Pregnancy Update: 16 Weeks

It's so weird to think that in four weeks from today, I'll be half-way through this pregnancy (and we'll hopefully know the sex of the baby)! There isn't a whole lot to report in this post, because not much has changed from last week. I did start registering for baby things at Target and BabiesRUs, though. My friends and family have offered very helpful ideas on what to register for. Honestly, G and I are minimalists, and I don't believe half of the stuff out there is actually needed for babies. So whether we get much of what we register for at baby showers or not, I think we'll be okay.

It could be my imagination (or wishful thinking), but my belly seems noticably bigger every day. I'm not even that large yet, and I have already caught myself sitting and standing more slowly, and holding my stomach when I move from one place to another. I looked down at my toes yesterday, and noticed a very obvious bump sticking out. Before long, I won't be able to see my toes at all! Hubby even notices that my stomach is growing, though he doesn't mind at all. He actually thinks it's cute (hurray for me)! The skin around my lower abdomen has started feeling a little uncomfortable. To borrow a line from Bilbo Baggins, it feels "like butter scraped over too much bread." Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration. My stomach does feel tight sometimes, though!

I still haven't gained back the five or so pounds that I lost because of food aversions in the first trimester, but I'm hoping to see some improvement soon. My appetite has definitely picked up, and I'm able to eat larger portions at most meals. Last week, I discovered Annie's Organic Gummy Bunnies at Kroger. They are really good. Although I've probably eaten more of them than is necessary, I think I've done pretty well considering that gummies were my favorite junk food as a teenager. Seriously, I used to down a massive family size box of Welch's Fruit Snacks in a week or so. I won't embarrass myself by revealing how many packs come in that particular box (I know. You're going to have to look it up, aren't you?).

My water intake wasn't great last week, so I'm going to try and drink more this week. I did drink a lot, just not much water. It just didn't taste good to me, so I drank almond milk, apple juice, or hot pregnancy tea most of the time. As far as exercise goes, I still haven't established a regular routine. G and I have been walking around our neighborhood several times a week, and the midwife said I only need about 120 minutes of activity a week (which is very easy to get in), but I want to do as much as I can to get oxygen to the baby. A sweet friend from my small group brought me a devotional and a pregnancy workout DVD, and I'm looking forward to trying that out.

BabyCenter sends me email updates every week about what this next week of pregnancy could hold for me, and how my baby is developing. This week, the email mentioned that I could start feeling movements from the baby this week - although it's likely I won't feel anything until week 20 since this is my first pregnancy. I've actually felt something a couple of times that seemed different than normal gas or stomach gurgling, and it's actually broken my focus on whatever I was doing at that moment. The fact that they drew my attention so suddenly makes me think it could be the baby, but I can't be certain. It felt like one fairly strong little tap, and it's only happened twice. It will be so cool when I start feeling regular movement for sure! I'm pretty sure most of the movement I feel is just gas, though. Lots and lots of gas.

Pregnancy Update: 15 Weeks

Wow, I'm 15 weeks already! There hasn't been much to report on since my last pregnancy update. We've had a lot of remodeling stuff going on around the house, which made it more difficult to post every week. Plus, I've been doing a terrible job at taking regular pregnancy photos!

Anyway, I'm feeling really great at this point. My energy is completely back now, and I've started getting up at 6:30 in the morning with Hubby every day. In the past, I have tried - and failed - many times to get into a regular early-morning routine. My expectations this time around were that it would be really hard for me (just like all the other times). To my surprise, it's been so easy! Thank you, Lord. The first couple of days left me feeling a little tired later, but it has never been so easy to get up in the mornings as it has been over the last few weeks. When we first got married, I would get up with G every morning. But between sicknesses, late nights spent remodeling, and then the pregnancy fatigue, I somehow got out of that habit. Because I want to put the baby on a schedule right away when he or she gets here, I knew that it would be crucial for me to get in the habit of rising early before he or she makes their grand entrance into the world. Honestly, I feel even better now that I'm getting up early and getting in bed before 11pm! It still takes me fifteen or twenty minutes to really wake up after I get out of bed, but afterward I feel cheerful and energetic until the evening rolls around.

