I have seen the miracle!

There is only one baby hiding in my belly. That feels good to know. Everything looked fine and Peanut seems to be a lively one. Kicking as the thingie pressed onto it. ;) It's just so wonderful to see your baby for the first time. The birth date still remains, so I am now 18 weeks plus 1 day. That's ok. Babies tends to come out when they feel ready anyways. Hopefully Peanut likes it inside so much that it doesn't come out until January. We'll have to see. ;)

It's kind of weird that you can love someone you haven't even met yet. Seeing the little baby on the screen was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I got all teary and full of love for the little thingie. It's just a miracle!

w 18?

Yes, I write it with a question mark. We're going to the ultrasound tomorrow and anything can happen. A friend of mine was today and was moved from the 31th of December till 6th of January. So we'll have to see what date we get. I wouldn't mind to get a date i January.

I'm longing to see the little one in there tomorrow. Can time move any slower? I want it to be tomorrow now!

Anywho, I'm back at work. It's quite tiresome, but ok. The four weeks of vacation have done some good anyway. Not much to do at work actually. Quite nice laid back start. ;)

Week 18: Your cute little greased piglet.
Peanut: We have two more ounces! Your "getting bigger-n-better by the minute baby" is already up to 7 ounces and 6 inches! This is a big week for their baby skin. There are now two distinct layers—the epidermis (or the surface skin) and dermis. Currently, their skin is covered with a greasy, waxy, cheese-like substance, known as vernix caseosa. Sure, it sounds pretty nasty, but this mixture of fatty secretions covering your little swimmer from head to toe is the best way to protect their oh-so-thin skin from bruising and abrasions as well as chapping caused by amniotic fluid exposure (and your little one is swimming in that stuff!). Still don’t like the fact your little darling is currently slathered in fatty cream like a greased pig? Well, you know the birthing process? Where you have to push something the size of a watermelon out a hole the size of a grape? That adorable little greased piglet would have a lot harder time getting through the birth canal without the vernix caseosa. Fun fact for momma’s with baby girls: it’s a uterus within a uterus! Your little girl will have developed a uterus and vagina canal by the end of this week.

Me: POP! If you haven’t yet, you will soon be seeing the last of your inn-y belly button—until after you’ve pushed your little monkey out. If it’s getting difficult to breathe, you can thank your not-so-small belly for squishing your lungs—which will be more and more cramped for space as the pregnancy progresses. Not that this is surprising as everything else in your mid-section is getting properly squooshed as well. (What else is new?!!). Keep in mind that as you grow (and grow and grow) in size you produce more blood (for both of you), which lowers your blood pressure. So standing up quickly and/or occasional fast movements may cause slight dizziness or lightheadedness. This is totally normal, but means you shouldn’t be too quick to jump to your feet when your team scores a goal. It's better to just punch the air in excitement or clap gleefully. One more fun pregnancy symptom to add to the list: you are producing more melanin, which can cause dark patches of skin to occur on random parts of your body. Don’t worry—these dark spots (unlike your parent’s age spots) will retreat soon after birth.

The last weekend before work and treasurehunt...

We were only four that met up at our country house. We were supposed to be six, but the last couple was feeling ill, fever and a sour throat prevented them from coming. Very sad indeed. They always seems to be preoccupied or sick when we are supposed to meet. One cannot but wonder... ;) But there will be other times, the country house still stands, for now.

I was happy to find that the neighbour's granddaughter was out with her little daughter Emma, whose just turning one in a month or so. Adorable with carrot hair and very blue eyes. I just had to come over and tell her the news! Last time we talked we were just beginning to plan the baby making. This time we finally exchanged email addresses so we can keep in touch.

My belly looks so pretty in my new dress!

My father came out for a couple of hours. We changed gifts and I got a gift certificate on H&M. Very handy indeed, time to buy some mama clothes. And in due time, baby clothes.

There was of course a lot of baby talk since M and C, newly weds and all, are starting their baby making. I hope the get pregnant soon so that I have a coffee buddy later! ;) My drink for the night started with a non alcoholic bubbly strawberry wine and then non alcoholic beer. It's good to find tasty surrogates for alcoholic beverages for these more festive occasions. Then we barbecued, played kubb and some boardgames. It was all and a very pleasant evening. M got a bit tipsy and had some trouble with the balance from time to time. ;) Made us laugh.

Today I went for a treasure hunt in search of the cradle my father told me was up in the attic. It has apparently been in the family for generations and both me and my sister has slept in it when we were babies. It is very lovely and has only one name written on it, belonging to my great grandfather Ehrnfrid. So one could easily paint it white as I want and then paint the name back there, accompanied by mine, my sister's and Peanut's, whatever that may be.

