journey of life

I’ve got my tennis shoes on, my dress hiked up and will muster up whatever energy I can find tucked away in hidden corners in order to jump over this hurdle. The end of February/beginning of March has been a point at which I have wanted to reach since the beginning of the new year. I’m very glad it is finally here.

Today has been a rough day on many levels. Physically and emotionally I am exhausted. After the trip to the grocery store I had some mild cramping similar to menstrual cramps, which of course, is scary (and annoying). To top it off I’ve not been sleeping well at night for several weeks now. I continue to be too drained to think about dinner lately, because I’m tired of trying to figure out what will sound good to eat, let alone what would be healthy for me to eat.

I have yet to gain any weight according to my at home scale (the doctor’s scale thinks I have put on three pounds, but with winter weather in full swing, I’ve been wearing insulated underwear, so I don’t think they get a true weight). However, my wardrobe selection has dwindled down to a week’s worth of slacks/pants and sweats. Most of my shirts still fit, with the exception of a couple of fitted oxfords that can’t contain my ever expanding boobs.

I am delighted to have several first time pregnant friends, both old and new, sharing this experience with me. I imagine that pregnancy is easier when you aren’t alone in new and unchartered territory.

And, on Monday, we have the nuchal translucency scan scheduled. We continue to be on pins and needles, hoping that everything goes well.

And, so the first trimester comes to an end. Round two is now in effect. *Ding*

Seriously, how did Martha manage to make wonderful gourmet meals when she was pregnant? Did she stock up on freezer foods? Have a personal chef? I know. She whipped up some gorgeous homemade hostess gifts and went door to door bartering her gifts and domestic skills in exchange for some grub.

Normally, I actually enjoy preparing dinner. I find delight in figuring out what meals to make. However, I am not enjoying it one bit right now. The smell of some foods can almost nauseate me, which makes cooking difficult considering I prepare a lot of stinky foods. Also, many of the “good for you” foods I have been eating (whole grains, salads, etc.) turn me off as well. And, lastly, nothing sounds/tastes good, so it’s hard to shop for meals ahead of time. As a result, we have been eating out much more than usual.

One of my girlfriend’s told me that she was told that at some point in time food takes on a whole new “flavor” when you are pregnant. I’ll let you know when I make that turn.

Photo credit : Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.

A couple of weeks ago I joined a meetup group in order to meet other new and expecting moms in the area. Lucky for me, another member of the group is pregnant, due around the same time as I am, so we decided to meet today for a late lunch. After almost two hours (and our server politely asking if she could close our tab so she could go home) I am delighted to know yet another pregnant lady. Even better, one who shares similar beliefs and ideas when it comes to childbirth/child rearing as well as common interests, like travel and counter-culturism. I am definitely looking forward to meeting up again soon.

Speaking of friends, I now know three other pregnant souls that will be suffering right along with me through all of this:

1. My meetup friend (she’s due a couple days ahead of me). Obviously, she is local.
2. A dear, dear friend from high school (she’s a week behind me). Unfortunately, she does not live close by, but that is not going to to stop us from getting through this together! She has been a great support system for me for over 15 years now and I’m thrilled to hear we will be partners in crime throughout this ordeal.
3. A girl that I went to college with (she’s a couple weeks ahead of me) that I met through an ex-boyfriend. Another plus: she’s local as well.

In case you didn’t make it to Dunkin’ Donuts yesterday, you can head to your local Einstein Brothers Bagels store for some cheap coffee. If you are there, don’t forget to pick up an Asiago Cheese bagel (my favorite), or one of their specialty bagels (Green Chile, Six Cheese, Spinach Florentine or Dutch Apple) or get them all. I’m drooling. Are you?

A few weeks ago, something happened, which made me feel like I’m no longer a tourist, but rather that I actually “live” in my neighborhood. What was it?

a. The lady at the post office noticed my name and address on a package I was mailing and knew that they were holding a box for me in the back.
b. A neighbor we had not met properly, came up to us and introduced herself.
c. A man driving by on my afternoon walk, stopped to ask me for directions and I could actually give them. And, they were actually correct.
d. A woman walking her dog shared advice on what to feed a competitive eating dog, recommending a dog bone that can be stored in the freezer for long periods of time.

Last night we watched “The Miracle of Life“, an Emmy award winning NOVA documentary from 1983. Both my husband and I had seen the video before, however, not through the eyes of expecting parents. I have to say I believe we were both a little disappointed. The majority of the film focused on how everything comes together before conception, with very little footage of the fetal growth and delivery. However, at the time, the documentary showed never before seen footage and it was a good starting point.

I have seen on that there is an updated version titled, “The Greatest Miracle” on the NOVA website and can be viewed through several online segments.

For a buck (well, actually 99 cents) at Dunkin Donuts today from 1-10 pm today you can get a small latte, cappuccino or espresso.

With one more week to go before the first trimester ends, I’m starting to really feel pregnant. Earlier this week I told my husband that the pregnancy is beginning to feel “real”. Maybe I came to the conclusion that whatever news I was going to hear at the doctor’s office on Wednesday, I was going to have some direction. A good, strong heartbeat meant good news and we would still be pregnant. No heartbeat or a weak heartbeat would be a warning sign, and possibly a miscarriage. Either way, I felt confident that things would be moving forward in one direction or another.

Some symptoms going on this week:

I have started having slight round ligament pain when I sneeze (which is quite often) or cough.
My breasts are still tender, sometimes terribly so early in the morning when I get up.
I have to get up to pee about every five hours at night, so usually just once at night. Also, when I wake up to pee, I’m fully awake, and it takes me a while to get back to sleep, something I am not accustomed to. In my past life I was known as a well-accomplished heavy sleeper, training for the Olympic trials for heavy sleeping. I am sure my body is now gearing me up for sleepless nights, where I am required to be cognizant of what I am doing at 3:23 am.
I’ll eat almost any food, as long as I don’t have to prepare it. It tastes much better that way.

A quick trip to the doctor’s office today (basically to see whether or not the baby still had a heartbeat) was successful. The nurse who took my blood pressure noted it was higher than usual and I’m sure my pulse was hovering around 100 beats per minute. The doctor had me lie down, squirted out the ultrasound goo on my bloated gut and with the Doppler, begin trying to find the baby’s heartbeat. After what seemed like an eternity (just before I began hyperventilating) she found the heartbeat, thumping away in the 170’s. Hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst, I let out a big sigh of relief. Then another breath to calm down my nerves (and my blood pressure and my heartbeat).

We concluded with me asking some questions, determining when I should make my next appointment and some meaningless talk about the inclimate winter weather brewing outside. Then, on home to continue this pregnancy.