"Just Wait..."

I'm a fan of a famous blog called Dooce.com. The writer of dooce is a wonderful writer and I've loved her for many years - probably 5 at this point. Anyway -- she's pregnant again and it's great to have her perspective on pregnancy because it's funny and refreshingly honest. In Today's post she talks about how it feels to be pregnant, etc. It's cute and she touches on a point that I would like to give a standing ovation -- the "Just wait...." comment.

Friends - I love you. Family - I love you. But this drives me crazy!

I haven't been able to pin point WHY the warning "Just wait!" has bothered me so much. I have thought about it time and time again. Partly, I guess, I feel like it steals my excitement about living in the moment of my pregnancy. Being my first pregnancy I want to become fully involved with every single body change (bloating, nightmares, shrinking clothes, bigger boobs, heartburn, etc.) And when I express myself by saying, "I'm dealing with some annoying ass heart burn right now!" and someone responds with "Just you wait! Heart burn in the 3rd trimester will nearly kill you!" it really makes me feel small. Like I'm just a little pregnant. Like I'm not enough pregnant to be feeling different or amazed.

Now that I have come to realize that I'm not the only pregnant woman who hates the "just you wait..." warnings -- I'm am fully comfortable in telling you to STOP. Stop. Stop rushing my pregnancy. Stop disqualifying my pregnancy symptoms. Stop terrifying me. I don't want it. I don't need it. I'm having fun - leave me alone.

Be creative. Find something else to say.

Research says -- the following non pregnancy "Just wait" comments are equally bad --

Comment: "I can't believe how little sleep this little infant has caused!"
Response: "Just wait until she is sixteen and driving!"

Comment: "My two year old is a terror."
Response: "Just want until he's 3! Then it REALLY gets bad!"

Comment: "I can't stand to be away from the baby for a minute."
Response: "Just wait until you go back to work!"

12 Weeks!

From www.babycenter.com

(My comments in purple.)

How your baby's growing:

The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close (If this kumquat comes out like it's father I won't be surprised if I get "the bird" at our next ultra sound), his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.


How your (My) life's changing:

Your uterus has grown to the point where your healthcare provider can now feel the top of it (the fundus) low in your abdomen, just above your pubic bone (I tried and tried and tried to feel my fundus last night and I've gotta tell ya, it all feels the same to me - like mushy guts.) . You may already be into maternity clothes, especially if this isn't your first pregnancy. If you're still fairly small and not yet ready for maternity clothes, you've no doubt noticed that your waist is thickening ("slight paunch" or "beer gut") and that you're more comfortable in loose, less restrictive clothing. (Why yes - yes I am: sweat pants, PJ pants, or no pants at all)

You may begin to feel heartburn (also called acid indigestion), a burning sensation that often extends from the bottom of your breastbone to your lower throat. (check!) Many women get heartburn for the first time during pregnancy, and those who've previously had bouts of heartburn may find that it gets worse. During pregnancy, the placenta produces a lot of the hormone progesterone, which relaxes the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach. Particularly when you're lying down, gastric acid can seep back up the pipe, which causes the uncomfortable burning sensation. For many women the problem doesn't begin (or get worse) until later in pregnancy, when your growing uterus starts to push up on your stomach. The discomfort may range from mildly annoying to intense and distracting.

Week 12 is an exciting week! It marks the end of the scary period. The period in your pregnancy where most miscarriages happen. Eric and I go in to the doctor on Monday to hear the our kumquat's heart beat. If, on Monday, the baby sounds good the chance of miscarriage is reduced to only 1%. Right now I feel great. I'm a little hungry but still I feel great. I'm excited about our appointment on Monday and I am fully confident that we will come out of the doctors office with a good and healthy, "See ya next month!"

"Are We Too Clean?"

A friend of mine sent me this article today and I thought I'd post it because I 100% agree with it! I've always been of the mind set that germs are good. Eric and I both agree that we are going to introduce our kids to germs early on in hopes of building a healthy appropriate immune system.

My sister, for example, ate cat poop when she was little. For the most part she's fine. Now, does she have her quirks here and there? YES -- but we don't fault the cat poop for that. My sister is still healthy and has a very well rounded immune system. When we were kids, my mother was really fine with us eating dirt. She did not wash everything before we touched it (although she does love a clean home) and being a farm girl herself dirt and poop were just not a stranger to her.

Click here for more info on the good a germ can do for you.

**Mom -- if you're reading this. Check out the second to last paragraph of the article. It explains why you're so healthy and spry!

RLP

Since Saturday afternoon I've been expiriencing a stabbing/stretching pain in my left lower abdomen. It's literally like someone has a pencil, letter opener, or talon and is poking at the organs that are hiding just inside my hip bone.



