Week 20: Date Night & The Big Ultrasound

21 Weeks Pregnant: I feel humongous! Don't I look pleased?

Baby's Profile and Leg

Blurred Picture of Baby's Profile

Yep, that's the foot right up by the face...

See the little hand in the middle?

Hand and foot, side by side.... Resting by the head?? (I think...)

1 Leg, 2 Legs, 3 Legs???? Hmmm....Uhhh......It's a boy!
Yep, still a boy...

Week 20: Date Night (13)

Gonna keep the movie review brief this week. I mean, Steve Carrell and Tina Fey? How much could there possibly be to say?!? The movie was very enjoyable! It was kinda one of of those flicks where all the funny parts are already shown in the previews, though... Regardless, Ty and I still enjoyed the film. The comedic timing between Steve Carrell and Tina Fey was very entertaining. If you're looking for a friviolous, cute little movie, Date Night should trick your trigger. (Sunday, 04/11/10, Oakview)

Well, I'll start with the big news.... It's a boy! The technician's guess at our 12 week ultrasound was correct. We're having a little boy! Ty and I have talked baby names for a very long time, and we've always had a front contender: William Beau. Well, although we tried to give fair consideration to other names.... we just can't shake it off. Most likely, the baby will be named William Beau Wheeler. And, like his father, he'll go by his middle name "Beau". Ty and I already refer to the baby as "Beau" (or affectionately nicknamed Bilbo, after the Lord of the Rings character). Neat historical tidbit: Ty's parents considered naming him "Beau", and Ty had a cat in Canada named "Bilbo". So, Beau just seemed meant to be! From henceforth, I will likely refer to the baby as "Beau" during blog entries.

Well, I must say, Beau is an active little squirt! While it was amazing to watch him wiggle during the ultrasound, he wiggled so much that our ultrasound tech had difficulty getting all the necessary medical measurements. As a result, our appointment ran long; therefore..... we didn't have any time to "play" with the 4D ultrasound technology! I was so disappointed! I was so eager to see how Beau actually looking like a real baby, that it really knocked the wind out of my sails.... So, after a couple post-ultrasound tears, the rational part of me kicked in, and I felt simply grateful for a healthy baby! (Also, Ty's concession that he would consider spending the money for an elective 3D ultrasound may have eased my suffering, too....)

Beau weighed 11 ounces on the day of our ultrasound, right on track. It still baffles me how my child doesn't even weigh 1 pound, yet his mommy has now gained a whopping 14 pounds! Yep, I've gained about 6 pounds in two and a half weeks.... Looking at my 21 Week picture, I think my bump looks huge! You should see my belly button! The skin above it is stretched so tight! It feels uncomfortable after large meals... Like I mentioned last week, I think Beau and I are having a growth spurt. I've been more tired than usual, taking ridicously lengthy naps. And my appetite appears to have mildly increased, as well.

Back to having an active baby, Beau has just been kicking up a storm over the past week! I feel him throughout the day now, not just when lying down in the early morning and bed time. For the first time, I felt a "dragging" sensation: I felt the baby kick then drag an appendage about an inch across my stomach. And yesterday, I saw the baby kick for the first time. (That was weird! It was like my stomache was bubbling!) So far, I think feeling movement is my favorite part of pregnancy. I brag to Ty that Beau and I already get to "play". Ty just responds by leaning down to my belly and saying, "Kick! Kick, Beau! Kick, Mommy's bladder!"

Beau should now measure about 10.5 inches long, weighing about 13 ounces: the size of a banana. As of today, only 130 days left! We already love our little man....

Week 18 & 19: Time Travel & Titans, Grooving Baby

Week 18: Hot Tub Time Machine (11)

Wow. What a name for a movie, right? I mean, talk about a premise destined to make a movie of epic-ly disasterous proportions, right? Well, wrong! Ty and I both thoroughly enjoyed Hot Tub Time Machine! Granted, we went into the movie with an open mind and a silly attitude. I mean, we didn't expect Shakespeare here! And the movie adequately presented an hour of enjoyable goofiness! The 80s references were highly entertaining, and between a couple of goofy characters and fantastic one-liners... we had a fabulous night! (03/26/10, Friday, The Rave)

Week 18 was pretty low key for baby and I. Once the weather turned nice, we went on a couple long walks outside. Man, I run out of breath fast now! Especially going up hills! Did I mention that we're doing prenatal yoga, too? That's really helped me relax after a long day at work. (I guess that I'm not lying to my patients when I tell them that simple deep breathing can work miracles!) Baby started moving a little more often during Week 18. When I concentrate real hard, I can usually feel it once a day or so.

