Sunday, March 30, 2014

19 weeks and 6 days - Mothers' day

Today is Mothering Sunday, my first ever as a mother. I am so grateful.

Last year, I dreaded Mothers' day. We'd been trying for a baby for over a year, with nothing. I was pretty down about it, feeling like I'd never get to have a baby and sad and angry with God. This year, here I am, pregnant and almost halfway to my due date.

I wish I could guarantee such a happy outcome for everyone who yearns for a baby. I know I can't. All I can offer is hugs and prayers and the knowledge that God is good.

Friday, March 28, 2014

19 weeks and 4 days

Lately, I'm enjoying pregnancy. My back has settled down and isn't keeping me awake. I haven't worn the back support for a week or two, but I'm glad I've got it if I need it. I have had cramp once this week, which I do not like at all, but that seems to be normal for pregnancy.

As far as I know, all is well with Zarquon. After not being able to get a nucal fold measurement, I had a blood test done. That revealed a less than 1 in 10,000 risk of Down's syndrome and a low risk of spina bifida, which is great news. I'm not sure I've felt her move lately, but I've never been entirely sure if the movements I feel are baby or digestive system, so I'm not too worried.

The next scan is in just under 2 weeks. We plan to find our whether Zarquon is a boy or a girl, providing he or she co-operates. :) Rob is convinced she's a girl, so much so that we tend to talk about her as 'our daughter', but we'll see!

Last week, we were on holiday in the Lake District, with our friends J and J who are expecting a baby about 5 weeks before ours. It's fun to have someone to compare notes with and they're both doctors, which means they actually know stuff. :)

Life is fairly baby-dominated for me. We've not done a lot in the way of preparation, but soon we need to start tidying and making room for baby things. I suspect a lot is going to have to either be got rid of, or out into storage somewhere. It's not a big flat and babies, for all they're small, seem to need a lot of stuff - cot, clothes, nappies, maybe a baby bath. We're not planning to buy a lot, as there are lots of hand me downs from Hannah and Debs' babies, but still, we need to find some room.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

17 weeks

I was enchanted to find out this week that Zarquon now has eyebrows and eyelashes. I wonder if they're the same beautiful golden ginger colour as Rob's?

I think I felt the baby move last night. I got up to go to the bathroom at about 3am and when I came back to bed, I could feel little bubbly, fluttery movements in my stomach. Was that my baby? I hope so. I we heard the heartbeat for the first time too. We've been lent a little heart rate monitor and though it's tricky to use, I think I heard a little, fast heartbeat that wasn't mine. I made Rob listen to it too, though I'm not sure I knew what he should be listening to.

At the weekend we met up with a couple whose wedding we will be photographing and took some photos of them. I love doing that. It's something Rob and I can do as a team. By the time of their wedding, I'll be 28 weeks pregnant. It'll be the last wedding I shoot before Zarquon is born. I hope I can manage it! There'll be quite a bump by then and I won't be up to carrying much equipment around. Rob can do the running around and climbing things and I'll have to be more static, I think.

Wednesday, March 05, 2014

16 weeks

I've been pretty tired this week. My back hurts a lot. Yesterday I picked up a pelvic support band from the physio. I think it helps a bit. I need to keep doing my back exercises. I also woke up two nights in a row with leg cramps at night. So really, I've not been sleeping well. I suspect carrying heavy camera bags several days in a row is the main problem. I do hope the cramp doesn't happen every night. It's really horrible.

At the weekend Rob and I went to a photography trade show at the NEC and then to see Rob's family. My mother in law, Julia is very excited about becoming a grandma. She gave us a baby journal and a kit for making casts of baby hands and feet. Rob's siblings are fun and the dogs - three little bichon frise - are as crazy and barky as ever. I wonder how they'll react to a little person?