7 weeks update

*This is pregnancy post... mixed in with other thoughts.  Feel free to skip over*

Here we are... 7 weeks in.  Time is going so slowly still!  Each day seems like an eternity as I countdown till the big ultrasound.  5 more days to go now.  I can make it.  Fortunately, I am feeling more and more pregnant with each day that passes. 

This past week, the nausea and fatigue set in.  Big time!  I haven't yet puked, but I rarely ever puke, even when sick with the flu.  I think I have only puked once since I was a child.  However, instead of puking, I get to put up with the incredibly uncomfortable feeling of an upset stomach ALL THE TIME!  I have been super bloated too, which is not very nice either (and is stressful because I'm constantly trying to hide my "bump" so that nobody sees it yet).  And the tiredness... oh my!  This week I became one of those people you hear about... got home from work, took an hour nap, had dinner, cleaned up, and went to bed at 9:00 for the rest of the night.  Seriously!  I don't know what happened, but I just couldn't do it.  I had one terrible, terrible day at work where I felt horrid all day long.  At that point I honestly wondered how I would make it through the next month of work before my schedule settles down.  All my romanticized ideas of being pregnant flew out the window, that's for sure.  And yet, there wasn't a moment in the day where I wasn't aware that right now, I am pregnant.  That is the coolest thing.  Every time I mention feeling sick to DH, he just breaks out into a huge smile.

I'm trying to get a handle on how to manage all of these new symptoms amidst my busy schedule.  Sleep is super important.  Also I'm trying to eat regularly and make sure I fuel up at the beginning of the day.  Today I had a huge breakfast but that has helped.  Part of the problem is that I feel so sick that I don't feel like eating anything.  The only thing I like right now is fruit (I love fruit!), and maybe cereal or toast.  Getting protein and veggies in me is tough sluggings.  I figure that it's okay because things will round out as time goes on.  I haven't been craving sugar or other sweets so that's good too. 

I've put DH strictly on morning dog duty, and making dinner after work.  This seems to work because I can get up, go to work (try to take a quick power nap at lunch if there is time), come home, sleep for an hour, eat dinner, walk the dog (or manage a trip to the park to throw the ball if too tired) and then go to bed.  That's my life right now.  I still have tons to get done before I go to Australia so I'm hoping I can squeeze in little projects from time to time.  Right now, getting anything more than the essentials done is super tough! 

So, that's where I'm at today.  I'll post an update as soon as I have the ultrasound!  I'm quite excited!!!

Oh, and I had my first "baby" dream last night.  We were at the ultrasound and I couldn't see the screen but DH could.  The doctor said nothing, but once it was over, I motioned to DH to ask how many babies there were.  In a matter of fact way, he said, "Two."  I screamed out... "Two!"  We were having twins!  It was such an exciting moment.  I'm pretty sure based on my Hcg numbers that there is just one snug little bug in there, but I wouldn't be sad if there were two after all.  

