125. My ob stressed that this is still a good number, but it is a “positive” result for increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities. He is recommending that I have a level II ultrasound, which is a more detailed ultrasound that will look for specific anatomical abnormalities that come with chromosomal disease. This ultrasound should take place this week (he called me after 5 pm, after his staff had left, so they will call me first thing tomorrow morning to schedule it). At the ultrasound, they will also counsel about amniocentesis, to see if that is a test we want to pursue. That test carries a small risk of miscarriage, as it is an invasive procedure.

We’ll keep you updated about the tests. Hopefully we’ll be able to send an update later this week, if the ultrasound really can be scheduled for this week.

Have a good week,
Love, Karen, Erik & Baby Garrett

Hi everyone! So sorry for sending this late. Pregnancy brain is a killer!

This week, the baby is about 4.5 – 5 inches long and the size of an avocado. By the end of the week, the baby will be about the size of a turnip (seriously, that’s what Babycenter says. I don’t even remember the last time I saw a turnip. But the baby will be a little over 5 inches long from crown to butt.) More development is happening this week – the Kraken’s legs are now longer than its arms, its head is more erect, and toenails are growing. The scalp pattern is developing, but there’s no hair yet. As of this week, Kraken’s heart is pumping 25 quarts of blood each day – and this amount will continue to grow as the Kraken does. Bones continue to form out of the soft cartilage, and the baby can definitely start to hear. So, any music suggestions for the car are welcomed – I like to play music that the Kraken would like, or at least should get to know.

As for me, we had an “exciting” weekend. All last week, I was still throwing up all of the time. On Saturday afternoon, I begun to get a migraine. By Sunday morning, the pain was excruciating. More alarming, I started to throw up every 20 minutes or so – even on an empty stomach – and could not keep anything down. My ob’s office advised that we go to the ER, where they gave me IV fluids and some strong medicine for the pain and vomiting. Luckily, Kraken was totally fine during all of this (checked the heartbeat at the ER and the ob’s office on the following day – a healthy low 150’s)!! Unfortunately, the headache came back and did not subside until late Monday evening. The good news is that since then, I have felt great – no headache, no vomiting, very little nausea, and my appetite is back. Hopefully this is a sign of good health that is here to stay during the second trimester!

Our ob has scheduled our “big” ultrasound for May 6th – just over three weeks from now. Everyone asks what I think it is, what I “feel” like it is, and I honestly have no idea. I have periods where I am sure it’s a boy, then become convinced it’s a girl, then flip-flop right back. We just hope for a healthy baby, and so far we have been very blessed with one!

Thanks for all of your support, and your emails – we love you and hope you have a great week!
Love,
Karen, Erik and Kraken

Hi everyone! Another week, another update. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that we are already 15 weeks along!

This week, the baby is about 4 inches long (the size of an apple) and will be the height of an avocado by the end of the week. Kraken is moving amniotic fluid through his/her lungs which helps the air sacs in the lungs develop. The legs have grown longer than the arms now, and Kraken can move all of his/her joints. Taste buds are developing – even though the baby is only tasting amniotic fluid now, the fluid’s taste is affected by whatever I eat. So today, the baby tasted a granola bar, juice, soup, tortilla chips, chicken, broccoli and rice. Kraken can also sense light now, according to everything I have read – it says that if I shine a flashlight on my belly, the baby will move from the light (even though its eyelids are still fused shut). We have not tried this yet but I have a feeling we will soon. Soon, the tiny bones in Kraken’s ears will develop and the baby will be able to hear what’s going on outside the womb. I’m making careful selections in the music I play for songs that I think Kraken would enjoy.

As for me, I’m still getting morning sickness. Seriously, I’m ready for that to stop ANY day now… I’m also 100% definitely showing, and Erik has said that I constantly have my hands on my belly now. I caught a cold over the weekend but thankfully it is nearly gone now. This weekend, Erik did some work on the nursery (after slaving away in our yard and replacing all of our bushes) but was also side-lined with the same cold.

Next week, we have another doctor’s appointment but it’s just a blood test and check-up. The BIG ultrasound is in about 3 weeks.

Have a great week everyone!

Hi everyone! We hope you’re doing well. Here’s the latest on Baby Garrett/The Kraken.

This week, the Kraken is the size of a lemon and will be the size of a large naval orange or apple by the end of the week. S/he can now squint, frown, grimace, pee and suck their thumb (hopefully not all at once). S/he can also grasp things now (like the umbilical cord) and is growing like crazy – currently about 3.5 inches from top of the head to butt. By the end of this week, the arms will have grown into a size proportionate to the rest of his/her body, and soon the legs will catch up too. Kraken is developing a fine coating of hair called lanugo all over – it’s to help keep her/him warm until body fat develops. The liver has started to make bile and the spleen has started to produce red blood cells. Kraken is probably kicking and punching me (with hands and feet that are about 1/2 inch big) but I can’t feel it yet, and probably won’t for another month.

As for me, all the books and advice and etc. tell me that I should be feeling much better by now! Which was true on Saturday morning – felt great and did tons of errands. But  spent all morning today throwing up (including in a church parking lot, my bad) so all of those books and that advice can go shove it. I’ve had people tell me that I have a “glow” but I think it’s just the excess oil my skin is producing – I haven’t had face breakouts like this since… ever! The good news is, I discovered that Frosties from Wendy’s can pretty much cure any sick stomach. Unfortunately, they don’t open until 10 am.

Have a good week everyone!

Love,
Karen, Erik & Kraken

Hi everyone! We hope you are doing well.

