Living Arrangements - 18 weeks

I just hit the 18 week mark, which means, we are T-2 weeks until we find out the sex of the baby. We're so excited yet anxious at the same time. These mixed feelings stem from facing the reality of the situation:  once we find out the sex, everything becomes more real. All of the planning and execution of where the baby is going to eat, sleep, change, ride, etc must be figured out within the next 5 months!!! For those that know me well, I'm a planner, and these type of things need to be planned out FAR in advance, and if I am put in a situation where I need to rush...the anxiety levels tend to rise.

Deep Breaths.

So within a short amount of time, Matt and I must figure out 2 tricky situations: 

1)  Where can we find a cost efficient, yet safe & reliable family car?

we can surely count any GM automobile out and a mini van is simply out of the question

2) How are we going to turn our guest room into a nursery?

Let's elaborate, what on earth are we going to do with the treadmill, the bed, and where is Matt going to put his clothes? Please see the attached photo, we are open to suggestions here.

The "Boyfriend" Jean

For those women who are currently pregnant, I have to suggest my latest staple in maternity wear: the "Boyfriend" Jean.  The latest fashion trend that stirs up a lot of controversy.  Many straight men hate this look because it is so unsexy and unflattering. However, I must say, this trend is unbelievably comfortable and casual. I love them and hope this look lasts a little longer!

Biggie Small - 16 weeks

According to baby center, during the 16th week, I should "Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double weight and add inches to length... [the baby is] about the size of an avocado".  

Into the 2nd trimester, my 'evening' sickness has dissipated, and my cravings have gone from salt to sweets. Candy does not suffice now a days - more like baked goods such as cupcakes and cookies satisfy my cravings.  I have regained my energy so I have been exercising with caution a lot more. Although, I can't help but feel like a cripple during pilates class.

I certainly am starting to feel the baby's growth spurt. I officially busted out the maternity jeans (a special thanks to Annie for lending me hers) and big moo moo dresses are always the best wardrobe choice.  What's really crazy, in the morning, my stomach has a relatively small bump - but by the end of the day - my stomach balloons (please see photos for reference). By the next morning, the stomach deflates and expands again through out the day.

  

Carnivore

After contributing 30 viles of blood in the last four months, it was determined that I am Anemic.  

This was no surprise to me as I haven't eaten red meat since 1999. Prior to this, I was a huge meat eater. I mean, I grew up in Santa Maria  - home of the famous tri-tip BBQ, cow meat was unavoidable!

The story of my 10 year red meat sabbatical isn't too intriguing.  I was studying abroad in Italy the summer of 1999. The summer during the war in Kosovo and also the time when John Kennedy Jr. and wife Caroline died in a plane crash.  Simultaneously, there was an epidemic case of salmonella in Italy.  My roommate at the time, who will remain anonymous, was stricken with it (twice) amongst the three months we were there.  We were in beautiful Portofino, having our very first authentic Italian meal. Her choice was veal - and boy was that a very bad choice.  Without being too graphic, let's just say there was projectile involved at the table.  After witnessing such atrocity, I refused to eat any sort of meat the remainder of my study abroad. I lost ten pounds while in Italy - a very untypical situation.  Even upon my return to the US,  I couldn't bare the smell or sight of red meat.  

Flash forward 10 years later, anemic and jeopardizing the health of the baby.  As a quick anecdote, I had my re-initiation to a carniverous diet - an In N Out burger.  I did this at the start of my long three day weekend, just in case I needed to keel over and die.  However - the experience surprised me and it tasted so delicious. No sickness at all invloved! I continued my new endeavor and the following day, devoured a filet mignon at Matt's graduation BBQ. Next, on my to do list, Mr. Cecil's Ribs. I really hope this helps both mine and the baby's iron deficiency.

3D Ultrasound - 12 Weeks

Today Gemma and I went to a special ultrasound technician/doctor to test for all sorts of "not fun" things, but it was SO worth it when we were able to see our baby in 3D.  First of all, it was amazing to see how much the little one has grown in a month since our last ultrasound.  Gemma had eaten some sugar just before we walked into the doctor's office and the kid was bouncing off the walls, so active:)  We were able to see the baby in full view, watch it suck it's tiny thumb, and listen to the heartbeat.  I swore that I saw the baby's face and it looked like Gemma but she thinks I'm crazy.  Anyway, at the end of the appointment, the technician handed us a DVD, which I thought was a CD Rom of all of the still pictures but it turns out that they had been recording the entire ultrasound and we were able to watch the whole thing when we got home.  

Although 24 is one of my favorite shows and definitely gets my heart racing, 15 minutes of watching this video was so much more exciting than all 6 seasons of 24 combined.  I can't really describe the feeling of seeing our little one jump around and show off for the camera...definitely not camera shy:)  The next 3D ultrasound is scheduled for 20 weeks, which seems like an eternity right now, because that's where they'll be able to tell us the sex of the baby:)  So start placing your bets on a little Cox or Coxette.  

Ciao - Matt

Belly Shots

My 11th week has been a little rough - so I'll just post pictures of my belly and spare all the details.

The Woes of the 1st Trimester: 8-10 Weeks

Many new mothers claim that the first trimester is the hardest, and I am the first to hands down and praise "Amen".  I miss wine dearly.  A nice bottle of Wild Horse Pinot Noir is something I dream about.  Happy hours are just not the same, and I feel that my social skills are not up to par, and just don't feel fun any more. Plus, the idea of being the DD for the next year does not thrill me either.

I have been some what fortunate (knock on wood) so far with my pregnancy symptoms.  I experience the typical boob swelling, bloating, bitching, and excessive sleeping.  I haven't experienced morning sickness, but every now and then I am stricken with evening sickness. On these days, at around 4-5 pm, I start to feel really nauseous and just iick.  Even after a long work day, the commute home makes me car sick.  But this only occurs in the evening which I am at least thankful for and not feeling sick through out the day.  This feeling can be best described as a really bad hangover - and the best solution I have to offer: sleep it off.

I crave salt all day long.  Pre-pregnancy, I was more of a sweet tooth kinda gal. Nowadays,  I yearn for potato chips, McDonald french fries, and high sodium Ramen soup. 

To date, I have gained about 3 pounds. The pregnancy books I have been reading "Your Pregnancy" and "What to Expect when you are Expecting" claim that most women don't typically gain a whole lot of weight, and in fact lose weight due to morning sickness. These authors start to make me feel really bad about myself, so I stop reading and just look at the pictures.   No sign of any bump, but my jeans are starting to feel a little snug - everything fits with the exception for the waistband. But nothing like a nice flowy tunic top to mask that unbuttoned jean.   Also, leggings with dresses or bohemian tops give added comfort, particularly towards the end of a bloaty day.