17 full weeks, 23 to go

Ok so 17 full weeks just gone. Sometimes time fly when you are having fun. Soon halftime. ;) But I wonder where my beautiful preggo-belly has gone to? Still seems like dough, its still soft. When does it get hard? What if it's only air in there? I'm a bit worried. I do not have that many symptoms either. Well, lately I have had a slight ache, undefined. Bet it's because Peanut is growing. I read somewhere that they start growing like hell right about now. I'd like that. Only one more week until the ultrasound. Great start on the first week back at work, hehe, just a four day week. I took the day off for my ultrasound. My darling has the late shift, but doesn't start until noon during the days. Lucky bastard.

I want a bigger, more distinguished belly. Not this fatty blob...

I just have to show you a picture I took of my darling's beer bottle just now. It's really not allowed for pregnant women to drink it. ;) I thought the symbol was just so adorable. Should be on every alcoholic beverage!
Week 17: Grow Team Grow!!
Peanut: Don't be too shocked but... your baby is EVEN bigger than it was last week, not to mention getting cuter, and smarter every day! As you’ve come to expect, there’s no shortage of growth and development this week: your fantastic little bean stalk has added yet another half inch to their overall height-- making them nearly half a foot long! Their little limbs have reached (or are within one week of) their relative proportions, and will continue to grow evenly with the rest of the body after this week. Reactive listening has begun for your baby, even though their ears are not yet structurally complete or fully functional. Meanwhile, different parts of their astonishingly complex brain are developing to process your little one’s hearing and other senses, (you know, sight, smell, taste and touch). Mind boggling factoid of the week: if you’re having going to have a little girl, her ovaries have already produced millions of primordial egg cells, which, within a few weeks, will develop into actual eggs! Phew… just wait till she’s a teenager eh?

Me: Even though the second trimester is often characterized as the most enjoyable of the three, you can count on a few ailments (see week 14 for additional tri-2 symptoms). This week, or in the coming weeks, you may be privy to the uncommon joys of “round ligament pain.” These not-so-lovely symptoms can include bellyaches, pain in the lower abdomen and sharp shooting and/or stabbing pains, most often expressed at the end of the day. Your suffering is due to stretched ligaments and muscles that support your ever-growing uterus. This is to be expected and is perfectly normal (especially since your uterus is only getting bigger!). Some doctors advise sleeping on your left side as lying on your back can compress your pelvic veins, decreasing blood return to the lower half of your body. Lying on your left side relieves this pressure thereby allowing normal blood flow. If this doesn’t do the trick, go ahead and consult your health care practitioner, but try not to punch them when they serenely tell you it’s normal to feel stabbing pain during this time. As we all know, violence never solves anything.

It's a rainy summer we have...

I was sitting calmly playing Neverwinter Nights at the laptop when suddenly all hell broke lose outside. The heavens opened and thundering and all. It was raining cats and dogs. Not sooner had it started raining than it was actually HALING! Seriously. What kind of weather is that for the last week of vacation? So just to be safe the computers were switched off and we enjoyed the spectacle outside. I had hoped for some more sun so that it really will show that I have had a four week vacation, but no... It's HALING! Jeez. My hopes goes to the rest of the week and the weekend. So the weekend is going to be spent in the country house. A few friends are coming over for some barbecue and drinks. We're going out with a bang. Well, they are, I'm sticking to the soft drinks. ;)

In memorial

Jane Austen died 191 years ago today. And since I have too much time on my hands I've made another BJ-fanvid in commemoration of her death. I believe that Jane and Tom loved each other throughout life and this video is devoted to that... Hopelessly Devoted to You:

Too much metal for one hand...

I've only got one thing to say. Awesome! Maiden rocks! I finally got to see them! I should have seen them in Gothenburg in 2005 when I turned 25, but money was scarce so we ended up watching it on the telly. But this time nothing could stop me! And pregnant as well! Wonderful! I think Peanut appreciated the music, I think I felt it making some movement! My body was not too excited over standing up for hours, and my back was totally killing me. But it was worth it.

Unfortunately my darling could not find his Maiden t-shirts, so I was more than happy to find that one of my magazines had sent a black tank top with this month's issue. Thank you, Glamour! I got Micke to promise to buy a t-shirt for me as a present. Hehe, thank you, Micke!

This was so not the last time I went to see Maiden. I'm totally hooked. They are so in love with Sweden and its people. Loving every minute of their stay. It's just too bad that Stockholm doesn't have an arena that doesn't take more people in than Gothenburg's Ullevi. We'll just have to build one for their next visit! ;) More pics found here!

week 16

So we're 16 weeks gone. I'm five months pregnant. Weird huh? Well I think so anyway. Time flies. Two weeks until my ultrasound. I'm glad I'm on vacation since it makes time go so much faster! ;) I'm a bit worried that the ultrasounde will only show a air bubble. I'm having a hard time dealing with not having so many symptoms. I still just look fat, not pregnant. People doesn't even dare ask if I'm pregnant. Oh well... all in due time I suppose...

