Every now and again I head on over to the Babies R Us website in an attempt to add things to our registry. And I'll go through the provided checklist, click on the links, and look at the pages and pages of items and just freeze a little. Too many choices! How's a first time mom supposed to pick out bottles or crib sheets or baby carriers or even pacifiers when there's so many options?

So if anyone has some words of wisdom regarding baby products, I'd love to hear it. What couldn't you live without? What was a waste of space or money?

I'm all ears.

How far along? 25 weeks. 

Size of baby: The website I've been looking at finally gives a new range of length and weight: 13.6 to 14.8 inches and 1.5 to 2.5 pounds. It now says she's the size of a cauliflower. A cauliflower? Really? A different website says that at this point, baby girl is 13 inches long and about 1.5 pounds. Grow, baby, grow!
Sleep: This has been the week of waking up in the middle of the night. Well, if by "middle of the night" you mean "between 4 and 6 in the morning." I suppose it could be worse. I've woken up I think every single day this week due to one of the following: needing to use the bathroom; being too cold; being too hot; being thirsty; hearing unfamiliar noises. The day after Christmas I slept 12 hours (excluding waking early in the morning). The goal is to get back on track before I have to go back to school.
Total weight gain: No change from last week. Shocking, considering all of the delicious foods I've indulged in the last few days. I'm sure it'll catch up to me. Time to start exercising again!
Unglamorous body changes: Four of my fingernails broke this week. It was tragic.
Best moment this week: I don't think I can pick a single moment of the week as the best one. It's been so great! Jacob and I celebrated our anniversary by seeing The Piano Guys, and we were able to stay at my sister's house for a few days with my parents to celebrate Christmas. We completed two puzzles, saw the Spanish Fork Festival of Lights, had our traditional holiday meals, played games with my aunt's family, made a candy train, and generally made merry. It was great. And over too soon.
Movement: She's getting stronger! Her kicks are definitely more noticeable. Last night I was wearing a sweatshirt and covered with a blanket, and when she was kicking I could see my stomach move even through all those layers. She's also gotten into a habit of moving to one side of my belly and pushing out with her whole body, which is a strange sensation. I don't know if this is even physically possible at this point, but every now and again it feels like she's wedged a foot behind my ribcage. 
Maternity clothes: While visiting my sister, Heather let me wear a pair of her maternity pants and a top and it was glorious. Then my cousin Angel let me borrow a tub of her maternity clothes. I have yet to go through them all to see which ones fit, but can I just say: Maternity jeans, where have you been all my life? So comfy! 
Food cravings/aversions: Again, I've not been afraid to overload on the chocolate and sweets. I do believe a detox is in order. 
Symptoms: You may call me Sir Toots-a-Lot. TMI?
Currently looking forward to: Enjoying the rest of my winter break by reading and spending time with Jacob. Also, going on dates by using the vouchers we purchased for each other as Christmas gifts. 
Realization of the week: We're bringing a little girl into this world -- a girl that we're responsible for taking care of and teaching! It's a huge responsibility! I want to raise her to be intelligent, and compassionate, and brave, and righteous -- but how on earth do you do that? It seems like a monumental task. 
Other tidbits: We only have about 3 and a half months left to get ready for baby girl's arrival. Ack! So much to do, so little time! 

How far along? 24 weeks. 

Size of baby: My website source still lists the same range for weight and length as the previous two weeks, but baby girl has been upgraded to the size of a cantaloupe, apparently.
Sleep: Oh, sleeping is just grand. I still get really weird dreams and have a hard time leaving the coziness of the bed, but I feel rested enough when I wake up. And I'll be even more rested these next two weeks of winter break! Hallelujah!
Total weight gain: +11 pounds. +15 according to my doctor, but we'll just pretend I'm only up 11. 
Unglamorous body changes: Nothing new, to my knowledge.
Best moment this week: Finding out our good friends finally received a foster placement! I'm beyond thrilled for them. They're such good parents and so deserving of this opportunity!
Movement: A couple days ago I decided to watch my stomach while she was moving to see if I could see movement from the outside, and I think I was able to catch a couple kicks! Perhaps I was imagining it . . . but perhaps I wasn't.
Maternity clothes: I'm gong to need to get some maternity jeans soon. The ones I have are getting snuuug. It hurts to bend over at the waist or sit down sometimes because the waistband digs into my skin.
Food cravings/aversions: I want to eat all the chocolates! Maybe it's because it's close to Christmas, but I just want all the sweets. We still don't have much in the house, which is probably a good thing, or I'd eat us out of house and home.
Symptoms: I think my bladder has shrunk. I always need to use the loo these days! 
Currently looking forward to: Celebrating our four year anniversary by going out to dinner and seeing The Piano Guys in concert tomorrow! Also, spending more time with my family with Christmas festivities. It should be grand. And finally having time to read my library books! 
Realization of the week: Our little girl is going to have Jacob wrapped around her little finger. He's so good at interacting with our niece Kayla. I can't wait to see him be a dad! (Well, I can wait another 16 weeks or so . . . let's give this baby plenty of time to develop before making her grand entrance.)
Other tidbits: As part of our class Christmas party -- which was a Hawaiian luau theme -- the students had a hula hooping station to see who could hula the longest. I decided to give it a go and was able to keep the hula hoop around my waist for an impressive 1.2 seconds. I mentioned to a student, "I'm not very good at this," and she replied, "Yeah, well, you also have a baby!" I'm not quite sure that was the reason for my poor execution, but we'll roll with it. Also, one of my students gave me a baby outfit as a Christmas present! It was pretty adorable.

