Preggo Brain Strikes Again

Following is one of our favorite recipes for a lazy evening:
One box of saffron rice, cooked according to directions. In a separate pan, heat a can of black beans with garlic, chili powder, cumin and green onions if you have them. Once the beans are warm, serve on top of the saffron rice. I like mine with sour cream, Shawn likes his with salsa verde. What neither of us like is this dinner made with CLOVES instead of CHILI POWDER!!!!! Hello! How stupid do you have to be to grab the cloves (which admittedly resemble chili powder in coloring at least) instead of chili powder????? I swear.

No News is....Good News?

I had my weekly doctor's appointment on Wednesday morning. After an eventful start (my car had a flat, which I discovered driving to the appointment!), the appointment was a non-event. They didn't check me, so I have no idea how things are progressing, and the don't want to see me until the 1st week of January. Apparently, things are going swimmingly. I'm a little frustrated. However, I feel a trillion times better now that Christmas has passed, and we're still without baby. Now, if I can make it through New Year's, I will be very happy.

Ultrasound, Take 2

We had our last ultrasound today. The baby is definitely head down (YEA!), and facing to my side. I have a few tricks to try to get it to turn face back, to reduce the chance of back labor. Everything else looked great. We watched the baby "practice" breathing - you could see the diaphraghm moving up and down. The tech also showed us the baby's hair! Just some on the back of the head, but I was glad to hear it, since I was bald bald bald when I was born. I have a check up tomorrow, so hopefully, I'll find out important things like how/if I'm dilated.

Update

Had my weekly doctor's appointment today. Nothing too exciting to report. My Group B Strep test came back negative, so I'm happy about that. One less thing to have to worry about. One in three women has GBS, and it usually doesn't present any symptoms or problems. For newborns, however, it can cause very serious infections, so if you have it, they give you antibiotics through the labor and delivery. Yuck. I will do anything to avoid having any needles present. If I can avoid an IV, I will truly have triumphed. I'm not squeamish about needles, just don't really like them. It's like bugs. They don't scare me, I just don't like them. Other doctor appointment news: they didn't even do an internal. Never in a million years thought I would be disappointed by that, but I was really hoping the doctor would tell me how things are progressing. I'm hoping they'll do one next week. I have an ultrasound on Tuesday to check the size and position of the baby for sure, and then the weekly appointment on Wednesday. Stay tuned.

It's Like a Party in My Head

I had a very informative doctor's appointment this afternoon. All good news. The baby is head down, and doesn't have much room to flip. (I know they still can, but it seems like a good chance this one will stay in position.) The baby is measuring exactly right for my dates, so slim chances of giganto-baby. Additionally, Dr. M said I am not dilated at all, but 50% effaced. I know women can walk around for weeks both slightly dilated and mostly if not completely effaced, but I am taking this as good news; slim to zero chance of a Christmas baby, but evidence that I will not be pregnant forever! Yea! Last, I have a scheduled induction date for the 23rd. This is in case it looks like I will be pregnant forever. I said I wanted to go as natural as possible, so we picked as late a date as we could to increase the chances of me going into labor on my own. However, at least we have an absolute guaranteed end date on the calendar. All of this is good news. With every bit of information I get about how/where the baby is positioned, how big it is, etc, I feel better and better about my chances for a normal, natural birth. Whew. Next appointment is Thursday the 18th, so I will post whatever I find out then.

It's Official

My belly button has popped. It now protrudes all the time. How cute.

Baby's Room

I actually have quite a bit to write about, but have been pretty busy. Last weekend, some of my friends threw me a surprise baby shower! Mostly a surprise anyway. I knew they were planning it, since they asked me who I wanted to come, and what I wanted to do, but I didn't know when or where it was going to be. It turns out it was at Jessie's house, and SO MANY people came, I was really surprised! I wouldn't have thought that so many people were available the weekend before Thanksgiving. It was a lot of fun, and repeating myself, we received lots (way too many) gifts for the baby.

