Twelve Weeks and more swimming

So, we've reached the 12th week! This weekend was another fun-in-the-sun time with friends. I donned my maternity bathing suit (borrowed from my older sister) not because my usual bikini wouldn't have fit, but because I feel kind of immodest around my friends who usually wear board shorts with their bathing suits, then there I am baring it all. I definitely realized after getting the suit wet that I have a lot of room to grow in it. It sagged all day around my belly since my bump is nothing really to speak of. But I felt very comfortable in it, nonetheless. In honor of it being the 12th week* I took a bare belly pic of my "bump" for the blog just in case this is the last time my belly looks somewhat normal and not all huge or stretchy.

It's weird how when I'm wearing clothes the bump looks bigger to me. Although, I was wearing a very poufy dress to church today with a belt AND had just had a big lunch before the picture. I look like a need a nap in this picture! I definitely had one immediately afterwards.

Favorite moments of this week:
Random cravings (cherry blow-pops, corn dogs)
Random bursts of energy
Doing the insanity workout with friends and being told  to "take a break, preggo!"
Going on a 4-mile evening bike ride double-date with friends and getting to ride a tandem bike for the first time!
Swimming and eating fresh summer fruit by the pool.
Waking up from a nap to Texan asking me sweetly, "Why so sleepy? Busy making a baby?"
Texan's new song for rubbing my belly, "That baby bump, the bump, the baby bump..." haha!
Registering for car seat, pack n play, stroller, and such at BUY BUY BABY and Babies R Us.

We have just over a week until our next appointment to make sure everything is going well. Can't wait!
*The week in which I promised to embrace the bump...

10 and 11 weeks

Here we are, getting close to that 2nd trimester mark! I am currently 11 weeks along, and looking ever-forward to 12 weeks--which is where I have decided that I will embrace a baby bump...which seems to be appearing without my consent already at 11 weeks. Oh well, I have been pretty pudgy the last two weeks on and off, mostly bloated or otherwise much of the time. But now I have to say, "Oh well, let the baby bump come."*
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This weekend my parents came into town for a 2-day visit where my mom actually rubbed my belly and said, "Aww, I see the baby." Yep. When Mom says it, it's happening. We had lots of relaxing fun in our weekend. We ate out at various eateries, went antique shopping (browsing), had way too much ice cream, and watched movies. I got to introduce my parents to all of my friends at Sunday school, and they helped me touch up my VBS room for the coming week. They said they are very proud of me for teaching VBS for the first time. It was nice to have them around. They have so much love to give Texan and I, just like good parents do.
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In my 10th week, I took a turn for the nauseated. Wednesday night, instead of bible study, we handed out fliers for VBS. Walking door-to-door was exhausting, and I ended up sleeping 12 hours that night! The long night was quickly followed by vomiting first thing in the morning. The good thing about this day was that I was not at a lack of energy for once! I mopped my kitchen floor before work, and had a pretty good day at work to follow. But ever since then, my stomach hasn't been quite right. For the most part it is, but then there are days like yesterday where whether hungry or starving I felt the same...nauseated. But I can whole-heartedly say "Oh well" to that, because my energy most days is back in full swing. It's great.
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I'm feeling pretty morose today, though. I think a good night's sleep will probably solve it. It seems that any day where I wake up before 9 a.m. I end up feeling pretty weepy by dinner time. It's just these emotions...taking me over...remember that song? Anyway, here are my 10-week and 11-week pictures.
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*I don't mean it. I actually have a terrible fear that I'm just fat even though I have only gained 1.5 lbs. Sigh, I guess I should just let it be.

That's My Baby!

On Tuesday of pregnancy week 9, I had a doctor's appointment. And just to show how clueless I am, I had no idea this wold be my first glimpse at the baby other than the time we saw the gestational sack on pregnancy week 6. Therefore, I didn't tell Texan to get the day off work to come with me. Will I ever get over this guilt? The first ultrasound of our first baby and I'm the reason he missed it? Ugh. I did send him a snapshot of our little "green olive" and had a copy framed on the dresser (pic below) when he got home, so he didn't seem too bummed. But, I'm still pretty worked up about it. It was a good visit. I LOVE my OBGYN and his staff. I will definitely be referring him to friends for his personability and patience. My favorite part or the ultrasound was when Dr. M zoomed in on the baby and he/she seemed to do a few crunches for me! It was a profile view, so I could see from head to toe the whole body bunch up then stretch back out then jump around. So thrilling! And the heartbeat was so fast! I spent the whole day on a baby high, and even now I haven't come down. I feel so great! 