It's only mildly uncomfortable and it comes and goes.

After some research I've learned that these little stabs are most likely Round Ligament Pain (RLP). RLP is very common in this stage (11+ Weeks) of pregnancy and beyond. The Round Ligaments are the ligaments that souround the uterus, and as my uterus grows, the round ligaments stretch to accomodate it. Since my little ute has grown from a wee pear size to a now rotund grapefruit size -- this stretching makes total sense.

It may be sick but I actually like the feelings. I guess I enjoy knowing my little baby factory is busy at work down there.

Tweener

At 11 and a half weeks I'm not really showing yet but my middle section is definitely getting thicker. I'm in the between stage. It may not be baby but SOMETHING is showing I tell you. The websites and the books like to put it as "your waist is thickening" or you have a "slight paunch". Whatever. It looks like I eat doughnuts for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a beer chaser.

A pot belly, if you will.

Since I now carry a "slight paunch" I am exceedingly uncomfortable in my clothes. I wear the bella band with most of my normal pants which is great. I cannot, however, wear my normal shirts. Thanks to my growing chest my shirts look like like they've shrunk and now hit me mid paunch. I look like the little girl who's Mommy can't afford to buy her clothes.

Thursday I went to Target in a snit and bought $115 worth of maternity tops. They are not the 3rd trimester tops mind you but the tops that will grow with me. They are long enough to cover my paunch, my bella band and they're fancy enough for the office. I now feel much more professional and much less trailer park.

This weekend I cleaned out my closet of all that doesn't fit. I officially took everything out that is too tight, too small, too short or too no-no. I then organized and hung all my new and borrowed maternity clothes. And today I got up, got dressed and didn't shed one tear. I feel better. I feel free. I feel comfortably pregnant.

Ahhh, hormones

Obviously my hormones are doing so many things right now. I mean everything from breast size to constipation I can thank my hormones for these days. Most recently I noticed that I'm also getting talons. Yes, my nails are growing at an insane rate. I have the longest nails I've ever had in 31 years and I'm having a hard time keeping on top of trimming them.

Another interesting change caused by hormones -- my body hair is growing faster. Lovely.

The Crib

Grandma and Grandpa Vesely told me this weekend that they are starting a new tradition. This is thier first Grandchild but aparently the tradition is that they will buy the crib for the grandchild. We are so gonna take them up on that. We are also so thankful and greatful to have such wonderful grandparents for our little kumquat! This is the crib we are planning on. It's a 4-in-1 so it goes from a crib to a toddler bed with rails, toddler bed without rails and then finally it can be used as a head board for a twin size "big" bed.

11 Weeks!

From Babycenter.com

How your baby's growing: Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.

Here is Eric's response to the info above: "baby hiccups.....funny."

Update on Sleep -

Last night I had a wonderful nights sleep. I had none of the issues I wrote about yesterday. Maybe I just needed to vent and get those items off my chest to release some anxiety? Anyway -- I'm hoping for 6 more months of good sleep!

3 Sleep Difficulties

Difficulty #1

Annoying dreams.

I've always been a crazy dreamer. I definitely work out my feelings and emotions in my sleep. If I'm stressed I have ridiculously stressful dreams. I've come to accept it and since Holly is the same way I can just share and move on. Recently I feel very happy and full of excitement but my brains are attacking me at night anyway. I'm not having my terrible terrible dreams (family members dying, running away from something bad but my legs are numb and can't move, etc.) I'm more or less having annoying dreams. Last night my dream was about a rat that came in to the house and started biting me. I've also been having dreams where I'm so angry that I can't settle down. I'm just out of control mad. I hate those ones because I actually wake up pissed off!

Babycenter.com says that vivid/annoying dreams are not unusual, especially in your 1st and 3rd trimester. Apparently dreams involving animals are very common in the first trimester. I guess that's where my rat comes in?

Difficulty #2

Sleepy parts.

My arms/hands fall asleep, which hurts, and causes me to wake up. This is also common in pregnancy but so far I haven't been able to pin point the reason behind it. I thought I was too early in my pregnancy to be experiencing poor circulation -- but maybe not? Some sources say it's pregnancy induced carpel tunnel. That just sounds dumb to me but maybe?

My theory is that my boobs have gotten so big that they are causing a lack of blood flow to my arms. =) I will discuss the issue with the doctor on the 2nd to see if he has any ideas.

Difficulty #3

Shoulder pain

I've been waking up to an achy left shoulder for a few weeks. I thought I might have lifted something and thus ended up with a bad shoulder - but it hasn't gone away. It's most stiff in the morning. After some research it turns out I'm not alone in this either! Pregnancy can cause sore shoulders. Who'da thunk it?

Room For Baby?