How far along? 23 weeks. I think I can officially say I'm five months along!

Size of baby: Baby girl is now the size of a grapefruit! The average length and weight is the same as last week. Probably because it was such a large range last time. 
Sleep: It's getting a little trickier to roll over in bed, but it's definitely still manageable. I wake up sometimes in order to change positions.
Total weight gain: Still haven't stepped on a scale since . . . I don't know when. Hopefully I'm not in for a nasty shock at my appointment this week!
Unglamorous body changes: My belly button is shallower! I just noticed this after I got out of the shower yesterday. I'm on my way to having an outie! (It's still quite a ways away, but I imagine it's bound to happen eventually.)
Best moment this week: I asked Jacob what I should say was my best moment this week. His response: "Just me, baby." Well, I did get to take today off to attend his commencement ceremony, so sure, we'll go with that. 
Movement: Apparently baby girl is settling in to her sleep cycles, sleeping 12 to 14 hours a day. I feel her most in the evening still.
Maternity clothes: Nothing new. I still can squeeze into (and button) a couple pairs of my pre-pregnancy pants, and I haven't purchased any maternity tops. I'm sure I'll have to break down and buy some maternity clothes soon, though.
Food cravings/aversions: Not much. Maybe clementines. And chocolate. (Not like we have any chocolate in the house.)
Symptoms: I've been surprisingly emotionally stable throughout this pregnancy, but over the weekend that changed. First, it started with my sobbing during a Christmas Cheer story. The next day I had a breakdown over the state of our second bedroom, which will eventually become the baby's room. Since my mother-in-law and mom came to Utah for Jacob's graduation, they are (or will be) staying in that room, and I was stressed about cleaning it out since it was disastrous. I threatened to throw everything in the bedroom away and the THIRD time I started crying about it (in the space of about 20 minutes), Jacob asked why I was crying again. "I don't know!" I wailed. "I'm PREGNANT!" (For those of you wondering, we did get it cleaned up to a presentable state, largely thanks to Jacob.)
Currently looking forward to: Finishing our Christmas shopping. Which requires starting our Christmas shopping. Also! We're going to two concerts this upcoming weekend -- The Piano Guys and Trans-Siberian Orchestra. And both my parents will be in Utah come Friday! (Remember that time my Mom is flying to California on Sunday only to drive back to Utah 4 days later?)
Realization of the week: Babies don't come with snooze buttons! It's definitely going to be a shock to our current sleeping schedules when we're waking up every couple of hours.
Other tidbits: I'm at the point where people either tell me things like "Where are you hiding that baby?" or "You're finally starting to look pregnant!" I think a lot of it depends on what clothes I'm wearing and how I'm standing or sitting. 

Please note the Christmas decoration dangling from the ceiling. 

How far along? 22 weeks 1 day.

Size of baby: Milo can do it, yes he can! Two part papaya and one part man! (Please tell me someone knows that reference.) Baby is now the size of a papaya. At this stage, the average fetus is 10.5 to 11.8 inches and 12.7 to 20.8 ounces. Let's not get too specific here, Internets.
Sleep: Lately I've been waking up before my alarm goes off but I have a hard time getting out of bed because it's so cold! The last couple of nights I've woken up early because I can't breathe. I shake my fist at this cold I got from Jacob.
Total weight gain: Your guess is as good as mine. One day I'll go back to the gym and weigh myself, but today is not that day.
Unglamorous body changes: I haven't really noticed anything significant.
Best moment this week: On Monday, we discovered that somebody had purchased this onesie and sent it to us! We don't know who it's from, and I was beyond thrilled! I've wanted it even before I got pregnant when I saw my former roommate's IVF twins wearing them in blue, but I had a hard time justifying the cost. I had put it on my Christmas wish list, and it was a great surprise to get in the mail! (Jacob DID shave on Monday as well, making it an extra-great day.)
Movement: A couple nights ago she was kicking up a storm for about ten minutes. Of course, as soon as Jacob put his hand on my belly to try to feel, she stopped moving. Little stinker.
Maternity clothes: I tried wearing the DI maternity pants again in hopes that I'd fill them out better, and yet again, I was hitching them up every five minutes.
Food cravings/aversions: I have not been afraid to down a lot of hot chocolate this week. 
Symptoms: I had heartburn one night. My abdomen has been feeling a little more stretched, and I do believe I'm finally starting to show a little! The skin on my torso has been feeling a little itchy, so I've been lotioning up after showers and that's helped.
Currently looking forward to: Jacob's commencement ceremony on Friday! Well, perhaps I'm looking more forward to both our mothers coming than the actual ceremony itself, but I'm so proud of Jacob for graduating! Our fourth grade is also performing The Grinch who Stole Christmas for the school on Tuesday, and that should be fun. (It'll also be nice when it's over, because then I probably won't be teaching recorders for much longer after that, haha.)
Realization of the week: According to the weekly updates I get, baby girl can now taste everything I taste. Not quite sure how that works, but whatevs. Perhaps I should start eating more vegetables so she develops a palate for them. I have fruits, grains, and dairy covered. Vegetables . . . not quite so much.
Other tidbits: We now own a Pack-n-Play and a second car seat base!  We haven't opened the box yet. We just may stick a bow on it and wait until Christmas to open it -- especially if we don't get around to Christmas shopping for ourselves, ha. We have yet to get our car seat, but it's currently in transit, as well as our stroller.

