Mama Tried

Baby, Schmaby

Today's big news is that at 3 weeks post partum I may have the flabbiest, pouchiest belly in the world, but I don't care because I am wearing non-maternity jeans.

(The flash obscured the circles under my eyes which no amount of touche eclat can conceal.)

Also, moms out there- did you use a baby swing? We just got one and I am using it only when nothing else will get Nathan to sleep or I need both hands to shower or fix/eat dinner... and I am still worried I am using it too much.

26 Weeks

More belly shots are available in the album on the right.

Some friends talked me out of ordering that shirt from GapMaternity.com, using words like "giant blueberry," but I could not resist it on the sale rack ($5). I think this photo will serve as a reminder to be wary of an irresistable deal.

Week 25 Doctor Visit Report

Apparently my doctor read some new study this weekend that suggests the optimal weight gain is 10-15 pounds even for women who are not overweight (and I was straggling the border prepregnancy).  Which is annoying for so many reasons, not the least of which is that I've gained 20. As she was talking to me about limiting myself to one carbohydrate a day (is she NUTS?) and blah blah brown rice I kept thinking, "Hey, lady, you told me I could gain 25-30 pounds just 13 weeks ago!" Anyway, it is not the end of the world and I am just going to cut out candy bars and walk the dog longer.

I go back in three weeks for the exciting glucose tolerance test. They gave me the orange drink already and I am supposed to drink it an hour before my appointment. I have heard it is disgusting but am also not one who deals with curiousity well so I may have to hide it, otherwise I may be tempted to try it.

Lastly, every time I get in the shower I think about one of my pregnancy books that said during pregnancy you may speculate while in the shower about what your baby is like, and then when you have your baby and know what it's like you'll miss the time to think in a leisurely hot shower... and I think, am I having a baby or going to prison??

22 Week Doctor Report

At my checkup today it was noted that I have gained exactly 10 pounds so far.

That seems very hard to believe, since it is at the low end of the target weight gain and I have been more or less eating a candy bar or two a day for the past 22 weeks, but I'll take it. (I added two new belly shots if you want to see exactly where those 10 pounds are.)

I also got my triple screen results (all negative) and heard once again the baby's heartbeat (140 beats per minute, totally normal).  My uterus is the exact average size, as well. Seriously, this trimester could not be more boring but that is by all accounts a good thing.  In four more weeks, more bloodwork and then in six more weeks, the Rhogam. (Which I should actually ask my doctor about because I have no idea if it is a shot or something even scarier.)

Really, though, what was far more exciting than the doctor's visit was my trip to Target this morning, where I stocked up on big tights, which will hopefully transition my maternity wardrobe from fall to winter.  (I had just been wearing tall boots with my dresses and skirts but can no longer keep them on all day and cannot walk around my office in a dress and socks. Unfortunately.)

Baby's First Reviews

"One of my former coworkers at (company Jeff worked at 3 years ago) said that was the best ultrasound picture he'd ever seen, and he has twins."

"HOW many people did you send that picture to, exactly?"

"Oh, about 100."

Jeff is going to be one of THOSE parents.

In other news, I apparently lost two pounds in the past month, according to the scales at the ultrasound place.  I'll see what my doctor says about that on Monday but am not too worried- for one, I could gain those two pounds right back this weekend.  For two, you certainly would not guess that looking at my belly.

Belly

Well meaning friend, this morning: "Oh my god, you're showing!"

I gritted my teeth as I thought, no, I'm not, I'm only at 8 weeks and I cannot believe you just pointed out my potbelly and I may just go home and CRY now, thanks a lot, that was the worst thing anyone has ever said to me...

I said, "Thanks!"

In other news, two people have told me know that morning sickness= girl baby. Jeff and I are leaning towards thinking it might be a girl baby, too, but that doesn't mean anything. It doesn't have LUNGS yet. We're just guessing randomly.  Although as I told another friend whose wife is also expecting the day before they found out the gender, "Well, girls are great up until around 11 and then they are just unbearable and really don't get pleasant again until their late 20s, from what I can tell, whereas boys will trash your house but are still just as adorable when young, and then don't get unbearable at 11, they just lose all parts of their vocabulary besides the words "huh" "no" and "yes" until they hit college, so boys aren't THAT bad."  (Turns out they are having a girl, I should ask his wife about her morning sickness.)

We're off to see the doctor..

Tomorrow. And as I started typing this, iTunes was playing "I Don't Need No Doctor" by New Riders of the Purple Sage. Yes, I have terrible taste in music. But anyway, shut up, iTunes, I totally do need a doctor.

Although I have the normal fears, what is really terrifying me is my weight. I had blithely told my ob/gyn at my last visit, in November, that I was going to try to lose my extra ten pounds before trying to conceive, and she thought I should, and also that it would be easy, "Just exercise!" --- but, it wasn't and I didn't. (I did exercise some, at least.) Also, according to my scale I have already gained three pounds, which means according to a doctor scale I will probably weigh in at way way too fat already. I'm not supposed to be busting out the maternity clothes yet.

But then again, maybe no one will be able to tell the difference between this and this. In fact, I wish I'd known I was going to be pregnant when I bought the non-maternity version. I could have saved $23.50!