Pregnancy, the first trimester

So by now, I've known about Baby Girouard for 6.5 weeks. Early signs of funky stomache and tenderness alerted me to the possibility. Then an expired home test showed 2 pink lines: pregnant. A week later, off to the doctors, where I peed in a cup, gave 16 gallons of blood and received a whole boat load of instructions, guidelines, prenatal vitamins, and confirmation of baby to be. I was also told I was 6 weeks along with baby to be born on or around March 2nd. Although proof exists that I did not get pregnant before I was married, or even during my honeymoon, I still secretly pray Baby Girouard does not arrive before February 26 (9 months to the day I got married)!

The first 7 weeks were great. Slightly more tired. Mostly I tried to make a conscience effort to get to bed by 10 pm for the health of the baby. But I felt great. Minus extreme tenderness, I really had no signs of being pregnant. Scott and I bought our first onesie. Just one, until we find out the gender of the baby. Then Mom came for a visit. It was perfect! Having just found out we were pregnant, she, of course, wanted to buy one baby outfit and a baby book for me. Mothers are the best! (Dad's too!)

Week 7. According to my new book: Week by Week (which is awesome!), the baby doubles in size this week. And boy did it effect me! Like walking into a brick wall, the exhaustion slammed into me hard core. Two naps per day for the next couple of days kept me functioning, but I was greatful that work was slower paced and I wasn't traveling. Also, my need for food vanished. Nothing was appetizing or appealing. I would have gone the whole day without eating if it weren't for my insane need to eat healthy during my pregnancy. Thankfully yogurt and oatmeal went down smoothly. And Scott made me some plain pasta, which was fine as well. I ate a lot of fruits; blueberries, kiwi, strawberries, and bananas. I tried an apple. Bad idea. I'm slightly allergic to some apples. My lips get a bit puffy. But this pregnancy has made me hypersensitive to my food allergies. Itchy eyes and an itchy throat put an end to eating apples for the next 8 months. Sweet things aren't appealing, which is unheard of for me. I tried a variety of foods, but really, nothing tempts me.

Week 8. I had a bad run of nausea for a few days and I have learned a few things. Foods high in fat, drinks with fake sugar, and chocolate are my nemisis in this stage of my pregnancy. After my 8-week appt with Dr. Hancock, I would say this is a great thing for me and the baby. I eat lots of yogurt, fruits and bland proteins and carbs. My appointment went really well. My blood work came back all positive. My liver, kidneys and proteins are all great. I am immune to chicken pox and 5ths disease, which is also good news. My concern for high blood pressure and gestational diabetes (due to my lovely genes and my weight) has prompted my doctor to take a few extra tests and stay on top of these things. So far, I'm in great standing. However, it is imperative that I keep my pregnancy weight gain to a minimum. It's going to be a long road for me, especially when I am past the nausea stage and move into the "I want to eat all the time" stage, which I know is inevitable. I also had an ultrasound this week. It was to determine the exact gestation of the baby so that I could have a first trimester test done. The baby, though only 1 inch, was zoomed in on, and has a HUGE head...must take after daddy. :) Actually, at 8 weeks, the baby is pretty much only a head and a body. Legs and Arms grow next week! Scott and I also got to see the heartbeat...so fast! 178 beats per minute!

Week 9. The nausea has just about subsided. I still have a hard time with vegtables. Except for corn and salads, I can't seem to get any of them in front of me. Everything smells weird, or should I say, smells BAD! I don't even like the smell of our new car! Dinner is still a struggle for me. While I don't have the constant all day upset stomache, most foods do not tempt me in the least. I can now have chocolate on a small scale, but no matter what I eat, it leaves a horrible aftertaste in my mouth. I chew gum all the time because my mouth constantly tastes bitter. It was a stressful week with our car breaking down, buying a new car, Scott starting his new job, and going to court to get more time with Scott's kids. I sure hope baby Girouard is hanging on strong. I haven't been a very good mommy this week, between all the stress and no veggies.

Week 10. Same ole Same ole. I eat a lot of cereal and toast now. I'm tired of yogurt as I have lived on it 3 times a day for the last 4 weeks. Dinner is limited to 4 food items; plain, boring, tasteless, and bland. Still have the perpetual bad taste in my mouth. My house is a cyclone because I have absolutely NO energy to clean, pick up, or do dishes. If my husband doesn't get to it, it doesn't get done. Please, no visitors! :) I would be completely humiliated if someone walked through my door right now. oh well. I'm pregnant. At least I have a small excuse. Time is crawling by. Days move so slowly, I swear they are moving backwards. My prenatal vitamins are horrid and make me miserable. I have stopped taking them for a few days and feel like the worst mother ever. I'm such a peach this week, huh?

Week 11. I am finally starting to feel better. More energy and more like myself. Yeah! It's been a long 3 weeks of hating food and feeling lethargic. My appetite is slowly growing. I still eat a lot of bland foods most of the day, but I can eat more of a variety, which is wonderful. I still chew gum almost every night before bed to get the bad taste out of my mouth, but other than that, I'm much happier with the way I feel. Just in time, too, because the next couple of weeks are very busy for Scott and I as we are taking the kids to Storyland and Santa's Village and then we have them at our house for a full week, which is always awesome.

Week 12. FINALLY! YEAH! I can officially tell everyone I'm pregnant. Most importantly, Scott and I have told the kids they are going to have another brother or sister. I am feeling great this week too. Food is glorious. Yeah! (I gained 3 lbs this week). The baby is so much bigger now. Real appendages and its body is filling in so the head isn't so predominant (though, really, the baby still has a very large head). I heard the heartbeat this week. That's the coolest machine ever! 160 beats per minute. Took the Doctor a while to find it, but when I finally heard it, it was amazing! It's so awesome. I should probably post this now before I blabber on and on. It's just so cool.