In the time that I've spent away from blogging, I've probably gone through another 7 weeks of pregnancy. That being said, I'm now one month into the last trimester- woohoo!!
I have learned quite a bit from books, mainly lots and lots of articles, and apps on my phone, what I'm supposed to expect or experience during pregnancy, and what constitutes "normal."
Truth is, almost anything goes with pregnancy. So much of what we experience just varies from woman to woman, and most of it is unavoidable stuff that just... happens.
For instance, I have mainly battled fatigue, sciatica discomfort, and Braxton Hicks contractions. The fatigue happens mostly on days when I don't have something planned, so I really think it's just an extreme version of boredom. If I wake up with a purpose, excitement, or a cup of coffee (2 cups/day is fine, not to worry), then I'm usually a happy camper. It helps much more if I shower right away in the morning and not try to go about my day with "day-old makeup" or yesterday's clothes, because just freshening up is rejuvenating enough. Thankfully, Justin has been really encouraging me to take this time while he's away to rest and enjoy the pregnancy as much as I can, without worrying about working. He liked to ask, "so when are you going to stop working?" as if I just wanted to. But now, I'm realizing that cutting back and really taking this time to be at home, with family, and friends, is helping me tremendously.
My sciatica discomfort seems to be short-lived. I thought it was the beginning of something that could be chronic, but apparently I had either lifted something too heavy (totally believable) or sat on my booty too long and needed a good workout! Either way, I learned to stop trying to do so much at home, and to workout more, and the sciatica pains are gone.
The Braxton Hicks contractions are simply an annoyance. They are mostly annoying because I've heard (and seen this happen to someone) that, if prolonged, they can actually put a woman into legitimate stages of labor. I know of a girl who went into labor at 32 weeks from having Braxton Hicks contractions for an extended period of time. Mine usually pop up if I eat too much and then move around, instead of sitting down and letting my food settle. It sounds silly, but that's the only time I notice my stomach feeling like a big rope has been tied around it and it's just tightening and tightening. My cheeks usually get flushed and I have to recline and breathe through them. They do not hurt at all, but they sure are annoying.
As far as feeling my daughter move- she moves a ton! I feel fortunate enough that I haven't had to really shake my stomach or press on it to encourage her to move. After 28 weeks, doctors told me to count them twice a day, hoping for 10 movements felt within an hour. I usually feel 10 movements in about 2 minutes and I'm woken up by them in the mornings, and I feel her going crazy right as I lie down for bed. I hear that as she gets bigger, she'll just have less room and may seem less mobile, but then I can just poke and prod and hopefully agitate her to get moving and let me know all is okay in there :)
I happen to have an anterior placenta, so for a long time, her movements weren't very strong for me, and I didn't quite feel her kicking as early as some moms. But, thankfully she's forceful enough these days that there's no question what she's doing in there!
Other than that, I get a little heartburn when I eat the typical acidic, spicy foods, but TUMS are all I need to get through the discomfort. I feel a little heavy in the front, and I'm feeling more and more like there's a person in there, rather than just a bloated belly that's rounding out and just... cute. It's weight-gaining time for Anneliese, and I'm sure it'll be noticeable with every passing week.
And finally, I have had the fortune of passing my glucose test and staying within the weight gain requirements for this pregnancy (according to the docs). I scored a 123 on the glucose test (my doc office sets the cutoff at >140) and I have gained a total of 16 pounds. I don't eat a ton, but that doesn't mean I don't get insane sugar cravings. I still love my salads, microwave steamed veggies, and chicken... but I love me some monkey bread, cinnamon toast, french toast, and basically anything with syrup. I feel like I overdo it so many days, but when I crave the other healthy items, I guess it creates a bit of balance. I've also started going back to the gym. Since I'm not working as often (almost not at all in the past few weeks), I figured I'm desperately needing to walk and stretch. I know that it's always recommended to walk it off and stretch, and throw in some yoga, but I was getting so much walking done at work, that I had been able to keep the weight down. But I have to say, nothing compares to getting a solid, purposeful workout at the gym- pregnant or not.
Honestly, that sums up the last 7 weeks, and actually the whole second trimester, as well! I really cannot complain about my experiences, and if the delivery/birth goes well, I could be alright with being pregnant all the time (no barefoot-and-pregnant-with-a-kid-in-each-arm days in my future, though!).
Soon, I'll have a post about my 3-D ultrasound experience, and other home projects- as they are never ending.
Showing posts with label Pregnancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pregnancy. Show all posts
Friday, January 11, 2013
I'm 31 Weeks Today!
Pardon the delay in posts. I've got many, so they will just keep funneling through today and tomorrow, quite frankly, as they are long overdue.
This pregnancy has flown by, with every ounce of energy going with it! Saying that I'm 31 weeks pregnant has a very out-of-body feeling to it. I remember taking my test and looking at Weezy, saying it was a waste of a good pregnancy test, only to look down and be in complete shock when I saw the digital screen display the word "pregnant" after a few moments. (See... it was a good test!)
Since Thanksgiving, I would have to say my only poor experiences with pregnancy have been fatigue and sciatica pains. If I don't have something to really perk me up- a cup of coffee or big plans- I usually find myself eating breakfast and falling asleep on the couch shortly after. I have been upset in the past because it's a bummer to wake up and have missed the whole day, but all of that rest has kept me healthy and away from sickness. So, it's really all in how you look at it, I guess.
I talk an awful lot about the home decorating, organizing, and endless project list that I have, but if you were to visit, you'd quickly notice most of the work must be done inside my head because I've made very little physical progress. Along with keeping busy and being social, I've discovered some really great ideas for our home, yet I don't manage my time wisely, so much of it is still in limbo.
The office is the room that has served as a catch-all for the other rooms as I've dragged every item out of their prospective homes in an attempt to sort through them. The guest room is actually where I've slept for the past week due to the fact that the master bedroom is an utter disaster. I've piled all clean, unfolded laundry on top of the bed, miscellaneous items there (trying to organize, yet again), and it all gets jumbled even more when the dogs get excited and jump on the bed. It's just a mess.
What I've accomplished in this past month and a half is the following:
I've organized the pantry, as best as I can- sans labels. Everything has a home, expired items have been discarded, and I now know exactly what's missing/what needs to be purchased at the grocery store. That's a huge plus. I LOVE these baskets with handles because they make it so easy to just kind of pull them out like a drawer and reach what I need.
I've selected the wall color, and painted the entire nursery- with the exception of trim work.
I've painted and distressed the crib (with the exception of the feet), so it's that much closer to the look and feel of her room! This was Annie Sloan's Old White chalk paint.
The kitchen has been literally ransacked of all the things that don't belong, including old pots and pans. It's about as organized as it'll ever be, just disregard all of the clutter on the peninsula (to the left of the sink). Those things are helping me give homes to items in junk drawers and the living room closet, however it's simply remaining an incomplete project.
I also re-finished the furniture in the master bedroom. I actually did these first, due to the fact that I was new to refinishing furniture and these were in much worse shape, which meant that it'd be great practice before I tackled Ali's furniture. These are done in Annie Sloan's Chateau Grey. The lighting just doesn't do it justice, I promise. I'm in love with these colors.
