Belly Laughs

Hello, fellow blog readers. Today, I'm going to whine. I'm giving you a fair warning in case you want to get out while you can.

I've been feeling dreadful.

Exhaustion. Check.

Hot flashes. Check.

Hunger plus inability to eat. Check.

Nausea. Check.

"Digestive Issues" BIG FAT CHECK.

Yes. Growing a human is hard work and I'm more of an instant gratification kind of gal, but I'll just have to learn patience because I'm in this until January. Could it be worse? Yes. Would I still love every exhausting minute of it all, in a way, yes. I'm creating the lungs, the fingers and toes, the brain of a tiny human that's half me and half the love of my life. This is our gift for loving eachother unconditionally, every single day. We have so much love for one another that it overflows, and what a perfect way to use this abundance. We have so much love to give to this Baby Peterson, but right now I'm going to moan a bit, because when I'm holding this miracle in my arms, everything will have been worth it.

I read Jenny McCarthy's book, Belly Laughs, in it's entirety today while in the car to Brunssum. I absolutely loved this book. She really shed light on every symptom, hemroids and sexual encounters included. It's the truth behind the "pregnancy glow" and the sweet kicks of your baby that you feel from the inside out; it's more than the beauty that we believe it to be. Here are a few of my favorite and relatable excerpts to follow.

"For me, the worst of it came (or didn't come, to be more precise) in the beginning. I honestly went thirteen days without even a rumble. And I was eating enormous amounts of food. Where could it be going? I wasn't packing weight on just yet... and it certainly wasn't coming out. Then one day, BAM! There was no way around it, things were rumbling and they wanted to come out. From the feel of things, I could tell that it was the size of Stonehenge and it was ready to flow." (31-32)

"I got to the point where, in our house at night, I had the air-conditioning on fifty degrees (in nothing but Granny undies--lots of fabric and plenty of coverage but not lots of warmth) while my husband was forced to wear a parka and mittens. He kept complaining that icicles were forming on his nose. Of course, reasonable and emotionally balanced pregnant woman that I was, I didn't care if he turned into Frosty the Snowman as long as I kept cool." (84)

"Sometimes you have no idea why you're crying. I remember sitting on the sofa watching a piece of lint  roll by and I burst into tears. My husband kept asking me what was wrong, and I remember trying to think of why I was crying, but there wasn't a reason. Crying for no reason just didn't compute for him, so finally I would just make up something, as in, 'I'm crying because you forgot to take the garbage out.' A little cruel, sure. But a reason is something a man can get his head around." (93)

I still have yet to experience the sore boobs, if at all, as well as swelling, back aches, waddling, heartburn, false labor and stretch marks. They'll sneak up on me, and I'll hate it, but it's all for one amazing result: our baby.

Please, Baby Pete, if you can just let Mommy eat when I go home for 30 days, I'll consider ungrounding you from the rest of the symptoms you've caused. xoxo.

The Official Ultrasound

As you know, I've already had an ultrasound, but it was for some mild spotting I was concerned about, so besides the ultrasound we didn't go over much. Today, it was the real deal.

Of course, as usual, I went in terrified - don't ask me why, I don't know anymore. Marieke was my midwife doing the ultrasound today; she asked me to lay down and spread eagle it. Okay, she didn't say that ,but you get the point. Since it's early, this ultrasound was internal, but I already had one before so I knew how it was. THERE IT WAS! It was MUCH bigger than last time (double, actually) and I could see it's little heart beating. Relief. Everything was perfect, even it's little arms and legs. Then, it was moving around! IT MOVES! It's so strange to know that there is some moving inside of you and it has it's own heartbeat. 

She printed us out a sonogram and stored some other pictures on a USB drive for us. We were asked a million questions and I asked her a million as well.

Even though everyone kept telling me I wouldn't have another ultrasound before I went home, I do. Exactly two weeks from today (July 1) we will have our 11 week ultrasound. That's also my birthday! Then, two days later, we take off for Pittsburgh!  HOLY CRAP, CAN THESE COUPLE WEEKS BE ANY MORE EXCITING?!

My symptoms are, of course, fatigue and overall loss of appetite. It has, however, been getting better in the past two days. I'm not fully back to normal, but at least I can eat more than goldfish. To put it bluntly, I'm constipated. I always say "digestive issues",but that really doesn't capture the sheer horror of it. I've been constipated from the beginning - it's terrible & it makes me look 6 months pregnant because my belly starts poking out and is round and hard. I've been trying to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! I still don't have sore boobs. I NEVER get sore boobs, even with PMS. I'm immune, I suppose.

Aversions: chicken nuggets, most meat (except ham), and coffee.

Cravings: I go through day-to-day "cravings", but I'm mainly eating whatever sits well. Sour candy is my saving grace for nausea.