Week 19: Clash of the Titans (12)

So, does anyone else remember watching the 1980s version of this movie in Mr. Johnson's sophomore English class? I just remember giggling and giggling and giggling at the fantastic special effects. Well, this Clash of the Titans was a little more high-tech in its special effects. ( ; And while it may not have stayed true to the mythology of Perseus, Ty and I both really enjoyed the movie. The pacing of the movie was fantastic: the hour and a half flew by. And unlike other movies about Greek mythology, I was actually able to completely follow the storyline! Liam Neeson was great as the mighty Zeus. (Doesn't he play God-figures well? Although I still think that I prefer him as Aslan.) And Ralph Fiennes played a great Hades (And doesn't he play evil-characters well? Although I still think that I prefer him as Voldemort.) Anyway, I'd definitely recommend this movie to others.

Week 19 was a little busier for the little one and I. I'm pretty sure we were experiencing a growth spurt! Every day I took at least a two hour nap after work. And then I'd still sleep for a solid 8 hours! And my bump is rapidly growing, too. Dear goodness gracious, you should see my poor, mis-shapen belly button! Already, it's super shallow and stretched sideways. It's bizarre! But the biggest news of Week 19 is that our baby has finally discovered it's dancing feet. The frequency of movement appears to have exponentially increased! I now feel movement at various times throughout the day, several movements at a time. Baby's getting strong!! And, most importantly....

Ty got to feel the baby move! On Friday night, our little one was kicking up a storm, so I had Ty try to feel. Sure enough, he jerked this hand away right after I felt a kick. Ya know, I was really looking forward to seeing Ty's reaction after feeling movement for the first time..... I always imagined him looking so happy and awe-inspired. Instead, he was weirded out! First, it was "Oh. Wow. We really are gonna have a baby!" Next, it was "Ugh. As much as that weirds me out, I can't imagine what that must be like for you!" Schmuck! ( : Then last night, Ty got to feel the baby move 3 separate times. This time, he just started giggling! He said, "What's the baby doing in there? Like, karate-chopping your uterus? I mean, what's the point of all this random kicking?" Then he just continued giggling as he pictured our child fruitlessly wiggling around. Poor baby! ( :

Finally, Ty, baby, and I had a great Easter. Grandma Susan made the baby an Easter basket, filled with several baby books and a pack of white onesies. And, my mom actually got to feel the baby move, too! I also revealed the baby's gender to my side of the family. Yay!! After Grandpa Jay and Grandma Carol get the chance to find out the gender in person, I will let everyone else know, too.

Our big 20 Week Ultrasound was yesterday! But I'm gonna keep you hanging for details until next week's 20 week post..... Happy Easter!

Week 17: Wrestling & Lil' Nudges

Tyrone loves our new diaper bag! Just had to add this picture after he came home from work today and modeled our new favorite accessory!

Week 17: NCAA Wrestling Finals

Yes. Yes, I do love my husband. That's why on Saturday night, we could be found watching the NCAA Wrestling Finals on our television instead of a movie on the bigscreen. Yes, we cheated on our movie-a-week goal to watch a couple sweaty frat boys writhe around on a mat. At least, I finally got some Wingstop hot wings for my sacrifice. (Apparently, this child really likes hot wings. We ate hot wings on the night we found out that I was pregnant, and I've been lusting after hot wings many nights since that fateful evening.) Anyway, Iowa dominated the tournament. It was definitely fun to watch Ty get all worked up about various matches. It's fun to watch him get so passionate and enthusiastic about something other than politics! (03/20/10, The Wheeler Home)

So, I finally can confidently confirm that I have felt the baby move! Monday night (March 15th) Ty and I were lying in bed watching Everybody Loves Raymond. All of the sudden, I felt like a fast, little "pop"-like nudge, right where I knew the baby was located. And, I knew. I just knew. Once you feel the baby move, you recognize that the feeling is completely distinguishable from gas bubbles! It was amazing... in a very content, fullfilling, satisfying way. Since then, I've probably felt the baby move around 10 to 15 times. It always halts me in my tracks. I know that further in the pregnancy, that feeling will be old-hat, but it's still so infrequent right now, that it just enthralls me!

It was a big week in baby preparation land, too. Ty and I bought a video camera! We still haven't really figured out how to run the thing, but I'm sure Ty will have a handle on it before the baby arrives. (Libby and Emily-maybe you can help us?) Currently, Ty likes to randomly pick up the camera and start taping me while I'm cooking or cleaning or watching television. It's like he's become my own personal papparazo!

And, I found the perfect diaper bag! I never imagined that I could get so bloody excited about a diaper bag. But then, I realized that buying a diaper bag is almost like buying a purse. And I love purses! ( ; Anyway, a friend on a message board referred me to a discounted site, where I got my bag for 50% off! Yay for discounts! The picture shows a couple of the bag's functions, which is why I feel in love with it in the first place. Finally, our baby furniture has arrived! We're waiting until the middle of April to pick it up, but it is officially waiting for us here in Omaha.

