March 26, 2009

Week 12










~~Amanda

End of Week 12 Status:
Weight: 142.5 lbs.
Estimated Baby Size: Medium Shrimp

Woohoo!!!! We've made it to the SECOND TRIMESTER! We are officially 1/3 of the way to having a baby. Week 12 was rather dull....so I'm not going to have a whole lot to say. All that happened was school related, and wasn't interesting. Babywise, we are really excited about our first ultrasound appt and visit with the doctor scheduled for this time next week.

My diet has been hard. I have been trying to avoid sugar, but the quest is driving me crazy, and I seem to only crave fatty, salty, or sugary foods. I have to basically force-feed myself broccoli and mixed vegetables along with my meals. If I followed my cravings I would have some sort of pizza, cheesy Italian , spicy Thai, Indian, or Chinese dish with dessert for every meal. I can't imagine that would be very good for Gorthar. Sooo, I've been being good for the most part. I do sneak the occasional sugary glass of V8 Splash once in a while, but as soon as this last jug is finished it will be banished from the shopping list. I have decided to allow myself pure dessert-type sweets in small portions once every two or three days. I am combatting generations of sweet-tooth genes; my dad's side has a notorious weakness for desserts, and my grandparents on my mom's side used to manufacture their own chocolates for the whole family every single Christmas!

Other than cravings, I've been getting headaches, which I can only guess mean I need to drink more water. I try to have a bottle with me at all times, but it can seem a chore to make constant trips to the bathroom. They wouldn't be so annoying if I wasn't having to utilize the nasty public toilets of Old Dominion University. I can't imagine hovering will be very easy to manage in the later months of my pregnancy. Ha! In any case, I will have to get better at forcing myself to drink up.

Well, I hardly want to drone on forever about pizza cravings and potty breaks, so I shall bid you adieu. Tune in next week for the ultrasound update!


March 19, 2009

Week 11










~~Amanda

End of Week 11 Status:
Weight: 142 lbs.
Estimated Baby Size: Lime

Welcome to Week 12! Week 11 wasn't incredibly eventful...I didn't feel well for the better part of it, and going back to school and dealing with rainy weather didn't help. I do feel better now, however, and have a weekend packed with studying to look forward to. Both Andy and I have exams on Monday; I also have two papers due. It's interesting how our classes seem to use the same day to make all big projects due. Anyhow, this is hardly of any interest baby-wise.

My arm has a bit of a charlie horse right now from the flu shot I endured earlier today. When I first was shot, I had the impression that I got off easy. I barely felt grazed. In a chipper mood, I carried out the rest of my daily tasks not realizing the second I ceased my scurrying about I would pay for it with an achey deltoid. I only wish they would have picked a less useful "muskel." I can't remember the last time I used my extensor carpi radialis...furthermore, I can't remember the last time I had the flu! However, I guess it's a mandatory vaccination for pregnant women. It takes about two weeks for my system to build enough antibodies to combat the virus, so I will be shunning sicklies until then.

Other than a sore arm, my belly has been raising an itch fit. Every few minutes or so I have to run my fingers across it lightly to stop the stretching itches. It may not be that apparent from the tummy shot, but I am definitely in a process of expansion at the moment. It's a good thing low-rise pants have been in style the last few years; I don't know how women in the 80's managed without them....that's just painful to think about! And kind of funny...let's find a picture...


Well, Ok, she might as well be living in the 80's....what's with the double belt???


Alrighty, it's past Gorthar's bedtime, and I'm pretty exhausted myself. I am observing the kiddies at the elementary school tomorrow and it might be my last day there. Those 30 hours flew by.

See you next week for the 2nd trimester!

March 14, 2009

Week 10










~~Amanda

End of Week 10 Status:
Weight: 142 lbs.
Estimated Baby Size: Fig

I know I am late writing this, as it's already day 3 of week 11, but Andy and I have been enjoying our break, and I just didn't feel like writing until now. Spring break has been a wonderful respite for both of us. We started it off with a trip to the Back Bay Wildlife Refuge just south of Virginia Beach on Virginia's outer banks. It is an awesome place, so filled with beauty. I plan on making many more trips there in the next few years. Sunday afternoon we had a barbecue in the park with our friends Bob and Marcia. We are going to their daughter's birthday party tomorrow, which little Caroline told us is going to be a Wonder Pets fiesta!