(my belly when sitting down, two days ago)

Week 16: Time for ye olde ultrasounde
Peanut: Over the past three weeks your astounding growing baby has managed to stretch yet another 2 full inches (totaling about 4.5 inches) and weighs around 3.5 ounces. Yessireee, that’s some pretty serious growth... and with it comes several physical developments! For starters, their head to body ratio is finally starting to even out a bit as the rest of the body is actually growing faster than the head at this point. Yes, your little light bulb is not so top-heavy. Their adorable little limbs have lengthened, almost reaching their normal proportions which they will have at birth. Their eyes are still closed but moving and if you had an ultrasound, which many doctors recommend you have at about this time, you may even see your little one sucking on a thumb, not to mention the necessary signifiers to let you know whether you’ve got a wee lad or lassie.

Me: Along with an ultrasound, many practitioners recommend administering the “Multiple Marker Test (MMT)”, which is also known as the “Triple Screen Test”. This very common procedure checks your blood (not your baby’s) for specific protein and hormone levels as well as informing you about any potential risks of genetic or birth defects. Before you start breathing in that strained fearful way or furrowing your brow in concern, you should know that even if you do get a positive test this hardly means your little trooper is in trouble. Only about 3 to 5 percent of women yield positive results and of those women, only 10 percent actually have any sort of complication to report. Obviously, a positive test from the MMT will mean further testing for you, including amniocentesis and more ultrasounds. Although this test sounds like a bit of a dud with the high percentage of false positives coming back, it's popular because it has and can effectively identify a majority of all neural tube defects as well as babies with Down Syndrome. So despite its obvious drawbacks, you’ll still want to arrange to take the test to better prepare you and your family for the fact that anything is possible.

yeah yeah, another one of my fanvids...

I just couldn't help myself. I just had to make a video about Atonement. So without further ado, here is Leave a Light on:

Wednesday is D-day!

Not only do I add another full week to my pregnancy but I am going to see Iron Maiden at Stadion in Stockholm! It's going to be awesome! I have been waiting for this since last autumn some time when M called us and asked if we wanted tickets. I always said I was going to be pregnant come concert time. In the beginning I was a bit worried I would miss the whole shebang due to labour, but that, as we all know, be not the case. Of course I thought the belly would be larger, but one cannot have everything. It will be very interesting to see if Peanut decides to make itself known to the world. I have felt some obscure flutter in my tummy before, but recently no action at all.

(Pic from aftonbladet.se)

Now there is only two kids around, and it's calmer than last week. Unfortunately they told me last night as the came over that they have lice. Why, thank you for that information! They do not come near me. I've never had them and I do not intend to have them now. The parasites has probably been in their hair for some time but it doesn't look like I've been infested, thank god! Thought it a bit unnecessary for them to come over when they had lice but, well... what is done is done...

just because

Well, since it's been raining and thundering all day I had no choice but to be inside, and where do I find myself then? Yes, at the computer. I tried to write a while, but no inspiration came. My muse has vacation it seems. But my video making muse came instead and I made this Becoming Jane fanvideo. Enjoy!

One year older

The inevitable has happened. I am now, since yesterday, one year older. The only good thing is that my darling is turning 30, and that is way worse than 28 ;) At least I will have achieved one of my goals before turning 30. I have always said I wanted my first child before I'm 30, and I will. That is something at leas! ;)

I have now reached week 15 in my pregnancy. I have lost 2 kg, I wonder why? It's not like I have been eating healthier or any thing... Perhaps the belly is only filled with air? Well it hasn't grown much either. Much smaller than two weeks ago. Perhaps it's because when I took the picture I was famished?
Week 15: Your little hairy baby
Fetal development in pregnancy week 15: Your nearly four-inch long gymnast is happily mobile inside your womb and if you're really lucky, you’ll notice a point when your sneezing, coughing or laughing results in a little kick here or a poke there. Still, many women don't feel anything until the 17th week or later. Although the poking and kicking isn't very charming during sleeping hours, it’s a good sign as it means your baby is actually reacting to outside events. Yay! You’ve got yourself one active healthy baby! Their little elbows and knees are bending more freely this week and their little legs are finally growing longer than their arms and getting pumped up for prenatal Richard Simmons. Many of their major organ systems are increasing in capacity—particularly that amazing tiny heart and complex circulation system, which is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood per day, and will increase to a very impressive 200 quarts per day by the end of the pregnancy. As far as hair goes, we’ve got some new scalp patterns beginning to develop on the head, although actual head hair is not yet present.

And how's mom doing? Have your cheeks been rosier lately? (No, no, no-- we’re asking about your face.) Are you feeling especially radiant? This famed “glow” is brought to you courtesy of the pregnancy fairy who has waved her magical “rosy tinge wand” over you. Seriously though, your body is experiencing an increase in blood flow and you probably do have flushed skin and cheeks. Just be aware that increased blood flow might cause your blood vessels to expand, resulting in a series of not-so-magical nosebleeds for some women, which although perfectly normal, are a bit gory if you’ve got a day job. If you find the nosebleeds especially irritable, consider purchasing a humidifier to ward off future nose bleeds. Also, do your best to avoid irritants, such as aerosols, smoke, and dust.. Even though the placenta is regulating your babe’s hormones, you are still producing additional estrogen, which often causes swelling of the mucosa membranes, leaving you with a stuffy nose—potentially throughout the duration of the pregnancy. These are just a few of the charming physical experiences you can chalk up to the pregnancy fairy!

Honey, I'm back!

Yes, yesterday evening we came back from Kolåsen. It has been a marvellous time. The weather was quite fantastic though the fishing was not so good. Well, we did finally get two salmon trouts. We ate them today and they were truly delicious. We made some excursions as well, not only fishing. We went to see the Mus-Olle Museum, Mus-Olle was a man who collected lots of bits and pieces during his lifetime. Another day we ended up in Åre eating lunch. It was not really planned, but since my father in law is a busdriver, mostly tourist trips, he knows of a lot of odd places worth seeing. And I am a bit of a culture freak. I like visiting odd places and stuff. So a lot of sightseeing we did. That was kind of ok, because then I could use my cell phone which did not have any reception whatsoever at the little cabin we rented. Only when we came neared a larger place could I use it. Oh, well, it was vacation. ;)

Otherwise we went fishing at least once a day. Preferably late at night. It was so beautiful sights there. I almost lost my breath. Seriously. I wouldn't want to live there all year around, but to wake up to that sight every morning is really a blessing. I really want to go back there. Not just for the fishing, but for the tranquillity of the place. Enjoy the silence.
Now you can really see that I am pregnant. I am now soon in week 15. It's sick really. Just a few weeks ago I thought time was really dragging itself by, but now it's running away. ;) One is never really satisfied. I think I have felt Peanut moving actually, a little faint kick in the side and a few days ago it felt like it was doing somersaults in my belly. Of course it could be gas, but I prefer to believe it was Peanut! ;)

More pic from the vacation is found here.

Week 14: Shake it baby!
Fetal development in pregnancy week 14: Isn’t it glorious? You and your little buckaroo have roped your way right into trimester numero dos! Are you ready to rock!? Okay, okay… maybe just a little rolling and poking. Needless to say, your baby will definitely be making themselves known in the upcoming weeks. At about 3.5 inches long, their little body and limber limbs are coordinated enough for loads of complicated motions. In fact, their whole body is moving right now! You're not feeling it because their current size is still a bit too small to make an impact you'd recognize. Still, their movements are recognizable on an ultrasound. Speaking of which, you should be scheduling one with your health care provider! Week 16 is the classic date as you can usually determine whether your little one is going to pee standing up or sitting down. Your baby is also starting to develop the ability to move their eyes this week, although the eyelids still remain fused shut. What's more, they can make all sorts of fun facial expressions as they practice squinting, frowning, and grimacing. Cute development of the week: their little hands can grasp at things and they may already be sucking their thumb!

And how's mom doing? What’s in the forecast for your second trimester? We’ve got a heavy concentration of developing fetal movement, which will increase in magnitude in frequency through the duration of the second trimester before subsiding in the third trimester as womb-space becomes limited. If you think you’ve got the second trimester is typically experienced as the most exciting and enjoyable of the three— the morning sickness is gone, you definitely feel and look pregnant, but you’re not yet an overstuffed-lumbering-mammoth gas or some kind of odd bowel obstruction right now, it might actually just be your little one poking you hello! You’ll become more familiar with the sensation as the frequency and intensity increase (and you’ll never quite forget this special feeling!
On to the less exciting news. In your second trimester, you will most likely experience some if not all of the following symptoms to varying degrees: dizziness, headache and back pain. Just like morning sickness during the first trimester, your chances of experiencing a given set of symptoms increases if you’ve already had them in a previous pregnancy. Unfortunately, if you’re starting to experience back pain, it will most likely increase as you gain more weight towards the end of the trimester. Although unavoidable during your waking hours, you don’t have to suffer so much during the night—there are some wonderful products out there such as the full body pregnancy pillow, which will help you make it through the night without too much undue suffering. Water retention is another fairly classic albeit annoying pregnancy symptom which typically leads to swollen fingers, toes, ankles and/or legs. These are all perfectly normal (and fairly bearable) symptoms that should not be a source of unnecessary stress. Despite these annoyances, the second trimester is typically experienced as the most exciting and enjoyable of the three— the morning sickness is gone, you definitely feel and look pregnant, but you’re not yet an overstuffed-lumbering-mammoth. Go team go!