In addition to the projects, I was able to have a wonderful Christmas with my work family, my family, my husband's family, and my sweet, crazy dogs at home. This was basically how I ushered in 2013- I went to my sister-in-law's place for the goodies (yummy!) and in the following days, I celebrated on the couch with my sweet dogs. They aren't easy to pose in 10 seconds, so timers on cameras don't quite help after all.
I'm sure the theme of this post is "too many irons in the fire." Heck, I'll just say that's been the story of my life. If someone were to warn me that I'd be 31 weeks pregnant and feel like there was still so much to do, I wouldn't have believed them, due to the fact that I really thought my alone time with a hubby on deployment would have been beneficial to my productivity. But I've managed to still find lots of sleep and have a strong need for extra help when it comes to the house. I'm one big mess, I know.
This pregnancy has flown by, with every ounce of energy going with it! Saying that I'm 31 weeks pregnant has a very out-of-body feeling to it. I remember taking my test and looking at Weezy, saying it was a waste of a good pregnancy test, only to look down and be in complete shock when I saw the digital screen display the word "pregnant" after a few moments. (See... it was a good test!)
Since Thanksgiving, I would have to say my only poor experiences with pregnancy have been fatigue and sciatica pains. If I don't have something to really perk me up- a cup of coffee or big plans- I usually find myself eating breakfast and falling asleep on the couch shortly after. I have been upset in the past because it's a bummer to wake up and have missed the whole day, but all of that rest has kept me healthy and away from sickness. So, it's really all in how you look at it, I guess.
I talk an awful lot about the home decorating, organizing, and endless project list that I have, but if you were to visit, you'd quickly notice most of the work must be done inside my head because I've made very little physical progress. Along with keeping busy and being social, I've discovered some really great ideas for our home, yet I don't manage my time wisely, so much of it is still in limbo.
The office is the room that has served as a catch-all for the other rooms as I've dragged every item out of their prospective homes in an attempt to sort through them. The guest room is actually where I've slept for the past week due to the fact that the master bedroom is an utter disaster. I've piled all clean, unfolded laundry on top of the bed, miscellaneous items there (trying to organize, yet again), and it all gets jumbled even more when the dogs get excited and jump on the bed. It's just a mess.
What I've accomplished in this past month and a half is the following:
I've organized the pantry, as best as I can- sans labels. Everything has a home, expired items have been discarded, and I now know exactly what's missing/what needs to be purchased at the grocery store. That's a huge plus. I LOVE these baskets with handles because they make it so easy to just kind of pull them out like a drawer and reach what I need.
I've selected the wall color, and painted the entire nursery- with the exception of trim work.
I've painted and distressed the crib (with the exception of the feet), so it's that much closer to the look and feel of her room! This was Annie Sloan's Old White chalk paint.
The kitchen has been literally ransacked of all the things that don't belong, including old pots and pans. It's about as organized as it'll ever be, just disregard all of the clutter on the peninsula (to the left of the sink). Those things are helping me give homes to items in junk drawers and the living room closet, however it's simply remaining an incomplete project.
In addition to the projects, I was able to have a wonderful Christmas with my work family, my family, my husband's family, and my sweet, crazy dogs at home. This was basically how I ushered in 2013- I went to my sister-in-law's place for the goodies (yummy!) and in the following days, I celebrated on the couch with my sweet dogs. They aren't easy to pose in 10 seconds, so timers on cameras don't quite help after all.
I'm sure the theme of this post is "too many irons in the fire." Heck, I'll just say that's been the story of my life. If someone were to warn me that I'd be 31 weeks pregnant and feel like there was still so much to do, I wouldn't have believed them, due to the fact that I really thought my alone time with a hubby on deployment would have been beneficial to my productivity. But I've managed to still find lots of sleep and have a strong need for extra help when it comes to the house. I'm one big mess, I know.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Where is the time going? And what am I doing with it?
Ahhhh, Sweet November.
Wait, What?! It's November already?!
Yep... it is indeed. And I've gone way too long without posting on here. But, that's going to change. I've got more ideas and more energy to boot! So what's been happening since my last entry? Below is a list of my main schedule, and what keeps me so out of the loop these days:
Working. I work between 4-5 days a week, unless I've requested time off for any particular reason. I really enjoy work right now, and as long as I feel good, don't push myself so hard that I get sick, and keep a level head (despite fluctuating hormones, and my overall forgetfulness), I'm going to keep working. However, because I work in a restaurant, it means that I give up nights of family dinners with my in-laws and weekends of pumpkin patches and yard-sales because those are our peak hours. Oh, and Thanksgiving and Christmas are work days, as well, but I feel like I work with another family, so all is good!
House work. It sounds silly as much as I talk about house work and the things that I do around here. Some days really are better than others in regards to how much I actually get done. (For instance: I can sweep, mop, dust, and clean the shower, but the dishes are still piling up, and the laundry still sits in a heaping pile at the bottom of my closet!). I have been picking out paint samples, putting them up on the walls and living with them, trying to see which ones I love. I've priced the cost of replacing baseboards for when the floors get replaced (tomorrow!!!), and I've looked at ways to make the bathrooms and bedrooms way more organized and efficient for future guests- especially guests who plan on helping me at the tail-end of this pregnancy and/or when Anneliese arrives. Not to mention, the regular upkeep of a 4 bedroom house with 2 1/2 baths is really overwhelming right now. I am getting really close to getting it all just as it should be, though.
Socializing. Between grabbing lunch or dinner with friends, having friends over (only the good ones who don't mind my house in its condition, haha!), and even trying to tutor one day a week, I stay busy on my 2-3 days off each week! I try my best to put myself out there and just go out in town, even if it's by myself, just to run into people that I know, and make a connection each day. In 4 days, Justin will have been gone 2 months now. It's still going well on my end, but I have to say, it's only because I make plans. There's only so much you can watch on Hulu before you just break down and need a personal connection with another human. Oh! And some days Justin catches me on chat, and we talk for an hour or so. Everything stops when I see him online. If I had plans to wax my eyebrows before work, it goes down the drain :) I don't answer my phone or get out of bed. I just lay there and chat with him until he says he has to go.
Doctor Visits. Okay, so this doesn't really take up much of my time. I just threw it in there because I happen to have 2 this month. The 20 week check-up went as well as it could have with what Anneliese would show us. But there were still some measurements that needed to be taken which simply weren't going to happen that day. So, I'm scheduled to go back on Nov. 8 to hopefully get the rest of them. Thankfully, I feel her moving really well this week, and by the way it feels, I am convinced she's doing somersaults 24/7. So I'm hoping we can get her to do a LOT more on the ultrasound this next Thursday! I was reassured by a friend that it's really common to have to come back for additional measurements, and my doc said nothing jumped out at him as abnormal, he just needed to see more.