How far along? 21 weeks 1 day.
Size of baby: From head to toe, she's about 10.5 inches long and weighs 12.7 ounces. She's now the size of a pomegranate.
Sleep: Everything is going just dandy. Even sleeping on the air mattress at my mother-in-law's house hasn't been too shabby.
Total weight gain: Beats me.
Unglamorous body changes: Again, unrelated to pregnancy, but I had one of my first chilblains (basically a swollen, itchy bump) of the season appear on my big toe this week. I'm hoping the Arizona weather will make it disappear, as they get worse in the cold. I was hoping to avoid them altogether this year since apparently pregnancy is supposed to improve symptoms, but no such luck. I've been getting chilbs every year since I was in seventh grade, which is most unfortunate.
Best moment this week: Well, celebrating Thanksgiving with Jacob's family was most enjoyable. As was seeing Catching Fire yesterday. 
Movement: She's getting more active, especially in the evenings. Jacob hasn't felt the baby move since that first time, though.
Maternity clothes: Last Saturday I went to Dillard's to get fitted for a bra. Guess who was wearing bras a full THREE cup sizes too small? And since I only bought one bra in the proper size (these things are expensive!) and since you're not supposed to wear the same one two days in a row, 50% of the time I'll still be wearing bras that are way too small. Alas.
Food cravings/aversions: Nothing in particular. Maybe sweets?
Symptoms: I sometimes feel guilty for having such an easy pregnancy when I hear stories of women who had miserable times, but I really haven't noticed any symptoms this week.
Currently looking forward to: Perhaps spending more time with Jacob's siblings and their chillens later today. OH! And Jacob shaving his mustache! No-Shave November has made life pretty bleak for this woman. One more day . . .  (though let's be honest, he probably won't shave until Monday at the earliest. A girl can hope.)
Realization of the week: The name we pick for our baby will stick with her for the rest of her life (assuming she doesn't choose to change it legally). We need to make it a good one!
Other tidbits: My sister-in-law Carly took me to Once Upon a Child yesterday (which is like a second-hand store specifically for baby items) and I was able to get 20 onesies and 4 swaddlers for only 30 bucks! What a steal! Also, Jacob and I went to get my wedding ring cleaned and resized from a 5.5 to a 4.75 and it fits so much better now. Glorious day!

How far along? 20 weeks 1 day. Halfway there!
Size of baby: The size (length?) of a banana, six and a half inches long and 10.2 ounces or so.
Sleep: I fall asleep really easily but I've been having a hard time waking up and getting out of bed this week. Sometimes my dreams make me feel unrested. Like the time I dreamt Jacob and I decided to jump off a building onto a mattress at this adventure place but our guide made us miss the mattress. And it was only after we landed spread eagle on the ground that I started to think this might not have been the best idea, what with being pregnant and all.
Total weight gain: I think about +8 from pre-pregnancy, +12 from lowest weight to now. (Really, I ought to just pick one "starting weight" and stick with it.)
Unglamorous body changes: My face has been a bit more oily this week.
Best moment this week: So many to choose from! Jacob felt the baby kick this week (more on that below), I announced to my class that we're having a baby, and we found out that we're having a girl! More importantly, everything is developing normally and she's growing on schedule.
Movement: On Sunday I was pretty sure I felt the baby move from the outside, but of course Jacob was at work so he wasn't able to experience it. Then on Wednesday I felt her moving around again and instructed Jacob to put his hand on my stomach. Nothing happened for a while, but then she made a strong kick (or possibly a punch; I can't differentiate these things yet) and Jacob announced that he was able to feel it. He had the biggest smile on his face which may have made my heart melt out of my eyes a little bit.
Maternity clothes: I set the maternity pants aside for now and just wore the belly band a couple times this week. I still have one pair of work pants and several pairs of jeans I can button. 
Food cravings/aversions: Nothing in particular.
Symptoms: This has been ongoing for a while, but I don't think I've mentioned this one yet. I seem to have an excess of saliva and I often catch myself spraying as I read aloud to my class. Embarrassing. At least none of my students have called me out on it yet. Unrelated to pregnancy, I'm getting a cold and last night my throat started getting sore. Noooooooo!
Currently looking forward to: Visiting Jacob's family in Arizona for Thanksgiving! Also, attending my niece's one year birthday party later today.
Realization of the week: We have been so incredibly blessed. The fact that we were able to pay for an IVF cycle, and then to have it work on the first try, is nothing short of miraculous. Knowing that our baby girl is developing healthily is another blessing. I went to a Relief Society activity this week and sat at a table with another woman who was rocking her 8 month old baby to sleep. A year prior, such a scene would have made me go home and bawl. Now, it's an image of something I have to look forward to. Is this really my life? Sometimes it just feels like a happy dream. 
Other tidbits: When I told my class I was having a baby, a couple students weren't sure whether they should believe me. One of my boys raised his hand and said, "Uh . . . you don't look like you're having a baby." Another girl said, "Are you joking about having a baby?" I probably could've waited to tell my class until I started showing more obviously, but I wanted them to vote if they thought the baby would be a boy or a girl. Two-thirds of the class voted "boy". And even as it is, one girl asked, "Why didn't you tell us earlier?" So there you have it.