This weekend, Shawn and I have been getting the room ready. He painted it a while back, and I've been slowly accumulating baby paraphrenalia that's been piling up in the empty room. I took parts of last weekend and most of this one so far, and cleaned it out and started setting things up. It's not finished; I'm waiting on a few small things, and one piece of furniture, but it's looking fairly good! Luckily, we're planning on having the baby sleep in our room for the first few weeks, so it actually doesn't need to be completely set up for a while. I'd just rather have it all set up and taken care of.

Unsettling

Imagine that feeling you get when you're hungry - stomach grumbling, maybe even audibly. But I'm talking about the growly FEELING you get in your stomach when you are to the point of being very hungry. Now, try to imagine where that feels...somewhere in the middle, for lack of better language. Is that feeling supposed to occur and inch or so beneath your breastbone? NO, it is not. This brings home to me that my internal organs are not at all in their homes, but have been shoved into whatever cubby hole is available. Creepy.

A Baby Shower!

My mom and my sister hosted a baby shower for me yesterday for my "extended" family. My grandma was there, but so were all the women who are my mom's friends, but seem to have invested some energy in caring about me too. It was really nice to get to see all the Springfield women, and they had plenty of advice for me. : ) Highlights included an adorable ducky cake, and finding out that most of these women had senses of humor nearly as wicked as mine can be. Shawn and I received lots of gifts (way too many) for the baby, and we're definitely getting closer to having the ridiculous amount of stuff you need to take care of a new person. I can't seem to get the pictures up that my mom emailed, but it was very cute, with many ducks (even on the gifts!), and some pretty damn good spinach dip. My poor dad and brother hightailed it out, but we even got gifts from my 15 year old brother. (Redskins related, natch)

Above: 30 weeks

Scary Phone Call

Two weeks ago, I went in for a normal, BORING doctor's appointment. The usual: pee in cup, weigh on scale, listen to baby's heartbeat. I also had to chug a lug the nasty glucose drink in 4 minutes, and then have blood drawn for the gestational diabetes screening. The drink itself was not so bad tasting, it was having to down this liquid sugar in 4 minutes that was difficult. I got through it, and asked when they would have my results. They said it would be a week. Well, I knew we were leaving for St John the following Friday. So, last Thursday, when I got off work, I called to ask about my results. I called 7 minutes after they closed, apparently. I went on vacation and forgot about it. However, after having severe headaches and a LOT of dizziness for the first three days of our trip, I was somehow not surprised to receive a phone message as I got off the plane last night asking me to call the doctor's office at my "earliest convenience." When I got the message, it was after 8 pm, so I couldn't call. Instead, I spent all night worrying about having to go for the follow up glucose screening. If you fail the first test, they make you come in, drink the nasty thing again, and then take your blood every hour for THREE HOURS. This is terrible. To say nothing of the implications that I might actually have GD. I called the office as soon as my assistant got into the classroom this morning, and the receptionist actually asked me to call back after 1:30!!!!! She said there was only one nurse on at that time, and she was totally swamped. GRRR. Anyway, I called back, and the short answer is I am fine. I am anemic, and the doctor wants me to take iron supplements. Aha. Not a huge surprise, actually. Red meat is expensive, and we have been doing a crap job cooking lately, since we've both been so very busy. Apparently, beef, broccoli, spinach and perhaps Cream of Wheat are in my future. On a side note, I love that the only thing the nurse told me to do was to take an iron supplement. I have no problem doing so, but there was no discussion of foods that are high in iron that might also help. I just know them from a lifetime of anemia. Geez.

In other news, after spending a week in the tropics with a rather large growth, I have determined that I will do anything in my power to avoid being pregnant in the DC summer heat. Sorry Jessica. But honestly, I was miserable, and seemed to make Shawn miserable with my miserablosity. Never again. Of course, as Shawn pointed out when I made this comment to him, since we seem to be SO GOOD at timing our pregnancies up to now...HA. Obviously, you can't plan everything out in advance, but good Lord, do I not want to be hugely pregnant during the summer.

Hoping to take a belly picture this weekend, during our ten minutes of down time, so look for that post soon!