Last night Eric and I sat in the soon-to-be-nursery thinking about how all the furniture is going to fit in there. Right now we have a nice sleigh twin that we'd like to keep in there but we're not sure if it's going to work. The tiny bedrooms that provided enough space when our parents were little (1950's & 1960's) -- don't exactly accommodate the large armoires, sleigh beds, and over sized bedside tables of today. In the end it will work -- even if I have to personally knock down some walls. Afterall, this is my first child. I have dreamt about this nursery since I had my first doll! I will have what I need to properly mother a child (coordinating furniture, a gliding rocker, matching crib bedding and a soft lighting) or else!

For now there is no rush. I'm sure that it'll be hard to make a decision on where everything will fit until we actually get a crib in there......

Corner Turned?

Today I definitely feel like I've turned a corner. My 1st trimester symptoms are gone as far as I can tell. I'm bouncing with energy now and don't feel like I have to take a nap every two hours. My bloating has seriously subsided which is heaven. My breasts are still big and heavy but don't hurt which is like a gift from God himself. I guess it is really a gift from God, actually...

Anyway -- with 3.5 more weeks of 1st trimester left it's nice to know that I've turned a corner and I'm not feeling so exhausted! From what I've heard this is what the 2nd trimester is all about and that makes me really excited! I feel like I can handle anything now!

Bring it on baby!!

10 Weeks!

From www.babycenter.com....

How your baby's growing:

Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

In other developments:

Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.

Apparently my uterus is about the size of a grapefruit now....when normally about the size of a small pear. Nice!

All-in-all I feel great! I actually feel like I got my energy back and my food cravings have subsided A LOT. I still go from being not hungry to being STARVING in about 20 seconds -- but I don't have the urge to gorge so much. Luckily, that aliviates a lot of other symptoms as well!

Nursery Theme

Here it is. I know it's early but, seriously, I had it picked out well before I got pregnant. I don't see the harm in posting it.

It is "gender neutral".

The idea behind the theme: It's sort of an inside joke but Eric and I have always referred to ourselves as "two peas in a pod". So because of that I thought this would be cute! The walls in the nursery are yellow like the little stars. I realize this set has a lot of blue but if we have a girl I'll just beef up the yellow and throw in some pink bows.

Baby Jones - 9 Weeks 4 Days

Here is our baby's first portrait! It's a really crappy picture because the camera was down at the doctors office and Eric had to improvise with his cell phone camera.

Everything went well at the appointment. The baby has 2 arm buds and 2 leg buds and only 1 head. Also, we're only having one baby as far as the doctor could tell.

By far my favorite moment of the appointment was watching the baby wiggle around on the screen! I could watch that all day!

9 Weeks TODAY!

Today my baby is a grape!

Here are the rest of the details from www.babycenter.com

How your baby's growing:
Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months.

Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.

My comments below are in bold.

How your (my) life's changing:
You still may not look pregnant even if your waist is thickening a bit. (Yes, the bloat -- I've got it!) You probably feel pregnant, though. Not only are morning sickness (Don't have this Thank God!) and other physical symptoms out in full force for most women, but you may feel like an emotional pinball as well.

Mood swings are common now — it's perfectly normal to feel alternately elated and terrified about becoming a parent. Try to cut yourself some slack. Most women find that moodiness flares up at around six to ten weeks, eases up in the second trimester, and then reappears as pregnancy winds to a close.

I haven't had a terrified to be a parent attack in a few weeks now. So far so good. I'm really excited (today) about the coming months! I think I can tell Eric is getting more excited too!

Book For Daddy

Yesterday I gave this book to Eric. I thought it would help him to decipher what is really going on in his life right now. Eric is an amazing man but doesn't care for reading much. I mean, he reads, just not BOOKS or instructions. So I took in upon myself to browse through the book and place tabs in sections I thought would be important for him to peruse.

...hhhhmmmm....I wonder if he'll actually read it......

8 Weeks and 5 Days

Only 6 more days until my first official OBGYN appointment. I'm very excited and, of course, a little nervous too. I've been feeling great for the most part so I'm assuming everything is going well. I've been told that my first appointment will probably include lots of questions and a few blood tests.

I'll be 9 weeks this Thursday. I was given this neat site which has real pictures of fetal development. Open it up and scroll down to the 8-10 week section. You can see what is most likely happening in my body right now! http://www.ehd.org/prenatal-images-index.php

I'm finally getting over this cold. It's been around since Christmas and I'm SO GLAD to kick in the ass on it's way out. My energy level has improved and tissue usage is way down.

I'm still very bloated and I'm using my bella band to keep my pants on some days! Being bloated can be uncomfortable but at least witht he bella band I can safely unbutton my pants to get through it!