Each Sunday, one woman of the ward is spotlighted in the Relief Society bulletin. Last week, I was given a questionnaire to fill out so I, too, can have my 15 seconds (approximately how long it takes to read the spotlight) of fame.

One of the questions asks what your most substantial accomplishment of 2013 is thus far. On a scale from 1 to 10, how awkward would it be to list "successfully completing an IVF cycle to get pregnant" be? Because really, that was definitely an accomplishment.

If I chicken out, "finishing my first year teaching" is another alternative.

Also, for those of you who may read this, there's a poll on the sidebar where you can vote if you think Baby Erickson is a boy or a girl. I have no real intuition either way. I was thinking girl, but now I'm thinking boy. I guess we'll find out Friday if baby is cooperative!

I'm definitely looking . . . lumpier. Awesome.

How far along? 19 weeks 1 day.
Size of baby: If we're going to keep going with the fruit comparisons (and why stop now?), baby is about the size of a mango. From head to bum, s/he's six inches long and a little over half a pound. I kind of can't believe there's something that big inside of me. 
Sleep: Still sleeping well. Still having crazy dreams. 
Total weight gain: Unsure. I haven't been on a scale since my last appointment.
Unglamorous body changes: This is almost certainly a result of the colder weather rather than pregnancy (though I suppose pregnancy can also have an effect), but my hands have been all dry and scaly off and on this week. 
Best moment this week: Jacob and I went on a date to another hockey game this week (this time for an actual major league team), which was a lot of fun. And on Thursday my friends and I had our monthly Pinterest party, which always has good times for all involved.
Movement: I think I can finally label the sensations I've been feeling as baby moving. Sometimes I just feel pressure, and sometimes I feel stronger flutters. It's getting a little more frequent but I still only feel the baby a few times a day, if that. Haven't felt anything from the outside yet.
Maternity clothes: Wednesday Jacob and I went to DI and I bought a pair of maternity pants because I'm down to one pair of work pants that I can actually button, and even those are getting snug. They seemed to fit just fine in the dressing room (and actually fit fairly well in the bum, which is a rare find among pants for me), but when I wore them to school the next day I had to keep pulling them up because I guess my waist isn't big enough to fill them out. I may set them aside for another week or so. 
Food cravings/aversions: Perhaps fried bread. Not all the time, but over the course of the pregnancy I've made a funnel cake and scones, and at the hockey game I wanted a churro. And french fries, of course. Again, I think it's the smell that makes me want them so much. 
Symptoms: I've had a few more symptoms this week. I had heartburn one night this week. Also on Monday I experienced a foot cramp so painful as to bring me to tears (is it possible to have a charley horse in your foot?), which spurred Jacob to massage my foot even though I was wearing leeches. An act of true love right there -- Jacob hates touching both feet and my nylons. Later that evening I also experienced some back pain which caused me to hobble around the house with Jacob's support, but I was fine after maybe ten minutes. I've also been getting some mild headaches this week, but I'm wondering if those have been resulting from me adjusting to my glasses. Looking at this list, it sounds like a lot of ailments, but really, I'm feeling really good overall. 
Currently looking forward to: Our ultrasound on Friday! I can't decide if I'm going to tell my students about my pregnancy on Friday before the ultrasound or on the next Tuesday before Thanksgiving break. 
Realization of the week: We have to name this baby. Which means we have to agree on a name. Which means we should probably start discussing names. You'd think that with all the time we've had to brainstorm, we'd have at least a short list of names, but such is not the case. How on earth do my in-laws have their names picked out and announced as soon as they know the gender? I have a feeling we're not going to have a name until just before we come home from the hospital.
Other tidbits: Baby is developing vernix over the skin and the five senses in the brain. Also, this morning when Jacob came home from work, we were cuddling in bed and he started to sing. (I thiiiink he was singing "I Believe I Can Fly," but I don't quite remember.) After he finished singing, I told him to keep singing for the baby. He then started singing "I'm Sexy and I Know It." I responded, "Not THAT song!"