On the feelings note, I feel less nauseated this week and only vomited once Monday morning, and was instantly voracious afterward. I took that as a good sign. I also ran twice this week, which puts me almost back to where I was pre-constant nausea. I think my girlfriends are glad to have me back in action on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

Here's your weekly emotions update: last night after administering my ear drops (into my infected ear which became infected a week after I got a sinus infection) my Texan thought it would be nice to kiss my infected ear. To which I did not respond well and basically sobbed for 20 minutes. 

This morning, I then cried while listening to the Alan Jackson song, "Drive" which chronicles Jackson's experiences learning to drive under the supervision of his grandfather, who he called "daddy." I love that song, but today it loved me back. Pah!

Cravings update: chocolate milk. Today I had a decision to make. "I can be on time for work, or I can make a delicious glass of chocolate milk..." Needless to say, I was late to work where I had two more glasses. The chocolate milk thing has been pretty steady for he past two weeks but it took a turn for "intense" this week. Yum :)

Eight and Nine Weeks

My eighth week of pregnancy can best be described as "The Sick Week." I stayed home from bible study on Wednesday night and work on Thursday so I could go to the doctor. My allergies gave me a sinus infection, and I was vomiting pretty uncontrollably from 9:30 Wednesday night until 6:30 Thursday morning.
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 It was also the week where Texan worked very long hours, and by the time he came home every night I was already in my pajamas. Thus, there is no picture for eight weeks, not that it would look any different than nine weeks. Still no bump to speak of--but he LOVES being in charge of decorating the board. He even had the eight weeks board all ready, we just never snapped the shot.
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Now we are nine weeks, and Texan is getting more interested in the baby. Mind you, he  has always been very interested in my pregnant state. In fact, he says that pregnant women in general are more attractive than the non-pregnant kind...whatever that means. However, for the first time, I found him reading about what the baby looks like and what he/she is doing. This week the baby is the size of a green olive (so beautifully drawn below) and a heartbeat is detectable through ultrasounds. We also read that when I am ten weeks, all of the baby's vital organs will be fully-developed and fully-functional! I think that is an amazing work of God, that when the baby is still only an inch and a half at most, its most important organs are in place and working like they will for the rest of its life. Wow.
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Tomorrow I have my first real prenatal checkup. I say "real" because though I have been to the doctor to have blood drawn and receive an exam, I have not seen an OB. So, tomorrow is the big day. Since our insurance is sure to change again at some point in the pregnancy, I'm not holding up much hope that the doctor I meet tomorrow that I painstakingly chose will be the doctor that remains my doctor throughout (because depending on what insurance we change to he may not accept it...) I am still excited to meet him and find out more about what's happening in my body and my baby's. I know that having the same doctor throughout the pregnancy may be a luxury we don't receive with this baby. But for now I know I will receive good care.
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I attribute the nostalgic spirit I have attained this week to my pregnancy and raging hormones. In the past few days I have watched Pocahontas, Spirit, Cars, The Incredibles, and Tangled. I cried hopelessly at the end of Tangled, and came very close during Spirit. I'm just so happy when the beloved characters find where they belong in the end! (Yikes) Also my energy has been at an all-time low over the past week, hence all of the lounging in front of the TV/iPad. If I don't have to get out of bed for some splendid reason, I don't and I won't. In fact, yesterday was the most relaxing Sunday we have had in a while. Aside from church, we actually stayed home and in bed all day! Well, I stayed in bed all day while Texan came and went as he pleased. He napped with me for a while, then watched an action thriller (Yuck) in the living room while I watched Pixar movies on my iPad.
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Now I am using this Monday to finish rounding up my professional references and hand in job applications for the new school year. Fingers crossed!