18 Weeks

This week: 18 weeks - I'm still not wearing maternity clothes but a nice pair of stretchy work pants are going to be my next purchase! I can no longer button any of my pants at all. And some I can't even zip!
Total weight gain/loss: I'm not sure if it's changed since last week - our scale needs new batteries.
Sleep: Good
Best moment of the week: I felt the baby move for the first time! It was truly unlike anything I have ever felt and I wouldn't describe it the same way as I've heard other people describe it. It doesn't really feel like a flutter or bubbles or anything like that. It just feels like I'm being jabbed from the inside - gentle jabs - but definitely distinct jabbing.
Movement: Since I felt the baby move on Monday, I have felt him (her) pretty consistently - I love it! It's nice to know something really is in there!
Food cravings: I have had a growing aversion to meat. I'll eat it but I don't want it all the time. Since it has been so warm here, I have just been craving summery, light, fresh foods like cold pasta salads and fresh fruit.
Gender: Two more weeks until we find out! I'm still convinced it's a boy and will be very surprised if it is, in fact, a muchacha.
What I miss: Hot dogs
What I am looking forward to: Having a baby to dress up in cute summery clothes and honestly, I am looking forward to having a little person to take care of. I may bite my tongue later but I really think I will enjoy being a mom and everything that goes with being a mom, including being depended on and needed.
Weekly wisdom: I finally told my boss the big news and he was very supportive and congratulatory. In an attempt to be as open and flexible as possible, I stated that I wouldn't have to take much maternity leave if I was working from home (the plan, if I am able to relocate with my job to Wyoming, where there is no KPMG office). Given the nature of my job, I feel like it will be doable for me to take care of the baby and do my work productively at the same time. My boss told me that pregnancies don't always go as planned and would like to come up with a contingency plan in the case that I actually do need more time. He and his wife have had 5 or 6 kids so he told me that once you get to the 4th, 5th or 6th kid (oh, please no!), you may kind of know what to expect but with the first, it's all a mystery. I thought that was very thoughtful of him to consider and prudent of course since I am the only one that currently performs the work that I do. He's covering his bases too but it was good advice and helpful to know that he is supportive!
Milestones: Squirt is a bell pepper this week. He weighs about 7 ounces and is 5.5 inches long. He's also a little elfish right now since, although his ears are in their righful place by now, they still stick out a little. And he's working away, flexing those arms and legs! As for me, my cardiovascular system is undergoing some major changes and I have felt the result - I definitely get more dizzy and am noticing that I have to move slower when I stand up.

Baker's Special - Raspberry Chocolate Cake

I never got around to blogging about it at the time, but we celebrated DJ's birthday last month. DJ and I decided to alternate years for celebrating each other's birthdays in extra special ways and since last year, it was DJ's turn for "extra special", this year, we celebrated on a smaller scale. But of course it still had to be special.

Since I know DJ loves chocolate combined with either cherries or raspberries, I decided to make a raspberry chocolate cake. Only this was no ordinary cake. I decided to go all out and do everything from scratch, cake, frosting, everything. I found recipes all claiming to make the best EVER cake/frosting/ganache. I thought I couldn't possibly go wrong if I used the best of the best for everything. I started out with the moistest cake EVER. Each layer was separated with a homemade chocolate buttercream frosting with the very middle layer including a layer of juicy raspberries. I then iced the entire outside with a rich ganache and layered the top with additional juicy raspberries. It was heaven.

The whole process started out a little shaky though. First the cake didn't start getting made until about 6:00 pm. It then had to bake and cool. While baking, one pan of batter deciding to overflow in the oven, resulting in a slightly deflated cake. When the cakes were finally ready to frost,I whipped up a batch of the buttercream frosting, but it was not enough. So another batch had to be made. Thankfully I had enough ingredients. By this time it was nearing 9:30 or 10:00 pm. Surprisngly the ganache presented no problems whatsoever, and I was able to cover all flaws with a thick layer. After all was said and done, the flavor of everything combined was perfect and it made up for the long wait. I even have a witness who has stated that it is the best cake he has ever eaten. And it wasn't DJ.

Birds, flowers, buds, oh my!

In addition to taking every opportunity to bask in the sun since it decided to make its appearance these past few days, I also decided to capture some images of the evidence that spring has finally arrived here in the southeast! I'm as happy as a squirrel who just found his neighbor's stash of horded acorns! (How's that for a mental image??)







Can you spot the bird in this picture? Kinda hard to miss with its bright red-orange feathers!





