I'm not quite sure how many weeks I'm pregnant (instead of the average 28 day cycle, mine is closer to 36). But if everything goes as it should, we should be able to meet our new baby by the end of August.
Most of me is super excited. We just started getting excited about the idea of another little guy or girl running around the house. My mind is going pretty crazy as I just fantasize about our new family, trying not to think about the night time wakings and blow out diapers. Names, new room...it's all to exciting. By the time you are reading this, I'm probably at least 12 weeks along and finished with my first trimester. If it were up to me, I would've shared with everyone today, but this is Steve's baby too.
I think we want to find out again, whether it's a boy or girl. It's just easier that way. At this very moment, right now, I'm kind of hoping that we will have a total of 3 kids. Everyone says if you can handle 2, 3 is a piece of cake. Well, I'm always in for the better deal, so if God allows it, I'd like to have 3.
I've also talked it over with Steve and if it is possible, I'd like to give birth through the birthing center. While we did talk about the option of having a midwife deliver at a hospital, simply so we can enjoy the 2-3 days of pampering, I think for the sake of Nathan, I'd like to be home as soon as possible.
With Nathan, we took weekly pictures to track the pregnancy. I think we'll start doing this again. But this time, have Nathan stand beside me to document his growth as well. *Another thing to be excited about.
I pretty much loved being pregnant with Nathan. I pray that I will be in love with this one just as much.
Sooooooo excited!
Week 6
Traveling with a toddler is pretty tiring, I can't imagine what it would be like if we had 2. On the flight to Chicago, I saw a lady traveling by herself with twins. Wow. Well, this week I've felt a bit nauseous when I get tired. So, mostly in the afternoons or evening. The feeling is very slight, like last time, but I notice it. I am starting to get tired and fatigued very easily. I am pretty much craving a coffee around 2-3 pm. Also, this week, I have felt a few sharp pains, brief, around my uterus, which go away almost immediately, and to make it even more scary, I was spotting, just a bit one day this week. I immediately googled it and as I typed in "Spotting during pregnancy week," the number 6 immediately popped up to auto finish. So, I guess this is a pretty normal thing.
That is all the symptoms for now.
Week 8 (Jan 16)
Morning sickness comes and goes. It seems like it hits me in an almost debilitating way, every other day. But luckily, those days, Nathan takes good naps. I've been so blessed in that way several times. The birthing center gave us the information about payment. Our insurance will only cover the midwives, but not the facility (like last time) so the cost will be about $2700. With Nathan, we didn't think twice, but now, knowing that our insurance can cover pretty much most of the cost of a hospital delivery, my wallet strings are tugging a bit. During a late night in-bed discussion last night, we finally decided to go with the birthing center. The experience that we had with Nathan was so amazing that we think it is worth it to spring the extra almost 3 grand to bring a new baby into the world naturally.
With Nathan, we waited until the second trimester to announce. Well, this time, the people whom I see almost every day, like my neighbors know. It's just too difficult to put up a peppy front when you feel like you are about to pass out. They are super supportive and have even offered to watch Nathan if I become too sick. I love my neighbors!
I have my first check up next Tuesday and the ultrasound appointment is set up for the following week. I just found out that my roomate from college is expecting her first one around Aug. 13th, so I am way excited and bursting at the seams, wanting to share the news with her. But I will wait for after the ultrasound to share the news. First, on superbowl weekend, when my family will be in town, and then shortly to the rest of the world via face-to-face and facebook.
I've had some crazy dreams lately, one of them involved twins, another involved us having 3 kids total. I went to the fabric store the other day to pick up some fabric for Steve's cube curtain and Nathan's chairs. The store happened to be clearing out their inventory of fabric, so I picked up this cute fabric because it was a good price and it was super cute.
I hope we have a girl, so I can use this in the nursery. But somehow, I feel like we are going to end up with another boy, which is fine too because we already have experience in that department.
So far my "morning sickness" leaves me feeling hung over. I generally feel woozy, slightly nauseous, and fatigued. I've tried various remedies to help alleviate the symptoms, but what works best for me this time around is carbonated water, chocolate covered gummy bears and a hot shower. I've been trying crystalized ginger, but the taste turns me off and sometimes makes it worse.
I've been craving sweets, chocolate in particular. I also feel like I have a slight aversion to pork. For some reason, it just doesn't taste as good as it did before.
Jan 22 (Week 9)
I had my first prenatal appointment yesterday. Things look good down there, but we couldn't hear a heartbeat yet. So, week 9 may be a pretty good estimate of how old you are. The midwife says that a heartbeat is typically heard at week 10. I did get to see a little bean in the old ultrasound machine that she had. No twins :( Next week, I go back and get an actual dating ultrasound with the sonographer.
The midwife again reminded me of how evil sugar is and I even feel guilty right now as I'm typing this and craving a chocolate frosty.