Pinning. I now admit that I have a Pinterest addiction. I have been using Pinterest for quite some time now, but I have just carelessly pinned outfits and decor that I really love as inspiration with no direction. Anneliese's arrival honestly gives me tons of direction! It may sound silly, but I know that lots of baby things will be taken care of by my mom, in-laws, friends, and family. I already have 7 boxes of beautiful clothes for her. I have no idea when she will have the time to wear all of it! So, I'm relaxed about her needs as of right now. I really think that I'll be happy to shop for her after the baby shower. That way, I can hunker down and really focus on getting things that were missed, just before she gets here. Plus, I still have a ton of ideas for her room, which are all just budding at the moment. So Pinterest has really helped me with other things, like making my own laundry detergent (in another post!), shower cleaner, wreaths, and all of those simple organizational tips that I'm now really interested in using! I've even been so excited, I've reorganized my boards. It's ridiculous. But it certainly helps me feel a little more squared away with future projects and getting things done before motherhood :)
Anyway, I have many more topics I'd like to touch on, whether it's today or tomorrow, or whenever. Stay tuned for my cleaning recipes, updated floors (!!!), painted walls, and my review and experience with prenatal yoga :)
Until Soon.
Wait, What?! It's November already?!
Yep... it is indeed. And I've gone way too long without posting on here. But, that's going to change. I've got more ideas and more energy to boot! So what's been happening since my last entry? Below is a list of my main schedule, and what keeps me so out of the loop these days:
Working. I work between 4-5 days a week, unless I've requested time off for any particular reason. I really enjoy work right now, and as long as I feel good, don't push myself so hard that I get sick, and keep a level head (despite fluctuating hormones, and my overall forgetfulness), I'm going to keep working. However, because I work in a restaurant, it means that I give up nights of family dinners with my in-laws and weekends of pumpkin patches and yard-sales because those are our peak hours. Oh, and Thanksgiving and Christmas are work days, as well, but I feel like I work with another family, so all is good!
House work. It sounds silly as much as I talk about house work and the things that I do around here. Some days really are better than others in regards to how much I actually get done. (For instance: I can sweep, mop, dust, and clean the shower, but the dishes are still piling up, and the laundry still sits in a heaping pile at the bottom of my closet!). I have been picking out paint samples, putting them up on the walls and living with them, trying to see which ones I love. I've priced the cost of replacing baseboards for when the floors get replaced (tomorrow!!!), and I've looked at ways to make the bathrooms and bedrooms way more organized and efficient for future guests- especially guests who plan on helping me at the tail-end of this pregnancy and/or when Anneliese arrives. Not to mention, the regular upkeep of a 4 bedroom house with 2 1/2 baths is really overwhelming right now. I am getting really close to getting it all just as it should be, though.
Socializing. Between grabbing lunch or dinner with friends, having friends over (only the good ones who don't mind my house in its condition, haha!), and even trying to tutor one day a week, I stay busy on my 2-3 days off each week! I try my best to put myself out there and just go out in town, even if it's by myself, just to run into people that I know, and make a connection each day. In 4 days, Justin will have been gone 2 months now. It's still going well on my end, but I have to say, it's only because I make plans. There's only so much you can watch on Hulu before you just break down and need a personal connection with another human. Oh! And some days Justin catches me on chat, and we talk for an hour or so. Everything stops when I see him online. If I had plans to wax my eyebrows before work, it goes down the drain :) I don't answer my phone or get out of bed. I just lay there and chat with him until he says he has to go.
Doctor Visits. Okay, so this doesn't really take up much of my time. I just threw it in there because I happen to have 2 this month. The 20 week check-up went as well as it could have with what Anneliese would show us. But there were still some measurements that needed to be taken which simply weren't going to happen that day. So, I'm scheduled to go back on Nov. 8 to hopefully get the rest of them. Thankfully, I feel her moving really well this week, and by the way it feels, I am convinced she's doing somersaults 24/7. So I'm hoping we can get her to do a LOT more on the ultrasound this next Thursday! I was reassured by a friend that it's really common to have to come back for additional measurements, and my doc said nothing jumped out at him as abnormal, he just needed to see more.
Pinning. I now admit that I have a Pinterest addiction. I have been using Pinterest for quite some time now, but I have just carelessly pinned outfits and decor that I really love as inspiration with no direction. Anneliese's arrival honestly gives me tons of direction! It may sound silly, but I know that lots of baby things will be taken care of by my mom, in-laws, friends, and family. I already have 7 boxes of beautiful clothes for her. I have no idea when she will have the time to wear all of it! So, I'm relaxed about her needs as of right now. I really think that I'll be happy to shop for her after the baby shower. That way, I can hunker down and really focus on getting things that were missed, just before she gets here. Plus, I still have a ton of ideas for her room, which are all just budding at the moment. So Pinterest has really helped me with other things, like making my own laundry detergent (in another post!), shower cleaner, wreaths, and all of those simple organizational tips that I'm now really interested in using! I've even been so excited, I've reorganized my boards. It's ridiculous. But it certainly helps me feel a little more squared away with future projects and getting things done before motherhood :)
Anyway, I have many more topics I'd like to touch on, whether it's today or tomorrow, or whenever. Stay tuned for my cleaning recipes, updated floors (!!!), painted walls, and my review and experience with prenatal yoga :)
Until Soon.
Friday, October 5, 2012
My Experiences during Pregnancy
Every pregnancy varies from woman to woman, and if a woman has multiple pregnancies, they can also vary from one another, as well! Most ladies know this, especially if they've ever read an article or researched symptoms. It's pretty much stated everywhere.
This is a cool fact, although it can be extremely annoying when you just want to relate to someone and know that anything and everything you may be going through is normal.
In 2008, I had a miscarriage when I was between 5 and 6 weeks pregnant. From then on, I have probably had about 3 pregnancy "scares" each year up until now. And by "scares," I simply mean the pregnancy would have been unexpected and surprising! :)
Ironically, in contrast to my opening statement, my pregnancy has been pretty darn typical! I downloaded the What to Expect app for the iPhone, and also the BabyCenter app, and they provide daily tips and insight to what I may be going through at the time. I also get emails and updates on online articles as well. It's been great reading along day by day, as a supplement to my books, just to know what to expect (go figure) and how to handle situations as they arise.
My first 6 weeks consisted of nothingness. I thought I had taken a faulty test, so I kind of hoped for a little nausea to make the news more real! Ha! Well, I got it! I threw up about once a day, had aversions to everything except potatoes- starches of all kinds, really- and I felt emotional at my disconnect from food. I had no idea it'd make me so sad that I could crave something, only to eat it and find out it was going to be upchucked in minutes. It really is true- you're super lucky if you don't experience nausea, which about 25% of women are blessed enough to say! ... Oh, and I surely can't forget to mention how Justin loved to stand over me and giggle every time I hugged the porcelain throne. I know it just made the pregnancy a reality to him, and thus, the giggling ensued. But I used to have snot, watery eyes, and pretty hardcore burn in my throat as I'd fuss at him to stop laughing and get me a cold towel!