The spring mission for Maia is to work off her "winter weight" as the vet so kindly put it.



This isn't exactly a sign of spring in these parts. The grass never turned brown this winter! But I do think it's looking even greener lately and it's actually growing which it did stop doing over the winter.

17 Weeks!

This week: 17 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 5 lbs! I'm on the right track since I'm not supposed to gain too much during the first part of the pregnancy. I'm sure the pounds will start packing on now though!
Sleep: Back to my normal, good sleeping habits although I am finding it a little harder to get comfortable. I may need to break out my preggers pillow soon!
Best moment of the week: Hearing the heartbeat again at my appointment and scheduling the ultrasound to find out whether our little squirt has boy parts or girl parts! Also I was very happy to find out that I would be able to get in one more appointment before we move off to the great state of Wyoming. I will get my blood sugar test done at that point to see if I have developed gestational diabetes.
Movement: Nothin' yet. The doctor said that I probably still have a good couple of weeks though before I'll start feeling anything.
Food cravings: A bagel sandwich, yummmm, I love bagels!
Gender: I've got a strong feeling it's a boy! Especially after my nurse told me that she thinks it's a boy too and she's only been wrong two times.
What I miss: Wine! I have totally been craving a good glass of wine lately or the experience of a wine tasting. That's such a fun spring/summer activity and one I will miss out on this year.
What I am looking forward to: Holding my baby and dressing it in the cutest clothes. If it's a boy, I have already decided he will be the best dressed little boy out there! Sweater vests and polos anyone?
Weekly wisdom: I have a friend who is pregnant with her second child and who really likes to give me pregnancy advice. She told me that in addition to making sure that I am being very careful to not pick up anything heavy, I may also want to abstain from vacuuming! I immediately checked with my doctor the next day at my appointment to see if that was a bit over the top and I was assured that I could continue my housework. I had to laugh though because there is a lot of crazy pregnancy advice out there and I have chosen to go with the more laidback approach and obviously refrain from doing anything that blatantly would harm "squirt" but not taking it over the top and sitting on my duff all day either. I just listen to my body and do as it tells me to. (And in defense for my friend who gave me the vacuuming advice, she has a very high risk pregnancy and the vacuuming advice was directed at her by her doctor and she was just making sure I knew about all the risks. I thought it was very sweet of her to make sure I was duly informed.)
Milestones: Apparently "squirt" is a turnip now. I didn't even know what a turnip looked like and had always thought they were quite small. I was a little worried at first that the baby had started shrinking but then DJ properly informed me that it was about the size of an onion so I guess "squirt" is still growing. *phew* For those visual people...

16 Weeks!

This week: 16 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: I will let you know after my appointment next week!
Sleep: No good. I went to Phoenix this past weekend and there was a three hour time change so I think that messed up my clock a bit. I slept fine while I was there but since I've been home I've had some insomnia. Hopefully this passes quickly! I love my sleep!
Best moment of the week: I might have felt the baby move as we were ascending into the sky in the plane on my way to Phoenix. It could have just been nerves though because I was feeling a little jumpy about flying since my doctor suggested that I not fly while pregnant. (I obviously did not heed her advice and am glad I didn't because I was just fine and had a great much needed restful time in Phoenix.)
Movement: Since that little possible occurrence on the plane, I haven't felt anything yet and really wish I would because I think that will be so exciting!
Food cravings: Nothing in particular lately.
Gender: Still don't know yet!
What I miss: Fitting in my clothes. Everything is definitely fitting tighter and some stuff doesn't fit at all anymore. And pregnancy clothes are still much too big, at least with pants. Pants are a definite issue right now. Bummer.
What I am looking forward to: Actually having a real baby bump, instead of just looking like I overdid it on the donuts and nachos!
Weekly wisdom: I want to remember this so although it's not pregnancy advice, it's good parenting advice... "Say yes often but when you say no, mean it." My mom told me that was something my Big Papa (great grandpa) told her when she was either pregnant or we were little and I really liked that.
Milestones: We have an avocado now! Our little baby is about 4.5 inches long and 3.5 ounces and he's getting ready to have a growth spurt. Woo hoo!

15 Weeks - Oh baby!

I'm going to try to chronicle as much of this pregnancy as possible on here. Obviously I haven't said anything about it so far but that is hopefully about to change. Up to this point, everything has been surreal and hard to believe that I am actually caring a little baby in my tummy! Now that I'm in the second trimester though, things have started to change and I'm feeling more excited and somewhat more pregnant so the chronicle begins...