A Little Cranky, I Think

I've finally entered the period of time that I always pictured in my thoughts of having a baby: obviously pregnant, eliciting responses from strangers without bringing it up, or hinting. Store clerks are telling me the sex of this baby, asking when I'm due. I had a man in my office building today ask me when I'm due, and tell me "feel better." (I didn't realize I wasn't feeling good!) A man held the door for me as I walked through with my lunch, and tell me "enjoy your lunch - both of you!" Surprisingly, this general interest in my "condition" has not extended to bathroom lines. I am a big believer in karma, and doing nice things because you never know when you might be on the other side of that favor. I have always, to my knowledge, let pregnant women pass me in the line. Maybe women are just more catty than men, but no woman yet has let me skip the line. I don't necessarily expect it, but would like to think that since many of the women I'm speaking of have obviously been in the same situation, there might be a little sympathy. I've always heard there's a special place in hell for women who don't help other women. Hmm.

I had my glucose screening last Thursday, and haven't gotten the results back yet. The drink didn't taste so bad, it was having to drink it in 4 minutes that was hard. Also in the world of OB-GYN news, I am now at the point of having to go in every two weeks. Woot. Everyone is reminding me that I'm so close to the end now, not much longer to go, better start getting things ready...so why do I feel like I've been pregnant forever, and that there is no end in sight? I'm not tired of it, I guess, just feeling like this is perhaps a permanent condition. I'm starting to get so used to perpetual heartburn and frequent bathroom breaks, that I have a tough time remembering life before. I really used to only pee about 4 times a day. I acknowledge that that probably wasn't very healthy, but I pee 4 times in the night now. Additionally, my belly is now large enough that I'm spilling on it constantly. Food/beverages that used to fall to the floor now fall squarely on my midsection. Cute.

Not much going on here

Shawn and I went yesterday and got massages with the gift certificate Patsy had sent us. I think we both really needed it. I finished my last papers for grad school on Monday night at about 1 am. Officially done! However, for the last week, I have been having such bad back pain, I've been taking two showers a day; I stand bent over with my lower back under the spray as hot as I can take it. That, with a light course of Tylenol when I really can't take it, and ANOTHER pillow added to the bed seem to help a little. (I think I'm up to 4 pillows) The massage was great, although with prenatal massages, they are a little skittish to touch your lower back, or work you too hard. I would definitely do it again, though...very relaxing. Shawn's was pre-emptive - we left the massage place and watched the Huskies get beat up for three hours.
In other news, I have scheduled my one hour glucose test for the 23rd. I'm kind of dreading it, mostly because I know the drink will be pretty nasty, and the doctor won't let me take it home and drink it before I come in. I have to hang around the office for an hour. On my lunch break. I don't have to fast though, which I know some doctors are making people do. My coworker who is pregnant failed her test by two points, and had to go back in for the three hour blood drawing event. Yikes. I'm hoping to avoid that, and pass it the first time.
All the warnings I had heard about the baby's kicking getting painful have of course, come to pass. It's not so much the actual kicking that hurts, as the location that baby chooses to pound on for 15 minutes at a time. For some reason, my right lower rib is particularly deserving. Never my left side, only right. The kicks aren't so hard, but after 12, the area is a little sensitive. And, of course, the baby's favorite time for the daily kick-a-thon is during nap time. I'm trying to sit quietly with the kids, and talk to them quietly about why they need to lay down and relax, and I'm hopping up out of my chair every two minutes and gasping for air. Really relaxing. Last Sunday, Shawn and I were sitting in church while the choir was singing, and we couldn't concentrate, since my midsection looked like a bad scene from Alien. I knew that at any moment, something was going to come popping out. We also couldn't keep from laughing. Hopefully, this Sunday will be calmer.

Actual Conversation

Me: Hey, Shawn, what do you want for Christmas?
Shawn: I don't know. Hey, how about like a cloth that I could put over my shoulder, so if the baby throws up, it won't get on my clothes? Isn't that a good idea?
Me: Wow. Did you just think of that yourself?
Shawn: Well, yeah.
Me: Cause I'm pretty sure we're going to get some of those.

