I found out I was pregnant the day before Thanksgiving. This was also the day before we flew to California. David was with me and we were both thrilled and very happy. I had originally hoped for a Springtime baby, but I had been a bit confused on my baby-making facts. For some reason I thought that you could get pregnant at any time of the month, but were just more likely to conceive during ovulation. (Eli was conceived in our first month of trying, and I wasn't paying any attention to my cycle.) So for a couple months we were just casually trying that way. Then I found out the disheartening only-ovulation-time news, and so I paid attention to my cycle and tried to time it just right. When it still didn't work that way after a couple months I decided to buy an ovulation kit. That did it! Baby #2 is due August 1st (but will for sure be here in July, if not just naturally, then for medical reasons). That puts me at 14 weeks. Second trimester, yipee!
Eli was so cute when I told him I was pregnant. I said, "Eli, Mommy's going to have a baby!" He said, "Yeah!" I asked, "Is it going to be a girl baby or a boy baby?" "Girl!" "Are you going to have a brother or a sister?" "Sister!" "You're going to be a big brother!" "Yeah!" : ) Most every time I ask he still says he's having a sister, and he likes to pull up his shirt when I ask where the baby is, and he says "Tummy!" He also says "Hi" to the baby and waves to my belly. We know he is going to be a terrific big brother, and we can't wait for the two to meet each other and to watch them interact.
I was able to have an ultrasound at my first appointment. I didn't get one with Eli until 20 weeks. It was really fun to see the baby (or the peanut) and to talk about it with Eli. He was grinning the whole time. Eli also loves when we hear the heartbeat. Can't wait for the excitement of feeling movements!
Thanksgiving night in California, we were all writing out things we were thankful for, then we'd be reading them aloud together. I kind of wanted to write about the baby, but David thought we should wait to announce it. We didn't have to wait long, however, as everyone incidentally found out the following day! We were having our Christmas gift exchange, and each couple gifts one other couple. My sister Emily had me, and one of the things I had asked her for was a maternity shirt, since I was planning on getting pregnant. Right after I opened it she asked, "So, do you have anything to say?" I just looked at her like "Huh?" and then I caught on to what she was referring to. It completely caught me off guard! I tried to act like I didn't know what she was talking about, but that really didn't work. I told her I am. My mom was sitting right next to me, so she heard the exchange, but nobody else did. That night while all of the adults were out for dinner, Becky and Beth were talking to me about pregnancy and asking some questions about me still trying. So it spilled out to them that I was in fact already pregnant! When my mom heard that we were talking about she said, "Okay, now you have to tell everybody else!" So I announced it aloud to the whole family. At exactly 4 weeks. : )
The symptoms started right away, just as expected. Moodiness, tenderness, and nausea all began even before I found out I was pregnant. I was SO grateful that I wasn't sick-sick on our CA trip. What a downer that would have been! I started throwing up at 6 weeks. It was only ever in the middle of the night, and every few nights. I was still PLENTY nauseous during the day, though. The sickness really picked up after a few weeks, where I was throwing up at least once a day, every day. Middle of the night was always most common, but before long early evening became a troubled time, and occasionally morning and mid-day. With Eli I was very sick and threw up a lot, and finally started taking Zofran at 11 weeks. That caused me such terrible side effects that I knew I would not take it again. I didn't take anything for the nausea this time around. I tried ginger ale and crackers but the soda seemed to give me very bad stomach aches. But I chew gum in the morning and I think that's helped a lot. I've thrown up every food and drink item in our house. And let me just say how terribly disgusting it is to throw up! I will never understand why anyone would want to get drunk or be bulimic. There is absolutely NOTHING good about it! During my very sick time I watched the movie A Walk in the Clouds (which has got to be one of the most beautifully romantic movies ever). In the movie there's a scene where the main girl (who is pregnant) throws up on the guy while standing. But all it is is this teeny-weeny sound and her putting her hand over her mouth. And that's it! Boy I wish throwing up was that lovely for me. My situations are always quite violent and intense. : (
So pretty much I've just felt like I'm dying these last couple months. I constantly felt like I had a horrible flu, and kept on my jammies, robe, and a blanket wrapped around me all of the time. Before I was sick Eli hardly watched any shows, but since then Netflix has become our good friend. Eli's been such a doll, though. He snuggles with me on the couch, or brings his toys over to me so we can play while I lay down, or he'll just happily play on his own. Even during all the sickness I still tried to have us get out and do something every morning. That really helps both of us. One of the very hardest things is grocery shopping when nauseous! Many times I thought I was going to have to bolt to a restroom, or leave a lovely display in an aisle. But somehow I've magically made it this far without throwing up in public! I've never even thrown up at church this time! Phew.
I've also struggled quite a lot with bad headaches and backaches already. I'm not a caffeine drinker, but my dr. told me that Excedrin Migraine makes a bottle without aspirin in it. I need to try that asap! It's crazy how just a bad headache can really mess up your mood and your ability to do things.
Being in the throws of morning sickness made me so, so GRUMPY. It gets very old and tiring to feel so completely miserable and be so exhausted week after week after week. The house was constantly messy, and I felt guilty about not being able to perform my duties. It really feels like it will never end and you'll never feel like yourself again. Well, I'm happy to report that I'm getting a lot better! I haven't thrown up in a week and the nausea has died down quite a bit. And I'm back to blogging! Things are looking up. : )
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