I am in my sixth week of pregnancy and starting to feel truly feel like it.  I guess I never really announced here on my blog that I am pregnant, so this post will do exactly that, now that it’s official.  I had my first doctor appointment today and it went great!  I am an old pro at these prenatal appointments that I sort of felt guilty about not being as nervous and giddy as I was my first time around.

So, my official due date (or, “dude” date, as I like to call it – yes, I think it’s a boy!) is October 5, 2009.  I am exactly six weeks pregnant today.  Blood pressure was great – 100/60 and I’ve gained about a pound.  My regular jeans still fit for now so I ain’t complaining!  And here’s Nathan’s lovely shot of me today.  I should note that he reminded me about getting to take a picture of my belly today.  He asked if I remembered that I told him he could do it every week and when I replied yes, he asked if today was the day.  Ironically, it was!

Six weeks along.

After giving a blood sample at the OB’s office today I was given a diaper bag full of samples, coupons, and mostly useless stuff, but it was still nice to look through.  I guess baby has his first diaper, as there was a Huggies newborn sample in the bag and I will be putting that up for use at a later date!

I had an extremely vivid dream last night that D and I were at the ultrasound (along with a room full of people whose faces I could not make out) and we discovered that the baby was a boy!  In my dream I just kept saying, “I told you so!” to everyone around.  I’ve always had this feeling that God made me a boy mama.  I feel like for some reason, I am not destined to have girls.  And, that’s TOTALLY fine by me! 

Here’s my weekly update from American Pregnancy:

How is pregnancy calculated?

There is always a lot of confusion when discussing the way in which pregnancy is calculated. Since most women do not know when they conceived, pregnancy is always determined from the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP). Given that this is the way pregnancy is calculated, your pregnancy will last around 40 weeks.

My 2 cents:  This is pretty darn accurate for me.  My body never misses a beat.  The due date of October 5th is worth banking on.

What changes are occurring with your body?

You may notice that you have gained a few pounds, while other pregnant women may have actually lost weight. You may begin noticing changes in your breasts including tenderness, darkening of the areola, and swelling.

You may also begin experiencing heartburn, which is a common complaint during pregnancy.

Some women experience bleeding during pregnancy that may not be a sign of any problem. This spotting (finding spots of blood in your underwear or on toilet paper after using the restroom) may be accompanied by light cramping. You would want to consult with your health care provider if the bleeding becomes heavy like a normal period or if the cramps are worse than normal period cramps.

My 2 cents:  I won’t complain till I have to bust out the maternity clothes.

What is happening with your baby?

The formations of the lungs, jaw, nose, and palate have begun. The hand and feet buds have webbed-like structures that will become the fingers and toes. The brain is continuing to form into its complex parts. A vaginal ultrasound could detect an audible heartbeat at this time.

My 2 cents:  Geez, I bet he’s already got hair follicles too!  How cute!

How big is your baby?

Your baby is about ¾ of an inch in length.

My 2 cents:  My how fast they grow!

What should you plan for this week?

Knowing your blood type and your partner’s blood type is important during pregnancy. Each person’s blood is one of four major types: A, B, AB, or O. Blood types are determined by the types of antigens on the blood cells. Antigens are proteins on the surface of blood cells that can cause a response from the immune system.

The Rh factor is a type of protein on the surface of red blood cells. Most people who have the Rh-factor are Rh-positive. Those who do not have the Rh factor are Rh-negative.

My 2 cents:  Got blood taken today.  But, I am O positive, right mom?

Tips for making your pregnancy better:

Some women complain that their prenatal vitamins make them sick to their stomachs. If this is happening to you, then you may want to take them with food or take them at night before going to bed.

If you continue to have problems tolerating your prenatal vitamins, consult your health care provider before stopping them completely.

My 2 cents:  I’ve struggled with this over the past week.  My naueseous-ness is rearing its head more often than not.  I am going to start snacking more.

Tips for mom’s partner:

Your partner may be struggling with morning sickness, and you may feel completely helpless. However, you can help mom cope with the nausea and vomiting that are common during the first trimester. Some things that you could do that could be helpful include:

• Doing the cooking (or ordering takeout!)
• Helping with the kitchen clean-up
• Doing the grocery shopping

My 2 cents:  Three words:  DAVID IS AMAZING!!!  He loves ordering out and I don’t think I’ve done much of anything around here lately yet the kids still have clean plates, cups, and utensils.  Go figure!  I still can’t surrender my grocery shopping – that’s something I NEED to do myself.  But, two outta three ain’t bad!  ♥