First Kick

No, not the first one I've felt, obviously. Last night, I was lying in bed while Shawn was brushing teeth, etc. The baby was kicking so hard, I was sure I could see a body part protruding if I looked. I called Shawn over, since I was afraid if I sat up, it would stop. He grudgingly put his hand on my belly, and surprise! He could feel the baby kick! How cool. Of course, it took me an additional 45 minutes to go to sleep, because apparently we had woken the dragon. There was some kind of party. Somersaults, kicks, hits, stretching. Every movement you could imagine, all going on until after 11 pm. I fear my childhood sins are coming back to haunt me. You see, I never slept the night through until I was three. Not only did I not sleep through the night, but I was a night owl, up partying. I'm REALLY hoping this baby will take its sleeping cues from Daddy.

Disco Mama

There is the belly, just at 22 weeks. I've heard the womb described as a "discoteque" for the baby - all the noises created by my insides, combined with the relatively dark atmosphere, and muffled noises from the outside. No one informed me that my entire abdomen was going to be a combination disco/mosh pit/soccer field/bongo drum. Between the indigestion, general intestinal issues (TMI), and baby practicing its dance moves/penalty kick/rhythm skills, it's like a party in my shirt! Whoo! I'm not complaining about the baby part, it's not generally hard enough to hurt yet, but the combo effect is drastic.

Also drastic is my new diet. Due to unforeseen heartburn issues, the Gremminger household is seriously cutting back on tomato intake. While this doesn't sound like a hardship, this includes tomato soup (my favorite), pizza, tacos, spaghetti, pretty much anything that has ever been within 5 feet of a tomato. Also on the bad list is orange juice, medium amounts of soda, many fried foods, and most citrus. I can stomach a clementine, thank goodness, because I LOVE THEM. However, this kind of cuts my options for healthy eating down. Actually, upon looking at that list, it kind of cuts my options for unhealthy eating down. Hmm. This would be why I've been so unhappy. I like chicken fingers, tomato soup, soda, and pizza! (No, I'm not secretly 8 years old, contrary to what Shawn might try to tell you) The one benefit - I am totally happy with mac and cheese...

Also interesting: had the first case of internal hiccups this weekend. Despite feeling like exactly what you think it might feel like, I still sat there wondering about it for about 10 minutes. Nobody ever said preggos are very smart. Shawn can't work out how a creature that is not breathing air could possibly have the hiccups, despite being reassured that it is a muscle spasm, capable of being experienced by any animal with a diaphragm. Hiccups have nothing to do with air.

My Darling Husband

I am on a baby high. I got to stop by and see Erin and Gracie tonight - too cute! Additionally, over the last week, I have purchased and received several baby items. We got the car seat and stroller, as previously mentioned. I found the bedding I wanted on serious discount on ebay, and that came in on Thursday. I also found two of those swaddly things (Shawn insists on calling them "swaddling clothes"), and they arrived from ebay Friday. Shawn picked up some cloth diapers for me that I bought off Craig's List on Wednesday. I am happily surrounded by baby paraphernalia. The ultimate bit though, is that my darling husband painted the baby's room on Thursday. Not only did he paint it, he picked out the color! And it is perfect! I try not to brag too often, but he really is the most amazing man. Not only has he not yet made fun of me for the myriad ridiculous things I have begun doing in the last 5 months (watch a women try to fall asleep in a pillow fortress while madly chewing tums...), but he has actually offered himself up to help me in various ways. He has offered to rub my back, make me food, go get me food, carry things for me. Maybe these are things husbands are simply supposed to do. But my husband continues to do them, with a smile on his face, through the complaints of TOO HOT, HEARTBURN, MUST PEE! He continually asks me what he can do for me, whether it is to make me feel better physically or emotionally. He never mocks my many physical issues, or sudden needs. He is just there for me, without question, without judgement, or even a snicker (when one is usually well deserved).

All of this is my way of saying that I am somehow not surprised that as I sit amidst the baby explosion that is causing my happiness, he is buried in the basement, calmly and completely ignoring me and my stuff. I think he's earned it.

Baby Stuff!