Today, I have felt constantly queasy. I am hungry, but once I eat, I feel like vomiting. I am also super emotional right now. While I was watching TV today, I started to cry while watching a commercial! Hormones.
My lower back is already starting to ache and I am still exhausted. I haven't been to the gym in a week and I am ok with that. I simply can't muster up the energy to go. (Actually, I went to yoga on Monday, but it was hardly the intensity that I am used to).
I remember pregnancy to be awesome! I have always told people that I loved being pregnant. Well, I'm starting to take it back. It has pretty much been miserable this time around. Realistically, I know it could be worse, but I'm just not used to feeling crappy all the time. It seems like matcha tea has helped. I've noticed that when I make some in the morning, I feel pretty good throughout the day. Those days I don't, I feel horrible. This morning, I was too tired to make myself a cup of tea. I felt horrible. I don't know it it's the matcha, or if I was bound to feel bad anyways and because I feel so bad, don't make myself some tea...who knows. Tomorrow, I'll try again. Maybe I'll just make up a large batch and make it easier each morning.
Nathan has pretty much self-weaned. This morning, he didn't ask for milk. Usually he will sign "milk" and then point to the source. This morning, he pointed to go outside. I asked him if he wanted some mommy milk, or some cow milk. He pointed to the fridge. While I am glad that his morning routine has been made simpler, I'm a bit sad to think that he no longer needs my milk. That's pretty much the one thing that he has done all his life and now, he's about to give it up. In my mind, this is pretty epic. Or, it could be the crazy hormones.
1/29/2014 : Week 9 and 4 days
I went in for an dating ultrasound and found out that we are only 9 weeks and 4 days along. So, I guess I will be making posts for this one every Saturday.
If the ultrasound dating is spot on, the chances are really good that we will have a girl. If it is off by 2 days, it will probably be a boy. So, I guess I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a girl.
Morning sickness is still lasting all day, but I now have urges to vomit, without actually doing so. This occurs usually in the late afternoons. I'm also starting to get really sensitive to smells. Taking Nathan to the bathroom, leftovers, and trash have made me gag. Other than that, things are pretty much the same.
I am taking about a 45 minute nap each afternoon, which sometimes makes me feel better, and sometimes makes me feel worse.
Starting about 3 weeks ago, I've been having to get up several times at night to use the bathroom. I don't remember this happening until late 2nd trimester with Nathan. Getting up in the middle of cold, cold winter is rough.
It seems like so many of my friends are having babies. But in the midst of all this joy of new life and adventures, there has been a few instances of heartache and disappointment. My friends who have recently lost their baby did so towards the end of their first trimesters. At first, knowing the statistics that 1 in 5 pregnancies end in miscarriage during the first trimester, I was more on the apathetic side. It didn't seem like such a big deal. But after seeing the little gummy bear wiggle on the screen, I somehow became more attached to this beautiful creature growing inside of me, and the thought of losing him or her now devastates me. But as with all things, God has a plan and if I ever have to face that horrible day where I lose my child, may He give me the strength to endure it.
2/8/2014 Week 12
Well, today officially marks the end of my first trimester. I should be feeling better any day now. Just not today. In fact, I don't think I have felt this bad so far. It's so bad that I'd rather endure child birth once again than to suffer like this another day. I must have eaten something bad because this morning, I had an upset stomach and all day, I've had a tummy ache, on top of nausea, on top of exhaustion (Teddy woke me up in the middle of the night wanting water and I couldn't fall asleep for 2 hours). Thank God Steve was home today so he pretty much kept Nathan company while I lied in bed.
I am a little concerned about the possible stomach bug. During my first pregnancy, I pretty much avoided lunch meat and eggs over easy to avoid listeria poisoning. This time, the midwife gave me more specific guidelines on lunch meat, so I had a ham and egg sandwich for breakfast the other day. The ham wasn't cooked to steaming, and the egg was a bit, just a bit runny. So now, I feel guilty. I hope this is one of those 24 hour bugs and I get back to being myself tomorrow.
My nose is hyper-sensitive. The other day, Steve was changing Nathan's diaper upstairs and I was able to catch a whiff of it from downstairs. Garlic is totally disgusting to me, and foods with a strong meaty smell kind of turn me off too.
I've been craving ultra-unhealthy foods to the point where I can actually smell their greasy goodness. For example, the other day, I was sitting in the living room after dinner and suddenly caught a whiff of doughnuts. Man, I wanted one then and there. It was weird.
Oh, I've finally discovered something else that helps me feel better. Grapefruits. I remember it being grapefruit season when I was pregnant with Nathan and ate a bunch then. I've been eating about 2 a day. I've learned to cut up a bunch and just snack on a few slices when I feel a bit weird. I got 10 pounds of that stuff sitting in my kitchen. I hope I can finish it all before it goes bad.
I will be combining any pregnancy thoughts in my weekly Wednesday blog. So good-bye first trimester, hello second trimester!
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