Expanding

I feel like I have doubled in size in the past two weeks... or maybe even since the ultrasound! I was feeling my tummy the other day and I shrieked because I could feel (for the very first time in my life) the bottom of my once extremely "inny" belly button! Cliff thought I'd seen a spider or something. It's like this all happened overnight!! Was it this way for any of you moms out there? Am I going to recognize myself in the mirror tomorrow morning??

In other news, I am unfortunately still pretty nauseous but I only throw up about once or twice a week now, which is much much better. Sometimes I can "mind over matter" it... by laying down. I think part of my problem is motion sickness that I have never experienced before getting pregnant. Every time I have to drive anywhere or sit on a bus for a while I definitely get sick. Did this happen to any of you? I've pretty much resigned myself to being at least a little nauseous at best for the rest of this pregnancy. At least I can cook again :)

My skin if finally starting to clear up a little bit again, but man! that first trimester or so was rough! I had worse acne than I experienced as a teenager!!

As I mentioned on Facebook... I am very aware of my "round ligaments." It's true, no one really warned me about this painful stretching... I don't want to be too graphic but along with the pain that I've had on the lower sides of my abdomen, as my mom said when she was pregnant with me, "it feels like someone kicked you in the crotch wearing a cowboy boot." Isn't my mom great? That is EXACTLY what it feels like. I went for a long walking tour of some of the shrines in Tokyo and by the end of the day I was nearly in tears and ready to collapse. After that little stint I have decided that I need to walk more so that I don't completely freeze up but that I need to take it a little slower.

Well I guess that is about it for now! Cliff leaves for another 5 weeks tomorrow. He gets to go to San Diego, (LUCKY!) for some training. I am really really going to miss him. It has been sooooooooo nice having him here to help. He has really been the model husband this holiday season and I am definitely going to have a harder time without him around. I am going to send him to Target while he is in the states to pick some things up for me. Oh how I miss Target. Those of you who live in the good 'ol US of A should NEVER take such stores for granted!!

I never thought this day would come...

As of two (or so) weeks ago, Cliff and I became the proud owners of a ...*gasp* MINIVAN.... pictures to come....

You laugh, but we got a beautiful silver Honda Odyssey with built-in GPS (although in Japanese) for $1300. Can you really argue with that? We couldn't.

The Exit Polls Are In...

We've heard what the pundits had to say:

Jill: Convinced the baby was going to be a boy just because she wanted a girl and Murphy's law would indicate a boy.

Cliff: Dreamed about a boy and initially called the baby a boy but changed his prediction to "too close to call."

The Grandmothers: Obviously predicted a girl since they both had plans to make blessing gowns.

The Arm-chair Obstetricians: Twin girls because a single child does not move this early and only a girl can make one this sick.

Cliff's Dad: Too close to call.

Jill's Dad: Too close to call for most of the time, and at the last second declared victory for the pink team.

Final Tally (including anonymous voters on the blog):
Pink votes: 20
Blue votes: 15
"Too close to call": 2

Now, we find out how close democracy was to reality. We went to Yokosuka yesterday, and the ultrasound revealed:

It's a girl! Ultra sound pictures most likely to come later, once we get them scanned. She was on her tummy most of the time, so the pictures might be a little different than the typical ones, but she is certainly doing quite well and is very active.

Baby Bump!

Here I am in all of my not so glowing limp haired glory!! This picture was taken the day before yesterday and I am a little over 19 weeks.

Quickest update:

This baby is a KICKER. I feel the baby move constantly and Cliff does too. We were even watching my stomach bulge in different places this morning IT IS SO WEIRD!!! I think he/she likes my right side more. You can actually see that my stomach/uterus? is higher on that side most of the time.

I am still feeling much better and have only thrown up violently two or three times since my last update. Unfortunately one of those times was yesterday (Christmas) but what can you do?

Cliff and I have our names picked out but haven't decided if we should tell everyone yet.... ;)

Monday we find out the gender!!

