I woke up on Tuesday with this...

It's small, but a tiny bump has appeared! It gets a little more exciting every day. I think morning sickness is officially over for this little lady, but has been taken over by my constant need to EAT. Jay and I finally agreed on a crib, now we just have to figure out how to get it here! Most places don't ship such large items, and the shipping allowance for an APO is 70 pounds. But we'll figure it out!

Doctor's appointment

What a great appointment! This time I had my appointment in the morning, which means I didn't have to wait 45 minutes to see my doctor. I think when I paid for parking, I was in and out in 35 minutes. Nice!

Quick weigh (1.1 pounds gained from the last appointment), a few questions and then on to the ultrasound! I got to see my baby's arms, hands, fingers, feet (toes were too small to see!), legs, spine, and it was amazing! The baby was moving all over the place. It's crazy that this little 6.5 inch thing is doing somersaults in my body and I can't even feel it. I got to hear the baby's heartbeat, which was strong and fast. Everything is progressing well, so says the doctor. It gets a little more real every day, and every visit is a little more reassuring about our baby's progress.

I told my doctor we don't want to know the sex until Jay is here with me, just in case he can tell at my next appointment. We're anxious to know, but want to find out together!

So far this week I've felt fine, just a little tired. I attribute that to staying up late and getting up early, so I need to fit in a nap or two!

One down, two to go!

Today marks the beginning of the second trimester! I'm not sure how much is different between yesterday and today, but it's a milestone nonetheless.

I've been sick a lot this past week, so my body is cranky with something! I'm still waiting for the elusive baby bump, and will gladly post some pictures when it appears! Germany has turned up the heat this week as well, so I'm not too upset about the lack of extra weight to carry around just yet!

I have noticed that eating smaller meals more frequently, as opposed to three full meals, is much easier for my body to tolerate. I don't leave the house without a Luna bar (thanks to Susan for introducing me to some new flavors!) since the hunger strikes without warning, and without my water bottle since I stay thirsty.

Hopefully the second trimester will bring on a little more energy and a little less morning (afternoon/evening) sickness. Wish me luck!

Almost 14 weeks

I've read a lot of books, a lot of articles, and even seen a few documentaries on labor and delivery. But even The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy cannot give you the amount of information one Memorial Day BBQ with four moms can! I am lucky to be in a community of such diverse and amazing mothers, and last week I found myself in the company of four women who have among them nine children ranging from newborns to college students. That being said, I also have not FEARED labor until that conversation. There's so much to think about, luckily I have plenty of other stuff between now and then to keep me busy.

Yesterday I got my new book in, The Pregnancy Journal. So far, this is what I'm most excited about of all the books and things baby-related I've purchased. This is an awesome book that's a combination journal/advice/general baby knowledge and wisdom book and I am in LOVE with it. It breaks down the development of my baby day by day, as well as what's happening to me and some fun advice and quotes. To start, you work backwards from your due date, filling in the actual dates for your pregnancy. It gives you a better idea of your actual date of conception, and allows you to use it like a calendar. So I can look every day to see what's going on, and make notes. It has places to chart weight and growth, and is a really great way for me to record everything that's going on with this pregnancy. I'm so excited.

The quote for Day 1 is, "Nothing is worth more than this day" by Goethe. I find it particularly powerful.

Thanks to Sam, Dandy and Susan & Shane for my first baby gifts! You guys are awesome!

We've started our baby registry but it's in the very bare-bones early stage...babies need a lot of stuff! My next doctor's appointment is next week, and I'm excited to see how much our baby has grown!

It has to be said

I started this blog to keep up with my feelings and thoughts, so I'd have something to look back on this time next year, and to keep friends and family updated. Most of my friends in the states don't have kids yet, so I also thought it would help for them to see what all this was like through the eyes of one of their most honest (even brutally so) and straightforward friends. So I'll just say it.

The concept of gaining weight is a difficult one to grasp. For the better part of ten years, it's what we've been trying to AVOID. I don't particularly have body image issues, I've never had an eating disorder, and I tend to carry around at least five extra pounds "for the winter" (year-round). But truthfully, the idea of gaining 25+ pounds is a little unnerving. That being said, I don't intend on "putting my baby on a diet" in the womb by not eating enough, because vanity is selfish. Weight can be gained and lost, and really there's no better reason to gain weight than for the specific purpose of nourishing a tiny, growing baby.

The whole "eating for two" concept has gotten radically out of hand, as far as I'm concerned. That suggests that even though my baby is currently the size of a kidney bean, I should be eating whatever I want, as much as I want "for the baby". Untrue. Granted, I do now eat at least four times a day, because pregnancy hunger is different from normal hunger. Anyone who knows me well knows what a cranky pants I can be when I'm not fed. Multiply that and intensify that, and that is hungry-pregnant-Jessica. When hunger strikes I need to eat immediately, or I feel sick. So my new philosophy has become "eat when you're hungry". Hey, it works.

The sniffles

Well it was bound to happen. Usually twice a year, once in May and once in October, I get a cold that likely develops into a sinus infection. So I shouldn't have been surprised when I started getting sniffly two days ago. Now we're at full-fledged cold and it is a bummer. I realized last night my old standby for colds, Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold, is a no-go because it contains aspirin. Even bigger bummer. So for now I'm using saline drops and Vicks, drinking fluids and trying to rest. I took a doc-approved Benadryl last night, which usually knocks me out for a solid ten hours, and even THAT didn't work.

I woke up starving, so I ate and am hoping I can keep down orange juice for an extra shot of vitamin C. Oscar is being lazily cooperative today, so I think I'll spend as much time in the bed as possible today!

11 weeks and counting!

Nothing miraculous to report these days. Changing my diet up helped considerably with the overall yuckiness. I have gained a pound, which Jay is very excited about. Still experiencing some marked fatigue and a few issues with sleep, but nothing that can't be fixed by a beautiful, busy day to wear me out and put me to bed early!

I am starting to understand the in-between-ness people talk about concerning clothes. Where your normal clothes start to get a little tight, and you don't want to buy bigger clothes because soon, you'll actually need maternity clothes. It's amazing that even though I haven't gained much weight (I'm still at -2 since I lost 3 pounds early on), things seem to just be shifting around.

Oscar continues to be very protective. He barks at strangers, which he used to do only if they had on hats (what a weird dog) or were walking dogs. Now he even barks at women, which he's never done. He still doesn't see kids as a threat, so that's good.

Now we're just counting down the days until Jay comes home! He should be home right around my five-month mark, which puts him here just in time to find out the sex. Exciting!