This week: 15 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: This is hard to say exactly because I got pregnant during the holiday season and that means I was eating more junk anyways during that time, which means that I probably put on a few pounds pre-pregnancy. But if we go with where I tend to hover around, then the total gain so far (as of my last appointment because I refuse to weigh myself at home) is between 5-10 pounds.
Sleep: Lately it's been harder to find a comfortable position to sleep in because I am a back sleeper. So I toss and turn from side to side which means I wake up a lot. I also always wake up to pee at least once every night.
Best moment of the week: Last weekend DJ and I went to a kids consignment sale and bought a bunch of little gender neutral onesies and outfits and came away with some great deals! We also got a few of our favorite children's books that we had growing up.
Movement: I haven't felt anything yet.
Food cravings: These change from week to week, or even sometimes day to day, but as soon as I satisfy the craving once or twice, I usually don't care to eat that food again. I craved Icees, Frappucinos, and homemade granola over the past week.
Gender: ?? So far the consensus is a boy, which is the way I'm leaning.
What I miss: The freedom to just do something without thinking about whether I can first. Every decision requires a moment to consider if it's healthy/safe while pregnant.
What I am looking forward to: Cuddling with my little baby that I am imagining will have a full head of hair and plenty of cuddly rolls.
Weekly wisdom: The wisdom I tend to get from just about everyone these days is to take time to relax, which I have done plenty of, but now my wisdom for myself is to start taking daily walks and watching less tv which makes me more productive around the house.
Milestones: The baby is the size of an apple!

Excuses? Maybe. But Here's the Reason for my Absence...

So I'll just go ahead and state the obvious here...it's been awhile since I last posted. At first I thought it was just because DJ and I haven't been doing much so I didn't feel there was much to write about; nothing was particularly exciting about spending a day at home. But as the days go by and I think about my blog, I realize the lack of posts was more of a reflection of how I was feeling.

This has been a hard winter for a couple of reasons. One, Knoxville is apparently seeing one of the coldest, wettest winters that they've had in a long time. For some, that might be great news because they are getting much needed moisture which they had been lacking due to a drought previously. However, for me, it was a reminder of how much my body, soul and mind desperately need the sun. I was reminded of my days in South Dakota when winter seemed to be never ending and I was again reminded of why, at that time, I so desperately wanted to move somewhere warm. While I was living in New Mexico, I would tell people just that when they asked me what brought me to New Mexico. I just wanted to get away from the cold and needed to be somewhere warmer because it got cold in South Dakota! But after awhile, those just became words and I soon forgot what a real winter really felt like. I have since been reminded. This winter has felt very much like those winters that I ran away from.

So because Knoxville is having a snowy, rainy, gray winter, I've been somewhat depressed. It may seem dramatic or odd to think that something as simple as sunshine could have such a powerful effect on a person but I realized that for me, sun and light are essential elements for my good health. I crave it. They actually have a name for what I have. It's called SAD - seasonal affective disorder. I realized I had this disorder when I moved to New Mexico. Every winter before New Mexico, I would feel down or blue or uninspired or unmotivated but I never connected it to the weather. I just knew I felt that way. But when I moved to New Mexico and there was sunshine almost every day regardless of how cold it got, I never felt the way I did in South Dakota. And then I heard of SAD and it made complete sense to me. After I realized how the weather affects me, I was always very hesitant to move anywhere that didn't get a good amount of sunshine. When we found out we were moving to Knoxville, that was one of the first things I looked at - what are the winters like? My research gave me averages and statistics on past winters and it didn't seem terrible plus it was the South! I never thought it got that cold in the South. Well, research can't yet predict the future so no one could tell me that this winter would be "not so average."

The other reasons this winter has been hard are simple. It gets longer and longer since I've seen friends and although family come to visit, it's only that, a visit. There are no family dinners to look forward to, no birthdays to attend, no parties to celebrate at, none of the activities that fill up one's calendar and make long winters a little more manageable. And due to the reasons already stated, I haven't been making much of an effort to make friends here. So it all just kind of adds up.

Alright so I say all of this to journal a reason for my absence. Today it's sunny and yesterday it was sunny and there have been birds chirping and I can't tell you how much lighter I feel and more hopeful and as you can see by the presence of this post, I've become inspired again. I feel the need to journal what's been going on with me since that's the reason for the existence of this blog. I want to be reminded of all the details of my life, even the not so fun ones. I know winter is not quite over yet but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel - spring is just around the corner! I made it through another long winter and soon, this winter will be just a memory.