I feel like Christmas came early! The nice UPS man just delivered me some baby stuff...a carseat and a stroller! THANKS, PATSY! I also found the bedding we want on super discount on ebay, and it should be delivered tomorrow. I've been trying not to spend a bunch of money on baby things yet, so having stuff to play with and set up is QUITE exciting. And Shawn's not around tonight, so he won't be rolling his eyes at me as I play. Woot for baby stuff!

Ultrasound Results

Shawn and I had our mid pregnancy ultrasound today. It was really long, took about 45 minutes. How awesome though! We got to see just about everything - the brain, the eyes, the nose, the ears, the spine, ribs, hands, feet (too cute), bladder, stomach, heart, umbilical cord, etc. The whole shebang. No spina bifida, no cleft palate, no club foot. All four chambers of the heart were present and accounted for, the umbilical cord was normal. This office had the technology to do the 3D stuff too, so they gave us a few print outs of 3D profiles. It really made this more real than the other appointments have. The baby is measuring in the 68th percentile for size, weighs 10 oz, and measuring 3 days ahead of my due date. The tech said that's totally normal, and doesn't really mean much. Also important, the placenta is where it's supposed to be. In the last two days I thought of placenta previa as a whole new thing to worry about, so I was relieved to find out that it was right in its normal home. So, to repeat what I've been hearing: This is a boring pregnancy. Which is great. Now, I'm just worried about the birth. Based on Kate's experience, easy pregnancy led to terribly difficult birth, while difficult pregnancy led to easy birth. Which brings me to my next point:

Happy Birthday Nuri!
Happy Anniversary Connie and Jelani!
Waiting with bated breath for news from the Gibbens!

Turns out August 19th is a very important day in our CA circle of friends.

Confessions

- I have not taken my prenatal vitamins every day.
- I still drink caffeine, although I have cut back significantly.
- I have slept on my back during the second trimester.
- I have eaten shellfish.
- I have eaten sushi.
- I have eaten lunch meat.
- I have no plans to discontinue eating any of the above.
- I have taken Nyquil (I swear, it's on my doctor's approved list! Why do you think I'm still with her?)
- I have used chemicals that I suspect are verboten (benzoyl peroxide? sounds scary enough.)
- I don't wash fruit before I eat it.
- I may have blinded my baby in utero by provoking early movement with a flashlight for my own selfish pleasure.
I confess this to the world with no reservations, so that when this baby comes out totally normal, other mothers can relax and be ok with the decisions they make every day. OR, so that when the baby comes out disfigured, my conscience will be clear. Either way.

Belly Picture

Here it is. Not much yet, I guess, but at 18 weeks, this is it. Shawn commented as he was taking the picture, "This isn't very flattering, is it?" No. He asked what the point is in taking these pictures. I guess it's so in December when I'm roughly the size of an ocean liner, we can look back and laugh at how I thought I was big then. My coworkers are laughing at me when I wear maternity clothes, because they say I'm not big enough yet. Exactly when does this awkward stage end? I'm about halfway through this, and I still don't look pregnant to anyone who doesn't know me. I will be kicking myself later for thinking this, but I can't wait to be big enough that people give me their seat on the metro, or at least recognize that I'm not just overweight.

In other news, we have our big ultrasound appointment on Tuesday! We're not going to find out the sex of the baby, but we'll get to see it, and check on major organs and parts. (I think I'm most looking forward to getting out of work early.) If we can get on it, we'll post any pics they give us when we get back.

Packin on the Pounds

A topic no pregnant woman wants to discuss: her weight. Whether with her doctor, her husband or her friends, the subject of weight is always touchy. As I have discussed here before, spending at least the years since puberty concerned about weight gained and lost, and how and why clothes fit the way they do, then being suddenly expected to gain weight is a mental shift to say the least. I've known women who saw pregnancy as a long awaited opportunity to eat what they wanted, when they wanted. (Just as an observation, not such a great idea.) I've met women who didn't seem to notice any difference, just gained the weight. I've met women who lamented the weight they were gaining despite knowing it was coming, and appreciating that it was important to gain it. I have not yet met someone with my problem, which is somewhat difficult to discuss: an inability to gain weight. I mean, only during this pregnancy! Don't get me wrong, I'm perfectly capable of gaining weight at any other time in my life. Apparently. However, after a first trimester with minimal nausea and no vomiting, I can't explain how I lost several pounds. My theory is that with no alcohol and loads more fruits and veggies, my body finally trimmed those obnoxious few pounds I've been holding on to. Which was all FINE with me. Then I hit my second trimester. I started reading about how you are supposed to put on about one pound per week from the 13th week until birth. Ok. That meant that by the last time I saw my doctor, I should have put on 2 pounds. Instead, I lost one. My doctor told me it was time to start gaining. I swear, I am eating all the time. I don't work out. I don't eat diet items, like low fat, or low sodium, or low anything really. I like fat. I like sodium. I have no idea how this has happened.

