19 week update

It has been a good week! No bleeding! I'm taking that as a good sign that the placenta is moving the direction we were hoping. In one week we get to have our 20 week anatomy scan and that should answer our questions. They will check baby's organs thoroughly, look at the cord, and measure where the placenta is at. I'm really looking forward to the ultrasound because I'm hoping it will bring some peace of mind.

Baby is growing great! She should weigh at least a half pound by now. She is about the length of a zucchini (not including the length of her legs!) Her arms and legs should also be proportional by now. Her movements have been easier to identify as the bones in her limbs harden. I feel her best on the sides of my belly, still not much in the middle where the placenta is. I can usually feel her at least once or twice a day now and that is so comforting! My weight gain has also shifted for the better. At the start of the week I had lost another half pound, but I gained it back plus an additional pound so that is reassuring!

I have loved singing and playing music to baby this week. When I was pregnant with Jack I was finishing up my music degree- so he enjoyed music in the womb pretty much 24/7. I juried on marimba, vibes, xylo, timpani, and hand drums while pregnant with him- and I also did drum line until I was about 5 months along. I feel bad baby girl isn't getting quite that much exposure- but sometimes I sing or try to plunk out something on the piano. Knowing she can hear us makes it that much more real that she has joined our family!

My exciting find this week was stumbling upon Broncos maternity clothes! I usually can't impulse buy...but I couldn't pass up a shirt with my favorite team! I'm so excited to wear it every game day! I have to dress my Broncos Bump for my newest Broncos Baby! :D

I had the unfortunate experience of dealing with SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction) this week and I would not recommend it to anyone! I feel better now knowing what it is- but the first day I started having symptoms it was really scary to have so much pain and pressure. I was worried something was happening with baby. It makes sense that this happened because it's very highly correlated with SI slipping issues. Of course, the night it started getting really bad, Kevin was out of town. I think he would have known right away what was happening. By the morning I could barely move my legs and was freaking out. I felt like I had pulled every muscle in my groin and thighs. I felt like I had been horse riding for 24 hours straight and had forgotten about it. Every step was akin to a swift kick to the crotch. Fun.

I couldn't figure out how I aggravated my body so much to set off the SPD- but eventually realized it was from, wait for it, trying on pants. Yep. I tried on about five or six pairs of pants in a store. That's one of the worst types of movements I could have done (shame on me for putting on pants one leg at a time...especially standing up.) It's the instability. From now on I am supposed to only move in symmetrical careful movements- both legs together. Protect the ligaments at all costs!

I was scared to death to let Kevin do any physical therapy, but it was so bad I couldn't walk, so I let him do one manipulation and the next day I could walk SO much better. He's fantastic and in the right field for sure! I'm so glad I have him on call! I've been much more careful with how I move and I haven't had a repeat flare up of the SPD.

I've been thinking a lot this week about the journey we've been through and I'm just overwhelmed with gratitude. I was looking at the first "Big Brother" picture we took of Jack in 2012- we had no clue that the pregnancy would end too soon. We didn't take another Big Brother picture until this pregnancy when we thought we had more of a chance. I look at the difference in Jack between pregnancy #2 and pregnancy #8 and I think of how it's been a journey for him too. He's had to share his parents with the life of infertility and loss. He's had to wait for a sibling that he's asked for over and over. He still has fears now about baby girl dying, but as we get further along I've been able to reassure him more. He's such a blessing and I'm thankful that I had him to be my sunshine for the last several years through this painful journey. His faith is a huge support for our family!