How far along? 18 weeks.
Size of baby: We've got a little sweet potato! Baby is now 5.6 inches and 6.7 ounces. You know, assuming s/he's average.
Sleep: Not much to report! This week I've gone to bed a little earlier than normal because I've been exhausted. Parent teacher conferences, anyone? And yet, on my day off today I still woke up at 5:30 as usual, despite turning my alarm off.
Total weight gain: If we start by my lowest weight at my OB's office (when I thought I lost 4 pounds), +8. 
Unglamorous body changes: Conversation from earlier this week:
Jacob: Are you getting something by your mouth? (I think he was referring to the possibility of a cold sore.)
Me: A zit.
Jacob: Well, at least you're not all break-y out-y over your forehead.
Me: Is that supposed to make me feel better?
Jacob: Yep!
Best moment this week: Tough call. Was it overhearing one of my students tell another that "Mrs. Erickson is so much better than (insert name of 3rd grade teacher)"? Having parents tell me how much their children are enjoying school? Hearing the heartbeat again today? Finally getting glasses? Not having to go to work today? Actually, going out to dinner with my sister Emily and hanging out with her afterward for the last time before she entered the MTC probably tops the list.
Movement: I'm still hesitant to label anything I feel as a result of baby moving, but I have been feeling little pulses in my lower abdomen here and there. 
Maternity clothes: Still wearing the belly band. Today I busted out a pair of jeans I haven't worn in ages because I would be able to take them off without unbuttoning them pre-pregnancy. And . . . they still slide off without unbuttoning. Score. 
Food cravings/aversions: Jacob and I get Costco rewards through our credit card, so we recently got a check in the mail. On Monday we used it to buy a cheesecake. Let's not mention that there are only 2 of us and the cheesecake weighs 5.5 pounds. We still have half of it left, but I do believe a piece is calling my name . . . 
Symptoms: Not much, really. (Other pregnant women who are having miserable pregnancies, please don't hurt me.)
Currently looking forward to: Finding out the gender! We originally had our anatomy ultrasound scheduled for today after my doctor's appointment, but when we scheduled it the receptionist "strongly encouraged" us to wait until 20 weeks. Earlier this week I rescheduled it for 2 weeks from today, based on that recommendation. And then my doctor told me he was surprised anyone told us because once you hit 18 weeks the ultrasounds are pretty accurate. So we have the green light to reschedule again! (I'm waiting for Jacob to wake up so we can figure out a time that works for both of us.) I hope they can squeeze us in soon! 
ETA: I originally wrote this post around 10:30 in the morning. At 3, when I bounded into the bedroom to wake Jacob up, we discussed when a good time would be to reschedule our ultrasound. Visions of getting in on Tuesday or Wednesday danced in my head. I called up the maternal diagnostic center, told the receptionist that our doctor said I could have the ultrasound at any point from today on, and was told AGAIN that they wanted to get as close to 20 weeks as possible. So they would've scheduled us only a couple days earlier, if that. Defeated, I said we'd just keep our current appointment and hung up. And then I dissolved into tears. Oh, the woe.
Realization of the week: So far our baby items include exactly the following: 2 outfits (neither of which are really gender neutral) and a toy that can hang from a car seat handle or play gym. We have a little person coming to stay in 5 months. Time to start shopping! 
Other tidbits: My doctor said that I'm pretty much a rockstar patient as far as blood pressure and weight gain and such. Everything is looking good! Baby's heart rate was 140 beats per minute. I could listen to that sound for minutes. (I'd say "hours", but let's be real, it might get a little bothersome after a while.)

How far along? 17 weeks.
Size of baby: The size of an onion; a little over 5 inches and just under 6 ounces. (Side note: the measurements up to 20 weeks are from "crown to rump"; after 20 weeks, the measurements will include baby's legs as well.)
Sleep: Things are going just dandy in this department. The random dreams continue to be a nightly occurrence. 
Total weight gain: +5.5 pounds.
Unglamorous body changes: I have a ton of blackheads this week. Also (gentlemen, don't read this), the veins in my chest actually protrude from the surface of the skin, making the ladies feel all sorts of lumpy and deformed. 
Best moment this week: Halloween fell on a short school day this year! And I didn't have to go to work today! (It's still a teacher work day, where we have to spend at least 3 hours getting report cards ready. I've already spent an hour on them so far this morning and I'm sure I have many more to go. But still: let the parents deal with their sugar-high children.)
Movement: I'm not sure if I've been feeing flutterings or if I've just been feeling the process of digestion. Nothing that's made me think, "oh, that's definitely the baby!" 
Maternity clothes: Just the belly band with certain pairs of pants. 
Food cravings/aversions: I may or may not have partaken in quite a bit of candy leftover from my class's Halloween party yesterday. But that was mostly because it was available and delicious and less because I was craving it. Also, right now I really want some clementines. WHY don't we have any?
Symptoms: I don't know if this has been the result of hormones or just being stretched too thin (last week I had training for 3+ hours every single day after school and this week I've been trying to get report cards ready for Parent Teacher conferences), but I've been a bit more moody and weepy this week. My gums also started bleeding after flossing one night and I've had a couple minor nosebleeds as well.
Currently looking forward to: Being done with Parent Teacher Conferences. Before that, finishing report cards. And, I don't know, maybe actually looking pregnant.
Realization of the week: I started looking at baby gear this week (car seats, carriers, cribs, and the like) and got a little panicky about which brands to choose and how pricey everything was. And then it hit me: we've already spent over $20,000 on this baby! What's a few piddling hundred dollars on some of the big ticket items, am I right?
Other tidbits: (Paraphrased) conversation between Jacob and I earlier this week: 
Me (Lifting up my shirt and examining my stomach in the mirror): I'm still not really showing yet.
Jacob: Sure you are! You're sucking in. Let it all hang out.
Me: (Does as instructed.)
Jacob: See? You've got a nice little pooch there.
Me: (Immediately sucks stomach back in.) You should not call it that. 