As time went on, I mainly experienced bloating, gas, fatigue, and nausea. So typical. I felt like a wuss, leaving work early from vomiting, or just feeling like I couldn't keep my eyes open. Financially, it wasn't great for us for me to be giving up shifts, but I really just felt like crap, 24/7.
My baby bump (or should I say, Food Baby) showed up around 8 weeks. It truly was mostly due to gas, but I have always had a stomach that has concentrated gas and weight in my lower areas. So, it's almost like it stretches out easily anyway, haha! So, I quickly became uncomfortable in my jeans and felt like a whale most days, and I rushed off to get maternity jeans way early in the trimester. I even had the thought of how sad it would be if I miscarried again, only to have invested in some clothes so early on. It felt foolish, to tell you the truth.
The second trimester came- some people define it as starting after your 12th week, and some say it starts at week 14. Either way, I definitely felt relief from nausea at that time, and fell in love with food again! I loved tastings at work, smelling food being cooked, and I looked forward to my meals! I was able to eat more veggies and food with more flavor, and it was just an eye opener as to how much I couldn't have in the weeks prior.
Today marks 17 Weeks 0 Days! I'm feeling small flutters in my stomach at night when I lay down and all is quiet, and I am slowly getting my energy back. It has been a roller coaster of good days and bad days when it comes to my energy, but I think a lot of it is determined by how much I look forward to doing in a day. Being alone makes it easy to be a sloth and watch Hulu all day. There's no one to come around and judge. If I don't make plans to work or be with friends, I usually find myself in a rut unless I am just super motivated by a particular task (such as putting together the kitchen table/island/counter that I mentioned in my Home Improvement(s) post!).
My ultimate goal in this time alone, is to not only get the house so cleaned, organized, and decorated, but to find my way in my kitchen. I work at a restaurant that makes wonderful home-style food, and it's so good, that 4 days out of the week, I'm fed! I don't worry about doing more than making cold smoothies at home or throwing together salads and sandwiches. So, my cooking skills have not been put to use in quite some time, and I feel as though it's something I want to change. I'd like to have some staples for our family as Ali grows, and for them to be healthy and relatively timely to make. I'm hoping that Pinterest can help me in this area, and I know that emealz.com is pretty great with that, too. I just don't have that discipline when I work 4 days out of the week, eating well. I don't seem to mind sandwiches on the other days :)
Anyway, as I am now about a month into the second trimester, I now have slightly more energy and have no excuse not to get myself back into a healthy lifestyle that consists of more exercise and healthy eating habits. I want to treat my body and baby well for the rest of this 23 weeks, and now, I have ample opportunities!
If anyone has suggestions for great recipes- pregnant friendly and/or family friendly- just chime in! I'm all ears!
Until Soon!!
A is for...
is for Anneliese!
Okay, obviously, as most people reading this blog have already heard, Justin and I are having a baby girl! Ahhh! It's just the most exciting news I think I've ever EVER received!
The name picking was kind of a silly story. Justin was so sure we were having a boy, that he just called my stomach "Liam" any time we talked about it, or the baby. It never failed, I always said to him, "You better watch out, because I think it's a girl!" And I'd always think about how sad it was that we couldn't come up with a girl's name because we just loved the name Liam so much, that we hadn't found one for a girl that compared to how much we liked our chosen boy's name. So, we decided to tackle it whenever we had time to sit down and really look through some names!
Well, I went up to Indiana to see Justin just before he deployed, and he insisted we find a Barnes and Noble to get a good "Dad-To-Be" book for him to start reading while traveling. We went over to the Family section of the store and found more than enough books. Of course, Justin chose a small book that was more on the humors of becoming a dad, and claimed that it would be a "fun read" for his traveling, and that I can send a more detailed book about Fatherhood whenever he was finished with this one. (That's my hubs)
We came across a really great baby names book that I sat down with, and Justin looked at what I had in my hands and said, "I guess we need to pick out a girl's name, just in case." So... we sifted through, made a few jokes about some of the names- they get so crazy. I'd say names loudly as I read ones that I liked, and he'd mostly say, "Nope!" to them. He suggested the name Ali, after a while of debating. I love that name, but I kept thinking, "What if she can't stand this name because people will say, 'Oh! What a cute name! What's it short for?' " So, I presented the argument to Justin and he said to just keep the name as one of our options.
Then... we came to the name, Anneliese. I don't know why, but it jumped at me. I kept saying it over and over, and I loved it every time. It's great for nicknames when she's young, and she can choose to use her whole name when she gets older, to feel more mature if she'd like. It wasn't on the lists of any of the popular names of the past few years, which was something I had been trying to avoid the whole time with any name we picked. (Growing up a Brittany in the '80s and '90s was hard enough, okay?!)
Justin really liked it, but he really loved Ali. So, after some deliberation, we decided on Anneliese, but we would nickname her "Ali."
I think some people won't get where we came up with "Ali," but that's the story behind it. Justin and I got the best of both worlds and we couldn't be happier!
Stay tuned! I've got more posts on the way!
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Recap from the Recliner
But seriously, I really am sitting in my recliner, writing. I cannot seem to wake up for the life of me!
Ahhh, so it's been an eventful 10 days since I've last written. Justin is still enjoying his new gig, and he's made tons of buddies to make the most out of the next year. I'm still so happy about that. I got a little visit with him in Indianapolis, which went really well, but was all too short. Huge thanks to my brother, who was able to house-sit for those 2 days :)
Here's a few pics from Indianapolis that, I think, really show how pretty that city is!
We went paddle-boating on the Canal Walk that goes through the city! It couldn't have been more beautiful, and since it's a college city, there were tons of people out running, biking, and just soaking up the amazing Fall breeze.
I am not someone who enjoys picking up and leaving on a whim to fly stand-by to a destination where I haven't gotten a hotel or means of transportation, but I wanted to see my hubs. I don't know if I don't enjoy that because I'm pregnant and just generally feel too tired all day, or if I just had anxiety about leaving the house on a whim. Either way, the trip turned out really well, and I'm thankful for a good time with Justin!
When I returned, my grandparents were staying in a beautiful little cottage in Serenbe, called the Mimosa Cottage. I called them when I got in, and they just raved about the amazing french toast they had for breakfast and the fact that they could watch a wedding from the front porch of the cottage. I don't think their stay could have been any better. They spoke to so many people out on the property and really connected with the serenity in Serenbe ;) That's obvious, though.
I snagged a pic of them eating dinner in their cottage, and my chicken pot pie from The Hil, earlier that day!
Ahhh, so it's been an eventful 10 days since I've last written. Justin is still enjoying his new gig, and he's made tons of buddies to make the most out of the next year. I'm still so happy about that. I got a little visit with him in Indianapolis, which went really well, but was all too short. Huge thanks to my brother, who was able to house-sit for those 2 days :)
Here's a few pics from Indianapolis that, I think, really show how pretty that city is!
I am not someone who enjoys picking up and leaving on a whim to fly stand-by to a destination where I haven't gotten a hotel or means of transportation, but I wanted to see my hubs. I don't know if I don't enjoy that because I'm pregnant and just generally feel too tired all day, or if I just had anxiety about leaving the house on a whim. Either way, the trip turned out really well, and I'm thankful for a good time with Justin!
