26 Weeks

Looks like my last week of 2nd trimester!

This week baby girl must have had a growth spurt -- I noticed a decent change in bump size, plus I've been getting ravenously hungry between 10 pm and 1 am. She's been getting more feisty around 3:30-4:30 with kicking. And while I haven't had specific food cravings most of 2nd trimester, the past two weeks I've been really into turkey BLT sandwiches.

Also this past week we've made a minor dent in nursery preparations. We've mostly cleared out all the stuff from the second bedroom and found innovative ways to combine closet space. Friends have graciously helped me paint the trim, walls and closets. I have lots to do yet to finish those basics, but we're very sloooowly getting somewhere. The crib is purchased but still in the box. I'll definitely need to call in the reinforcements to help us since we're assembly challenged in a big way! The next two weekends will be completely full between traveling and other outings, so I really want to accomplish a lot this weekend. Maybe the nesting phase is kicking in?

Another thing we can check off our pre-baby checklist is visiting her future daycare. It's close to our home and one of the few places that offer half day hours. While I'm not gaga over the very dated building and tattered equipment, I'm reminded by other moms it's the care that matters.

In other news, we found out that our baby will have a built-in family bestie -- W's sister and brother-in-law had their anatomy scan today and found out they're having a girl too! I think it will be sweet to see the two together at family functions.

11 Weeks

One more to 12! I know technically second tri doesn't start until 13w3d, but somehow 12 feels more like a trimester. Plus 12 is when we planned to become "Facebook official." And that may have to wait longer than I wanted. I'm foreseeing some obstacles in my path to my planned reveal (I'm really making this more awesome than it really is, by the way).

At any rate, I've also semi-figured out my new tripod and found a place to start taking my weekly bump progress pics. (Hint: it's the nursery!) Let me put this disclaimer on the photo in this post: I know that is not a legitimate baby bump, but it is because of pregnancy that my belly looks twice the size it normally does, so let a girl try to feel good about her expanding waistline.

Symptom-wise, there really have been no new developments. Cravings lean more toward things with tomato sauce in them -- like Italian cheesesteaks, cheap pizza rolls, etc.

I thank God every day that I have not been graced with morning sickness or other tummy concerns. If my chief complaints are waking up 3x a night to use the bathroom and my outrageous appetite, then I'm doing well. The Negative Nelly part of me wonders what could lie ahead as payback. After all, I didn't have problems conceiving and my pregnancy so far has been 'easy' --- so when does the other shoe drop?

I've definitely been slacking on reading my pregnancy books, but I'm LOVING these BabyCenter videos. The whole development process really fascinates me.

7 Weeks

7 weeks as of yesterday! Each Friday when I move into that next week I feel a mini wave of relief. I've been so fortunate this week to have a little more energy back and absolutely no nausea. The lessening of the symptoms do make me nervous, but I still have a few constant symptoms hanging around.

The one that emerged this week -- food obsession. I fed my inner fat kid this whole week. I'm craving really bad for me foods like fast food burgers, pizza, cheesesteaks, carbs. Eating is such an experience these days. It makes me so happy. While I'm thankful I'm facing that instead of all day morning sickness, I know I can't keep on this path or I will be 800 lbs by second trimester!

In about an hour we leave for our annual winery trip. This year will probably be a little bit more boring for me, just watching my group of friends and husband sip wine all day, but I'll try to make the best of it. At least there'll be plenty of food to look foward to!

Too Soon for Maternity Clothes?

Over the weekend the hubs and I went shopping. Because of my awesome bloat belly, I thought it might be time to get a feel for what size maternity clothes I might be wearing soon. It's been awful dressing lately. Like I wrote before, I normally have a rounded out lower belly, but now? It's ridic. I was never a big pants wearer, but now my only pants options are leggings and my stretchy almost yoga-pant NY & Co. "trousers." I really thought my closet of over 100 dresses would pull me through many months of pregnancy, but they all seem to emphasize the bloat. Announcement time can't come soon enough!

So anyway, I have no idea what pregnant woman in this town do for clothes.How will single racks of maternity clothes in JC Penney and Old Navy are get me through until November?? We used to have a Motherhood Maternity but we lost that months ago. Online shopping it is. I did at least pick up two non-mat dresses at Kohl's that should suffice for warm weekends - yay empire waist!

Instead of clothes, we came home with another book - this time for the daddy-to-be. Upon the recommendation of my friends, I signed up W to received the weekly BabyCenter emails, which I figured would do the job. But alas, this book was $4. I may crack up the first time I spy him reading it. But we're five and can't talk about baby books without re-enacting Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl's fight in "Knocked Up" -- "I didn’t read the baby books! What’s gonna happen? How did anyone ever give birth without a baby book?!"

You know what else is ridiculous? The pregnancy/food relationship. Friday after work I went to the grocery store to pick up some rice (BRAT diet for my GI bug). I also grabbed some hot chicken tenders on my way out. And then something snapped in me as I got into my car. I pried open the chicken bag. It was like I lost all concept of etiquette and decency as I drove the rest of the way home with one hand on the steering wheel, the other clutching my fried chicken. I have never felt so pregnant than I did in that moment.