This week, Kraken will be growing into the size of a large lemon.  Fingerprints have formed on the fingers, and the growth of the body is starting to catch up with the size of the head (previously, the head was 50% of the body size, now it is about 33%. It will end up around 25%). If the Kraken is a girl, then eggs have developed in her ovaries. If the Kraken is a boy, then the testicles have begun to descend from the abdomen. Also developing – the vocal chords! The baby can use these vocal chords – we just can’t hear them until the baby is born because the uterus is sound-proof.

As for me, I’m happy that I am entering the second trimester this week. There’s still definitely some morning sickness – this week’s “where’s the weirdest place you threw up?” award goes to the shoulder of I-77 somewhere in West Virginia as we drove home from a weekend in Ohio. But I am having moments of energy again, thankfully. I have also made the transition to maternity clothes (for the most part). The “pregnancy brain” is getting worse so I try to take advantage of the “moments of clarity”.

We also got the first round of results from the Nuchal Translucency test, and they are happily normal. In 3 weeks, I go back to the doctor for another blood test and we’ll have the full results. In 5 weeks, we get the “big” ultrasound where we learn the sex of the Kraken!

Have a great week, everyone!

Hi everyone! Hope you are well. It’s time for the weekly update…

This week, the Kraken (oy) has developed reflexes. Which means that when I poke my belly, the baby is squirming in response. I can’t feel the baby yet, but yesterday’s ultrasound showed that s/he is kicking and punching like crazy whenever I poke my belly. The baby is now about two inches long (size of a lime) and will be three inches long by the end of the week (about the size of a peach). The Kraken’s nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, the eyes and ears have moved to the correct places on the head, the intestines (which grew so fast they moved into the umbilical cord) are now moving into the abdomen, and the kidneys are functioning.

Yesterday, Erik and I had a doctor’s visit for the nuchal translucency screening (results of which we’ll get next week, but everything looked promising so far) and a general wellness visit. The NT screening including an ultrasound (which we got pictures of and I’ll scan this week to send everyone). The ultrasound tech said that it’s SOMETIMES possible to get a hint on the sex of the baby this early… if we could have only coaxed the baby to roll over. We kept prodding the baby by poking my stomach, but the baby only kicked and punched in response, refusing to turn over. This is DEFINITELY our child. Our next appointment is in 4 weeks, and in 6 weeks we’ll get the ultrasound with the anatomy screen and gender determination!

As for me, everyone said that I should start feeling much around this time! Tell that to the Starbucks parking lot I threw up in yesterday. I have headaches, crankiness, heartburn, nausea, fatigue AND insomnia and more fun symptoms. I also developed a few new food/scent aversions – Erik can’t eat chicken wings anymore around me, unfortunately. In good news, we found a homemade fudge shop nearby and I heartily endorse their fine product.

See you next week!

Hi everyone! We hope you’re doing well. Here’s the weekly update on what’s happening with Baby Garrett.

First, here’s what Erik REALLY, REALLY wanted me to put in the update. Even though he came up with the nickname “Cletus the Fetus”, he has decided that he doesn’t like the name anymore. The other evening, after seeing a preview for the new “Clash of the Titans” movie, he decided that he wants to call his developing offspring “The Kraken“. Mostly because he really likes the idea of saying “UNLEASH THE KRAKEN!!!” during labor. Please note that if he actually starts yelling this while I am in labor, he may be sleeping on one of your couches. Also, our child will hopefully not require a virgin sacrifice because you can’t put those on a baby shower registry.

This week, “Kraken” is about 1.5 inches long – the size of a fig – and will be 2 inches – the size of a lime – by the end of the week. Her/his hands are able to form into fists, and s/he is moving, jumping, and kicking up a storm (which I should be able to feel sometime around 18 weeks, give or take a couple of weeks.) Now that the diaphragm is formed, s/he is hiccuping and swallowing amniotic fluid. Bones are forming and hardening, and tooth buds are still developing under the gum line.

As for me, I can start to feel the top of my uterus as the baby grows up and out of my pelvis. I’m in that period where my clothes are too small and maternity clothes are too big. Nausea, vomiting, dizziness and fatigue are still affecting me big time, and I had a two day migraine that knocked me off of my feet completely over the weekend. We are REALLY looking forward to these symptoms getting better in the second trimester (hopefully), which is only about two weeks away.

In addition, our next doctor’s appointment is in less than one week. I’ll give the update in next week’s email. After that, we will have hit the magical “12 week mark” where the likelihood of miscarriage goes down significantly, and we can start telling the whole world about the pregnancy. That means if you have been keeping it a secret (thank you!), you can tell everyone after that point. If you have not (DAD), carry on.

Hi everyone! We hope you are all doing very well.

This week, Baby Garrett/Cletus is 10 weeks old, and the pregnancy is
1/4 of the way through! Cletus has completed the most critical portion
of development and is in the fetal period, when the tissues and organs
already developed begin to grow and mature rapidly. S/he is the size
of a prune (a little over an inch long from crown to butt) and will be
the size of a fig (an inch and a half) by the end of the week. Cletus
is now kicking up a storm thanks to working joints, and nerves are
beginning to stretch out from the spinal cord. S/he is growing
fingernails now, and peach-fuzz hair all over. It will be a while
before I can feel any kicking or movement, but Cletus is definitely
moving around.

As for me, I’m still enjoying the nausea, vomiting, dizziness and
fatigue of the first trimester. I’ve started to become even more
forgetful than I already was (no comments from the peanut gallery,
please). The good news is that the bloating is getting better, so the
bump I have now isn’t gas – it’s baby. Last weekend I bought my first
piece of maternity clothing – a tank top, and it was amazingly
comfortable. I’ve started scouting out good deals on maternity
clothing, because it won’t be long before my pants don’t fit at all
anymore.

In less than two weeks, we get another ultrasound! We can’t wait to
see how much Cletus has grown.

Hope you all have a great week!