15 weeks already

It's funny; at times I feel like I have a long way to go until this baby is here and at other times I can't believe that I'm already 15 weeks.  I have roughly 5 1/2 months to get ready for this new babe.  Seems like a lot of time when you say it like that but I know each week is going to fly by and before I know it, it will be December.  I think I'm most stressed about making sure everything is taken care of at work.  That will be a feat in itself since I've been put in a very odd situation in which I can't really lean on anyone that I work with currently and will have to bring in outside help.  We'll see how that goes. :(

I'm really looking forward to the 8 weeks I'll be off with this new baby and Olivia.  I know it will go by in the blink of an eye, but it will still be so wonderful to bond with my 2 kids.  This could be the last time I go on maternity leave.  It makes me kind of sad to think that all of these pregnancy experiences and everything going forward, could be the last time we go through each stage.  Not that everything Olivia is doing right now isn't amazing.  I feel like I'm always saying this but, I love the age she's at right now.  So much fun!  We ordered her big girl bed this week and I'm ready to kick off some serious potty training in the next couple of weeks.  My little baby is growing into a big girl.  And while I love going through all of these stages, I'm sad to see her grow up.  I sound like the cliché mom, but its all so true!

How far along?
15 weeks 2 days

How are you feeling? 
Well, I have had some pretty good days lately.  The nausea is getting better with very little occurence the last 4-5 days.  The exhaustion is easing as well.  I had more energy this weekend that I can remember having since I got pregnant.  It was wonderful being able to get a lot done!  I hope that this continues now.  :)

My pelvis was a little sore from being so active on Saturday but I remember that feeling the last time around after I would work out.  It's just a dull ache on and off to let you know, hey you did something today.  It was a welcome feeling.

Now that I'm not so incredibly tired, I feel better even from the moment I wake up.  It's so nice!

I'm starting to notice a little stiffness when I first get up from sitting for a while on the couch.  I remember this from last time too.  Nothing super noticeable yet, but its happened several times in the last week. I feel like I have a hitch in my step for the first couple of steps I take when I get up from the couch in the evenings.  It could also have something to do with the way I sit on the couch.

Cravings? 
No, not really.  I'm definitely more hungry these days though.

What are you missing?
I could go for a few cold beers or glasses of wine on a Friday or Saturday.  Up until this past weekend, I hadn't really missed it at all.  I'll just pretend with my carbonated juice beverage and virgin blood Mary's.  There's still a long way to go before alcohol is in my future.  Even after this little babe is here, I'm sure it will be a good month before I get to partake in anything.  Last time I remember being pretty overwhelmed in the beginning. I couldn't even think about having a couple of drinks for a while.

Maternity Clothes?I ordered some more maternity dress pants last week and I'm hoping I have them before next week because the few pairs on non-maternity dress pants that have lots of stretch, are now at the end of their life for this pregnancy.  I don't think I'll fit in them by next week.

My jeans and shorts still fit decently well although I had to do the hair tie trick with one of my pairs of capris this weekend.  I'm thinking within 2-3 weeks I'll need some maternity shorts and/or capris.  It will be a good month or more before I need maternity tops but I may indulge and wear some of what I have before then just out of comfort.  Their length is nice when you're wearing maternity pants and need to cover up that huge elastic waistband.


What are you looking forward to? 
The countdown for when I'll feel movement is on.  While I'm hoping to feel it within the next 2-3 weeks, I realize I may have a little longer to wait.  I was almost 20 weeks with Olivia when I felt movement.

We will be moving most of the nursery furniture into the new room this coming weekend when Olivia gets her new bedroom furniture.  I need to find a place for all the furniture that is currently occupying the baby's room this week.  Not sure where everything is going to fit.  Some things will have to end up in the basement for now.  We need a bigger house, haha.  That is still 2-3 years down the road, so until then, I guess we'll figure out how to organize all of our stuff.

Something you're loving about being pregnant?
The bigger boobs is pretty nice.  :)  I wish they weren't so sore most of the time though. 

Weight Gain/Loss
+5 lbs.  I've also gained some love handles...fun  I'm not sure if those are due to the pregnancy or if my poor choice in foods the last 3 1/2 months has caused them to appear.  I'm not going to agonize over them.  I'll have plenty of time after the pregnancy to get fit again.