I was hoping there would be lots of exciting stuff to add this week as my first prenatal appointment was on Tuesday, but it ended up just being some sort of orientation for the hospital, and there were several other pregnant couples present. I didn't eat before we left, not sure why, but I definitely regretted it when I found out they wanted 8 vials of my blood. I am lucky I didn't pass out. I guess I had more than enough to spare. :) It will be another few weeks before we get to hear our little one's heartbeat, and we can't wait. April 2nd, Day 1 of Week 14!

Fourteen weeks is a long time to have to wait for most people, but I am fine with it. I was really impressed with the hospital, and I feel completely confident and comfortable to be in their care. Naval Medical Center Portsmouth is more progressive than most civilian hospitals, as they allow options such as natural birth, midwives, shower labor, and even low lighting or music at birth. I am very relieved, since after watching the instant viewing film "The Business of Being Born" on Netflix, I am not incredibly keen on the idea of drugs, or being on my back for delivery. I'm going to go with the Europeans on this one, ha! I have been in a lot of pain many times in my life and it has never killed me. I know this will hurt more than anything I've ever experienced, but I consider it a rite of passage, and am determined to do it my way on God's time, not some hospital's.

Well, Gorthar is thirsty and hungry and I'm still not really in the mood for writing--which you can probably tell from my lackluster sentence structure--so I'm gonna sign out for this week. See ya soon.

March 6, 2009

Week 9










~~Amanda

End of Week 9 Status:
Weight: 142 lbs.
Estimated Baby Size: Kumquat

Week 10 has gloriously arrived and I revel in disbelief at the fact that I am already a quarter of the way through my pregnancy. I will admit that I am forcing myself to write this week. Today marks the beginning of our Spring Break, and the last thing I feel like doing right now is writing...but I know I would regret it later if I didn't. Now that Week 9 has come and gone, I suppose it is time I fill you in on all the excitement. We finally have a house that is under contract, which we are hoping to close on in April sometime. Here are a few pictures just to give you a taste:

We are very excited about it, it has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living rooms, a dining room, and an eat-in kitchen. It also has an attached garage, and a detached garage/workshop art studio in the backyard. The yard is my favorite part, see the picture. It was taken from a tree loft--I won't call it a tree house because it has no roof--which has a place for a swing. In any case, I'm sure I'll be writing a lot about its progress and the baby's room in the future weeks...but just in case something happens and we end up not closing on it, I have nothing more to say about it for now. Besides, it feels like all I've been doing in my French class has been describing houses, their rooms, and whatever else...I'm bored with the idea of writing it in English.

Andy and I continue to do well in school despite the insanity of juggling midterms, huge writing/research assignments, orchestra practice, and (for me) observation at the elementary school, (for Andy) NROTC stuff and writing for the newspaper. We are planning on thoroughly relishing this Spring Break, and I already have a cookout planned at one of the parks in Virginia Beach to enjoy our 70 degree weather this weekend....finally! I miss exploring trails.

I know I shouldn't complain when my brother and sister-in-law in Rochester, NY have had so much winter weather, but I have been spoiled by beach weather for too many years now...I need my swamp! Hmmm...I will most likely eat those words along with any other smorgasbord that gets set before me around July when I weigh another 20 lbs, and it's a humid 98 degrees outside.

Pregnancy has become considerably easier this week. My fatigue has started to wear off a bit, and I have been getting fewer mood swings. It is nice not to have random road rage. I do, however, still have the handicap of baby brain which likes to send me off on wild goose chases.

I have my first prenatal appointment on Tuesday this week, so Week 10's post should have lots of pregnancy specifics.

Until then, enjoy your week everyone. I know we will!