Today, however, things seemed to have shifted. I weigh myself every morning, at least since I found out I was pregnant. This morning I finally am back at my prepregnancy weight! Whoo! Normally this kind of announcement comes from a woman who has a small child and has been working to lose weight. I imagine this will be the only time in my life I will utter that sentence with the full intention of going on to put on more weight than my prepregnancy amount. Hopefully, things are headed in the right direction. I was getting worried I was going to have to have milkshakes every day...which doesn't sound too terrible, come to think of it.

How Impatient Can I Get?

I am not a patient person. Despite the fact that I work with toddlers, and have often been complimented on my patience in the classroom (does it count as patience if you're silently losing your mind while an 18 month old tries to put his own shoes on?), I deep down am very impatient. Waiting for food at restaurants is a clear cut affair - they have about 15 minutes. After that, and quickly after that, it's simply been too long. Anyone who knows me can probably think of other examples. I'm not much of a waiter. I've simply learned that no one likes to hear someone complain about long lines, waiting for food, or other everyday activities.

Since last week, when I read that I could potentially at some point in the future feel the baby move, I've been growing increasingly impatient. Never mind that everything I've read says somewhere between 16 weeks and 20 weeks. If some other lady can feel her kid move at 14 weeks, I'm going to try. So, every day, I try to lay on the couch or in bed and hold still and focus on my belly. Generally, there is not a whole lot going on. Also, I am somewhat easily distracted. I'll be laying there, thinking about the baby, and then realize that I am planning my grocery list instead of focusing. Woops. Today, I got my email from babycenter and it talked about feeling the baby move. That's it. I decided to try something slightly drastic instead of just waiting. Perhaps slightly unethical, but like I said, I'm very impatient. I went into the bathroom and shined a flashlight right up against my abdomen. Apparently, the baby did not care for that. It woke up, and has not stopped moving since. HA! Impatience rewarded.

Sonogram Pics

The Business of Being Born

This movie was AMAZING! It was very well done, and made so many good points. I thought that it was pretty well balanced, since they talked about the reasons that a woman might NEED a C section. It wasn't all trashing on women who have them. I was really impressed with this, and highly recommend it - not just to women who are having babies, but to any woman who thinks she will ever have a baby. There are so many factors to think about, and this movie points out, correctly I think, that Americans spend more time researching what car to buy than options available to them to bring a life into the world.

Nuchal Translucency Test

Today Shawn and I went to Arlington for our Down's Syndrom screening thing. Went pretty well, looks like the baby does not have any obvious genetic abnormalities. We like that. The doctor said everything looked normal, but they're going to do some bloodwork too. We weren't really too concerned, but since my insurance covers the screening, we thought we might as well find out.

The most exciting part of course was getting the sonogram done. And, true to form, this baby was quite stubborn and would NOT turn around to face the doctor. This meant we got to hang out watching the baby sleep and roll around for about 15 minutes until it finally decided to cooperate. Shawn was surprised by how much it moved once it was awake. Hands by the mouth most of the time. It was way more interesting than hearing the heartbeat. Now we just hang out and keep waiting while I get large.

As soon as I can figure out how to, I will post the sonogram pictures.