Courtesy of the work bathroom:

14 weeks

So it turns out that I was wrong about the fatigue...I've been so incredibly exhausted on and off since last week.  I'm wondering if maybe I need to increase my iron intake or something?  Maybe it has nothing to do with my iron level and I'm just tired because I'm making a person...whatever the reason, I'm seriously feeling drained.  What I wouldn't give to take a nap at my desk right now for like 3 hours. 

Not only have I been pretty tired lately, but my nausea seems to have come back for an on & off version of round 2.  It's not nearly what it was in first tri, but I'm definitely feeling sick at different points in the day.  Food aversions are very present too.  Most of the time, very little sounds good enough to eat. 

I'm not sure if I'm using these symptoms as an excuse or the fact that life is crazy busy, but I have not worked out in what feels like forever (and I'm not counting the beach yoga I did on vacation).  I seriously wish I could summon the ambition to make a workout happen.  I'd love to go for a run or even go to yoga.  Hopefully, soon that will become a reality.

Ok, so enough of the whining.  Outside of what I described above, there's a lot of good going on right now.  Our genetic screening results all came back normal.  Yay!  We celebrated father's day yesterday by telling our families the sex of the baby.  We got Olivia to tell my parents, which was super adorable!  I'll be spilling the beans here in a couple of weeks after we've told the rest of our family and friends.

Also, I told the majority of my co-workers about my news last week.  Apparently some people had already been inquiring about whether or not I was KU, so I figured rather than people whispering about it, I would just try to tell most everyone and let them know its not a secret.  I guess my loose, flowy tops weren't hiding my bump anymore.  :)

How far along?
14 weeks 2 days

How are you feeling? 
Not fantastic but not terrible.  I'm hoping that the return of the exhaustion and nausea is a short term thing and that next week I'll be feeling better.

I've had a couple of times in the last few days when I've had to stop in my tracks due to round ligament pain.  It seems to happen right now when I go to move too quickly and I have to stop in my tracks and re-adjust.

Oh, I've also got some issues with my contacts that I'm convinced is pregnancy related.  It's been going on for at least 3 weeks now.  I can't seem to wear my contacts for more than 6 hours without my eyes getting irritated.  I think I want to ask my doctor about switching to daily's to see if that helps with the irritation.

Not so much a feeling, but another symptom: I've got some pigment discoloration on my face.  I should have mentioned this last week as it became really noticeable in Florida when I was out in the sun.  So, since about 12 weeks I get a little splotchy on my forehead and cheeks after being in the sun.  I wonder if it will go away if I'm not in the sun as much?

Cravings? 
Nope, not really very hungry.

What are you missing?
I wish I could wear my contacts.

Maternity Clothes?
The morning after last week's post, I must have popped because almost all my work pants no longer fit (even the ones a size up).  I broke out my new maternity dress pants on Thursday and it was glorious.  I'm going to order a couple more pairs this week.  All my non-dress pants still fit and I think I've still got 2-3 weeks with those items before I'll have to make a switch.

I also picked up some maternity tops in a quick shopping trip that was only to return some pants that didn't work.  All well, I'm glad I bought the tops.  It will probably be at least 3-4 weeks before I start wearing any maternity tops though.  Plenty of my regular shirts still fit just fine, albeit a little tighter than before.

What are you looking forward to? 
I'm starting to think about when I'll get to feel this little baby move.  I'm hoping within the next month?

Also, Brad and I verbally went through a list of what we need to start working on to get ready for this babe.  I'm excited to start really putting together some plans for his/her arrival.  It's funny how you don't realize how much there is to do until you start actually make a list.  Eek!

Something you're loving about being pregnant?
Having people notice my little bump.  I'm sure it will be a little while until strangers ask, but it's fun when friends and family make mention that they can certainly tell I have a baby bump.

Weight Gain/Loss
+4 lbs.  This has been varying the last several days, so who knows.  It was about time that I added a couple more pounds since I hadn't gained any real weight since I was 8 weeks.
  

13 weeks

We're home from vacation and back to the daily grind. :(  We had a great time in Florida and I'm so happy we went.  Olivia had so much fun swimming in the ocean and in the pool.  That kid is like a fish, I swear! 

I felt pretty good while we were down there too.  My morning sickness has pretty much evaporated and the exhaustion is much better as well.  That stupid cold is still lingering and was annoying while we were away but it was better than dealing with m/s.

