Getting There: 16 Weeks 3 Days

Thanks for everyone's great feedback on my blogging attempt.  I have to say, I wish I could email more personal notes, set up more time for coffee or lunch, and have lengthy phone calls with people, but this eases my mind a great deal.  So thank you!

Ginger Snap This Week

Specs: ~5" (head to boom-boom), and ~3.5 ounces

True Fact: "Your baby has learned to breathe. This is apparent from the regular movements of his/her chest, inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid. These actions help the lungs to develop and grow. More developed facial muscles may lead to various expressions, such as squinting and frowning. The baby can grasp with his hands, kick, or even somersault. Baby hears external voices, sleeps and dreams." http://www.baby2see.com/development/week16.html 

We've started having long conversations, Ginger Snap and I, on my commute to work, and kind of just about anywhere in between! Sam and I went to the midwives/birthing center yesterday, and the heartbeat is strong and steady. Just like a bongo drum! If any curious person would like to hear, let me know, and I'll upload the recording/video we took.

Me This Week:

I'm sewing more. I mowed my grass this weekend. I'm sleeping really well, and feeling even better.  Told my big-boss man today that I feel "a million bucks." I'm having a good week.  I started sewing a maternity dress with extra fabric, my seeds have sprouted in their pods, and the dogs (still) appreciate their walks! Braxton Hicks kicked in - they are serious business, let me tell you. Called my midwives and they told me to get more rest (evidently mowing and doing laundry and cleaning the house and weeding the garden) was a bit too much, too fast. I guess I will relax more - the couch is my friend! I need to start sipping my mocktails (ginger ale and lemonade) and kick my feet up more often. Oh, and guess what? Started feeling bubbles this week - Ginger Snap is floating, dancing, swirling around in there, making Momma proud already! Such a cool feeling.  

Praises for Dad (Sam AKA "S"): 

One of my close friends brought to my attention that last week's post "Beginnings" looks like "Dads" instead of referring to (Dad) Sam as "S."  Caveat: Ginger Snap's daddy's name is Sam.  So I'll call him S.  He was such a fantastic note-taker at the midwives appointment - finished my sentences/questions, asked questions I had forgotten to ask, and recorded the heartbeat. He brought me a fantastic container FULL of homemade chili and cornbread yesterday. His cooking abilities far exceed mine.  S is a happy person - it's contagious, welcomed and appreciated.  

Experiences:

This past Saturday, my dad, roommate (T) and I ventured across the Bay Bridge to a maternity/baby/kid consignment store.  I am needing a larger variety of maternity clothing (more than 1 pair of crop jeans), and figured it would be a fun field trip.  Well, it was a small store, but it still didn't ward off the anxiety I felt after an hour of trying on maternity clothes. My body is ever-so-changing, and it's not going to stop anytime soon. (T warded the one woman off! Thank you!) Acceptance is key, you see, because I'm really not in control anymore. At. All.  The woman in the store told me she "milked it for all it was worth" when she was pregnant, and she was impressed at how active and positive I am.  I'm not viewing pregnancy as an excuse to be lazy, gluttonous with my diet or complain all the time for attention. Now, I will rest, I will eat more per day, and I will have melt downs, whining attacks and down days. But I hope I don't regress as a person - this is an opportunity to grow in character, because it's not always easy. So, thank you lady in consignment store, for reminding me to not give up, and not to milk this for all it's worth. 

Thank God It's Friday! 

-Michelle 

Beginnings

I've never blogged before - never. I used to keep a journal, email friends, and until recently, I was on Facebook.  I fired Facebook, and went back to emailing friends.  However, strange as it may seem *ahem*, with my pregnancy, I've found it extremely difficult to keep everyone as up to date as they'd like via email, phone calls, text, etc.  And, I'm not considering hiring Facebook back anytime soon.  So here I am.

I'm 15 weeks 2 days pregnant. And, I'm beginning to feel like I am pregnant (more than just knowing I am). My pants don't fit, my (bigger) bras don't fit, and I'm starting to have mini contractions.  It's a very interesting experience. It's not strange, it's different, and it's been an adjustment.  And, yeah, I like it.

Ginger Snap This Week:

Growing. Haha. From what I've been reading... Specs: ~4", ~2.5 oz
True Fact: "Many of your baby's major organ systems are increasing in capacity - especially their amazing tiny heart and circulatory system, which is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood per day, and will increase to a very impressive 200 quarts per day by the end of the pregnancy." http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/calendar/week15
Wild, isn't it?! Yeah, when I read that, my mouth dropped - cannot deny another living being it's blood flow! 

 Me This Week:

I miss wine. Yeah, I do. It's alright, I'm drinking lemonade and a whole lot more water.  I started walking everyday since this past weekend, which the dogs appreciate, my body appreciates, and thankfully, my emotions have soared! It's nice to be in the second trimester.  I started my garden too, well, my indoor seeds. I finally went grocery shopping. And, I attempted to sew maternity pants. Attempted - will keep trying! Took a deep breath and bought maternity pants at Motherhood... rough at best, but I did!.

Praises for Dad (S):

He works so hard, makes me so proud. We spent great time together this weekend. He cheered me on as I attempted to retrofit Banana Republic jeans into momma-jeans, bought me Chinese food, occupied Wyatt and Chloe while I had a crying fit, and took me to an amazing brunch on Sunday. Couldn't ask for more. Still want to try his homemade chili sometime soon.  =)

Experiences:

Oh Toys 'R Us, and Baby's 'R Us, how anxiety giving you are... S and I ventured inside the enormous store.  It was a good test of our patience, and mental strength. We slowly walked the aisles, eyes wide with wonder, making mental note of every price tag, color, pattern, size, and, oh... my... goodness...

It was really helpful - we were able to see everything in ONE place, determine what we like and don't like (for starters), and get used to being around strollers, car seats, onesies, bottles, diapers, cribs... etc. It was good. It was really good. And we left the store before it could be too much. We found our limit and listened. I started making small mental notes about what I wanted to look for now in consignment shops and for patterns to sew. I don't want to be flooded with "things." If you know me, you'll know that already. I'm afraid with the level of people S knows, we will be flooded regardless of what we want or say. So from there, I'll prepare to be thankful.

That's that. Until next week.

-Michelle