Milk Chronicles: Halfway There! (Hopefully)

We had our 20 week ultrasound this morning. Everything is just dandy!

Colin asked me last week if I was worried after I expressed my frustration that I could not get in for an ultrasound before our Seattle trip. Worried? Of course not! What could I possibly be worried about?

Cleft palate
Club foot
Intestines outside of the body
Baby measuring too small/not growing properly
Spina bifida
No heartbeat
Deformations of the heart
Brain tumor
Missing limbs
No amniotic fluid
Unhealthy placenta

Shall I go on?

Hell yes I was worried! Mainly because I was not feeling this baby as much as I was feeling Jackson around this time. Come to find out, the placenta is positioned at the front of my uterus, preventing me from feeling the baby kick my stomach. This explains why I am really only feeling him down low and only on occasion.

That being said, I have to believe every pregnant woman is worried at least some of the time. It is a miracle that we can grow a human inside of us. The idea that everything is going right seems a little extraordinary.

So here we are. Halfway there! According to the size of the baby, I am 20 weeks and 1 day along in my pregnancy. Best case scenario, I remain healthy and the baby comes at 37 weeks or later once my body starts to naturally labor. I have every reason to believe that I can have a normal, healthy pregnancy and not end with HELLP syndrome again. At this point I have to put the worst case scenario out of my mind. Am I worried? Of course! Am I optimistic? Hell yes!

Pregnancy is a rollercoaster. I have to be thankful that the constant gagging, nausea, headaches, and fatigue are gone for the most part. I feel a lot better. In fact, some days I feel downright fantastic! Other days, not so much. For one thing, I am not getting any smaller. Also, I find myself trudging more than walking sometimes, which I am sure is irritating for the person who is trying to reach a destination with me in a normal amount of time. Fortunately, I am on summer break and now I can take some time in the afternoons to kick back and put my feet up while Jackson naps.

Perhaps I should also take a moment to reflect on the fact that I have a loving, understanding, and accommodating husband who puts up with the craziness of a pregnant wife. Also, I have to admit that Jackson is pretty much a little angel. Don't get me wrong, he is a typical toddler and exhibits the unpredictable and often times noisy behaviors you would expect from an almost two year old boy, bless his heart. However, he is so lovable, funny, and entertaining that expending the extra energy it takes to care for a toddler while pregnant is actually an absolute joy and I am so happy right now to be enjoying summer with him.

So for now, all is well. Time for the second act. Happy thoughts and positive energy from this point forward.

Baby #2 - aka: Gummy Bear (actual name TBD)