When I returned, my grandparents were staying in a beautiful little cottage in Serenbe, called the Mimosa Cottage. I called them when I got in, and they just raved about the amazing french toast they had for breakfast and the fact that they could watch a wedding from the front porch of the cottage. I don't think their stay could have been any better. They spoke to so many people out on the property and really connected with the serenity in Serenbe ;) That's obvious, though.
I snagged a pic of them eating dinner in their cottage, and my chicken pot pie from The Hil, earlier that day!
And finally, what's been going on this past 10 days? To be honest, I'm still bumming around for the most part. I have been enjoying work so much, and although I'd love to take some time and visit family out of state while I'm feeling up to it, I have too much going on with the pets and the house. And every single day I go to work, I realize how happy it makes me. I see people I care about, sharing in my joys and offering company. I also eat really well (let's not overlook the obvious!), and I have something to do that takes my mind off living alone.
Pretty soon, I'll be working on the house- finally getting some paint on these barren walls- and starting some other projects for... well every single room. The nursery is on my list, but jeez, it's like we just moved in. I have a ton of ideas and no desire to execute any of them at the moment. Fortunately, I have an awesome momma who is pushing me in that direction with every phone call: " Did you check out floor samples?" "Did you get some paint swatches?" " What do you want to do with window treatments?"
Man, if I didn't have her, I'd be sitting in a house with concrete floors and things still in boxes.
So, to end this post, I have yet another set of photos that reflect this past week:
My belly is growing (although really, half the time it still feels like gas), my dogs are lazy in the back yard, and my cat is getting weird in his old age.
OH! And I find out the sex of the baby tomorrow!
Thursday, September 13, 2012
One Week Down
Yesterday I really realized just how much I miss Justin. I have been on a "high" from my neighbors being so great, friends and family being so supportive, and just keeping busy. I've felt so strong and relaxed, and I've honestly embraced the extra responsibilities of living alone.
Yesterday was also my official day off from school and work, and there was nothing to do but clean, hang with the dogs, exercise, cook... all that jazz. I've been tidying up the house a little more, but I think a part of me keeps it in limbo, as far as never quite being clean enough, so that I'll always have something to think about doing. If the house is clean, what will I do with my spare time? None of that spare time will involve hanging with my hubby, and that's a huge bummer. But if the house always needs some sort of organizing project or cleaning project done, then I'll always wake up with a to-do list. How's that for a little analysis?
Justin is almost in the same boat. He misses me, Mags, Weezy- and secretly, Fred- yet he's enjoying the fresh environment, making friends and being around guys like him. He hasn't found very much of that since we've been home, and I know that it's been difficult to try to make friends with a bunch of people who don't quite understand you. They get you, but not on certain levels, I guess. I can appreciate that. And hearing him say those things really does make me feel good about his job and what he's trying to do for us. But we both agree that sleeping alone really blows.
Currently, the hardest part about being here alone is taking care of our zoo by myself. I love these animals, but they dominate my life right now. If I work or go to school and I'm gone for more than 8 hours, I feel horrible about the dogs being locked up in their kennels. What's almost as bad is when they have all this pent up energy that they can't calm down for a bit after I get home. They don't run through the house or anything, but they can't just fall asleep with me when I get home from work. I'm trying to be better at walking them, but one is 52lbs and the other is 73lbs, and I have to walk them separately. After they walk with me, if they still have tons of energy, I let them take it out on each other in the back yard. So far, it's going well, but it's more time-consuming than when Justin and I could split up those duties between our schedules. Either I'm going to get in really great shape from taking care of these dogs during pregnancy, or I'm going to pull my hair out :) I imagine I'll be in really great shape and love this process. It's just been an eye-opener in this first week by myself.
Other than that, I am so grateful that I hit my 2nd trimester last week! It's true for my pregnancy- I really do feel so much better! I took each dog for a walk, challenged the hills in my neighborhood, and jogged as well. Justin called in the middle of my second walk, and I was so out of breath he couldn't figure out what I was doing, haha! But I told him I was really proud of myself for finally getting to a point where exercise and eating well were feeling really good again. No more nausea-friendly starches for me! I ate a bowl and a half of fresh sauteed collard greens and I couldn't have felt better. This trimester feels like a blessing! My heart really goes out to those ladies who had to deal with nausea/morning sickness and other 1st trimester woes well into the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. It's no bueno :(
Until Soon!
Yesterday was also my official day off from school and work, and there was nothing to do but clean, hang with the dogs, exercise, cook... all that jazz. I've been tidying up the house a little more, but I think a part of me keeps it in limbo, as far as never quite being clean enough, so that I'll always have something to think about doing. If the house is clean, what will I do with my spare time? None of that spare time will involve hanging with my hubby, and that's a huge bummer. But if the house always needs some sort of organizing project or cleaning project done, then I'll always wake up with a to-do list. How's that for a little analysis?
Justin is almost in the same boat. He misses me, Mags, Weezy- and secretly, Fred- yet he's enjoying the fresh environment, making friends and being around guys like him. He hasn't found very much of that since we've been home, and I know that it's been difficult to try to make friends with a bunch of people who don't quite understand you. They get you, but not on certain levels, I guess. I can appreciate that. And hearing him say those things really does make me feel good about his job and what he's trying to do for us. But we both agree that sleeping alone really blows.
Currently, the hardest part about being here alone is taking care of our zoo by myself. I love these animals, but they dominate my life right now. If I work or go to school and I'm gone for more than 8 hours, I feel horrible about the dogs being locked up in their kennels. What's almost as bad is when they have all this pent up energy that they can't calm down for a bit after I get home. They don't run through the house or anything, but they can't just fall asleep with me when I get home from work. I'm trying to be better at walking them, but one is 52lbs and the other is 73lbs, and I have to walk them separately. After they walk with me, if they still have tons of energy, I let them take it out on each other in the back yard. So far, it's going well, but it's more time-consuming than when Justin and I could split up those duties between our schedules. Either I'm going to get in really great shape from taking care of these dogs during pregnancy, or I'm going to pull my hair out :) I imagine I'll be in really great shape and love this process. It's just been an eye-opener in this first week by myself.
Other than that, I am so grateful that I hit my 2nd trimester last week! It's true for my pregnancy- I really do feel so much better! I took each dog for a walk, challenged the hills in my neighborhood, and jogged as well. Justin called in the middle of my second walk, and I was so out of breath he couldn't figure out what I was doing, haha! But I told him I was really proud of myself for finally getting to a point where exercise and eating well were feeling really good again. No more nausea-friendly starches for me! I ate a bowl and a half of fresh sauteed collard greens and I couldn't have felt better. This trimester feels like a blessing! My heart really goes out to those ladies who had to deal with nausea/morning sickness and other 1st trimester woes well into the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. It's no bueno :(
Until Soon!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
My Hubby has a New Job
Okay, so I've been a little aloof with a public announcement of my hubby's new job. There are many reasons for this:
1. Our plans could have bottomed out for any number of reasons, so why get everyone worked up?
2. We have and will receive negative comments for this decision and its timing.
3. The hiring process moved so quickly, we really didn't have much time to talk about it.
Justin is contracting in Afghanistan for a year.
