Likes and Dislikes

So... I don't feel GREAT... but I definitely feel a lot better than I was a month or two ago. I would say that I have two days a week where I don't feel good, just more tired or a little more sick than normal, but it's doable. If this is as good (and bad -I can hear all of you mothers out there laughing) as it gets, I'll be fine for the next 5 months.

However... I've been creating this list in my head that I thought I'd try to get down on paper -mostly just so I'd be forced to think of some of my 'likes' about being pregnant. Here it is (oh, and I'm keeping both sides G-rated, if you want the down and dirty, go read Belly Laughs).

I'm starting with LIKES... it'll be a shorter list, but I thought I'd start here first.
-The end result. I've always wanted a family, and this is the most traditional way to have one. There should be a healthy baby at the end of the 9 months.
-I like feeling my body change -or at least noticing the changes. I haven't even started all of the BIG changes, but they're on their way, and it's weird to actually feel my uterus.
-I like (most) comments from others, just having other people know that I'm pregnant. However, I'm still trying to wear 'normal' clothes at work, I like to be able to control who I tell and when.
-No monthly periods. That's still G-rated, and I refuse to use any other term... it sounds juvenile.
-I like my doctor, so I don't mind the monthly visits.
-I'll include future likes, which will be feeling the baby move. It hasn't happened yet, but I'm looking forward to it and I KNOW Justin is too.
-I'm not going back to work after the baby is born, so just knowing that is pretty nice (thanks Justin).

Now for the dislikes...
-There was a fair amount of stress and anxiety involved with actually getting pregnant, the 1st miscarriage and being a little more worried than normal the first few months of this one.
-Being sick. Yes, I didn't throw up and I am EVERY grateful for that, don't get me wrong. However, I was SICK. I felt like throwing up, had a hard time eating, hard time NOT eating, just feeling miserable overall. I can see all of you nodding your heads in agreement.
-The 'glow' of pregnancy. Any 'glow' that I have has created a large amount of acne and other skin ailments. Oh... so attractive.
-My joints. Oh, my knees and wrists of all things are about to give. Those loose joints due to the hormones are wreaking havoc on my already arthritic joints.
-No drugs. Seriously... I love my drugs. I feel like I have a high tolerance for chronic pain, but I hate having headaches and muscle pain. I miss my ibuprofen and another prescription anti-inflammatory drug.
-Sleep. I miss sleeping through the night. What a dirty trick of nature to start the no-sleeping-through-the-night routine before the baby is even here.
-Peeing... all of the time. Even when I don't really have to 'go' I still feel like I have to go. Weird.
-These 'round ligament' pains are killing me. Plus... according to all of the books, I only get relief once the uterus is big enough to rest on the pelvic bone, which then starts stretching itself.
-Waiting. I was thinking the other day that I haven't waited 9 months for something for a while. Maybe turning 16 and getting my license. Even Justin and I didn't wait that long between meeting and getting married (judge me if you want). November seems far.
-Heat. And, along with heat, the swelling. Hasn't happened too bad yet, just a future dislike.
-Lack of exercise. Between still being super tired and having to keep my heart rate down, I'm missing my gym time.

I'm sure if I sat here any longer, I could come up with more, but I'll stop there. Even after listing all of my 'dislikes', that first LIKE on my list, has made it all worthwhile. I'm very happy that Justin and I are starting our family and I'm grateful that I am able to carry our child.

I may be singing a different tune later on in the hot summer though.

Well... that hasn't happened for a while

We had another doctor appointment today -18 weeks. Before each visit (anyone who has been through this would know) you have to... pee in a cup. Something about protein or something. Well, I'm used to going before I leave the office, so I went... and 20 minutes later in the doctor's office... I couldn't produce. I haven't NOT been able to pee for about 4 months, I always have to. So... I visited the drinking fountain about 5 times before being called back to the room, and then drank a few small cups of water from (yuck) the sink in the there. (It's like bathroom sink water -I just can't drink it). I had no problem providing my sample after the visit... and every 30 minutes afterwards for the next 90 minutes.

Other than that... it was a quick, routine visit. I've gained 3 lbs this month (same as last month), and my measurements are right on. We heard the heartbeat again and scheduled our ultrasound for next month. I haven't felt the baby move yet (or recognized it)... but I should start feeling it in the next month.

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

*It's a fact*

At nearly 21 babies for every 1,000 people, Utah has the highest birth rate. Vermont has the lowest at just over ten births per 1,000 people.

4 months down

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too.




Even with all of your growth and development, we haven't done much to prepare for your coming. Here's a photo of the spare room that will one day be your bedroom.




The bassinet was from someone my mom works with. I'm hoping that the book shelves will match the other furniture in the room, but it's still a topic of discussion between Justin and I.











These are the gifts you've received so far. The blanket on the right is from Mimi (Justin's mom), the fat little pooh bear is from Erin from when she went to Disney World.



The blanket on the left is one that I bought earlier in the year and finished the edges. Your nana (my mom) may have helped a bit during the last stage... but I still made it! And that's the story that we're sticking with.

The 2nd trimester

So... I've officially entered the 2nd trimester this week. I'm feeling a little less tired and slightly less nauseous. Friday and Saturday night I didn't take the sleeping pill, and had a much better day than the last time I tried not taking it. (Which was Memorial Day, but I had too little sleep and a pretty busy day, so that might be the reason). We also had our 2nd doctor's appointment on May 30th. It was a lot quicker than the first one, but we did hear the heart beat again. It was a little slower than last month, but Dr. Cox said it was still within the normal range. Things seem to be moving along like normal for now.

This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.