13 weeks!

I'm so glad to finally be out of the "pregnancy closet". After almost 2 years since the "let's have a baby" journey began, we finally get to announce to the world that we are expecting. The baby is due on December 2, which is one day before my 30th birthday. I'm hoping the baby comes one week early so that he or she can have a November birthday and not be quite so close to Christmas. It's expensive to buy all those presents in the same month!

So far the journey has been different than I expected. After all the months of disappointed anticipation, I assumed that the joy I would have in being pregnant would outshine any of those 1st trimester discomforts that my pregnant friends would always complain about. Ha ha ha, I was so wrong! The first trimester is like have the flue for 8 weeks. Constantly feeling nauseated and EXHAUSTED. I was starting to think something was wrong because I would sleep all night (less 5 trip to the bathroom) then wake up and be exhausted. Sometimes I would just take a nap and not sleep, just lie down until I could summon the energy to watch TV. In retrospect, being laid off has been quite the blessing as I am able to not work and still collect a paycheck during this period (thank you government!). Of course, I am enrolled in school full time and even that has been quite taxing.

The first trimester was also quite terrifying as we had 2 miscarriage scares. During both instances Neil and I went to get an ultrasound and everything was fine. Thankfully the spotting didn't last long and hasn't been an issue since. Now the odds of miscarriage are less than 1% and we can finally relax knowing that we'll be having a baby soon.

Now that I am heading into my 2nd trimester, I am feeling much, much better. Exercise is a possibility now that I have enough energy to go out for a walk/jog. Yesterday I took my first prenatal yoga class at Seattle Holistic Center and really enjoyed it. I might have to make it a weekly thing. I've also decided to get a massage every other week. It is amazing how stiff and sore a pregnant woman's muscles can get considering how little moving I do. You would think I've been in training for a marathon considering how many aches and pains I suffer.

Here are my pregnancy stats:

How far along? 13 weeks, 1 day

Total weight gain: +2 lbs. I was hoping not to gain any weight until after week 14 as that was what my doctor recommended. Oh well. My total weight gain for the entire pregnancy needs to be 20lbs or less.

Maternity clothes? Ruth took me shopping in Boise and bought me a wonderful summer wardrobe. Unfortunately, it still feels like early spring here in Seattle thanks to the cold and rain. I've been wearing whatever I have in wardrobe that is stretch.

Sleep: Great, except for the pee breaks every 2-3 hours.

Best moment this week: Getting a massage at Eastlake Chiropractic.

Movement: way too early for that.

Labor signs: still too earnly.

Belly Button in or out? In.

What I miss: long hikes, long bike rides, spring mt. biking, and being able to go for more than an hour without having to pee.

What I am looking forward to: Holding our baby for the first time.

This Week: