23 weeks.

23 weeks.  Baby Saigh weighs a whopping
POUND and is the size of an ear of corn!

I can't believe I'm already 23 weeks pregnant!  My tummy is growing so fast and our little girl is quite the active little bean.  Every night as I'm getting into bed, she decides to wake up and have her own little dance party in my belly.  I love being able to feel her movements not only on the inside, but on the outside too!  My belly button is starting to flatten already, but not to the point of popping out (I think we have a ways to go for that).  But, I noticed yesterday if I take my two fingers and pull my belly button "apart", my "innie" turns into an "outie"!  I know that sounds weird, but I've never been able to do that before and it's just WEIRD!  It's likeI'd take a photo and post it on here, but I do have my limits;)

Baby Saigh's bassinet and tutu!

Baby Saigh's room is starting to fill up too.  We're using my Aunt Julie's bassinet and I've fallen in love with all the ruffles.  My mom bought Baby Saigh a hot pink tutu too... it may be the cutest thing I've ever seen!  I love all the cute little clothes we've been getting for her and cannot WAIT until she gets here so we can dress her up!

Most importantly, our monthly appointment with the doctor on Friday went very well!  Our little bean is growing right on track and so is my tummy.  I've gained 15 lbs. since I got pregnant, so getting on the scale at the doctor's office this week put me into a little bit of a shock:)  I've made it a goal to only gain 30 lbs. during this pregnancy, so I better watch it!  Baby Saigh is the size of an ear of corn, so I'm pretending she's a 10 lb. ear of corn, and the other 5 lbs. is just water weight:)

Next month I have my glucose screening to check for gestational diabetes.  My mom had it when she was pregnant with my little sister, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Baby's first kicks at 22 weeks.

Last night, while we were watching movies in our living room, AJ and I got to feel our little girl kick... or punch... or whatever she's doing in there.  I wish we had a camera rolling to capture the looks on both of our faces because it was absolutely AMAZING!

I've been feeling the little bean move around in my belly for weeks now, and I'm always telling AJ about what it feels like.  But until last night, we haven't been able to feel her on the outside.  We were both sitting on the couch and I could feel her flipping around in my belly.  So I put my hands on my belly (like I always do) to see if I could feel her on the outside, and to my surprise I COULD!  It was like a little thud... completely catching me off guard.

AJ jumped up, put his ear on my belly, started talking to her, and she did it again... this time punching AJ right in his head!  We both sat so still, barely breathing, and waiting for her to do it again.  For the next five minutes, she punched and kicked a few more times, and we got to feel every movement.  We've both been waiting for this moment, and I'm so glad we got to experience it together!

It feels just like what it looks like on the ultrasound... quick, jumpy movements, but they're so light and dainty:)  AJ's mom, dad, sister and brother-in-law were staying at our house this weekend for a wedding, and last night when they got back to our house, we all tried to see if we could feel Baby Saigh kick again.  After a few pokes and talking to her... nothin'.  I'm guessing all that showing off for mom and dad earlier in the night, really pooped her out.  We're both waiting patiently to feel her move around again today!

- 22 weeks and 2 days.

Little bit of a pregnancy scare.

Today was a pretty emotional and scary day for this mama-to-be. Just a heads up, this blog post might be a little TMI for some people, so beware when proceeding.

This morning at work, I went to the bathroom to discover that I was bleeding (lightly). I completely freaked out, and of course, the tears started. I called my mom and she told me to immediately go to the doctor because of the pain I was having yesterday (I've had lower back pain and slight cramping since Monday morning). I thought the lower back pain and cramping were just part of being uncomfortable from the pregnancy, so I was doing my best to suck it up.

Papa Saigh met me at the doctor and after an "emergency" ultrasound, we found out that Baby Saigh is doing just fine. Everything looked normal (heart rate, movement, etc.). I've never felt so relieved in all my life. After meeting with the doctor and going through some other tests, we found out that I have some kind of an infection (either bladder or kidney - possibly kidney stones), which the doctor says isn't uncommon in pregnant women. I'm now on antibiotics (safe for Baby), and besides being emotionally drained, I'm doing pretty well.

As a new mom-to-be, I never know what feelings and situations are normal, and what deserves attention. This was the first "scare" I've had with my pregnancy, and although we've learned that everything with the Baby is ok, these kinds of situations really take a lot out of a person. I cried all the way to the doctor and all the way through the ultrasound, even after I saw her heartbeat and movement. I am so incredibly thankful that our baby is safe and I can't imagine what I would do if anything happened to her. It's amazing how much you can love a person that you haven't even met!

Thank you to my co-workers, mom, family, friends, and husband who were there for support today.  I'm so thankful everything turned out the way it did.

- April 12th: 21 weeks and 5 days.

New website.

I will continue writing about Baby Saigh on this blog, but I hope you will all check out my new "Minnesota Baby" website: www.minnesotababy.org

Let me know what you think!  I'm so excited about it.

- Melissa

20 weeks.

20 weeks. Halfway there and she's as big
as a small cantaloupe!

Friday officially marked the halfway point in my pregnancy! I can't believe how fast time has gone by. Everyone told me that my pregnancy would be over before I know it, but time really is flying!

The first few weeks/months of my pregnancy went by super slow, but I think that's because I was waiting for my baby bump to start growing. Now, there's no stopping the baby bump! Not only am I getting a big baby belly, but I can feel the baby's little body from the outside of my tummy. My belly is so hard, it almost feels swollen or bruised.  I think I can feel her move around too. I'm constantly asking other moms what it feels like to feel the baby move, and most women tell me it feels like "fluttering" inside. Mine feels more like electricity or bubbles, so I'm not sure if she's moving or if it's just gas:) I'm also starting to get uncomfortable. I'm still sleeping well, but getting into a comfy spot takes some time. I also find myself getting winded a LOT easier, and by the end of the day my tummy is tight and I am feeling slight cramping when I bend over. I'm sure this is all just fine, but I will be chatting with my doctor about the cramping soon.

I just got back from New York on Monday... my first pregnant trip! Our little girl was either really excited about all the walking and being out and about, or super mad! After hours of walking around, it literally felt like she was trying to push her way out of my tummy skin. My stomach would get SO hard, which I've never felt before. Don't worry though, I got a lot of sleep and did a lot of relaxing too:)  I also did a lot of maternity clothes shopping in NY. I got a few dresses and pants at Destination Maternity and found some REALLY good deals at Forever21 Maternity. Why Forever21 has a maternity section, I will never understand. BUT, I found a cute pair of skinny jeans for $14!

Our little girl's closet is really starting to fill up too. Auntie Lisa, Auntie Julie, my mom, sister, the neighbors, our co-workers, and of course the two of us are really enjoying all the shopping for Baby Saigh! Looking at her little clothes makes me so excited, yet emotional at the same time. It's CRAZY to think that she will be here in about 4 1/2 months!

My tip of the week: BORROW maternity clothes from friends and family. Thanks Carly for the cute stuff:)