August 20, 2012 7 weeks-ish

Yep, still here. A bit urky – though so far not as bad as with Skadi. But as Hans puts it, I still have time.

This last week I was able to get a picture of the peanut and a heartbeat! 125 bpm. After having a bit of bleeding, but then rising HCG levels, they brought me in for an ultrasound. I jumped on that opportunity and was thrilled to see a baby in there! Wow! Such a feeling that is so indescribable to someone who hasn’t caught their first glimpse of their child. Hearing the heartbeat is something else completely. Just made me so happy!

She estimated my due date at April 9^th, which bumps me back three days. In a way I kind of feel gyped! I lost three days! I am keeping it open ended at this point and am waiting to get an official due date from Dr. M. And I am hoping he sides with me!

Yeah, what does it matter… I will be late anyways.

We still haven’t told anyone and no plans in the immediate future to do so. I kind of wanted to bring the kids into the fold this past weekend when I felt like I was sick and urky and grumpy all weekend. I guess I wanted an excuse to give them – ‘you guys really aren’t horrible kids, mommy is just pregnant and I don’t feel good, so yay you are going to have a younger brother or sister!’ But yeah, that didn’t happen. AB wants to wait until the end of the first trimester. Five more freaking weeks? ‘So you know kids I was sick and really grumpy over the last two months, well it’s because you are going to have a younger brother or sister. And now I am feeling so much better!’

We are also struggling with telling family because now it sounds like we may have a family event (a wedding) on my due date. Yep. Oh and a request that we host the reception. Umm yeah…

Anyways, moving along.

Cravings? Well about the only thing that sounds good is carbs. Bagels, doughnuts and baked potatoes with all the fixings.

Aversions? Nearly everything? I crave steak until it is sitting in front of me. I thought caprese salads were going to be my thing, but now I can’t stand looking at a tomato.

I am thinking back to the things I liked with the other pregnancy. Chicken and rice soup – I remember that with Skadi. I need to get on Stone Soup’s FB page and see what they have for the week.

August 12, 2012: 6 wks 2 days

The nausea seems (so far) to be controllable for the most part. Lot of water, ginger cookies and carbs. Fruit has also been helpful.

So let's see, it was a busy, yet pretty uneventful week. I needed a week where I spent the vast majority of time sitting at my desk. Two guys I work with were out this past week which made it a particularly quiet week for me at work. I loved it. I spent the vast majority of the week writing and reworking a report that a young (green) staff member had written that was pretty horrid. I can deal with weeks like that.

So the eventful side of this pregnancy started Thursday when I woke up to some light bleeding. It tapered off over the next 36 hours. I called Dr. M and his nurse sent me in for bloodwork. First draw Thursday, second one will be tomorrow. Given the way I feel (urky) and that the bleeding stopped, I am fairly confident that I am not losing this baby - at least right now. Still I find myself much more paranoid about this pregnancy.

I am really looking forward to my first visit with my ob on August 28th and am hoping I can get an early ultrasound to waylay my concerns. This early pregnancy has just been so different from both of my others.

So let's see - cravings? None really. Carbs are good - bagels with cream cheese are good. Protein (beef) is good most of the time, but there are times it really isn't good. Chicken is still fine. Fruit and vegies are good.

Aversions - depends on the hour. Bacon smelled and looked horrid yesterday.

August 5, 2012: 5 weeks 1 day

So we went camping this past weekend. Little bouts of nausea here and there, but nothing horrible. The tiredness though is already setting in. Saturday afternoon I was so tired I layed down in the trailer and took a nap. I never take naps. But this one did me good.

Aversions - I have been having a harder time with sweet foods, loving the fresh produce and savory. Caprese salads still too - weird. And my favorite salted caramel ice cream? AB brought it to me in the trailer last night and after three bites I thought I was going to be sick. Strange.

So I did make a phone call on Thursday and told my good friend who I work closely with. I needed to tell him why I couldn't go in and work on the pyrolysis products. And once I told him I was expecting I was happy that he immediately said, "no way can you go in and work on that!" I wasn't just being overly paranoid.

We talked a little more - about like that I won't be going to New Orleans in early April to accept our third award for our work. (He isn't sure he will go to Orlando in November to help accept our second award since his wife is expecting in January.) Then we talked logistics of baby stuff - how long they might need some of the baby items before handing them back to us.

Though he is one of my closest coworkers/friends it was very difficult to tell him I was pregnant. And it still feels a little weird that aside from AB and I, that he is the only other person who knows. We are in theory waiting to tell everyone until after the 8 week appointment... though there could be circumstances that pop up before and we won't deny it!

I am looking for a clever way to tell friends and family. I need to look around for ideas...

August 1, 2012: 4 weeks 4 days

So I just got a notice in my work e-mail that they will be painting in the building in the coming weeks. Nope, I am not worried about the paint fumes affecting the baby, I am worried about them affecting me and my nausea. Lovely.

Ok, so 4 weeks and 4 days along apparently. I have been a bit nauseated off and on. Pretty much all the time, I at least feel like my stomach is sitting in my throat. Sometimes worse than others. Biggest symptom so far though is the nose. I can smell EVERYTHING. Just like the last two pregnancies.

So I did go back and read my pregnancy blog from Skadi. Wow, I was right, she was a girl and she would torment me – in utero and in life! I also laugh about my cravings – chicken fingers and serious aversion to vegetables. Hello do you know my daughter? Seriously now.

No food aversions yet, though I am finding I am just not starved. But I am having a serious tomato craving – Caprese salad please. I am finding a farmer’s market tonight and hopefully grabbing some fresh heirloom tomatoes. Must have them.

Lots of questions and thoughts – like, oh my goodness I need a new car. We are thinking about finding out the gender this time so we can prepare. We loved not knowing with Leif and Skadi. But this time (not that it really did before) gender doesn’t matter. We have supplies for both and knowing gender earlier will enable us to move kids’ rooms, get rid of one entire set of gender clothing, and will be a neat way to bring the kids in to it. Knowing the gender ahead of time may help with any potential disappointment on their ends. (From conversation a few weeks ago – they both want a brother.)

Both kids right now are really into asking about babies, seeing babies (Skadi really, not Leif) and asking about their behaviors while in utero. Really kind of strange actually that this has picked up.

We don’t really have plans to tell people yet. In fact, it has lately become more of an issue of how not to tell people. Like how do I tell my coworkers that I cannot go clean out the pyrolysis products on that piece of equipment because I am paranoid of fumes? Or how do I tell one of my closest friends that pregnant women aren’t allowed on the water slide? (Thank you Skadi for BEGGING me to take her into the water NOW!)

One of my good friends I work with is expecting #3 in January and has some of our baby stuff. And in fact, we just talked about it on Friday when he asked if he could purchase the items. I said no – he could have them and if by some miracle I ended up pregnant, return them then. Well ummm… I kind of hate to pull it back, but we should talk about this so we can figure out who gets to buy a new cosleeper…