I haven't had any aversions to smells at all, though I did cook a meal recently that was on the spicy side, and I suddenly did not like the way it tasted and couldn't bring myself to eat it. My Honey was sweet enough to make a quick Chick-fil-A run for some chicken noodle soup, which I promptly scarfed down. What's up with that, by the way? I couldn't stand Chick-fil-A for the longest time (probably because I used to eat there every week for a while before marriage), and now I am always in the mood for a large bowl of their soup, or a chargrilled chicken wrap with ranch dressing! Pregnancy is weird. In other food-related news, I have really wanted mashed potatoes and gravy. Not just occasionally. No. All the time. It always sounds good! I don't have to have them, though, so I only get them when we eat at a restaurant. I had a sudden and unusual craving for chili cheese fries from Sonic (not recommended, since every time I've ever eaten them has left me feeling horrible), but I've managed to avoid getting any. Also, every time we pass a Taco Bell when we're driving, I start tasting their food. Yes, I am aspiring organic/whole food junkie. Yes, I grew up on Taco Bell and I love it (and yes, I know how horrible it is for you). So far, I haven't caved to the demands of my cravings, though I sense there is a Taco Bell run in my future. Probably with my mom or brother. G can't stand their food, so his disgust helps keep me focused!

For a bookaholic like myself, I haven't read a lot of books since I've been pregnant. I have been reading a few, though, which are really good. I've also done a lot of reading on Pinterest about pregnancy, labor, postpartum (something I'm not as excited about), parenting, and homeschooling. So I guess I have been reading a lot, just not tons of books. Here are some that I'm either currently reading, or read just before getting pregnant (and plan to reread before Baby gets here):

• What to Expect When You're Expecting, by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel
  Okay, it seems like EVERY pregnant woman has read this book. It's pretty good, and has a lot of helpful advice on what you may be experiencing during each month of pregnancy and how to deal with pregnancy symptoms, but given all the hype, I really thought the book would be better than it is. 
• Great Expectations, by Marcie Jones and Sandy Jones
  This book is very similar to What to Expect When You're Expecting, but it's broken down into weeks instead of just months, so I like it a lot better. It reads a little more casually, too, as if you were sitting down on the authors' couch and talking to them in person.
• Every Child Should Have A Chance, by Dr. Leila Denmark
  This is, by far, my favorite book on child training and parenting (and I actually read a lot of them when I was in high school and after I graduated). I had the privilege of going to see Dr. Denmark several times as a little girl (she figured out I had scarlet fever when none of the regular doctors could find out what was wrong with me), and I've always been impressed with her common sense and wisdom. She was very direct, and some of the things she says in her book can sound a little harsh, but I love her advice on caring for newborns and toddlers. If I could, I would give this book to every expecting mother! This is one I read just before I got pregnant, and I will definitely be reading it again now.
• Dr. Denmark Said It! by Madia Bowman
  This book was written by a mother who took her children to Dr. Denmark, and experienced great success when she followed her advice. She goes over the basics of Dr. Denmark's schedules, and includes several recipes (which I have used before, and really enjoyed). While Dr. Denmark goes into detail about the why's behind her parenting philosophies in her own book, Madia Bowman gives a less detailed list of the what's. It's a great companion book to Every Child Should Have A Chance.
• The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, by Diane Wiessinger, Diana West, and Teresa Pitman
  I haven't read much of this book yet, but I'm looking forward to learning the information it has to offer. In my mind, breastfeeding (which is the path I hope to take) seems natural - and therefore no big deal. Yet considering how many women find it challenging makes me want to learn as much as possible so that I'll be prepared for whatever difficulties may come my way.

That's everything on my reading list so far. I'm sure I'll add more titles as I finish each of these, especially as the countdown to Baby's birth begins in December.

Did you have any cravings during your pregnancy? If so, what were they, and how did you handle them? Are there any books you read on pregnancy or parenting that you found helpful?