The Doppler Effect

We had our second appointment today. Woot! It lasted for all of 8 minutes. Good thing they billed the insurance company $130 for it. Good thing we have insurance. I know doctors have to make money, it costs a lot to run a medical practice, but geez. Dr. M asked us roughly 12 times if we had any questions. We didn't. She asked if my hands and feet are swelling. They're not. She asked if I've had any bleeding or cramping. I haven't. You get the idea. Apparently, I am having a "textbook" pregnancy. Which is nice to hear. However, I guess I was looking for more. I don't know why I have such high expectations for each appointment. I better get it together, or I am going to spend the next 6 months pissed off with the people who are likely to bring my baby into this world.

The upshot of the appointment is that we got to hear the baby's heartbeat!!! Exciting! It was at 152, which Dr. M said is "what we're looking for." Honestly, it wasn't this life altering experience everyone else has said it would be, which was slightly disappointing, but I think I'm getting used to that feeling in the doctor's office. I'm getting more excited about it with distance. Now that I'm thinking about the ramifications of that noise, the reality is beginning to hit me. As Shawn said, "There really is a baby in there. You're not just shifting your weight." This also confirms my suspicion that there are not twins hiding in there. Only one hearbeat. Thank goodness.

So Excited!

After many months of waiting, I have finally gotten my hands on a copy of "The Business of Being Born." Cassie told me about this a few months ago, before I was preggers, and I have been on the lookout for it since. Now that childbirth is something that will definitely be taking place, I am even more anxious to watch this. For the uninformed, this is Ricki Lake's documentary (I know, Ricki Lake? Didn't she fall off the map years ago? After Crybaby?) all about why hospitals are pushing so many women to have C sections, what the implications are, and why having a baby in a hospital is not always the best choice. According to Cassie, she draws a number of connections between malpractice suits and doctor's time, and doctor's willingness to let your body do what it has been created to do. I'm sure this movie will not do anything to change the way I think, because obviously I'm already on the same page as Ricki Lake. (It feels weird saying that.) No matter, though, watching and reading argumentative, informative pieces that reinforce the way you already think is the American Way!

Call me Preggo, not Tubbo!

A long time ago, when I thought of myself being pregnant, I immediately thought of myself about 6 or so months along - happily large, obviously pregnant to the world. Never, in the many years I have wanted to be a mom, have I considered this unfortunate netherworld of pregnant, but not quite showing yet. I had thought about how unfortunate it is that women aren't showing in their first trimester, exactly when they are so incredibly tired, hormonal, and might need the most support. (I have mostly considered this in the abstract) I have read articles about women's body image and how many women have a difficult time with their changing waist line. Pooh pooh, I thought. A sacrifice I will happily make - it's only temporary, and besides, people are nice to pregnant women. I mean, they may ask intruding questions, and everyone has an opinion, but generally speaking.... The point is, I am in this incredibly yucky in between state: "Pregnant or fat?" Now living amongst people I don't really know too well, I find myself REALLY concerned that they know this pony keg I'm carrying in my midsection is pure baby, not overindulgence. The thing I find most odd about this is that I never thought of myself as someone overly concerned with my body before. Turns out, I am secretly afraid of people thinking I'm overweight.

Two Positives and a Negative

There is no sleep like the sleep I have been getting in the last few weeks. I know this will probably not last long, so I am savoring it now. I can sleep for 9, 9.5 hours. Pre pregnancy, I woke up exactly 8 hours after falling asleep. I am so exhausted now that I fall into bed and sleep so hard that I do not wake up when my lumbering husband comes to bed, I don't wake up when the air conditioning kicks on. I only wake up for my hourly rendez-vous with the bathroom. Which is really getting old. However, there are nights that I sleep for 9 hours even though I have taken an hour long nap at work on my lunch break. For someone with insomnia issues, this is glorious. The only other time I've ever been able to sleep like this was back when I was working out for at least an hour a day, 6 days a week. Yeah, that ended some time ago.