How far along? 16 weeks 1 day.
Size of baby: The size of an avocado; just over four and a half inches and 3.5 oz. 
Sleep: I've been sleeping pretty well, although my dreams continue to be odd. I'm trying to train myself to sleep on my left side because supposedly that's better for circulation, and it seems to be going well. Also, I now go to bed around my usual time of 10:30, so I'm less of a grandma than I used to be.
Total weight gain: Remember that time I don't own a scale? According to the gym, which may or may not be super reliable, +6. And I'm pretty sure most of that's in my chest. 
Unglamorous body changes: I am bustin' out of my bra these days. Which is super attractive. And I think I'm looking a little more chubby in the abdominal region, but it doesn't look like I'm obviously pregnant yet.
Best moment this week: I'm going to have to say visiting my family in California last weekend! My sister is leaving on her mission in a few weeks, so we went down for her farewell. It was so fun seeing all my relatives and spending time with the family. We had a picnic in a park; went paddle boating; walked along the beach; went to the temple; went out to dinner; bought a bunch of sugary snacks and gorged ourselves while playing card games; and had a family luncheon after Emily's fantastic farewell talk. It was pretty great. 
Movement: Not so much. Maybe soon?
Maternity clothes: My sister let me borrow her belly band she used when she was pregnant, and I wore that one day with my work pants. 
Food cravings/aversions: I've decided that the only thing I really crave would be french fries. And that's usually only when I smell them. (A runner up would be mashed potatoes. But again, it isn't often.)
Symptoms: Let's just say my bowels have been a bit . . . temperamental these days. Nothing miserable, but definitely out of the norm. Also, I feel the need to empty my bladder on a more regular basis, but when I do use the loo, only a relatively small amount of urine is released. My bladder must be getting cramped.
Other tidbits: I realized with this post that I may be revealing way TMI on the Internets. Do I dare make this blog public when I discuss my bras, bowels, and bladder? (Which reminds me, I taught my class the phrase "TMI" in relation to word problems that give too much numerical information. So if I ask them "What's the TMI?" they know exactly what I mean. Bahaha.) Also, our baby can now hear! Jacob talked to my stomach after I told him this fact and it was pretty adorable.

No picture this week, due to a fairly busy weekend and no noticeable change in the ol' belly region.

How far along? 14 weeks 1 day.
Size of baby: The size of a lemon; about three and a half inches and 1.5 oz. 
Sleep: I think I'm getting a little more energy back, because I've been able to stay up until 10 most nights this week. I only have to wake up in the middle of the night to pee if I don't go right before bed.
Total weight gain: Holding steady at +2. 
Unglamorous body changes: I suppose the flawless skin couldn't last forever! My face and back broke out a little bit this week, but at least it only lasted a couple days.
Best moment this week: Hard to pick just one! It was my birthday this week, so we were able to celebrate that after my appointment where we heard the heartbeat again. We announced the pregnancy to the masses, which was fun. Then yesterday we went to the Josh Groban concert, which was fantastic. (Of course, the opening act had a lot of heavy bass, so I kept feeling vibrations throughout my body and I felt all sorts of guilty that our baby was possibly being rattled around in there. At least I know the baby's hearing hasn't developed yet, so it shouldn't suffer any hearing loss. Fingers crossed.)
Movement: Yeah . . . no. But I might be able to feel something in two more weeks if I'm lucky!
Maternity clothes: Nope. Though I did unbutton my jeans after going out to eat before the concert yesterday. (I know; I keep it classy.) I had a food baby on top of a regular baby!
Food cravings/aversions: Nothing is immediately coming to mind.
Symptoms: So, the pinching in the uterus I mentioned last week? Pretty sure those weren't round ligament pains. One night this week I felt this almost RIPPING sensation from my waist to my groin while I was in bed. Ouch. It didn't last very long, fortunately. I'm guessing that was round ligament pain. I also had a bit of heartburn for a little while one day, but that didn't last long, either.
Other tidbits: I've made it to second trimester! One-third of the way done! I told my principal yesterday, too, and he seemed happy for me. (I was pretty nervous about telling him, so I'm glad that's out of the way!)

I know some women say that vivid dreams are a symptom of pregnancy. I don't know if I'd really consider my dreams to be any more vivid than usual, but I've always had some really strange dreams. To the effect that Jacob describes my dreams as "crazy old Maurice" dreams. (Beauty and the Beast, anyone? Anyone?)

Here's the latest one I had:

Jacob and I were still unsuccessfully trying to have a baby, but in this dream, humans had babies by laying eggs and then sitting on them like chickens. As it turned out, whenever I sat on our eggs, the shells cracked. So we were seeing a scientist who was attempting to genetically engineer our eggs to have harder shells.

