pregnancy [week 10]

Okay, so I may have to strategically place my hands a certain way in order for it to be visible, but there DEFINITELY is something up in that tummy.  I am officially to the point where I can no longer suck in and the little gut that I get immediately after consuming a meal (regardless of size) is the same gut that I wake up with in the morning.  I've got a Baby Bump.  And I like it.

Not much news to report from the last week.  My body is beginning to show more signs of pregnancy.  That 2 1/2 lb. weight gain that I mentioned last week has turned out to really be a 1 1/2-2 1/2 lb. fluctuation.  I've been weighing myself more frequently and the number will go down, go back up, or stay the same.  So I've barely gained anything yet, although I already feel like I'm carrying around extra baggage.

I've also recently sprouted a nice case of pregnancy acne on my forehead.  It looks completely prepubescent and is sometimes itchy at night or when I'm not wearing makeup.  I've seen some visible veins begin to appear around various areas of my body, which The Bump tells me are carrying extra blood to the baby.  Oh yeah, and I'm having those crazy pregnancy dreams now!  It's amazing how vivid they are and how clearly I remember them after I wake up.  Most of the time they make no sense and aren't worth sharing, but I have had one actually related to my pregnancy.  Let's just say that I forgot I was pregnant and accidentally drank nearly an entire beer.  Eric thought this was funny and I thought it was THE. WEIRDEST. THING. TO. DREAM. EVER.  Not only would I never do that, but lately the smell of beer has grossed me out.  Nice try, hormones.

Our little love bug is now the size of a prune, and because I hate anything and everything prune-related I do not have a fruit photo this week.  Even Eric was like, "I can't help you out with a prune because I hate them!"  I briefly considered dehydrating a plum myself and even purchased a bag full from the store, but after doing the research and finding that the process takes, like, forever... I decided that I am not that dedicated.  I have been enjoying the plums, though.  They're delicious.

I found this really cool "watch: your bump" video on The Bump and it turns out that each video corresponds with a specific week of your pregnancy.  So instead of regurgitating all of the exciting info I read about baby, I can show you!

 

This whole baby thing is sure gettin' real over here!

pregnancy [week 9]

 

Eric is in some sort of denial because he claims he sees nothing different, but there is definitely something growing in that tummy of mine.  I've officially gotten to the point where I can no longer suck in my lower abdomen.  Combine that with the fact that I am bloated ALL. THE. TIME. and I feel just totally fat.  When I weighed myself yesterday I found that I'm only at about a 2 1/2 lb. total weight gain, so I know I'm not really as big as I feel.  But I just feel heavier.  And even if that 2 1/2 lbs. is just water retention like my dad suggested, I'm still softer and squishier in places than I used to be.

Nothing much special has happened during this last week other than that we finally started spreading the news of my pregnancy now that we've told our family.  Our attendance of 3 different parties on Saturday alone spurred many screaming celebrations and hugs among friends.  I love the reactions of telling people in person; it makes it that much more special and it's hilarious to see the excitement and surprised expressions on our friends' faces.  Everyone has been really happy to share in our news, which of course means the world to Eric and me.

We also shared the news with Eric's 6-year-old brother, Benjamin.  We met at Eric's work for dinner where we informed him that he is going to be an uncle.  Not quite understanding what that meant and playing the "not uh/yeah huh" game back and forth, we explained that there is a very small baby growing inside of my belly, to which Ben understood and replied "yay!"  We didn't really expect him to get what's going on, but sharing the news with him was really important to both of us, and Eric's dad was growing excitedly impatient waiting for Ben to find out.  The uncle-to-be will be 7 by the time the baby is born, and by then when he's holding his little niece or nephew it won't matter than he didn't really understand everything we tried to tell him or what he saw when looking at the ultrasound photos--there will be a new baby and that will be the only thing that matters! 

Our little babe is now the size of a green olive and has officially graduated from embryo to fetus!  I've been saying that word all week long, fetus fetus fetus.  I still have pretty bad morning sickness here and there but I've kept all of my food down.  The Bump told me that nasal congestion is a symptom that I may be experiencing and man! was I relieved that I'm not coming down with a cold or battling allergies.  It hasn't been worse than a typical mild allergy attack, but it is of course just another item to add to the list along with nausea, peeing, and fatigue.  I still continue to be thankful that everything still seems to be progressing normally and that I haven't had any major complications.  Each day that passes is another healthy day for baby and me!  

And who knew that my green olive baby would be so tasty? ;-)

date night at Buca di Beppo

pregnancy [week 8]

We got to see and hear the baby's heartbeat on Wednesday!  

