Monthly Questions 4

First up, the monthly check-in questions (by SN)
 
Foods that are making me queasy:

Nothing much, really sugary sweet things if any thing

Foods that I am craving:

Vinegar, pickles, olives, meat, Kentucky Fried Chicken

Strangest snack:

Miracle Whip on roast and noodles

How I am feeling physically:

Pretty good, I really only get tired during the evening but as long as I keep moving, I’m good. Once I sit down, it’s over.

How I am feeling emotionally:

More weepy, up and down, all over the place

Sensory over-load:

Touch – everything feels like it’s stretching (probably because it is, I know) and I just cannot get comfortable (which I am sure will only get worse)

What we're excited about:

The baby can hear – or is getting ready to be able to – so we’re excited to be able to talk to him or her.

What we're nervous about:

This all seems to be going really fast – it’s already the middle of October!

If I could be granted 3 wishes:

1. A pronoun

2. A good home for some kitties

3. Better sleep – LB has been practicing the get-up-for-an-hour-in-the-middle-of-the-night and I am having some CRAZY dreams (and they haven’t all been good)

 

Now the fun ones:

When I wore my first maternity outfit

Saturday, October 6, 2012. I know it was this day because we went to see LB's mom and do a little shopping at the thrift stores in KC.

Finding out gender

We thought we might be able to this week, but alas the child would not cooperate. So we will wait until November and see if he or she is a bit less modest. I say that if we can't see then, we just not find out at all. LB isn't so keen on that idea.

Things I did that were out of character

Bought three dresses. Looked at (and probably will buy) tights. Pulled up 'hair and beauty' category on Pinterest. Ate grapes for my snack (especially out of character since LB was eating corn chips for her snack at the same time.) Park as far away from the building (especially at school) as possible.

Predictions people made about gender

I'd say it is about 50/50 girl vs. boy.

How I feel about getting bigger

Since I lost three pounds this past month - and yes, it is fine for me to do that - I am feeling much better about my little belly.

Project nursery

We have been throwing around the idea of doing light gray walls, either white or dark wood furniture, and then bright, primary colors for the sheets and bumper and stuff.

How I feel about people touching my belly

I wouldn't have known how to answer this question three days ago. But then one of my students - a dear, sweet boy who is glad to have both of his hands still - came up to me in the hall and put his hand on my belly and said something along the lines of "Awwww, look, your little belly is sticking out." Like I said, he is glad that 1) I like him and 2) he still has both of his hands. :)

Schrödinger Revisited

By LB

 

We didn’t have cooperation from Flash on the self-revealing poses yesterday. We realized that we have a new "cat in a box" which is that our child is either a boy or a girl and we can't know which it is until we make an observation, essentially making it both girl and boy at the same time. Okay, enough with the nerdiness. The next appointment is in a month and we’ll have a big ultrasound (with an actual ultrasound technician) where they will measure everything and make sure everything is growing normally. But we did get another chance to see that beautiful beating heart and those wiggling arms and legs. And they are much longer legs than they were last time we saw them!

 

I've been trying to find the best way to express this thought but nothing seems to be coming together too eloquently so I'm just going to write down my thoughts. And it's probably easier if I just state bluntly what I mean rather than trying to be polite and use innuendo and context to express my meaning. So bear with me.

 

It seems unimaginable to me that this baby is here because of a vial of sperm, a doctor, and a medical procedure. It feels like such a part of me that at times I have to remind myself that SN is not pregnant because I got her pregnant. It was not a private, passionate moment between the two of us that created our Little Flash. He or she is not physically mine, but is mine in so many other ways already that I can't imagine that I wasn’t an integral part of the creation of him or her.

Hopefully that makes some sense. We’re working on a month 4 update so check back soon!

Pregnancy brain, round ligament pain, and lightening crotch; Oh my!

By SN

Disclaimer: This is probably the first (of many.....well, at least a few, I'm guessing) post that might be a bit too 'up close and personal' for some readers. Feel free to skip this one - at least towards the end (and I'll give you a warning) - if you think you are one those readers.


This week a few of my favorite friends made their reappearance. After feeling phenomenal last week - I mean, I didn't take a nap for a week and a half - my dear companion on this journey, fatigue, dropped by again (and, may I say, overstayed his welcome.) In addition, he brought along nausea and lack of appetite as well. The most welcome (hear the sarcasm here?) return guest has been pregnancy brain. The following are a few of the more memorable instances in which my brain had apparently left my body.

Exhibit A: We were going over to eat supper with one of my co-workers and his wife Saturday night. They made lasagna and we were to bring the garlic bread. So, we get around and head out the door and LB just stops in the door way. I had gone to the kitchen to take a glass or something and I couldn't go out the door because she was just standing there, staring at me. Finally (and I'll admit I was the slightest bit grumpy about it) I asked if she was going to move or what and she said two simple words, "Garlic bread." Oooops.

Exhibit B: I saw on Facebook that one of my other co-workers' wife was due on October 17th - the date of our next doctor's appointment (and hopefully, when we find out what pronouns to use for Little Flash) - and I told LB because I thought it was neat. She - about 2 minutes later - asked me, "It's their second, right?" I had to ask her about 12 times what she said and finally was like, "I have no idea what you are talking about" before she had to remind me about our conversation about my co-worker. Wooooow

Exhibit C: (I saved the best for last) Sunday morning, LB woke up with a stomach ache and a headache. So, being the wonderful wife I am, asked her if she needed anything. She thought some coffee sounded good, so I went to go make it. I got the water (the filtered stuff since we got a new coffee pot recently), four scoops of coffee (since we're making less because I'm not drinking it anymore), and pushed the button. A few minutes later, she got up to go get a cup and found a hot pot of..... wait for it...... clean, clear water. I seemed to have forgotten the essential step of pouring the water into the coffee maker. Epic pregnant wife fail.

In addition to all our old pals, some new friends dropped in to introduce themselves. First there is round ligament pain, whom I can deal with ok by watching how I move (no quick, jerky, twisting movements) and bracing myself when I sneeze.

With all the company we've had around here, it's amazing that we're still super excited - especially for the 17th - and totally loving this entire journey.


**Warning: potential TMI ahead**

The real fun has been what pregnant ladies the world over affectionately refer to as "lightening crotch." That wonderful and surprising feeling of being kicked in the cervix. Now I realize that Flash is probably too little to be kicking with much velocity and that I can't register even the ones he or she does land, but there really isn't too much of a better way to describe it (that is, unless you can imagine a what a sharp stick to the hoo-haw feels like.) I do have to say that I have been fairly fortunate as most of the strikes have occurred at home in the evening, luckily not in the middle of a lecture on say, oh, resolution of force vectors into their components.

A second, yet equally as fun, TMI visitor is what I've been calling "lightening boob." It is basically the same sort of stabbing, flaming, exploding wonderfulness as lightening crotch, just in a different anatomical area. That has actually been around for a few weeks as I remember vividly calling my sister (who has a two-year old) one evening about a month ago asking if my breast was supposed to feel like it was shooting flames - the answer, if I heard correctly through all the laughter, was that yes, that can tend to happen (in case you were wondering like I was.)