There. I said it. Judge as you may... I'm sure there are thoughts like, "You're pregnant!" "He's going to miss everything!" "Is he really going to leave at a time like this?!"
Yes, I know I'm pregnant, and it's unfortunate that we youngsters let ourselves be surprised by this pregnancy (this very happy, huge blessing of a pregnancy). Justin and I were very happy to find out we are pregnant. But if you've seen my other post, you'll know that a mere 9 days prior to finding out this news, I had convinced him to leave his job.
Justin will not miss everything. He is involved in this pregnancy, and even calls my stomach "Liam" when he refers to "him," haha. Of course, I'm sure that means we are having a girl, which we will be thrilled to have, no matter what! :) But back to missing everything- he won't physically be here, but he will be constantly updated with my blog, Facebook, emails, letters, pictures, care packages, and Skyping. Thankfully, he'll have internet access in his own room, with his own computer, with a webcam. Of course, it's not nearly the same as running out at 3am for my strange cravings, or rubbing my swollen feet, or seeing the ultrasounds at the very same time that I do. I fully understand there's a difference. And trust me, it hurts. It hurts us both. We don't need people asking such obvious questions or making equally obvious statements. We already feel the sting of our decisions, but there's a much bigger goal in mind here, and that's to create an incredible financial support system for our future little monster.
Justin likes to remind me that he's just in the "vetting" process. He likes to whimsically declare that "anything can happen" so that I could get the idea that something could always go wrong and he'll be headed home from Virginia rather than heading out of the country. I simply don't believe that. I know that he's in his niche. I know he's happy to be around guys like him, and all of them are highly motivated by the potential income when they deploy. It's uplifting to hear his voice on the phone, talking about the crazy 50-something-year-old man who smoke checked the whole group of younger guys by pulling a 9 minute 1 1/2 mile run! Well, that's pretty intense, so I like the story, too. But what I really love is that he's entertained and feeling good. He deserves that. It makes these first couple of lonely days so worth it.
But I certainly miss this face.
It's poor lighting, but such a reminder of a wonderful night <3
I love seeing him happy. It makes my heart smile.
Anyway, Justin is currently in Chesapeake, VA, continuing the vetting process before he heads out for training, and from there, Afghanistan. I certainly hope I'll be able to see him before he officially deploys. Right now, we are just taking the whole process day by day.
Did I mention how incredible I think he is, for wanting to be so supportive of his future child, that he'll give up a year of his life to be in the desert so we can have a stronger foundation for our family? What a good husband I have!
Until soon.
1. Our plans could have bottomed out for any number of reasons, so why get everyone worked up?
2. We have and will receive negative comments for this decision and its timing.
3. The hiring process moved so quickly, we really didn't have much time to talk about it.
Justin is contracting in Afghanistan for a year.
There. I said it. Judge as you may... I'm sure there are thoughts like, "You're pregnant!" "He's going to miss everything!" "Is he really going to leave at a time like this?!"
Yes, I know I'm pregnant, and it's unfortunate that we youngsters let ourselves be surprised by this pregnancy (this very happy, huge blessing of a pregnancy). Justin and I were very happy to find out we are pregnant. But if you've seen my other post, you'll know that a mere 9 days prior to finding out this news, I had convinced him to leave his job.
Justin will not miss everything. He is involved in this pregnancy, and even calls my stomach "Liam" when he refers to "him," haha. Of course, I'm sure that means we are having a girl, which we will be thrilled to have, no matter what! :) But back to missing everything- he won't physically be here, but he will be constantly updated with my blog, Facebook, emails, letters, pictures, care packages, and Skyping. Thankfully, he'll have internet access in his own room, with his own computer, with a webcam. Of course, it's not nearly the same as running out at 3am for my strange cravings, or rubbing my swollen feet, or seeing the ultrasounds at the very same time that I do. I fully understand there's a difference. And trust me, it hurts. It hurts us both. We don't need people asking such obvious questions or making equally obvious statements. We already feel the sting of our decisions, but there's a much bigger goal in mind here, and that's to create an incredible financial support system for our future little monster.
Justin likes to remind me that he's just in the "vetting" process. He likes to whimsically declare that "anything can happen" so that I could get the idea that something could always go wrong and he'll be headed home from Virginia rather than heading out of the country. I simply don't believe that. I know that he's in his niche. I know he's happy to be around guys like him, and all of them are highly motivated by the potential income when they deploy. It's uplifting to hear his voice on the phone, talking about the crazy 50-something-year-old man who smoke checked the whole group of younger guys by pulling a 9 minute 1 1/2 mile run! Well, that's pretty intense, so I like the story, too. But what I really love is that he's entertained and feeling good. He deserves that. It makes these first couple of lonely days so worth it.
But I certainly miss this face.
It's poor lighting, but such a reminder of a wonderful night <3
I love seeing him happy. It makes my heart smile.
Anyway, Justin is currently in Chesapeake, VA, continuing the vetting process before he heads out for training, and from there, Afghanistan. I certainly hope I'll be able to see him before he officially deploys. Right now, we are just taking the whole process day by day.
Did I mention how incredible I think he is, for wanting to be so supportive of his future child, that he'll give up a year of his life to be in the desert so we can have a stronger foundation for our family? What a good husband I have!
Until soon.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
12 Weeks and a Day
Ha!
Reading my older posts has me giggling a good bit. For me, fluctuating between baby fever and no baby fever has been pretty consistent, it seems. I know when we got the house, I initially thought that it would be a great time, despite the fact that we're both college kids and don't quite have our careers going. But, Justin and I would have long talks and come to the conclusion that we simply weren't prepared for bringing a human into this world...just yet. We don't want them to need for anything, and we simply couldn't guarantee that. But you know, not a whole lot of people can guarantee these things, anyway. We should certainly try by properly planning, though.
Well, to say the least, this post's headline is reflective of our current pregnancy! If you've read past posts, you may have seen that I had a very early miscarriage back at the time Justin and I were married. I would have embraced that pregnancy just as well, despite being too young and way under prepared. We have been able to take this last 4 years and grow together, move closer to family and friends, buy a home, and be slightly more prepared for baby. I'm very thankful for that time.