Eric and I were both surprised that I didn't cry, but my heart did stop when I heard the baby's.  That was the moment when it became real.  To be looking at the ultrasound and hearing that little beating heart that confirmed our bundle of joy is live and kicking (well, not actually yet) was surreal and awesome.  It was then that I finally felt like, "Whoa, I really am pregnant."  And of course when my midwife started the ultrasound and immediately exclaimed, "Oh yes, there's definitely something in there!" my mind was quickly set at ease.

My estimated due date was adjusted by one day to February 26, 2013.  After my ultrasound we met with the clinical nurse to go over paperwork regarding prenatal classes and to schedule my next appointment.  Then we went down to the lab for my blood draw and I DID AMAZING!  Eric did have to stand close to hold my hand and shield my sight of the needle, but the procedure wasn't nearly as scary as I expected it would be.  I was also shocked that I could barely feel the needle but I now feel confident that I'll be able to make it through the rest of this pregnancy and all the scary needles and blood tests that will follow.  

On Sunday we finally broke the news to our dads.  As hard as it was to hold in the secret for 2 1/2 weeks, Eric really had his heart set on telling them by showing the ultrasound photo.  We invited our dads out to lunch at Rose Garden Chinese where they later admitted to us that they immediately knew something was up.  I was surprisingly nervous and kept kicking Eric under the table as a sign of "you do it," but he waited until after paying the check to bust out the pictures.  Although there wasn't much of a shock, we definitely have two very happy grandfathers and celebrated with lots of hugs and pictures.

 

 

We told Eric's sister later that afternoon... she cried!

At 8 weeks, baby is the size of a raspberry and continues to grow and grow.  Our little bug is also continuing to make me feel queasy, tired, and bloated and keeps me running to the bathroom several times a day and I couldn't be more thankful.  The continuing crap-feeling reminds me that everything is progressing as it should and I'm staying positive that I will feel great later on in my pregnancy.  For now, I'm just focusing on keeping us both healthy... with the occasional indulgence of gummy candy and ice cream!

diaper bag!

You know how something is sometimes considered a great buy because it just felt meant-to-be?

This was totally MEANT TO BE!

Weeks ago, before I ever knew there was even a possibility that I was pregnant, I saw this absolutely adorable Betsey Johnson diaper bag at Ross.  It was one of those "oh my gosh I want that, but I have no reason to buy that" moments.  I rationalize many of my purchases, but there was just no way I could talk myself into buying an item that I had no idea how far into the future it would be before I'd actually need said item.  So I hugged it and walked away, thinking to myself that this was just the diaper bag I'd want when I have a baby.

Well, now I'm pregnant.  And something inside of my brain decided to trigger a memory one day and be like, "HEY!  Remember that totally gorgeous diaper bag you saw back in May?  You must have it.  You must find it.  Go.  NOW."

So I ventured off to Ross.  And because prego brain has already set in I had no memory of where exactly I'd seen it, I had to travel to 3 different Ross stores before finding my dream bag (which is never an inconvenience in my mind, especially since we live relatively close to these locations).  You should have seen the smile on my face when I made my purchase and carried it out of the store on my arm with pride.

In addition to being pretty much THE. CUTEST. BAG. I'VE. EVER. SEEN. ON. THE. PLANET. I scored a major deal on something stylish and practical with many features I love:

• Zipper top: I hate flaps, buckles, snaps, magnets, etc., plus I often suffer from purse-tips-over-and-all-contents-spill-out-everywhere syndrome.  A zipper makes me--and my items--feel safe and secure.
• Matching changing pad: it's padded for comfort, lined for easy cleaning, and conveniently clips on to a strap inside the bag's main compartment.  And of course, I won't have to worry about changing baby's diaper on a dirty surface.
• Insulated bottle holder: I wasn't necessarily looking for one, but it's a great accessory.  It also has a strap that can be clipped to the side of the bag for easy access.  And it matches.  We like to be coordinated.
• Multiple pockets: I love multi pockets.  It makes carrying multiple items easier.  And because I plan on doubling my diaper bag for my purse, I can easily organize my personal items into different pockets separate from baby items.
• The price: if you're a bargain shopper like me, you know that stores like Ross carry name brand items ticketed at almost half their normal retail price.  This bag was no exception; I did say the name BETSEY JOHNSON!  Even compared to this eBay listing, I practically stole this thing from the store.  

See!!!

boppy total body pillow

It's amazing how right after I found out about my pregnancy I quickly started experiencing all of the regular symptoms.  As much as I've wondered if some of my nausea and exhaustion has been in my head, there is no question that sleeping has become increasingly difficult.  I've never been one to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom until now and it's driving me crazy.  I have trouble getting comfortable, am unable to fall back asleep, and sometimes even get a bit of morning sickness.  Needless to say, I decided I needed to rectify this situation immediately.