And then, when we were finally successful, my coworker (who's either in her 50s or 60s), lent me her maternity clothes because she had just had a baby a few months prior. Don't ask me why I needed maternity clothes if I was just sitting on our eggs. Or why I was sitting on the eggs, for that matter. Sometimes dreams just don't make any sense.

The end.

How far along? 13 weeks 1 day.
Size of baby: The size of a peach; just under three inches. Oh, peaches!
Sleep: I'm able to stay up later at night without crashing, and then I do fall asleep right away when I go to bed, but I wake up really easily these days. Since Jacob and I have different sleep schedules, when he comes to bed a few hours after me it usually wakes me up and then I have a harder time falling asleep. Some nights I seem to toss and turn a bit after I fall asleep initially. 
Total weight gain: According to the gym, +2. This makes me think that the scales at the RE's office, my OB's office, and the gym are vastly different, because I really don't think I've gained six pounds in the last two weeks. But a gain of two pounds overall seems reasonable at this point.
Unglamorous body changes: I haven't really noticed any changes in the last week. Maybe an increase in ear wax? And possibly an increase in stomach flab. Hence, going to the gym. (I had held off going for a while after the miscarriage scare.)
Best moment this week: We finally announced our pregnancy to the rest of our family members yesterday!
Movement: Yeah . . . no.
Maternity clothes: I tried the ol' rubber band through the button hole trick on a pair of pants that seemed a bit snug this week. It may have made my pants technically buttoned, perhaps, but that did nothing to stop the zipper from falling down! I may have to set that pair aside or just wear it with really long shirts. 
Food cravings/aversions: This category is getting boring. Still nothing!
Symptoms: My back has been feeling better, which is joyous. My nose has been more congested at night, which I thought was because I was getting a cold, but it hasn't gone away and it started seven weeks ago, which makes me suspicious. I've also been feeling little pinches around my uterus. Perhaps these are the round ligament pains everyone speaks of? 
Other tidbits: It's getting harder to suck in my stomach all the way. I wonder how long I'll be able to hold off telling my students. (Or my boss, for that matter.) Oh, and I finally stopped bleeding this week! I'll still feel better after hearing the heartbeat at our next appointment this Thursday.

How far along? 12 weeks 1 day.
Size of baby: The size of a plum; just over two inches. 
Sleep: I'm not waking up as frequently in the middle of the night to relieve my bladder, which has been nice. I've been sleeping pretty well but one night this week I woke up around 3:30 and wasn't able to fall asleep by the time my alarm went off two hours later. Most unfortunate. Last night I slept ten hours and then took another 45 minute nap in the afternoon. It was glorious.
Total weight gain: I haven't been on a scale since my last doctor's appointment, so I'm not sure. 
Unglamorous body changes: This could very well be my imagination, but it seems that my stomach is just a tad hairier than usual. At least the hair is pretty light and I don't walk around revealing my midriff! Also, some women might not consider this unglamorous, but when I saw the photo Jacob first took for our 12 week picture I made him take another because the ladies looked HUGE! Though, that may be due to the shirt I'm wearing.
Best moment this week: Going on a date to a hockey game yesterday. It was a lot of fun!
Movement: The other day I felt my intestines digesting and I got all excited for half a second before I realized what it really was. Still too early to feel anything!
Maternity clothes: Nope.
Food cravings/aversions: Again, not much. I made a funnel cake on a whim last Sunday night and then threw up several hours later (after I had gone to bed, even). This makes three times total. Not too shabby, I say! Also, the last two times I've been sick we've had ground beef with our dinner. Correlation?
Symptoms: My back has been killing me the last few weeks. I thought it was because I slept on it funny, but that was ages ago and you'd think it'd be better by now. 
Other tidbits: I thiiiink I can feel my uterus a little more. It feels a little more full, which is reassuring! My wedding ring is definitely not in any danger of being stuck on my finger any time soon; with this colder weather, it's more in danger of falling off!

How far along? 11 weeks 1 day.
Size of baby: The size of a lime, or a little over an inch and a half. 
Sleep: I still go to bed fairly early, but I've been able to stay up until 9:45 a few nights this week. I  know, I live on the wild side.
Total weight gain: -4 pounds. This baffles me because I haven't been sick (other than those two times) and I eat like a ravenous dog sometimes. My only explanation is that going back to work limits my snacking time. Or possibly that all of the medications for the IVF cycle made me bloat and retain water and such.
Unglamorous body changes: This is going to sound really braggy, but pregnancy has actually been treating me pretty well so far. My skin has been unusually clear for weeks! The ol' belly miiiight be swelling a teensy bit, but at this point it just looks like I've eaten one too many cream puffs unless I suck it in.
Best moment this week: Getting our viability ultrasound on Tuesday and seeing our baby! Along with that, getting the reassurance that our baby is okay after the bleeding episode. Which is still ongoing, by the way.
Movement: Nothing I can feel, but we were able to see baby move its arms and legs all over on the ultrasound!
Maternity clothes: Not a necessity yet. It also probably helps that I've bought the majority of my work pants from DI and they were slightly too large in the waist to begin with. I don't anticipate needing to shop for quite some time.
Food cravings/aversions: Nothing in particular. Hunger-wise, I can go from being just fine to "I need to eat something NOW" in about 30 seconds flat.
Symptoms: Again, just tired and hungry!
Other tidbits: I get little email updates each week, informing me about the development of our baby. Upon reading the email this week, I announced to Jacob "Our baby no longer has webbed fingers and toes! It isn't a duck!" To which he replied, "Oh my, a duck? QUACK!" 