.JPG)
Ok, so above is the initial picture I took of myself and sent to my mother first thing- after I told Justin, of course. I couldn't be more surprised! According to previous posts, you'll know that I was careful to cut out caffeine and other restricted items during pregnancy, during occasional pregnancy "scares." This time, I thought I was wasting a perfectly good pregnancy test. Little did I know. Plus, this provided some much needed comic relief after I got over my heart's incessant racing ;)
.JPG)
Here is a snippet of the calendar we have on our refrigerator. July 10 is when we found out, but what you'll see below is conducive to the "WTF" you see above:
So, I hope all of you reading have seen Anchorman. If you haven't you won't understand this picture. I convinced my husband to leave his job (of 3 years), which was around the time of July 1st. He called me while I was having a coffee break at the Blue Eyed Daisy in Serenbe (check this place out, if you haven't!). He vented to me about management and just all of the daily problems he's had with this place, and honestly, I couldn't take anymore. We've had a super busy summer at work, and I've been working enough to handle a few short months of Justin's peaceful hiatus from work, if he would so choose. So, after instilling some confidence in him to chase after some peace- on his lunch break, mind you- he drafted his two-week notice. He handed it in that afternoon and I honestly have to say I was really proud of him. I wanted him to take a break. I wanted him to be happy. He's a wonderful man, a hard worker, and deserves to enjoy where he works, considering he, along with the rest of the world, will spend a majority of his waking hours at his job.
Thankfully, Justin quickly nabbed a part-time job and we didn't have a huge gap of unemployment (as I knew he would not rest until he found something- that's my hubby!). Nonetheless, we are still completely and totally taking life day by day, trying to plan for the future which is seemingly moving at lightning speed- well, except for this challenging first trimester, but I'll get to that in a later post.
So, right now, I'm inching toward the end of this first trimester, and looking forward to what the second one brings! I hope it's all it's cracked up to be, and I certainly cannot wait until I feel more like my normal self again. Really, I just want a little energy boost ;) But I can't wait to see what life hands us, and how we'll face this new challenge of being parents. I'm beyond freaked about pregnancy and all of it's out-of-my-control-surprises, but I'm on board with it, regardless. I sure hope you'll enjoy reading this blog and keep me company- especially if time calls for commiserating!
Until Soon.
Reading my older posts has me giggling a good bit. For me, fluctuating between baby fever and no baby fever has been pretty consistent, it seems. I know when we got the house, I initially thought that it would be a great time, despite the fact that we're both college kids and don't quite have our careers going. But, Justin and I would have long talks and come to the conclusion that we simply weren't prepared for bringing a human into this world...just yet. We don't want them to need for anything, and we simply couldn't guarantee that. But you know, not a whole lot of people can guarantee these things, anyway. We should certainly try by properly planning, though.
Well, to say the least, this post's headline is reflective of our current pregnancy! If you've read past posts, you may have seen that I had a very early miscarriage back at the time Justin and I were married. I would have embraced that pregnancy just as well, despite being too young and way under prepared. We have been able to take this last 4 years and grow together, move closer to family and friends, buy a home, and be slightly more prepared for baby. I'm very thankful for that time.
.JPG)
Ok, so above is the initial picture I took of myself and sent to my mother first thing- after I told Justin, of course. I couldn't be more surprised! According to previous posts, you'll know that I was careful to cut out caffeine and other restricted items during pregnancy, during occasional pregnancy "scares." This time, I thought I was wasting a perfectly good pregnancy test. Little did I know. Plus, this provided some much needed comic relief after I got over my heart's incessant racing ;)
.JPG)
Here is a snippet of the calendar we have on our refrigerator. July 10 is when we found out, but what you'll see below is conducive to the "WTF" you see above:
So, I hope all of you reading have seen Anchorman. If you haven't you won't understand this picture. I convinced my husband to leave his job (of 3 years), which was around the time of July 1st. He called me while I was having a coffee break at the Blue Eyed Daisy in Serenbe (check this place out, if you haven't!). He vented to me about management and just all of the daily problems he's had with this place, and honestly, I couldn't take anymore. We've had a super busy summer at work, and I've been working enough to handle a few short months of Justin's peaceful hiatus from work, if he would so choose. So, after instilling some confidence in him to chase after some peace- on his lunch break, mind you- he drafted his two-week notice. He handed it in that afternoon and I honestly have to say I was really proud of him. I wanted him to take a break. I wanted him to be happy. He's a wonderful man, a hard worker, and deserves to enjoy where he works, considering he, along with the rest of the world, will spend a majority of his waking hours at his job.
Thankfully, Justin quickly nabbed a part-time job and we didn't have a huge gap of unemployment (as I knew he would not rest until he found something- that's my hubby!). Nonetheless, we are still completely and totally taking life day by day, trying to plan for the future which is seemingly moving at lightning speed- well, except for this challenging first trimester, but I'll get to that in a later post.
So, right now, I'm inching toward the end of this first trimester, and looking forward to what the second one brings! I hope it's all it's cracked up to be, and I certainly cannot wait until I feel more like my normal self again. Really, I just want a little energy boost ;) But I can't wait to see what life hands us, and how we'll face this new challenge of being parents. I'm beyond freaked about pregnancy and all of it's out-of-my-control-surprises, but I'm on board with it, regardless. I sure hope you'll enjoy reading this blog and keep me company- especially if time calls for commiserating!
Until Soon.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Baby, Maybe?
This week has been a whirlwind of emotion for me. It's silly, really, because as I think of all the women out there who are trying-I'm talking YEARS worth of trying- for babies, my plight and struggles are so meager. Earlier this month, Justin and I realized that we had possibly put ourselves at risk for having a baby. I don't need to go into all the details. I have read plenty, know my body decently well, and I'm aware that I was ovulating at a time when we weren't careful. That's as far as I'm going to go with that.
Anyway, this led to an entire host of "symptoms" and "what-if's" and basically sent me on a nice little emotional rollercoaster. Since September 4th, I've pretty much been on my guard about this possible pregnancy thing. I decided for ONCE I wouldn't call my mom and tell her what I was feeling, but rather wait to know more, maybe a definite answer before I speak to family about any of it. After all, Justin and I have not made a decision to try for baby, so there's no need to put family on board if it could technically be another three years before we really start trying. (That was dubbed as our "ideal" time).
Anyway, the only people who have been privvy to my ten-day rollercoaster are Justin, my friend Jenn, and my boss. Justin, I told on our anniversary. We were spending this great quality time together and I just had this feeling that I shouldn't leave him out. We were having great conversation and I felt he'd be receptive to the news of the possible pregnancy, even if it wasn't in our original timing. I told Jenn one day at work while we were outside, because I just felt I wanted a woman, sympathetic to my feelings, to know. And Jenn's really great at that. Finally, I was having such a hard time sleeping the last weekend, that I really wanted a Sunday morning off of work. I saw the opportunity to ask, and I didn't want to lie to my boss, because I felt if I said I were sick, upset, or had plans, then something could prove me otherwise, and I like my job too much to fib, haha. So, I told him, and asked him to be respectful of my past miscarriage and the fact that I didn't have proof I was pregnant, only a strong suspicion.
At this point, I don't know if I am. It's been about ten days past my ovulation day, so it's really the first real day to *possibly* get a positive test. It's also a fat chance of positive considering it's usually about 51% correct at this point. So, I tested negative. I'm bummed because I really think that being a mom at any point would be super. I want a little curly-haired, blue eyed baby full of squeals and coos, and I just think being a mom is really going to be my calling. But, I have to be okay with the idea that I may not get this chance right away and that I might have to actually wait another three years or so before that happens. I'd love to have a baby now, but there are positives and negatives to having one now and/or later, so I'm just making myself aware of all of it.