I found the Boppy Total Body Pillow at Target and couldn't be more excited!  Not only does it have a super cute design, but the Boppy Pillow is contoured to keep your body aligned and help you rest comfortably for a good night's sleep.  The cover is machine-washable (which I love!) and the pillow even folds for postnatal support, such as for sitting up to read or nurse your baby.  I also caught the pillow on sale for $5 off, which of course is another win.

My first night sleeping with the Boppy was a little awkward, as we still need time to get used to each other.  Before I had been sleeping with one of our decorative pillows between my legs and would wake up having to adjust the pillow every time I turned over on my other side.  I have supreme confidence that with just another night or two I will be back to restful sleep.  Goodness knows I'm going to be needing it!

pregnancy [week 7]

This last week has been a difficult one with all my pregnancy symptoms in high gear.  Nausea has been frequent, bathroom trips have been frequent, exhaustion has been frequent, and hormonal crabbiness has been WAY too frequent.  I feel queasy several times a day, whether I'm just relaxing or keeping myself busy.  I have to run to the little girl's room more often that what seems possible with the amount of fluids I'm drinking.  I take one, if not two, naps everyday after work.  I get very impatient, and very irritated, very quickly.  Taking all this into consideration, though, it seems like I'm progressing through this pregnancy the perfect shade of normal.

 Eric caught me during one of my mid-afternoon snoozes

Tomorrow is our first doctor appointment and we'll hopefully get to find out exactly how far along I am, as well as confirm that everything is progressing as expected inside my belly.  I am supposed to have my first ultrasound to determine my estimated due date, fill out a bunch of oh-so-fun paperwork, and get blood and urine tests done.  I have a huge phobia of getting my blood drawn so Eric will be with me to offer his arm to squeeze.  I am trying to focus less on the scary-needle part and more on the I-might-get-to-see-and-hear-my-baby's-heartbeat part.  That's the exciting part.

I've made it my goal this week to focus more on my eating habits and activity level.  Ever since the morning sickness hit, I've only craved the most unhealthiest of foods.  I seriously had a hamburger 3 times and pizza 4 times last week.  Yes, I can blame the 4th of July holiday and the mass amount of birthday parties we've attended as of late, but I really need to take responsibility for my nutrition.  No more "only a burrito sounds good right now!" and no more laziness.  In addition to recommitting to my pre-pregnancy healthy eating habits, my fitness needs to get back in gear as well.  I put the kibosh on my Insanity workout once I found out we were expecting and was diligently walking the dog every evening during that first week.  In the week since, the weather has been in the triple digits and doggy and I have barricaded ourselves inside the air-conditioned house.  Now that the heat has cooled for the time being, we will be getting back outside and I plan to ask about some pregnancy-safe exercises at my appointment tomorrow.    

This little baby, the size of a blueberry, has already changed our lives so much in such a small amount of time.  I'm so excited to hopefully see our little nugget tomorrow and be able to rest assured that it is developing totally normally.  This little bugger has been quite active thus far, and I know its early affects are just the beginning of this crazy, exhausting, bloated journey!

pregnancy [week 6]

When The Bump told me that morning sickness "can be an all-day affair," they were not kidding!  

It seems as though just as I hit week 6, the nausea hit me as well.  I'm thankful that I haven't actually been slumped over the toilet retching my brains out, but my moments of queasiness have not at all been consistent.  It hits me when I'm getting ready in the morning, while working with students, driving, sitting on the couch, and when simply breathing or blinking my eyes.

Amazingly, eating really helps when I'm feeling green.  7UP has become my new best friend and Eric has vowed to keep a constant supply in the house.  My food cravings have been off the charts, though, and of course have consisted of only junk (pizza, Mexican, and hamburgers have graced my presence this week).  As wild as my food-wants have been, my don't-wants are going crazy as well.  Before grocery shopping earlier this week I added a number of items to our list that I thought I wanted, only to find that the mere sight of these foods in the store completely turned my stomach.  Eric and I have already been forced to make peace with the fact that one or both of us will be making frequent, small trips to the store when a particular dish suddenly sounds appetizing. 

I'm still struggling with the idea of how something so small--the size of a sweet pea, to be exact--has so suddenly and completely changed my life.  This tiny, little thing that's growing inside of me is already in control, having a say in what I can and cannot have, what I can and cannot do, making meal demands and threats of regurgitation if I'm near the wrong food or lacking the right one, and leaving me cranky and exhausted and owing my husband an endless amount of thank yous. 

But I already know it'll have all been worth it in the end.