New estimated due date: November 27th, 2010

So, after Doug made a comment that this could be a Valentine's baby I was looking at the calendar and realized that my dates may be off. I may have experienced implantation bleeding in mid-February and perhaps that is why I didn't think I even ovulated. So there was the potential that I was farther along than I anticipated.

At my consultation, which wasn't an actual exam, at the birth center I told the midwife this and she ordered an ultrasound to check the size of my uterus and estimated due date. Also, women with polycystic ovarian syndrom (PCOS) have an increased chance of miscarriage so she wanted to see if the baby was developing correctly first before continuing with plans at the birth center. So the ultrasound was yesterday and we got to see the little black dot that is our baby! It was pretty awesome! After 5 ultrasounds for my bladder, kidneys, ovaries and uterus- it was nice to actually be having one for pregnancy!

The technician said that I actually only measured at 4.5 weeks instead of the 5.5 weeks I had counted (you count from the first day of your last menstrual period). At first I was concerned that perhaps the baby had stopped developing but she said as long as I was still having symptoms to not worry. Most likely I ovulated a week later (3 weeks after instead of 2), which actually makes sense as I only tested for week 2 and then gave up! And I reviewed my calendar again and in Novemeber, my first round on Clomid, I thought I ovulated on week 3- but thought maybe I was just doing it all wrong! So that pushes my due date back a week :(

But the other thing that means is that I got a positive read on home pregnancy test on 7 days past ovulation- which is very rare! Hormones have to be a certain level, usually around 50 mg, to be recognized by the home tests (a blood test can regonize as low as 20). Usually you do not have that high of hormones until two weeks or more past ovulation. What does high hormone level mean, you ask? Well, it could me more than one baby! But only COULD, there are many situations where women have high levels and have only one baby. We won't know for several more weeks. I was a little shocked at that possibility at first. Clomid only increases the chance for twins by less than 10% (it depends on which study you read- some say as low as 4%). I know many women who have conceived on Clomid and none of them have twins, so I didn't even really think about it! Anything over twins is incredibly rare. All I can say, is the more to love- and that we would definitely need a bigger place!

Oh, and my next appointment is for April 27th, at 10 weeks. So far, so good. Just incredibly tired, thinking about carrying around my own port-a-potty and trying to adjust to my new eating schedule of snack sized food every 2 hours. Lol, this baby is already taking over my life! And I couldn't be happier about it!

Finally!!

Finally, after over 5 years of trying, we are pregnant! Got the wonderful news on Friday, March 12th! I'm only 4 weeks, so my estimated due date is November 18, 2010. My hope with this blog is that it will be a way for all of our far off family and friends to be able to keep in touch and up to date with the events of Baby Bowman.

My first prenatal appointment is next Tuesday. I'm feeling really great so far. This weekend I was exhausted, but feeling a good bit better today. If that's all I end up feeling during the first trimester then I won't complain!

So on facebook there was quite the discussion about proposed baby names. I do need help. Doug says he doesn't have much of an opinion and then suddenly will, so I haven't shared below the top three with him really- because what are the chances of needing more than 3 girl names when we weren't even pregnant?! But here's where I"m at right now.

Boys:
Theodore Robert "Teddy"
William Thomas "Will"
Benjamin Peter "Ben"

All the boys are named after family names (with the exception of Theodore, we just love that name!) and a few historical figures that Doug likes. In the end Benjamin Peter won out over Alexander Patton (after Alexander the Great and General George Patton). I'm not complaining about that!

Girls:
Shenandoah Grace
Annabelle Hope "Annie" or "Belle"
Rebekah Faith "Becky"

The following in no particular order:
Marian Joy "Marian"
Abigail Susannah "Abbie"
Allyson Caitlyn "Ally"
Madelyn Virginia "Maddie"
Julia Corinne "Julia"
Lillian Rose "Lillie"
Evelyn Katherine "Evie"
Samantha Rachel "Samantha"
Charlotte Emily "Charlotte"
Chloe Renee "Chloe"
Gwenevere Laura "Gwen"
Margaret Lynn "Maggie"
Josephine Elizabeth "JoBeth"

Here's my biggest problem. We both really like Shenandoah in the name for the first girl. Doug has come to love it as a first name and wants to call her that. I would rather her go by Grace/Gracie but do not think Grace Shenandoah flows as well. And now my grandmother is very sick and I was thinking of promoting the name Marian and making it Mariann to include honor to Doug's mother, Patricia Ann. But then I have problems with Annabelle right after having a Mariann. Also, I'm sort of sacrificing the name Grace to use Shenandoah and so then Grace would be above Annabelle. So maybe I shouldn't even worry about having two "ann" names. But what middle name goes well with Grace then? And also, I'm just so in love with those top three choices I couldn't imagine kicking one of them out.

Maybe we'll be pregnant with triplets! Lol! Not that I'd actually want that just for the sake of names.

Opinions please...