Another thing, which I think I could use to relate to many, many women out there, is the fact that I don't know what symptoms I've had to be true, or what symptoms are made up in my head. Know what I mean? Of course, three years ago, when I had my miscarriage, I was simultaneously on birth control, and I had no idea what was a pregnancy symptom and what was the side-effect of the birth control I had been prescribed (I got birth control a few days after conception, unknowingly). So, I've had pregnancy scares since then, all of which I've been incorrect, and all of which I've supposedly had symptoms. We poor women have symptoms of PMS, which unfortunately go hand-in-hand most times, with pregnancy.
Just to keep the faith, and hope, that there's still a chance I'm pregnant, I'm going to list out the odd things that I noticed- possibly pre-menstrual, but not a monthly experience for me- and maybe this will give me peace of mind for the next four days:
1. Waking up bloated. Who wakes up bloated? Maybe after you eat something salty or drink a soda... but when I wake up, usually I feel skinny, and that's when I like to weigh myself and get dressed! ... and this includes period days. Mornings are always my weight-conscious friend.
2. Getting excited to cook bacon for a salad that I got a new recipe for, only to be disgusted by the smell of the bacon while I was cooking it. I ended up not making the salad.
3. Being tired. Not necessarily every single day, but there have been days where I do very little, and still feel tired. Also, there are times where I do a small chore or something, and lay down on the couch afterwards. But I do have to credit my lack of coffee... Instead of the typical 2 cups/day, I usually have about 3/4 of one cup, and throw the rest out for the sake of lowering my caffeine intake- so this could be a major contributor. But I did sleep at work last Saturday, and in two years, I've never been so tired that I had to sleep on a bunch of chairs in a restaurant on my break.
4. Finally, every. single. time. I eat. HEARTBURN. Doesn't matter what I have to eat. Today's lunch, romaine, strawberries, pineapple (2 chunks), grilled chicken, avocado, raisins, and almonds. Doesn't scream heartburn to me. This happens every time. And I don't doubt that heartburn could strike after a lot of things I eat because I love spicy foods and I love acidic foods. No fresh tomatoes today (and I LOVE tomatoes), and no acidic fruits. So, I have to admit, I don't get heartburn this easily on a regular basis.
Okay, I'd better stop while I'm ahead. Thanks for reading, and if you have any advice, feel free to write comments. This has just been a crazy week, and I keep praying that the Lord's will for my life is in line with my dreams, goals, and desires. This desire to be pregnant runs deep in my heart, and I just hope and pray that maybe this time, it could be true!! :D
Anyway, this led to an entire host of "symptoms" and "what-if's" and basically sent me on a nice little emotional rollercoaster. Since September 4th, I've pretty much been on my guard about this possible pregnancy thing. I decided for ONCE I wouldn't call my mom and tell her what I was feeling, but rather wait to know more, maybe a definite answer before I speak to family about any of it. After all, Justin and I have not made a decision to try for baby, so there's no need to put family on board if it could technically be another three years before we really start trying. (That was dubbed as our "ideal" time).
Anyway, the only people who have been privvy to my ten-day rollercoaster are Justin, my friend Jenn, and my boss. Justin, I told on our anniversary. We were spending this great quality time together and I just had this feeling that I shouldn't leave him out. We were having great conversation and I felt he'd be receptive to the news of the possible pregnancy, even if it wasn't in our original timing. I told Jenn one day at work while we were outside, because I just felt I wanted a woman, sympathetic to my feelings, to know. And Jenn's really great at that. Finally, I was having such a hard time sleeping the last weekend, that I really wanted a Sunday morning off of work. I saw the opportunity to ask, and I didn't want to lie to my boss, because I felt if I said I were sick, upset, or had plans, then something could prove me otherwise, and I like my job too much to fib, haha. So, I told him, and asked him to be respectful of my past miscarriage and the fact that I didn't have proof I was pregnant, only a strong suspicion.
At this point, I don't know if I am. It's been about ten days past my ovulation day, so it's really the first real day to *possibly* get a positive test. It's also a fat chance of positive considering it's usually about 51% correct at this point. So, I tested negative. I'm bummed because I really think that being a mom at any point would be super. I want a little curly-haired, blue eyed baby full of squeals and coos, and I just think being a mom is really going to be my calling. But, I have to be okay with the idea that I may not get this chance right away and that I might have to actually wait another three years or so before that happens. I'd love to have a baby now, but there are positives and negatives to having one now and/or later, so I'm just making myself aware of all of it.
Another thing, which I think I could use to relate to many, many women out there, is the fact that I don't know what symptoms I've had to be true, or what symptoms are made up in my head. Know what I mean? Of course, three years ago, when I had my miscarriage, I was simultaneously on birth control, and I had no idea what was a pregnancy symptom and what was the side-effect of the birth control I had been prescribed (I got birth control a few days after conception, unknowingly). So, I've had pregnancy scares since then, all of which I've been incorrect, and all of which I've supposedly had symptoms. We poor women have symptoms of PMS, which unfortunately go hand-in-hand most times, with pregnancy.
Just to keep the faith, and hope, that there's still a chance I'm pregnant, I'm going to list out the odd things that I noticed- possibly pre-menstrual, but not a monthly experience for me- and maybe this will give me peace of mind for the next four days:
1. Waking up bloated. Who wakes up bloated? Maybe after you eat something salty or drink a soda... but when I wake up, usually I feel skinny, and that's when I like to weigh myself and get dressed! ... and this includes period days. Mornings are always my weight-conscious friend.
2. Getting excited to cook bacon for a salad that I got a new recipe for, only to be disgusted by the smell of the bacon while I was cooking it. I ended up not making the salad.
3. Being tired. Not necessarily every single day, but there have been days where I do very little, and still feel tired. Also, there are times where I do a small chore or something, and lay down on the couch afterwards. But I do have to credit my lack of coffee... Instead of the typical 2 cups/day, I usually have about 3/4 of one cup, and throw the rest out for the sake of lowering my caffeine intake- so this could be a major contributor. But I did sleep at work last Saturday, and in two years, I've never been so tired that I had to sleep on a bunch of chairs in a restaurant on my break.
4. Finally, every. single. time. I eat. HEARTBURN. Doesn't matter what I have to eat. Today's lunch, romaine, strawberries, pineapple (2 chunks), grilled chicken, avocado, raisins, and almonds. Doesn't scream heartburn to me. This happens every time. And I don't doubt that heartburn could strike after a lot of things I eat because I love spicy foods and I love acidic foods. No fresh tomatoes today (and I LOVE tomatoes), and no acidic fruits. So, I have to admit, I don't get heartburn this easily on a regular basis.
Okay, I'd better stop while I'm ahead. Thanks for reading, and if you have any advice, feel free to write comments. This has just been a crazy week, and I keep praying that the Lord's will for my life is in line with my dreams, goals, and desires. This desire to be pregnant runs deep in my heart, and I just hope and pray that maybe this time, it could be true!! :D
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