Pregnancy Update: 10 Weeks

I'm 10 weeks pregnant today, and now into the double digits! So far it all seems to be going by very quickly. Over the last week, I've continued to feel fatigued (some days worse than others), and several foods have upset my stomach. Other than that, there aren't any new symptoms. I was really tired yesterday, but I feel like I have a lot of energy today. At this point I don't think I'm showing yet, but I'm sure that will come soon. Sometimes I think I'm starting to show, but then it ends up being gas or a full stomach after eating!

Though I have no trouble believing the pregnancy test was accurate now, I still can't wrap my head around the fact that there's actually a baby forming inside me. For some reason, it just doesn't seem real. My brain will not accept reality. I won't be having an ultrasound until August (when we will hopefully find out the sex), but maybe the truth will finally sink in when I have the pictures to prove it to myself. Until then and beyond, I'll just have to rest in the Lord and trust that He has everything under control. I'll be glad when I start getting my baby belly, though. 

Lately, I've been too tired to exercise, and even small chores (such as loading the dishwasher, making the bed, or even cooking a meal) leave me feeling like I've worked hard all day. I'm hoping that I'll have lots of energy when I reach the second trimester. Maybe by then all of my food aversions will be gone, and I'll be able to eat more. In other news, I ordered a Camelbak 33oz water bottle from Amazon that came in last weekend, and I've been working hard to drink lots of water. It's really great, even if the spout is unnervingly similar to the rubber nipple on a baby bottle.

Pregnancy Update: 9 Weeks

Yesterday, I reached the nine week marker for the pregnancy. I had my first prenatal appointment, and although we weren't able to find the heartbeat this time, we aren't worried. Apparently that's normal at this point, and we will definitely be able to hear it at the next appointment. We also announced to the world - via Facebook - that we are growing our family. It's nice not to have to keep it a secret anymore!

So far the pregnancy has been really easy. I haven't had any morning sickness, though I didn't feel well a few times until after I ate. As soon as I got some food in me, I felt fine! There haven't been many cravings yet (though I did desperately want some Kraft mac 'n cheese last week, and opted to get the organic Annie's brand instead as a compromise), but I have had a lot of food aversions. I'm hungry all the time, but can't seem to eat more than a few bites of anything (even things I normally like) before I decide I really don't want it anymore. The Hubby has been very good about encouraging me to eat when I don't feel like it. I'm still working on my water intake. Drinking plenty of water is something I have always struggled with, and it's no less challenging when you're pregnant! I know I can do it though, I just have to be intentional about it. 

Last week I felt tired almost every day. It wasn't just sleepy; it was the I-just-woke-up-and-I-feel-like-I-need-to-sleep-all-day kind of tired. Fortunately my energy seems like it has come back this week, so I should be able to get the recommended exercise in. I've had several crazy pregnancy dreams as well. I dreamt that I was eating raw almonds one night, and I remember tasting them in my dream. They were the most delicious things I have ever tasted! Of course, when I woke up, I didn't want any almonds (I guess food aversions take place even when you dream about eating). The other dream that I thought was especially funny was me dreaming about going to my first prenatal appointment before we went. I've been thinking - quite irrationally - that I would get to the appointment and they would tell me I wasn't pregnant, and that there was no baby in there (forget the fact that I've had no period and took TWO pregnancy tests, both of which were positive)! Well, in this dream, we went to the appointment and found out there were actually FIVE babies growing inside me. Three boys, and two girls. You should have seen G's face when I told him about it the next day! Well, I don't know if there are five or not (seems pretty unlikely), but there's definitely at least ONE baby, and my pregnancy has been confirmed by professionals. Maybe I'll stop being paranoid now.

Our First Christmas As a Married Couple

G and I had such a wonderful first Christmas! We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with Mom and Dad. They really went overboard with gifts this year - especially considering that they just paid for a wedding. Their presence was all the present we needed, and we were blessed with that and more! The last part of the week was spent with Hubby's side of the family on Fripp Island, in South Carolina. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the trip:

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!