Healthy Bean

March 22nd: 11 weeks, 6 days gestation:

Little Bean is taking over the womb!  We didn't get an exact measurement this time, but everything appears to be developing on schedule.  The best news of the day is that the empty sac is getting smaller as Baby's sac gets larger.  It's beginning to compress, which is exactly what we were hoping for!  The ultrasound pictures only show Little Bean, wiggling around and being healthy.  Our doctor is so pleased with the progress that we won't return for another month, and by then we'll be able to positively identify whether this one is pink or blue!  And if everything looks good then, we'll go back to being monitored on a regular schedule, instead of every two weeks!

Being nearly 12 weeks pregnant is fantastic.  We are almost out of the 1st trimester and on our way to the "honeymoon" trimester.  That was the best part of my pregnancy with Ben.  No sickness, little fatigue, looking round enough to be pregnant, but not freak-show huge, and developing that fabulous pregnancy glow everyone talks about.  I am still experiencing waves of nausea, extreme fatigue, and the pregnancy glow is still greasy acne as my body tries to regulate all the excess hormones.  But soon all that will change.  My mindset at this stage of pregnancy changes as anxiety lessens and excitement sets in.  I am still miraculously fitting into my pre-pregnancy jeans and discovered happily (and by accident) last week that they aren't even my fat jeans collection!  I could have sworn I had dug up the fat pants, but I must have dreamed it.  Anyway, I know my days in them are numbered.  And like last time, I am going to fight wearing my maternity clothes as long as possible.  As comfortable as they are, they are the same amount of ugly.  Hard to feel cute with an elastic waistband up to your bra and a puffy, oversized shirt that makes you look like a heavyweight champion before you're weighing in as one.  But I did drag some of that stuff out and it's sitting in my dryer, waiting to be folded and mixed in with my other clothes in the closet.  You know, just in case my pants don't button tomorrow.

We're completely blocked on names right now, but it's still early.  Auntie M text messaged us from a Cracker Barrel somewhere in the midwest to inform that if the baby is a boy, he will be named Bernard, and if it's a girl, Bernice.  She feels strongly that this baby should be called "Bernie Turner" and thinks Bernie and Benny would be a great team.  We've lovingly started referring to our Little Bean as "Bernice" as a result.  Not because he/she is a girl necessarily, but because the name is hilarious.  I'm hoping that once we can determine which team we're on (pink or blue), we'll be able to generate names more efficiently. 

So things continue to look really good.  Still not much to talk about because it's so early, but things are progressing as perfectly as they can at this stage.  Our Little Bean is officially a fetus and the size of a plum.  We've got little fingers, toes, and even toenails and all the major organs are formed and beginning to function.  Next time we check, there will be a little more anatomy visible, and we'll be sure to keep everyone updated on that!