14 Weeks

(photo taken 3/2/11)



I guess that means I am officially in the 2nd trimester now-yippee! The persistent nausea seems to have departed along with the 1st trimester (hallelujah!) as the last time I felt really bad was late Sunday afternoon. I am still hesitant to proclaim myself as nausea-free but I'm hopeful!

New things this week are that I'm feeling huge and my belly is itching like crazy. I found an older pair of jeans that are one size too big that I can still zip up without problem. So far I've gained 6 pounds (ok, maybe 7) which I consider miraculous after my 12 pound first trimester put-on with Isla. Regardless, I'm still feeling ginormous and like I'm gaining in all the wrong places. Such is life I suppose.

I continue to be pretty tired but am loving the fact that I can fall asleep almost instantaneously once in bed. Or at least I was. We took away Isla's binky this week so I'm not sure whether my increased sleep fitfulness is more pregnancy related or because of the toddler crying in the next room. Difficult to say really...

I honestly can't believe that we are going to have a baby in less than 6 months (LESS THAN 6 MONTHS!!!!!!) I told Graham the other day, "Did you realize that I'm pregnant!?!" That's sort of how it feels around here. The whole thing still hasn't sunk in for either of us. I can't wait to start feeling some fluttering in there to help cement it in my mind that this is really happening. I try really hard to pay attention when I lay still but I'm sure it's still too early to feel anything, even with this being a 2nd baby.

My junk food binges have calmed recently which is quite reassuring. I'm back to drinking coffee without trouble (caffeinated even because my doctor said it might help with the headaches I've been having!) My latest craving has been movie theater-style buttered popcorn (ok so maybe I still like some junk foods) but I have yet to indulge this desire. I'm feeling less and less of a "need" to eat the boxed mac n cheese or salty Filipino ramen noodles which were my staples in weeks prior. I'm off the lemon water kick but am enjoying Trader Joe's sparkling flavored waters (not sweet at all), particularly the orange one. I've also been wanting milkshakes a lot this week too.

I touched briefly on the headaches but I'll expand a little. Not sure what these are all about but I have a headache almost all the time. Sometimes I wake up with them; often I go to bed with them. Thankfully, they are tolerable but not enjoyable. My doctor thought they might be due to the increased salt intake that is common in the first trimester (guilty!) but now I'm not sure since I'm no longer eating salt in excess and still getting them.

I pulled out my pedometer this week and have been trying to use it regularly to make sure I stay active. I walked so much when I was pregnant with Isla (I was doing a 10,000 step/day challenge at work) and I think that helped curb excess weight gain so I'm trying to get back into that at least 3-4 times a week for starters. The only trouble with this plan is that Isla has decided she no longer enjoys the stroller. Hmm....

I had my first person ask me if I was pregnant last Thursday, soley based on my physical appearence. WHAT? Is it THAT obvious already?? I mean obvious enough to outright ask someone? It was a coworker who asked and I was standing on the other side of a waist-high desk so I'm wondering if she'd heard rumor and was just trying to casually confirm it? Who knows? Those closest to me can call me out on it if I'm totally in denial. (By the way, I REALIZE I totally look pregnant in the pic above but I'm also wearing a maternity shirt and accenting my belly, neither of which I was doing this past Thursdays...) Maybe I am in denial.