Waiting for Shmear

How far along am I?
13 weeks and 1 day. 11 weeks and 1 day gestational. 188 days until my due date. 29% of the pregnancy is done and there’s 71% yet to go. If what everyone keeps telling me is correct, I am now in the second trimester. Woo hoo!

Signs and Symptoms

• Poochy belly - I’m either gaining weight or growing a baby. Or both. Non-maternity clothes are getting more and more difficult to wear. And the ones I DO fit into, look awful when I see myself later in pictures. Oy!
• Congestion - I’m starting to think I’m never going to get rid of this one.
• Constipation - Like the sunrise, it comes and goes. Doesn’t help my belly feel any better though!
• Fatigue - Though, I’ve felt a lot more energy this week. I don’t mean all the time, because I’m thinking the sun and heat are leaching a large portion of my energy. But I feel more alert during the day. Except for now. I could totally fall asleep, right now.
• Hunger - Feed me! The belly monster rears its ugly head nearly every two hours on the hour but the good part is, I can’t eat as much at one sitting so its more frequent, smaller meals. Huh.
• Sense of Smell - I haven’t mentioned this one yet, have I? It’s always sort of been here, the whole pregnancy. But I’ve noticed it more this last week. I finally figured out why I don’t like the popcorn we have right now… K bought “White Cheddar Pop Secret” and while it sounds yummy to me, I can’t eat it because when he’s making it and when its done, it smells like newborn baby puke. Nice, huh? He thinks I’ve lost my mind, but I swear, that’s what I think everytime I smell it. (amazing I can smell anything at all through all that congestion!)

How much have I gained?
God, I really should have written these numbers down somewhere. I have no idea where I was at last week but I can tell you this much: I gained some. I dont’ know how much, no more than 4 lbs (it was those Krispy Kreme donuts, wasn’t it??).

Observations

• Again with the feeling so much more relaxed. I hope this easy-going manner continues for the rest of the pregnancy, because I could really start enjoying this.
• Of course, now I’m nervous about my next appointment. Not so much that I’m worried about how the baby is doing, but how my schedule is going to work. I think my appointment is like at 2:15 or something and H get’s out of kindergarten at 3:20. I may have to reschedule if I don’t think I can make it there on time.
• I feel seriously sorry for anyone who is nearing their due date right now. Particularly if they live somewhere out west here where its all HOT AS HELL. I’m having a hard time and I’m only 3 months in!
• I have a wedding to go to on Friday night. Thankfully, I have something passable to wear but seriously. Who invites pregnant people to weddings? Honestly! Let’s hear it for the free food though!
• I am totally distracted from this pregnancy this week due to H Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Who can think about symptoms when I’ve got pages to read!

So yeah, off to read some HP before the boy needs to be picked up from school. Thankfully, my bedroom has an air conditioner.

Another week down. :woot This last week seemed to pass a lot quicker, perhaps it was because I wasn’t worried 24/7 like I have been in previous weeks. I finally have had a chance to enjoy being pregnant. And yes, there is such a thing.

How far along am I?
12 weeks and 1 day. 10 weeks and 1 day gestational. That also equates to 195 days until my due date, however, subtract roughly 14 days from that and you’ll have how many days till the wee one is born.

Signs and Symptoms

• Expanding waistline - getting worse and worse… or better and better? At any rate, I’m having a hard time finding anything a) comfortable and b) fashionable to wear. Not that I really care about fashion, but even I won’t mix a pink top with bright blue pants.
• Fatigue - though instead of manifesting itself as naps and all that, its more laziness in general. I’m sure my week of self-imposed rest didn’t help that much. Neither does the heat. See, they’re all working against me here!
• Hunger - Much like last week. Though the pantries are a little bare this week, no one feels like getting in a hot car to go to the grocery store, I don’t care HOW in need of snacks we are.
• Congestion - Of course. Tends to be worse in the morning, like this morning. Doesn’t really help me NOT feel like I’ve been hit by a Mack truck in the morning.

How much have I gained?
Wow, if my eyes aren’t decieving me, it would appear I’m down 4 lbs from last week. But of course, my scale sucks giant rocks, isn’t even calibrated correctly so this is all pretty moot. But still.. Go me! :tu

Observations

• I’m loving being back at the nightly walks again. Of course, its a lot warmer at night now, but its still my favorite way to end out the day. There’s no one else out, its real quiet and its a good time to talk with K.
• My back is KILLING me today. Honestly, I blame two things a) our crappy couches and b) our crappy mattress. Something needs to be done. Because I’m dying here.
• Being very good this week about drinking water. Its so hot, and I always feel better anyhow for drinking it all. Plus it helps keep the hunger pangs at bay.
• H’s kindergarten testing thing is tomorrow afternoon. We’ll go see his classroom, meet his teacher, all that fun stuff. I’m more nervous about it than he is!
• It is amazing how much better I feel about everything this week. Its as if a giant weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I’m hoping this good feeling lasts and that I really enjoy the rest of this pregnancy.