The baby and my bump just keep growing! Baby is about 5.5 inches long and 6 ounces heavy. Apparently, that's the size of a sweet potatoe. And my belly, well, I think that the picture shows its growth. That picture was taken yesterday, at 18 weeks exactly. As of this week, I'm considered 5 months pregnant.

Exactly 2 Weeks until the Big Ultrasound and our little one's half-way mark!

Week 15 & 16: Wonderland and Hot Tamales

Week 15: Alice in Wonderland (9)

So, Ty finally decided that he could man-up and wear 3D glasses after all. Therefore, he wanted to see Alice in Wonderland, and I obliged. Personally, I enjoyed the previews more than the actual movie itself! The movie theater was packed with children, and we sat right next to several eight or nine year old boys. As soon as the 3D previews started, all the kids were like "Whoa!", "Wow!", and would clap vigorously after every particularly cool 3D effect. Ty and I just kept giggling because the kids were so darn enthusiastic and entranced by the previews. It made me smile to picture our future child's enthusiasm and ardor over such minor thrills. If our little one takes anything after it's mother's naturally high level of enthusiasm, Ty and I should enjoy years of childlike wonder!

But back to the movie, I probably can't fairly critique it....since I did fall asleep halfway through. ( ; I think I woke up in time for the climax (I think...but I can't be sure!) The 3D effects were very neat. But Tim Burton's lighting is so darn dark, and Ty's shoulder is just so comfy.... And pregnancy is still making me tired all the time! Ty's appraisal of the movie was similar to mine: the effects were cool, the story was lacking. (3/05/10, Oakview)

Again, Week 15 was slower in pregnancy-land. No landmark events occurred. Still listen to the baby's heartbeat for about a minute per day. Still sounds pretty cool. Still running mildly slower... about 155 beats a minute now. Probably the biggest event in Week 15 was my growing bump. It's definitely prominent now. People at work can't see because of my scrubs and at home I usually wear pretty loose-fitting comfy clothes. But, when I look in the mirror while wearing a close-fitting top, my belly is definitely blooming. I guess that my weight shows that progress, as well. I think I've gained about 8 lbs now... Oh, I should probably mention, too, that I finally told my boss that I was pregnant! She was thrilled, hugged me, and asked if anyone had planned a baby shower yet. I felt very relieved!

Week 16: Remember Me (10)

Due to a dearth of other options, I was allowed to make the movie choice this week. And, I was more than thrilled to choose a film starring the amazing, gorgeous, beautiful, talented, hot tamale that is Robert Pattinson! Expecting little more than an hour and a half of gazing at perfection, I instead found a very sad, poignant, touching film about relationships and the precious, delicate nature of life. (Not that I didn't enjoy the gazing, as well. Robert's hair is a phenomenon in itself!) During the movie, I especially enjoyed watching the little moments as the relationship between Robert and his leading lady bloomed. And not to give anything away, but the movie was also a powerful reminder of the impact of 9/11, as well. Anyway, I thought this was one of the better films on our movie-a-week journey. I know Ty would disagree, but Ty hates any movie that "makes one feel sad". As I've previously stated, unless it contains romance, guns, comedy, or a happy ending.... Tyrone wants nothing to do with it! (03/12/10, Twenty Grand)

Week 16 was a little busier pregnancy-wise. I had another routine check-up with our doctor. He said that's everything's looking good! He said that the results of my 12 week ultrasound show our child's chance of being born with Down Syndrome or Trisomy Thirteen is 1 in 10,000 (which is very good). He said that all of my urine samples and blood work have shown normal levels of protein, sugar, etc... The heartbeat sounded good, weight gain and blood pressure looked good... we're all good! And, we finally scheduled "The Big Ultrasound" for Monday, April 5th. That will be the ultrasound where we can finally confirm the baby's gender and see much more human-looking pictures of our little one! It likely will be our last ultrasound, as well. )

Finally, the bump continues to grow! Just because I was curious, I tried on my swimming suit. All I can say is... Wow. This girl won't be going to a pool for a while! Also, I think that I can finally confirm that I felt the baby move. After a whole week of not feeling any suspicious movement, I finally felt it today. I was using my doppler to hear the baby's heartbeat, and I heard the quick interruption that pops up when the baby is moving. At that exact same time, I felt, like, a quick wiggle right in the same spot. 90 % positive that was movement! I still can't wait for the day when I don't have to so intently pay attention to feel movement.

Picture: My most recent bump picture: Taken at 16 Weeks and 6 Days (Saturday)

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!