6 Weeks!

*This is a pregnancy post.  Feel free to skip over if you're not interested.*

I thought I'd give a little update as I have reached the 6 week mark.  6 week seems sooooo  early to me and I feel like I have so far to go still.  But here we are.  This past week I felt really pregnant for the first time.  First of all the nausea kicked in.  Not fully nausea but more queasiness... all the time.   My stomach felt squishy and I felt kind of ill all week.  Most of the time I didn't feel like eating but am making myself eat throughout the day.  There were a few times, though, when all of a sudden I was RAVENOUS, and had to eat immediately!  Unfortunately, that always happened when I was not at home so I have eaten a bit of fast food this week (For the first time in FOREVER, I actually craved McDonalds...yuck).  Also I was tired.  Like, really tired.  The worst time was in mid-afternoon, usually when I am counselling children.  It was rough.  The past few nights I have started to go to bed early (9:30/10:00) to see if that helps me have more energy throughout the day.  The other problem, though, is insomnia.  I am getting up at least once or twice in the night to pee, and sometimes I just can't fall back to sleep.  Oh, also my nose has been soooo stuffed at night that I have to sleep with my mouth open and wake up totally dry.  DH told me today that I was snoring, which I never do!  My excema has flared up like crazy.  My boobs have been sore, kind of like they are getting ready to grow.  I've had a few cramps/stretching feeling in my uterus.  And, I think it's too early for pregnancy brain, but I've already become a basket case!  DH found my keys in the trunk of the car the other day.  Yesterday I left my tablet at work after telling myself not to forget it as I was leaving.  Who knows what will be next?  I blame it on the tiredness, right?  I haven't been super emotional but there have been a few times where I felt like I just had to cry, for no reason.  I haven't been as bloated this week, which is kind of nice, but I still feel like I have to hide my belly so people don't guess.  There is an extra bit of pudge around my belly that was going away when I was working out at the gym.  By the end of the day I am often pretty bloated too.

So that's where I'm at today.  I'm pretty excited to have all these symptoms and having a great time despite feeling icky. 

Checkin' in... (nearing 5 weeks)

Hey everyone,

Just thought I'd check in here and try to unpack some of the thoughts that are swirling in my head! 

I'm almost at the 5 week mark (according to my last menstrual period - LMP.  I really don't know how to best "date" this pregnancy, since I'm not sure when I actually ovulated.  So going from my LMP, I'm nearly 5 weeks.  That doesn't seem very far along at all!  Still, the largest worry on my mind is that I'm not feeling enough symptoms.  When I look at that rationally, I know that 5 weeks is still very early to feel symptoms, right?  I think I need some reassurance of that.  I do have a few symptoms, but they seem so minor to me, that sometimes I wonder if my mind is playing tricks on me, haha. 

The symptoms that I have had are:
- Cramping/stretching in abdomen: This has subsided but was more last week (hopefully the little guy is snuggling in cozy!)
- Going to the bathroom lots (but I am trying to drink more, so it could just be that)
- Fatigue: This was worst on the weekend but seems to be alright now; last night I had insomnia)
- Some nausea/heartburn: I only had one episode of nausea where I thought I was going to puke (but didn't), but have felt just slightly off.  Towards the end of the day and when I go to bed I have slight heartburn.
- Excema: My hands are super dry and breaking out in excema again
- Changes in appetite: This past week I just haven't felt very hungry but forced myself to eat regularly to avoid nausea.  Both yesterday and today I had a moment where I all of a sudden was ravenous and HAD to have food!  Both times I've had to eat out as I was not prepared and had nothing to satisfy my insatiable hunger.  And both times, after I ate a little bit I was full.  It was kind of weird.
- Moodiness!  Okay, this one is for real.  DH gets such a kick out of it and almost eggs me on to see my emotions.  I haven't been crying a lot, but I've been irritated at things that normally don't irritate me.  I get mad at the dog for taking up too much space on the bed.  I got mad at DH for no reason this morning.  Actually, we were laughing together about something, but then all of a sudden he did something that I told him to stop or I was going to punch him in the face!  It was really comical. 

Anyways, I don't want this to be all about pregnancy symptoms, but that is just what is on my mind right now.  I'm keeping myself distracted planning this tea party for the weekend (It is going to be so much fun and I'll definitely post pictures!).  I also couldn't resist, but called the midwives and set up an appointment for after my ultrasound.  I let my family doctor know too, since she had given me blood work to do and I haven't done it yet.  She suggested I wait to do it along with my prenatal blood work (which I'll do after the ultrasound).  With my doctor's office you speak to the receptionist and they pass messages through the computer.  When I called the receptionist told me the first thing my doctor had written was, "Fabulous!" about our pregnancy.  That was nice to hear!  It is fabulous.  And hopefully it will stay fabulous.

But for any of you who have been through this... how did you manage not going crazy watching symptoms, and are my symptoms what are to be expected this early in?