Nine Weeks and Counting

This past Tuesday, Rick and I had our very first prenatal visit.  We will be meeting with a Midwife through Kaiser which I am thankful for.  We didn't totally know what to visit but we had a sense like we were suppose to ask questions.  However, I think we were a little shocked at this first experience and how quick it went and how much information came at us.  At the end, Rick asked, "so when do we ask the questions?" and the Midwife just looked confused but supportive.  She answered, "well what questions do you have?" We both looked at each other and even more confused said, "we aren't sure" but you could tell we both felt like we should.  We have decided that we will keep a running list of questions for our next appointment and hope to ask them (whatever they may be).  If there was anything I realized, neither of us have done this before.  We are definitely new at this pregnancy and baby thing.  All the more fun!

We got to see our little fetus during our first ultrasound.  It was pretty exciting.  I just felt it shock the whole time that "that" was growing in side me!  It is so crazy.  Baby Monday (as nicknamed by our friends Mandee and Ryan) is about the size of a grape now, about an inch long, and in the ultrasound picture, looks a lot like a peanut. Monday the peanut.  Based on a number of dates that the midwife and I discusses, their current calculation of our peanut's birth is April 15th.  Happy tax day!

My next appointment is the 24th in which I just have an ultrasound to determine the size of the baby and make any adjustments to the due date.  I will keep you posted as it shifts around.

As I write about Monday and think about the fact that this is out of control and I have a baby growing in side of me, literally being "knit together" every day, I am given hope and optimism.  I have struggled the past 2-3 weeks now not feeling so great and it has pushed me at least once or twice to tears.  I haven't been severely ill, just mildly or a little worse but without a break.  I feel like I wake up and feel sick until I go to bed and even when I get up at night to pee (which is like 10 times) I pray I fall asleep quickly because I will start to feel ill.  The constant is what has really worn me out.  The doctors appointment was definitely a pick me up and reminded me that this is worth it.  I am optimistic that it is on its way out and by October when I hit my second trimester, I will be of normal Christine energy, or at least closer.   As for the rest of this month, I plan on resting and letting my body do what it needs.

When eating isn't appealing but all you need to do is eat.

Christine's myth # 1 - pregnancy doesn't actually "set in" until you and everyone else in the world can literally see that you are pregnant.  I am in my 8th week at this point and I am announcing, it is "official."  My dimed sized baby has "set in" and is giving me all the fun and exciting quarks of early pregnancy.

Food has been a battle for at least 2 weeks now.  I told my coworker I didn't have cravings last week when at 8:30 in the morning I was already opening up a bag of fritos and holding a second as back-up just in case one bag wasn't enough.  I seriously can't tell you the last time I ate fritos. I know Rick couldn't tell you because I have never bought them before.  I did luck out that week because my office has a leftover stash of fritos.  Apparently that is not students and employees favorite pick of chips but for this prego lady, it was.  At least last week.

The other "problem" is that my desire for foods changes quickly...probably daily.  Consistently, I have wanted bland carbs.  I have been eating a lot of pasta and one Sunday afternoon, ate 3 bowls of mashed potatoes...spaced out about an hour apart each.  Rick has been pretty awesome and has gone out to the store and spent money outside of our original budget to accommodate me.  It has been pretty amazing.  I imagine he has done it out of his deep love for me (or fear).  Some other cravings I have included a meatball sub from Subway and anything else that sounds like a soother for nausea.

This adventure is fun but this past week has made me pretty tired.  Eating constantly can be tiring.  If I can continually snack throughout the day, I generally feel the best but sometimes I just don't want to eat.  I can't believe I even wrote that sentence.  For all you who know me, you know...I love food.  By the way, I have thought about "Not Your Average Joes" so much in the past week.  I can't wait to go there and will need to go a least a couple times.  Heads up.

So anyway, I wrap things up here as I suck down my dinner, a chocolate banana shake.  This is the first sweet thing I have wanted in a while but it sounded good so here I go.