preggo progress - remainder of the lost weeks

it's hard to write about something that is an absolutely miserable experience. my apologies. here's a recap of what i hope to be the remainder of the lost weeks. i do have a lot to update on the blog (like our first trimester screening) but that was a really hard week due to other circumstances and then i got sick and i just haven't gotten around to processing everything. i plan on doing that this weekend. something to look forward to, i guess...

The Details

How far along? 13 weeks on february25th - and what a better way to wrap up the first trimester than with a virus? because i really couldn't have though of a better way. might as well end it with a bang!

Weight gain: +2 pounds - finally some weight gain

Maternity clothes? belly bands are my new bff. i can still comfortably button my pants fine (obvs since i've been losing weight) but why would i want to do that when i could throw on a belly band and call it a day?!

Stretch marks? nope. although there has been some stretchage of the stomach. i can tell my uterus is larger. most people probably just think i've been drinking too much beer.
Sleep: still loving my snoogle. no sleep issues due to pregnancy, however i did decide to watch the entire twilight saga (to date anyway) on saturday night since i couldn't sleep due to my nose being ON FIRE!
Best moment during the remainder of the lost weeks: morning sickness has ended! just in time for me to catch a virus...
Miss Anything? being able to breathe.
Movement: not for a while.
Food cravings: pickles. and then i am immediately nauseous. pretty awesome, huh?!
Anything making you queasy or sick: pickles.
Gender Prediction: i always seem to refer to baby R as "he" so a boy i guess. although, i seem to refer to EVERYTHING as a he since all i've had my whole life are boy pets. so it's probably more habit than anything, but stan says girl so i guess there has to be someone rooting for the other team.
Labor Signs: not for a while.
Symptoms: a crappy immune system at the moment.
Belly Button in or out? still flat
Wedding rings on or off? all three rings fit great, but i'm sure once summer hits i'll be down to just my engagement ring...
Happy or Moody most of the time: pretty emotionless.
Looking forward to: not being sick. and planning the gender reveal party. 

Quick Recap

Total weight gain: -3 pounds, 6.4 ounces

Belly Circumference: 36"

Stretch marks: none

Belly Button: in

Swelling: none

Heartburn: gone!

Varicose veins/skin tags/other horrors: none

Overall comfort level: terrible

i'll spare you the details...

...but oh my goodness i feel like a new woman. hopefully i don't ever have to experience that again. EVER. i have definitely learned a thing or two about pregnancy and if i ever decide to do this again, hopefully i can recall that tidbit of information. 

if you could allow me a selfish moment that would be awesome. can i draw a quick parallel between pregnancy and church attendance? growing up church was always this place where you have to be perfect (which no one is) so you put on a facade and everything is always "great" ... except when it's not. and it left me feeling inadequate because things were not "great" a lot of the time. i have felt the same inadequacy throughout my pregnancy so far. i have over a dozen friends with children and no one talks about the struggles and it left me feeling alone and like my body was not made for this. thankfully, i have a Jesus who is bigger than my struggles. i have a Jesus who reminds me that my identity is in Him and Him alone. i have a Jesus who is my strength when i feel like i have none. i have a Jesus who reminds my that my Father created me and He does not make mistakes. and i have a husband who loves me and leads me and always knows exactly what i need--usually before i do. i am blessed.

43 days

mornings like i experienced today make it seem like we are still light years away from moving. we finally found a place to live IN DALLAS and scheduled with the movers yesterday! march 24th. 43 days away. in 43 days we will be residents of dallas. in 43 days i will no longer fight traffic or wonder whether my drive will take 45 minutes or an hour and 45 minutes. in 43 days i will be a mere 17 miles from my job. i.am.stoked.

we found some pretty nice apartments on cedar springs with a huge dog park. we're about a mile away from the katy trail and close to some really nice parks. it's a two-bedroom, two-bath with a separate dining room and a huge corner balcony! more than anything though, i am excited because our soon-to-be-married friends, carli & braden, are moving in to the same complex! they also have a rather large dog and we are so excited for our furr-babies to play together. 

