Things are growing. I can feel it. It's strange. I don't think I remember being so aware of what it feels as the baby grows. It feels odd... But I like knowing things are going on in there. I haven't felt any crazy kicks lately... Just a few wiggles.
So... I've kind of thought I've been feeling kicks from time to time. But I was sitting down on the couch with Randy just before bedtime last night... And I made a little stretch... When I feel this *WHACK!!* in my belly. It surprised me so much I yelped. I don't know what I did, but I really upset Baby Z.
Wow.
We may have a very strong soccer player in there. (But don't tell Randy, he doesn't like soccer)
You know how there's this point where you have to wear big clothes during pregnancy. I'm there. And there's a little belly... But if you don't know what's going on with me, you assume I'm just fat.
I realize I'll get over this. But I just feel large.
Baby Z's room is developing. We moved the crib and rocking chair in... The next step is the changing table/dresser. It's kind of exciting and scary at the same time as we put together this new bedroom. Seeing the crib in a new room makes it very real. Real enough that I think I'm going to go take a nap.
I'm getting a little antsy to find out if this little one is a girl or a boy. I didn't feel this way with Cam. It's probably just because we made the big decision to find out the sex of the baby... And that means I know the date and time of when that information will be released. Cameron's birth was reason to be patient (I guess). Anyway. I look forward to that knowledge.
It may be because I'm older or just because I don't remember... But I'm not comfortable when I sleep. I was in Denver this week and I couldn't sleep -- the pillows weren't right, the bed was too hard. I woke up in the morning with the strangest pain in my shoulder. Very strange.
Last night, I drove home late from the airport. I was so exhausted, and yet I woke up every so often to shift positions. I'm not even huge yet and I'm uncomfortable. That's a bad sign of the months to come.
Maybe if I don't dwell it won't be as bad.
Maybe
We heard it! We even recorded it! The baby is beating and things are going well. I knew things were still going well... But it's still great to hear progress.
Because I'm a nerd, I even recorded the audio and emailed it to as many people as I could thing that would like the audio file.
Hooray!
I'm so happy I'm not extremely pregnant this summer. It's thick outside... So thick that your sweat glands start working the moment you set foot outdoors. It's so hot, the dogs don't want to be out there.
I've had some annoying headaches lately... I'm not sure why. It usually happens when I haven't eaten enough. But today, it's still there. I really don't want to take any medicine.
We had family in town and they got to see the ever expanding belly. I like the belly... I think it's kind of big this early. But they were pretty nice about it. I had a former student visit the station earlier this week and she wasn't so nice about the belly. She asked me how far along I was... And commented about how that seemed really big already. Rude. I think the size is obviously a sign of how my body didn't forget about being pregnant a single day.
So I don't really feel sick anymore... Which is awesome. I have energy again.
But I really feel everything stretching. It's wierd. I can actually feel spots where Cam stretched more than others. The body remembers a lot.
I'm starting to feel human again... The nausea is fading... And I can actually go around at work and at home without making sure I'm carrying snack food around with me.
It's kind of scary to not feel sick anymore... It makes me worry if the pregnancy is still going okay... You know, the normal mommy worries that come with the territory.
My next doctor's appointment is a week from Friday -- we delayed it a week so Randy would be in town for the big heartbeat appointment. I'm hoping to record the sound and post it to the web!
So in the last couple of weeks, we've gone public with all of this exciting baby talk.
Baby Z is making her or his little self known more and more every day. I already moved to pregnancy pants... Just because it's more comfortable. I think the baby bump is more obvious to me than anyone else... But that's okay.
I told my parents while we were in Maine. I announced it with a gift of a baby picture frame that read: "Coming January 2006" There were lots of smiles and hugs.
The morning/night sickness got worse in the last couple of weeks. I'm hoping now that we're very close to the end of the first trimester that the ickies will slow down and go away. There's nothing worse than running around during breaking news and trying to hold back nausea. Yuck!
We still haven't told Cameron. But last weekend, he found a baby bib we bought in Maine. He asked me if it was his for when he gets little. I told him he'd never get little again... So he was confused and kept asking questions. But he got distracted and we moved on. We still have 29 weeks to go... I'd rather not make him wait as long as we do.
So last week, we told Uncle Barry... Because it's fun to tell these things in person. We decided we'd tell my parents first... But then Randy's parents decided to come into town and visit.
We decided being able to tell both sets of parents in person would be fun.