Today marks 13 weeks 4 days and in my book that puts me in the second trimester.  Hooray!  I have an appointment tonight and they will be handing me a sealed envelope with the sex of the baby in it.  I guess Brad and I have some talking to do so that we can figure out if or when we should open it.

Here's this week's stats:

How far along?
13 weeks 4 days

How are you feeling? 
 I think the morning sickness is gone for the most part.  I still have had a couple of moments here and there during the last week where I haven't felt very good, but its sooo much better.  There's actually somewhat of a new twist.  I haven't been very hungry since the sickness has gone away.  Like, I don't really feel like eating much at all throughout the day.  I still make sure that I'm eating and getting enough, but it's so weird.  I wonder if it has something to do with this cold?

The exhaustion is also much better, although there are still nights like last night were I feel completely out of energy by 7 pm.

I've been getting cramps on and off in my lower abdomen.  Nothing that is concerning, just growing pains I'm sure.  And while my stomach hasn't really grown all that much, it has already started to become itchy.  I thought it was rather early for this so who knows.  I've been putting on cocoa butter just like last time in case that helped prevent me from getting stretch marks.  If I can make it out of this pregnancy with no stretch marks I will seriously be so happy!

Cravings? 
Being that I'm not hungry, there's nothing that I'm craving lately. 

What are you missing?
 Nada

Maternity Clothes?
Nope, not yet.  I've got a couple of pairs of dress pants that are a size up from what I was wearing, so I'm working on wearing those right now.  I'm hoping I've got another 2-3 weeks until I have to make the switch to maternity dress pants.  I finally found a fantastic pair from the Gap that I love and will be happy to wear when the time comes, so that makes me feel a little better.  I think I really need to make some time very soon to get some more pants and maybe some shirts so that I've got them when the time comes.

What are you looking forward to? Continuing to feel better.  And maybe finding out the sex.  We'll see about the later.

Something you're loving about being pregnant?
I get to chose where we eat. :)

Weight Gain/Loss
+2 lbs.  Last week's 1 lb loss rebounded back to the 2 lb gain.  I'm sure I'll start seeing the scale go up though.  It's time to probably start gaining about a pound/week.

 

Here are some pics from vacation with a 13 week bump shot.

12 weeks

I know I'm technically not out of first tri yet, but I'm celebrating and out with my news!  It feels good that it's not a secret anymore.  Although the majority of my co-workers don't know, that will not last long with this bump that has really seemed to pop the last few days.  While I've thought for a while that I had a bump in the evenings, it's still there when I wake up in the morning now....yay!

Since about Thursday of last week, my all day sickness has started to wane.  I still definitely have little bouts here and there at different times during the day but I'm getting a glimpse at what it feels like to be normal again.  Thank goodness! 

In other news, I seem to have caught a cold.  Not cool.  Especially since we leave for vacation tomorrow.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it is really short-lived and that when I wake up tomorrow morning (day 4 of the cold), I'll be getting better.  It's funny, its like I swapped the m/s sickness for a cold instead.  Not being able to take anything for my super sore throat and this runny nose is irritating to say the least.  I have gotten very little sleep the last 3 nights.  I feel like I could just fall over right now.  Maybe a nap at lunch is in order?  :)   

I'm going to need some more energy to get me through this day. I have to work late tonight and then finish packing (which is taking forever, btw) and getting the house ready tonight before bed.  Oh, and it would be great if I could somehow magically get to bed earlier that usual also because I have to come into work tomorrow by 5 am so that I can wrap up my payroll activities and be done and leaving the office by 10 at the latest.  I'm going to be soooo tired!  But hey, I'll be sleeping on the plane from the drammamine.  Either way, vacation starts tomorrow and I'll get a chance to sleep then, so I'm fine going without for a few days I guess.

Here's this week's official update.

How far along?
12 weeks 2 days

How are you feeling? 
The morning sickness seems to be going away.  If I can get through this week feeling this good, I'll be so very happy.  It's nice to feel somewhat normal again.  I'm eating less the last 4 or 5 days too.  I think because I'm not sick 24/7 I don't feel the need to be constantly munching on carbs and other terrible things for my body.  I actually lost a pound this weekend.  Could be a fluke or could be from eating less in general and less of the foods that don't have much nutritional value.

Exhaustion is still hanging on but might be getting better.  I'm not sure.  It's so hard to tell since I've been getting  terrible sleep for the last 3 nights in a row.

Cravings? 
Nothing right now really.  Maybe cereal if I had to pick something.  It's not so much of a craving, but more like a go-to when I want to eat. 

