Week 14: Um, Not Much to Report!

Week 14: Couples Retreat (8)

Well, we cheated. For the first time in our "Movie a Week" plot, Ty and I did not go see a movie in theaters. ) ; But, we had good reason! I was up super late on Friday night at a sushi bar with an out-of-town visitor, and Brock and Nicole were gone so we had the house to ourselves. Therefore, Ty and I ordered pizza and watched a movie at home. Couples Retreat just came out on DVD, and neither Ty or I had seen it. Therefore, we feel like we only partially cheated on our plan this week! Couples Retreat was, well.... forgettable? I'm not quite sure how to word it. I guess it was similar to Valentine's Day. The movie had some cute, funny moments but was overall forgettable. Not much plot, not much substance. Fluff. Ty couldn't help but notice how all the men were "normal" looking guys, while the women were "super fit and attractive". I was very proud of my husband's sensitive eye toward these gender politics. I've educated him well! ( ; Anyway, cute movie: pretty to look at, easy to forget. (Saturday, 02/27/10, The Wheeler Villa)

From the pregnancy front, there's not much to report! I usually listen to the heart beat for 2 to 3 minutes once a day. It's so reassuring to daily hear that quick little drumming. I've been feeling pretty good. Lately I've been more exhausted again. Both Saturday and Sunday I took a 2.5 hour nap. Probably the biggest news is that my "bump" appears to finally be showing up! I think. I guess you'll have to make your own judgment based on the pictures (Both pictures were taken at 14 Weeks 5 Days). I'm still anxiously waiting to feel movement. Most books say that first-time moms usually feel movement around 18/20 weeks, so I suppose that I should be patient. Ty says to mention that I kept getting grumpy at him this week. That's kinda true... On Wednesday and Thursday I had that unexplained irritability again. Just felt short and easily irritated. Ty always appears to chose this time to act like a 12 year-old boy: annoying, loud, and intrusive! (Love you, Tyrone!) I guess he's trying to help me practice for baby.

Hope all is going well in the family. Love you guys!

Week 12 & 13: Crazy in Love, Ultrasound Pics

Week 12: Valentine's Day (6)

Valentine's Day: what could be more cliche? Roses, hearts, chocolate, and romance. Now, usually... all of these are my favorites! But ON Valentine's day, for some reason, it all just seems stale. Well, the same could be said of the movie Valentine's Day. Stale. The movie was a poor, poor imitation of one of my alltime favorite movies, Love Actually. The film contains numerous stories with numerous characters, who are all revealed to somehow know each other by the end of the film. Don't get me wrong: the movie had some cute moments! Just overall, it seemed like a wasted opportunity for a sweet, poignant romantic comedy. However, it was very fun to see a movie with Brock, Nicole, Dan, and Em. Cheapskate Brock actually forked over the $18 to see a movie in theaters. ( ; I was shocked, yet proud. (Saturday, 02/13/10, The Rave)

Week 12 was, well, simply an amazing week for our pregnancy. On Wednesday, February 12th, we had our NT scan (an ultrasound and blood test for down syndrome and other genetic anomalies). The ultrasound was, literally, awe-inspiring. And I was so proud.... Ty did not nearly faint this time! ( ; For me, I was most astounded by the growth in the mere 5 weeks since the last ultrasound used to confirm the pregnancy. The fetus grew from what appeared to be a log-shaped amoeba into actually looking like a real baby. In just 5 weeks! Seeing the movement was incredible, too. The baby behaved phenomenally! When the ultrasound started, it was lying in the exact position necessary for the tech to take the necessary pictures for the test. Almost as soon as she was done with the necessary images, the baby just snapped awake! It, kinda, convulsed into itself, like someone who sits up very quickly and started moving around.

At that point, the tech changed the machine to the 4D imagery (which, by the way, I had NO idea that my practice had that technology). It was like watching video of the baby moving inside me. I remember seeing the little elbows come into view. I remember when the tech snapped the picture of the baby putting its arms up in the last ultrasound picture above. The whole half hour was simply one of the most incredible experiences of my life. After seeing those images at just 12 weeks, it sure makes it difficult to understand how anyone could say that the fetus is not a human being by that point in development...

Oh, and we did (tentatively) learn the gender of the baby.... The tech offered us the opportunity to hear her best guess at the gender, and Ty (the one who always wanted to wait until delivery to find out) immediately pipes up, "Yes, we'd like to find out!" Ty and I plan to share the gender with everyone after our "big ultrasound" at 20 weeks. Til then, we're gonna try not to get too attached... Finally, the doctor called with the results of the NT scan and reported that everything looked normal! Yay!