So far, it looks like the morning sickness has been kept at bay. I'm eating yogurt again for breakfast, and not gulping down ginger candies. I'm really excited about that.
Something I am not excited about: apparent waist thickening without any weight gain. While this sounds like something not to complain about, my clothes no longer fit properly, and yet I have not put on a fraction of a pound. I weigh myself nearly every morning, and in the 5 weeks since I found out I was pregnant, my weight has fluctuated by 2 pounds, but in both directions. I understand logically that when an internal organ more than doubles in size, regardless of the size of the little person inside it, there will be fit issues. However, I'm having a tough time with the idea that I'm not "heavier," yet my pants refuse to fit. Luckily, Connie has offered me the use of her maternity stuff until such time as she will need it back. If ever. For that, I am incredibly grateful. Since we were roughly the same size pre baby, her stuff should fit me pretty well. I just hope she has stuff for a preschool teacher (read: I hope she has stuff that is easily washed of mashed potatoes, tempera paint and snot.) Can't wait to see her Saturday and Little Miss too!

A Little Better, Perhaps?

I am being cautiously optimistic about the morning sickness. So far, I've been queasy most mornings since about 5 weeks. Not throwing up, just unable to eat things I normally eat. Breakfast is a trial every morning. I've been finding that things like ham (which I normally detest) really do well for me. My normal breakfasts of yogurt and a few pieces of fruit are a no go anymore. However, the last three mornings I've been just hungry. Preggo hungry, sure, where I feel like I must eat anything in sight, as long as its salty. But not nauseous. We'll see how this goes.
When I went in for the doctor's appointment, they gave me a big bag of prenatal vitamins to try. This was excellent new to me, since the ones I had bought were NOT working out for me. They gave me something like 15 different brands to try. The best ones so far are roughly an inch long, flourescent blue, and their claim to fame is that I can choose to swallow them (right!) or chew them. I chose to chew them, and let me tell you, I felt like I was 6 again. They tasted just like a Flintstone vitamin! I'm psyched to get a prescription for those bad boys.

The Big Appointment...

Was something of a disappointment. I knew better than to get my hopes up, but I was thinking this would be the opportunity for me to ask the doctor lots of questions, and decide if I'm sticking with this office or not. Dr. M did give me some info that made me lean toward staying with them (mainly that they do not actually deliver in Reston at all), and I'll have the real appointment at the end of June. The receptionist said that appointment takes a while. In the meantime, they confirmed the pregnancy, asked me strange questions (I know about the cat thing...the Jewish thing?), took a whole mess of my blood, gave me a large bag of prenatal vitamins, and sent me on my way. I appreciate the vitamins, though. The ones I've been taking are not doing me any favors, so I stopped taking them. Which wasn't doing the baby any favors.
The doctor also asked which prenatal screenings I was interested in...I'm considering the ultrascreen. That's the one where they take more blood and do a sonogram to check the levels of fluid around the baby's neck. I'm interested to hear from new moms/moms to be if they had that test done, and if so, how they felt about it. I have to decide fairly soon in order to make the appointment.
To try and break the morning sickness I've been having, I stopped by the healthfood store tonight. Yikes. There was a lot of stuff in there I would totally buy, like organic fresh ground peanut butter (!) but there was way more weirdo stuff. Either way, I found real live ginger ale brewed with real ginger, ginger chews, and B6 vitamins. Hopefully, they will help. I can't complain too loudly, because the morning sickness hasn't been that bad. Just a little bit of nausea until I get something in my stomach. My eating habits have totally changed too, and not for the better. I am finding that fruits and veggies are not top on the list. Unfortunately, ramen, mac and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches are. I'm sure it will get better. And if not, I'll just be a balloon.

An Introduction

Shawn came up with the crazy idea for me to blog about all of the ridiculousness that is happening, and will continue to happen for the next eight months. I was slightly shocked, considering neither one of us is really all that tech savvy. We have a really tough time with a universal remote. However, with family spread across the country, and me being about as useful lately as nipples on men, this seemed like something I could do. I plan to post every few days, try to put up pictures of my growing belly, the baby's room, other things people might find interesting (like what, I don't know). If nothing else, this gives me an outlet other than my poor husband. I think he may be growing tired of hearing about the myriad ways this baby is wreaking havoc on my eating habits. Essentially, I'm a big copycat, and Erin does such a good job on her blog (which is about all areas of her life), that I thought maybe I could try it too.
In other news, the first appointment is tomorrow. Very exciting. Slightly nerve racking. More about that after the fact.