The baby is okay! I went in for another ultrasound on Tuesday upon a nurse's recommendation when I called Monday during my lunch break. We were able to see the baby wiggling its arms and legs, which was fun. It definitely looks more like a baby now! The last two ultrasounds, it looked more like a blob. At the ultrasound the baby was measuring at 11 weeks, three days ahead of schedule. Not that that matters much, because we're extremely confident as to its actual age! And with a dad like Jacob, our children are destined to be tall, so I wouldn't be surprised if we have a long baby.

The bleeding is most likely from the twin that didn't make it. The ultrasound technician referred to that spot in my uterus as "remains of demise." How . . . unfriendly and impersonal sounding. The baby was gone, and it just showed a collapsed sac (or something like that). This wasn't super surprising, as we were told that my body would reabsorb the second baby.

Still, we're very grateful that one baby is alive and kickin'! Not that I can feel it at all, because, well, it's barely over an inch long. But it's still exciting. I had my first official prenatal appointment yesterday, and we were able to hear the heartbeat again, which was extra reassurance.

Also, can I just say that this is going to be the most well-photographed fetus ever? (I would say baby, but I can't promise that we'll be great about taking pictures after it's born. Also, referring to the baby as "it" kind of bothers me but it's cumbersome to say "he or she". Oh, the woe.) We have photos of the baby at five days past conception (so technically two weeks and five days), 6 weeks 4 days, 8 weeks, and now 10 weeks 4 days. We probably won't get another ultrasound until 18 to 20 weeks for the anatomy scan, but that'll still be photos from five periods of the baby's life before birth.

I promised myself that I wouldn't post any ultrasound photos on my blog or on facebook, because I hated seeing those myself when other women posted. But I did scan them into our computer for safekeeping, and I emailed the most recent ultrasound photos to my parents. Everyone else can just use their imagination (or do a google search for ultrasound photos, because really, they all look the same anyway).

I'm bleeding.

And not just a little brown spotting, either. Red. And enough to drip into the toilet.

When I called the emergency OB nurse, she asked me how much I was bleeding. "Was the spot the size of a quarter?" Uh, no . . . "Twice that size?" Try closer to the size of a dollar bill.

She said at this point there's no way to determine the cause of the bleeding. It could be an irritated cervix, or there may be some bleeding behind the placenta. I wish Jacob was able to listen more closely to the other end of the phone, because I wasn't exactly processing everything she said.

I'm also wondering if maybe it could be my body getting rid of Baby B. And I was also diagnosed with a subchorionic hematoma at my last ultrasound, so maybe that's the reason. Again, I wish Jacob had been with me at the RE because I don't remember if she said to expect bleeding in the next few weeks or not.

I'm hoping against hope that Baby A is okay. If I lose that baby, too, I'll be devastated. I have an appointment on Wednesday, but the nurse said to call Monday morning and try to schedule an appointment for that day if possible. I only need to go to the hospital if the bleeding gets out of control.

Thankfully, I'm not having any cramping so far. But I'm worried. Some Google searching turned up with an equal number of reassuring and discouraging stories.

Please be okay, baby.

I haven't done one of these updates in a while because I don't really feel any different from before. But here goes:

How far along? 10 weeks 1 day.
Size of baby: A little over an inch, or the size of a prune. Really, could there BE a more unappetizing fruit to compare a baby to?
Sleep: I'm pretty consistently going to bed around 9 or 9:30 these days. I get sleepy! I haven't been waking up in the middle of the night as frequently, which has been nice. And on Friday nights I maaaaay or may not sleep for like 11 hours.
Unglamorous body changes: I'm sure this has more to do with my shaving habits and less with the pregnancy, but I keep getting ingrown hairs every few days. My poor armpits.
Best moment this week: Getting my final progesterone injection on Thursday! After 91 needles in the space of 8 and a half weeks (yes, I kept track), I don't have to be poked any time in the foreseeable future. And this means that this was the first Saturday since the beginning of July that I didn't have to wake up at 6:30 to get a shot. It was glorious. And this may be TMI, but I'm hoping that my urine will stop smelling like the progesterone oil now. Gross.
Food cravings/aversions: I'm still just pretty hungry all the time. When I think of specific foods I want them right that instant, but at least it's usually things we have on hand, like crackers and cheese. No specific food aversions so far, though I did get nauseated Sunday evening while making dinner and then I actually got sick later that evening while making dessert. That was only the second time I've thrown up so far, so I'm feeling pretty grateful that I'm feeling well!
Symptoms: Just tired and hungry all the time! I do think I slept funny a few nights ago and my back has been hurting ever since, but I don't think that's pregnancy-related because I'm not even showing yet. (Side note: Jacob has been wanting to take a picture of me every single day so we can see the progression of the belly. How many have we taken? Zero. Not much point this early, I say! And every day seems a little . . . excessive.)