Week 13: Shutter Island (7)

"It's a mental hospital...for the criminally insane". Well, you know that tagline got my attention! In Shutter Island, Leonardo DiCaprio (can I get a "Hollaaa!") plays a federal marshall investigating a missing patient from the aforementioned hospital located on a secluded island. Honestly, I can't tell you many more details without giving the surprise away. The movie was AMAZING!! Unfortunately, it was a terribly inaccurate depiction of the mentally ill (Particularly of how delusions present themselves. It was an interesting study, however, of how the brain protects itself from trauma). However, the suspense, mental anguish, confusion, and surprise ending made up for the inaccuracies. Leo is an incredible actor. He perfectly portrays the increasing levels of paranoia, panic, and confusion as the plot unfolds. I'm not sure that this movie would be everyone's cup of tea, but I sure enjoyed it! Ty even appreciated the film; I didn't even have to drag him there! (Saturday, 02/20/10, Oakview)

Week 13 was a little more low-key than Week 12 in pregnancy-land. I did, officially however, enter the 2nd trimester!!! That was exciting. And a relief. The risk of miscarriage is significantly, significantly lower now. So, I continue to find myself less and less paranoid. The baby's heartbeat is now really easy to find with the doppler. It takes me, like, 2 seconds to locate it. However, I have to move the doppler around more in order to continue hearing the heartbeat. I assume that's because the baby is more squirmy now! Also, the heart rate appears to have mildly slowed. Instead of normally running in the mid to low 170s, it usually runs in the mid to low 160s now. Also, I think I am starting to more clearly "show". I might post another picture next week.

Finally, I bought our little one's first book! I was in the store, and I just couldn't resist! It's called, "Tickle Monster". It's about a fuzzy blue alien that arrives on earth to share his special tickling skills. The book came with big fuzzy blue paws, that the reader wears to tickle the listener. I am VERY excited to read this to our baby for the first time! Just for practice, I read the whole thing outloud (with much enthusiasm) to Tyrone. He just loved when I tickled his "cute little footsies!!" ( ;

Foot Notes:

In case you couldn't tell, the very first ultrasound picture is from our ultrasound at 7 weeks.

If you haven't noticed, I list all the movies that we've seen under the "favorite movie" portion of my profile. From now one, I'm going to arrange these movies from my perception of best to worst. Just an FYI!

Weeks 10 & 11: Werewolves and Denzel, Dopplers and a Crib

Week 10: New Moon (4)

Well, good movie selections were sparse during week 10. It was my turn to pick, and I did NOT feel like another macho movie. Therefore, I thought that it was only fair to share my love of vampires with my hunky husband. I know Ty was just overjoyed at the opportunity to share two and a half hours of movie magic with Edward Cullen and Jacob Black....although, his smile did perhaps appear a little plastered on.... Anyway, I think everyone knows my opinion on the recent Twilight adaptation. But what did Tyrone think? Actually, he was not so impressed. He called Taylor Lautner a poor actor, and he said that he preferred the first Twilight movie. What?!? He said he liked the intrique of discovering the world of vampies in the first movie. What?!? He preferred the mystery in Twlight versus the increased action sequences in New Moon? Well. 01/30/10 (Saturday, Oakview)

Week 10 was pretty amazing from a pregnancy standpoint. After my miscarriage nightmares, Ty and I decided to rent an at-home fetal doppler heart monitor. Ty said, "Audrey, if that's what gives you reassurance and makes you feel more comfortable, go for it." We received the doppler in the mail, and on Thursday, January 28th, we heard our baby's heartbeat for the first time. It took about 15 minutes to hear the heartbeat. Once we found it, the sound was immediately recognizable. It was amazing. Our baby sounds like a race horse! The baby's heartrate was just a-racing, ranging from 165 to 177 beats per minute. We celebrated with some better-sex-cake that I'd been craving (Apparently being pregnant has kicked my interests in culinary tasks into high gear. When I made especially good chocolate chip cookies a couple weeks ago, Ty said that my "mom skills" must already be kicking in.)

Week 11: The Book of Eli (5)

After so graciously agreeing to see New Moon during the prior week, it was Tyrone's chance to pick the film. But, I think we both pretty eagerly watched Book of Eli. Synposis: Denzel Washington is journeying through a post nuclear war America. A "voice" told Denzel that he would "receive God's protection" as he "followed the path" west to deliver a "precious book" to those who could protect it. Well, the voice was God and the book was the last Bible left on earth....in Braille. Turns out Denzel was blind the entire movie. Blind- as he so easily defeated numerous vagabounds in hand to hand combat (including several cannibals -whose hands apparently tremor vigorously after consuming human flesh). Verdict: While the premise sounds a bit ridiculous, the movie was actually quite enjoyable. Strangely, it was another apocalypse movie where the underlying message revolved around faith and trust in God. 02/06/10 (Saturday-The Rave)

Exciting news during Week 11.... We bought a crib! Well, a crib plus some.... Mom and I went comparison shopping all day Wednesday, and we finally found the perfect deal! I'll post pictures below. Oh, it was a blast crib shopping. I was very glad that Ty did not come along. He would have loathed combing up and down, back and forth, and back and forth again down every aisle. I think we made a wise choice. While the price was higher than Ty and I originally planned, my plot is for the baby is use this furniture through junior high and highschool. I bought the items judging on durability, utility, and long-term usefulness. The crib converts into a toddler and full adult bed. The dressers should be easily usable through junior high. A therapist at work said that she bought this brand of baby bed, and her daughter now sleeps in the adult bed 7 years later. Ty says that the baby will have WAY better furniture than its parents; however, isn't that what you want for your children? Better than what you have? ( ; Anyway, now that I'm done defending my purchase (I love you, Tyrone!) here are some pictures. We bought all the items you see above in the expresso color that you see on the crib.

Well, sorry to be so long-winded this time. Week 12 should be exciting next week, though. Ultrasound and the end of the first trimester this coming week... Yay!