What are you missing?
 Not a whole lot right now.  I could go for some more sleep these days, that's for sure.

Maternity Clothes?
Still not wearing anything maternity.  I'm pretty sure that I will be breaking out the maternity dress pants next week.  Things are getting snug.  I only have to work 2 days this week so I'll get by with my regular pants at work today and tomorrow.  Shirts will still be a while but I probably need to get serious about finding some new tops for work. 

What are you looking forward to? 
Vacation tomorrow!!!  Oh, and some sleep.  Sleep would be wonderful!

Something you're loving about being pregnant?It's fun to watch the little baby bump grow.

Weight Gain/Loss
+1 lb.  I lost a pound this weekend.  Something tells me that I'm due to gain a couple of pounds here shortly.

** I realize that I haven't posted any bump pics yet.  Maybe next week I'll post something.  Stay tuned!

11 week update

Sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.  That's this week's theme. 

I am soooo hoping that I start to feel a little better soon.  I haven't had a decent day in a couple of weeks and I swear the nausea is worse now (since about 9 1/2 weeks) than before.  WTH?  We leave for vacation next Tuesday and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this "I'm going to vomit at any second" feeling starts to subside by then.  I thought the fatigue was getting better, but that was a fluke.  It has been worse for the last 4 or 5 days as well.  I started feeling better almost exactly at 12 weeks last time, so lets hope that I follow the same pattern this go around.  That would mean that by Saturday I could have some relief.  Oh, I would be so very happy for that! 

Even though I'm incredibly thankful for this pregnancy, its so hard to not vent sometimes when you feel like garbage 24/7...its not fun. I'm ready for the awesome part of pregnancy that I remember from last time: having enough energy to work out sometimes, feeling this baby move, looking like I'm pregnant and not chubby, and most of all not having a stomach ache.

I have another doctor appointment tomorrow afternoon.  If everything goes well, we'll be ready to be open with our news to the world this Saturday when I hit 12 weeks.  I guess anytime after the appointment, really.

How far along?11 weeks 2 days

How are you feeling? 
Still battling the nausea and fatigue but keeping the hope alive that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  Pregnancy sciatica is back.  So far it just affects my left side and it's usually in the evenings after I've been active.  I tried stretching and that seems to help for a few minutes but that's about it. 

My skin is getting weird too.  I got little bumps on my thighs and upper arms.  I started using a little more lotion hoping that it will make them go away.  Also, when I'm out in the sun my face gets little brown spots on it afterward.  They seem to fade over the next couple of day but it's odd.

Cravings? 
Not really craving sweets.  It's more a feeling of knowing that sweets won't make me feel pukey.  I really want to eat healthy again but I just can't.  When I try to entertain the thought of fruits and vegetables, most of the time my tummy tells me no.

What are you missing?
I don't remember what it feels like to not be sick to my stomach.  I haven't really missed alcohol except for one hot day when I was outside with the hubby and after having a taste of his beer, I REALLY wanted one of my own.

Maternity Clothes?
 I'm still hanging on to my regular work pants at the moment.  There is one pair that I retired last week and I'm thinking the rest will not fit after next week.  Although I do have some pants that are a size too big that I may try to get away with for a little while as well.  I ordered some maternity pants from Gap and Old Navy.  Some were too big and the one's I was most excited for, well, they sent me the wrong pants.  I have to exchange them.  :(  My regular jeans should still fit for a while.  They're pretty stretchy and lower waisted than my dress pants.

What are you looking forward to? 
Tomorrow's appointment.  It's a relief to hear the heartbeat and I'm anxiously awaiting that moment. 

I'm also looking forward to vacation next week.  I can't wait to bring Livi to the ocean and relax.

Something you're loving about being pregnant?
 Brad has stepped up with helping around the house more now.  It's nice not having all those chores hanging over my head when I feel like crap.  Even though my bump isn't very big I like looking at it, haha.  That seems kind of weird maybe but it really helps me connect to the pregnancy and see my body start to transform and knowing there is a sweet little baby growing in there.  :)

Weight Gain/Loss
Up 2 lbs so far.  Some days I think it's closer to 3 lbs.  I was up 2lbs at my 9 week appointment, so that means that I haven't gained in 2 weeks.  I'm thinking the scale should be changing here soon.  Trying not to obsess about weight although it would be easier if I knew I was eating healthy.