So finishes out the first trimester. It ends, not with a bang OR a whimper but with a heart full of hope. Six more months, people!

Okay, so I rarely post over the weekends anymore. But I spend so much time on the computer during the week that oftentimes, come weekend, sitting at the ‘puter is the last thing I want to do. You’ll forgive me, right?

So I’m rapidly running out of clothes to wear. Yes. Up until this point, I’ve been very hesitant to buy any maternity clothes. With all the spotting and worrying and nervousness and running around like a chicken with its head cut off, I would have felt extremely foolish if I had purchased maternity clothes and worn them when there was no viable baby to be had. Of course, now we know that there is a viable baby to be had. But I still have nothing to wear.

Frankly, I should have been more prepared for this. I knew that last time, as my second pregnancy, I started to poke out a lot sooner than I did the first time around. This time, it seems to be even SOONER. Remember the button popping off my FAT jeans? Now its getting to the point that even elastic waistband pants aren’t very comfortable unless they’re VERY loose. Of course, I also have this weird thing when I’m pregnant. Ever since the first pregnancy, I cannot stand anything to be the slightest bit tight across my waist. That goes for shorts, pants, underwear, skirts. If it is snug, I just cannot handle it. Its very strange. Hence K giving me strange looks for parading around the house with shorts and pants down around my hips so as not to lay across my belly.

You’re probably thinking to yourself, “Why doesn’t that girl just go out and get some maternity shorts?” Well, not that easy. Plainly put, now is not the time, budget-wise, to be buying anything that doesn’t relate to our survival. Actually, most months are like that, now that I think about it. I blame the gas prices. ($2.53 here in Reno! :-o) And business has been a little bit slow, design-wise (not that I’m complaining, after last month!). So we’re conserving our resources. Just to make sure we get through the month comfortably and not have to eat peanut butter and jelly for the entire last week of the month before K gets paid.

But you better believe that once I get some extra spending $ that I will be hitting the sales and finding some shorts and t-shirts (another commodity I’m sorely lacking). Elsewise, I’ll have to leave the house nude and NO ONE wants that.

Better late than never, eh? What with my appointment today and all that I debated on whether or not to post one of these progress reports. But I decided I should, if just for continuity’s sake.

How far along am I?
11 weeks and 1 day. 9 weeks and 1 day gestational. My count is adjusted because my brand spankin’ new OB adjusted it and heck, why not? What’s a few days difference when I’ll be delivering 2 weeks early anyhow, right?

Signs and Symptoms

• Fatigue - which I’m sure hasn’t been helped by all my laying down, thanks in part to Mr. Spot. But not many naps, interestingly enough.
• Hunger - another one that is raging one day and calm the next. Very unpredictable. And also, while I may have the raging hunger thing going, my appetiete has decreased so that it only takes very little to fill me up. Hey, it helps with my portion size control.
• Sore boobs - Yes, still. Today, I swore you could hang coat hangers from the darned things. Is that TMI? :blush
• Congestion - Oh boy. The fun never ends.
• Constipation - Another one that I just hope NEVER goes away. Ever.
• Definite puffiness - I knew there was something afoot when I popped the button off my favorite jeans the other day. Not just my favorite jeans, mind you, but my FAT JEANS. Time for maternity clothes, people.

How much have I gained?
Aaaaaand we’re two pounds back down again. Welcome to the amazing fluctuating weight, people. Of course the scale at the doctor’s office said something completely different (and thankfully, lower).

Observations

• I never hope to worry again like I have this past week. NOT FUN, people.
• I vow from here on out to enjoy this pregnancy as much as I can. Because as stressful this has been, I don’t know if I could emotionally do this again, let alone physcially.
• I get to walk again! My doc said it was okay, in fact, she even encouraged K and I’s nightly walks so tonight I’ll be pounding the pavement again. Woo hoo!
• Really trying to focus on getting my water intake in. I know that helped so much with the spotting last week. Plus, it helps keep the hunger pangs and appetiete at bay.

That’s all for this week’s installment. Next week? We bid a fond farewell to the first trimester and look back on all the fun we had. Yes, that was sarcasm.