it will also be nice to have such a good friend so close during the summer while stan is away so much. in june, he has two weeks of camps in tyler, tx and will be home for a mere 7 days and then leaves again to washington, d.c. for a youth choir tour. he gets home and a week and a half later is off to a college retreat and then 4 days after that is the student ministry all nighter. and somewhere in between all of that, they still have a senior trip to plan and execute during the summer months. i'm not even sure when they will find time to schedule it. last year i had some flexibility and was able to attend some of the functions, but between our trip to italy in may and needing to save as much vacation/overtime for maternity leave i need to be stingy with time taken off. not to mention the fact that i will have a basketball growing from my midsection.

as much as i have LOVED living near downtown fort worth and exploring a new city--i am thrilled to be coming home. i have always lived in the dallas area, but never IN DALLAS so this will still be a new adventure. the only sad thing to be leaving behind is our old place. stan's dad lived with us for 9 months and once he moved out we took over the third bedroom. it's going to be sad to be giving that space up and challenging to fit everything we have PLUS a baby (and all the things that come with it) into just two bedrooms. however, i am confident that we can make it happen. stan's desk will live against a wall behind the couch in the living room and all of my sewing/craft stuff will be organized in the baby's closet--ya know, since their clothes will only hang about 2 feet down and all. i love woodworking and building things (like stan's desk) and i am hoping we can fit the must-have-handy tools in the storage off the patio and still have some space to work since it is so large. of course this all works out in my head, but it's quite different when you are actually putting everything away so we'll see. i AM excited about downsizing and simplifying. i only want things i LOVE in the new place and i want everything to have it's place. so if i don't have anywhere to put it--it's outta here! someone please keep me accountable to that! haha. and i am COMMITTED to actually FINISHING bedrooms here. i'll give you five dollars for every time you come over and i haven't decorated a room yet. well, after tax season ends anyway...

 

for your viewing pleasure

...because who doesn't love a dancing baby?!

preggo progress - the lost weeks

why, hello there. sorry i've been gone so long. i think i have a pretty good excuse though. it's called morning all.the.damn.time. sickness. i'm still nauseous most of the time but i am determined not to let it get me down anymore. so, here's a recap - or at least as much as i can remember - of the past few weeks. oh yeah. and sans picture. since my chalkboard still reads 6 weeks. oops.

The Details

How far along? 10 weeks on february4th - although it could be debated since my doc measured me at 9w6d on january 31st - but for consistency's sake i'm going to stick with the date from my last period

Weight gain: -5 pounds - did you know that you lose weight when you don't eat?!

Maternity clothes? belly bands are my new bff. i can still comfortably button my pants fine (obvs since i've been losing weight) but why would i want to do that when i could throw on a belly band and call it a day?!

Stretch marks? nope. although there has been some stretchage of the stomach. i can tell my uterus is larger. most people probably just think i've been drinking too much beer.
Sleep: still loving my snoogle.
Best moment during the lost weeks: getting to see the baby's heartbeat during our first sono and see baby dancing during the second sono. video coming soon. i promise...
Miss Anything? food.
Movement: not for a while.
Food cravings: i wish. i would give my left arm just to crave food again.
Anything making you queasy or sick: food.
Gender Prediction: I don't have a feeling either way yet - Stan however has had two dreams about a daughter
Labor Signs: not for a while.
Symptoms: nausea and constipation - quite the duo if you ask me.
Belly Button in or out? still flat
Wedding rings on or off? all three rings fit great, but i'm sure once summer hits i'll be down to just my engagement ring...
Happy or Moody most of the time: umm. i pretty much feel like crying all.the.time. so i do. mostly at night after a long day of feeling like crap.
Looking forward to: the second trimester. really just this nausea to go away. hopefully that occurs in the second trimester. no one told me sometimes pregnancy can be not so fun.

Quick Recap

Total weight gain: -5 pounds, 6.4 ounces

Belly Circumference: 35"

Stretch marks: none

Belly Button: in

Swelling: none

Heartburn: did i forget to mention that?

Varicose veins/skin tags/other horrors: none

Overall comfort level: terrible