So last night we broke the news to Randy's family... And Randy's mom did this dance... All I can say is it was obviously a grandma dance. Why was she so excited? One, she likes grandkids. And two, Barry had a conversation with her saying that he didn't think we were going to have any more kids. So she was really disappointed earlier that day. It was fun.
Yesterday we had a baby shower for our main anchor. I showed Cam how she had a baby in her belly... But I don't think Cam really understood what the heck I was talking about. I did ask him what his favorite type of baby is: Girl baby or boy baby. He response: A Cameron baby.
Hmmm.
It's how the whole process goes. I'm sore and pretty tired. But I'm plugging away. The newsroom is full of germs and I've already picked up my first cold which I don't plan on medicating.
Bummer.
Oh well. We're still excited about it all.
So I forgot to make the biggest announcement: The crazy overly emotional pregnant Jen is back.
Here's the story: Dudley ran away. He didn't just run up the street, he ran into the woods and I couldn't find him for 30 minutes. That's when I lost it and had to call Randy to help. I started thinking about what life would be without Dudley and I didn't like the picture.
So we drove all over the place. I started showing pictures of Dud to neighbors. Then I just about gave up and went back home.
I had left a bowl of food in the back yard... So I picked it up and shook it around. And who comes running through the woods? Dudley.
That's not a big deal, right? Well even if I had gotten upset about that without a pregnancy... With this baby, I couldn't let it go. I was burnt for the rest of the day. All kinds of other topics set me off for the rest of the day. My eyes were all red and swollen all day. I got weepy during my drive to work. It sucked.
The funny thing was how wonderful Randy was about it all. He told me I have to deal with the physical challenges of pregnancy... While he has to deal with my crazy emotions. He's been through it before... And he's wonderful to understand and remember enough to just pat my hand and smile. Good guy. I love him.
Earlier this week I was late for work... Grabbed a dress and threw it on. I was running around grabbing everything I need for work when I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror: You can already see a little belly sticking out of that dress.
I was late for work because I couldn't find something else to wear.
Last night was one of the many parties that come with the station. I was the only person who wasn't drinking. It was painfully obvious. The nice thing was my boss asked me if it was okay if he grabbed a beer. That was nice. By the way -- He knows early because it was our joke when we all got back from Vegas that Randy and I were pregnant. I told him when it was true so he wouldn't keep joking about it.
Oy.
Anyway. We were at a skating rink... So I couldn't skate. It's a big pregnancy no-no. It was a bummer. I'm always willing to jump on the skates and look like a fool. Oh well. Maybe in a couple of years.
I have to go figure out another outfit for today. Who knows how long that could take.
I went to the doctor's office for the first time yesterday. It was really just a "get to know you" visit. We talked about what the office provides, the hospital and all those healthy things you need to do. I found out the little belly I already have is actually a normal thing... Once you've stretched out for a baby, the body remembers much quicker. Oh well. So I'll be huge a lot sooner than with Cam.
So I went out with my students last night and drank 2 pretend vodka tonics... That is, a highball glass with sprite and a lime. I'm sure that will be cause for rumor later when they all find out I was pregnant at the time.
I'm excited. And it's hard to remind myself you need to be skeptical about a pregnancy until you reach 12 weeks. I'm only 5 weeks pregnant at this point... But with a little belly, I feel connected quicker. I can't seem to distance myself as well as last time. That's kind of scary. If things work out, the office thinks my due date is January 3. So whatever it is, it's certainly around the first week of January.
My next doctor's appointment is in two and a half weeks. I'll be around 2 months pregnant at that point.
So... I'm starting a blog for a baby I'm calling 'Z.' We have reasons for that name... But my public reason is because this will be our last one. Cameron deserves a sibling... Z arrived a little sooner than we expected, but I don't mind.
Every kid should get space in the blogosphere... My second one should get in on it just like Cam.
We've spent this week giggling about another kid. This one would arrive in the first or second week of January 2006. It will be interesting to see how it all works out. I have all kinds of feelings going on at the same time... A little surprise to see Z here so soon, and excitement to get our family to the number four (unless there's a Baby Y that we don't know about).
I'm a little sore, dizzy... But I'm not throwing up. But it is graduation next week... And it will be tricky to walk around at all of the parties and make up stories why I'm not drinking. Oy.
I figured I'd keep a blog so family members can visit and see how things are going... They don't know yet. But when they do, they can come here and check out Z's progress.