She's Alive!! (or clawing my way out of a hole)

Tomorrow will officially be one ENTIRE week since I last threw up! I think the end is finally here!! (knock on everything wooden within reach...) It isn't that I don't still feel a little nauseated here and there and I did gag in the shower today but the good is definitely outweighing the bad at this point. And not a moment too soon! I am over 17 weeks!! 12 weeks and you are over morning sickness my behind! It's alright, though, I am a very happy camper. I have gotten my appetite back and foods are sounding good to me again. I have gotten a little of my energy back as well and the other day I cooked, baked, sewed, AND went for a walk! This is NEWS - people! There were about 2 1/2 months where the very thought of the kitchen sent me running for the bathroom! I have found that I can eat some dairy products again so I have been eating yogurt like it is going out of style and I was even able to keep one of those silly prenatal vitamins down today!

Now that my appetite is back I am taking this eating for two business VERY seriously. I don't want to scare all of you but in the past two days I have been enjoying food and I can't even begin to describe how wonderful this is after a long "famine." We went to a Christmas party for Cliff's squadron last night and I actually had... *guilty grin* two dinners... and two deserts... I am going to try not to go overboard, but I figured that as I haven't really gained any weight yet (I had actually lost weight) it can't hurt for me to enjoy life a little. Here are some of the foods that I just can't get enough of right now:

Fruit - any kind of fruit but especially apples, pears, bananas, kiwi, strawberry, grapes, WATERMELON, etc. honestly just fruit in general. LOVE IT! I had dreams about fruit last night. Just stick me in front of any party platter and I will go to town, add a little cheese and I am really in heaven.

Yogurt - I really missed this. I wake up every morning to a banana and a yo-plait yogurt and sometimes... a second banana...

Salad - with Italian dressing. I am normally a bleu cheese girl but the tang of Italian is really doing it for me right now.

Anyway... I guess that is it for now. My fingers are crossed that this lasts!!! Oh yeah, and we made our appointment for my second ultrasound for the 29th of this month. Cliff is going to be able to come too!

Oh! I also want to give a shout-out to EVERYONE who commented on my last update and to everyone else that has been so wonderful and kind. I was feeling really lonely in my nausea and it was so nice to read all of your comments and thoughts. You guys are the best!

Another Tag

The ones in bold are what I have done....

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie/commercial
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter -ha no... but I think my husband has a few times...
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

I tag anyone that reads this.

Another Mini Pregnancy Update

I will try to balance this with both the good and the bad, (I don't want everyone to think I hate being pregnant...;)

Good:

- I am at 16 weeks which brings me ever closer to actually having a baby.
- I have felt the baby move! Quite a bit, actually! Cliff got to feel him/her last night too! I had suspected that I might be feeling some movement a week or two ago but I thought that it was too early or that it was probably just gas or something but lately it has been for sure the baby and not anything else. It feels like a pop or a little nudge or squirm or something... kind of hard to explain and I have to be sitting or laying pretty still. Cliff said he thought that it felt like something flicked his hand lightly from inside me. :)
- I have the beginnings of a baby bump. I won't post pictures yet because I think only I can really see it but Cliff said he can sort of see it and can definitely feel it now.

Bad

- Uh... I'M STILL SICK!!! I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO NOT THROW UP EVER AGAIN!!!! I threw up both my lunch and dinner the other day and my dinner came up right in front of my neighbor when I was getting out of the car. Words cannot convey the misery that comes from vomiting every day and the doctors have already given me medication. Here are all of the things that I have tried (and believe me I have tried a lot of things)
-ginger (ginger ale, ginger snaps, ginger herbal tea, etc.)
-Vitamin B6 and Regelin (medication) The doctor doesn't want to give me anything stronger even though I have thrown up blood. They say that as long as I am hydrated that I am ok. Yeah... whatever their def. of O.K. is....
- eating small meals and always keeping something in my stomach. I wake up to crackers and I fall asleep to crackers. I am so sick of crackers. I have even tried eating crackers in the middle of the night when I wake up.
- Cold foods. This worked for a while like the sorbet. Then I threw it up. :(
- Drinking tons of water. I just throw up tons of water. Which isn't as bad as some things but come on!
- preggie pop drops. They tasted good but I don't think they did much. I still threw them up.
-I am still tired and achy and I have begun to have trouble sleeping ( I am a stomach sleeper)
- I still sort of fit into my normal clothes but they are beginning to be uncomfortable and I am way too small for the maternity pants that I bought. This is a predicament, any suggestions?


Ok I guess I will stop there for now because I was trying to BALANCE the good with the bad and I don't want to complain all of you away but life is just sort of the pits right now. I want to experience this "golden trimester" that everyone talks about. I'm thinking it must be a fantasy...

I did feel the baby move.... :/