Monday, October 30, 2006
5 Surprising Pregnancy Side Effects
During my pregnancy with Harper, I began subscribing to an online pregnancy information site. It was a wonderful source of information that allowed me to give up on all of the reading I was trying to keep up with when it came to the 10 or so pregnancy books I had bought and accumulated from other mothers. With this site, all of the info was emailed to me in a "Cliff Notes" version that even included pictures. Another reason I am so happy that we have the internet.
The site is www.babycenter.com and you enter some basic information and it calculates your due date and tracks your pregnancy. Based on the due date, it sends you weekly updates on the progress of your unborn babe along with pictures of what the little bean sprout might look like at any given week. This week, for example, Baby Brace (BB) is the size of a lime and is beginning to look more human and less alien. I think if you click on this link, you should be able to see the quasi-scientific cartoon photo of what BB looks like: http://www.babycenter.com/general/1498244.html
Even now, I still get weekly updates and advice about where Harper should be in his development. I am glad to say, if this site is correct, he is on track. Even its prediction of tantrums and manipulating behavior was right on the nose. This site has been a "god send" when it comes to searching for useful parenting information as well. I have looked up things like "Why does my little one throw up every time we are in public places", "Why is my 2 month old not talking yet", "When should I start feeding him chocolate?", "When can I start teaching him to do house chores?" and "Why does he want to bite everyone who takes anything he is playing with or is thinking about playing with"? Trust me, it has calmed a many of my fears and made me realize that he is more normal than I am!
So back to the site as it relates to BB's pregnancy. Today, I got an update that was titled "5 Surprising Pregnancy Side Effects" and I thought I would share with those of you who could really care less but just read my updates because you are my friend or you are related to me - either way... Thanks!
Here goes:
1. Forgetful - Check. This one has been going on for about 8 weeks now. I have forgotten people's names I work with, I forget where I put my car keys and I am continually calling Harper by the dogs names.
2. Clumsy - Check. The other day at work, I went to the water cooler and much to my surprise there was no water. So, I thought I would be very resourceful and change the big 5 gallon water holder. After all, I have done this several times before without incident (but I was not pregnant and clumsy). As I was pulling the empty container out, my head got in the way and the empty 5 gallon bottle whacked me right between the eyes. No problem - I laughed it off. Then I picked up the full 20 lb or more refill and went to put it on top of the tank but lost my grip and dropped it on my toes. I quickly looked to see if anyone saw me and said a few choice words and then laughed again in pain. Once safely and securely in tact, I put my Nalgene bottle under the spout and begin filling it up - I do not understand why, but I lost my grip again, and my Nalgene bottle went to the floor and water went everywhere. I think I have clumsy down to an art!
3. Short of breath - Not there yet - but I have avoided exercise, stairs, steep hills and any other thing that raises the heart rate. So this one could be laying dormant in my system just waiting for me to move quickly.
4. Dizzy - Dizzy no but ditzy yes!
5. Craving odd foods - well I haven't craved anything like dirt or ashes or clay but if you count tater tots saturated in vinegar - I've got this one covered too! It is funny because with my first pregnancy I didn't really buy into this craving thing. I didn't really have any strong convictions about what I needed to eat. This time around, I analyze food days prior to eating it. I know exactly what I want for dinner because I have rehearsed eating it several times throughout the day. The one thing that I loved the most during pregnancy #1 was Mexican, but this time I seem to have an aversion to it. Funny how things can be so different.
These were the top 5, but I thought I would add a three more of my own:
6. Crying at the drop of a hat - for those of you who know me very well, you know that I don't cry alot. But, for the last several weeks I think I have worried Matt and made him wonder if he really married such an emotional time bomb. The other day I started crying uncontrollably when Matt wanted to take a stab at a few "handyman" projects. It was a very emotional experience thinking that he might mess our door frame up and we were having guests over in 48 hours for a Halloween party! I think he relented only because he thought it might send me over the edge and he might have to commit me to a mental insitutution and he would be left to care for Harper and the dogs for an undetermined amount of time by himself.
7. Carpal Tunnel - For the skeptics - this is real problem! I always wondered about those people who claimed they had carpal tunnel before I was pregnant. But during the last 6 weeks of my first pregnancy I thought I was going to die from the pain. Unfortunately, this issue has raised its nasty head way too early with BB's pregnancy. I am imagining that I won't be able to even open my hands by week 30. Maybe I will just be walking around with balled up fists. I wonder if my boss will buy into this notion when I say that I can't open my hands to type, answer the phone or shake anyone's hand but I would still like to stay on the payroll until I deliver.
8. Needing to pee LOTS! - I am a person that tries to limit the number of times that I visit the ladies room during the day. For some reason, it has always seemed to be a hassle and unproductive. But, even this early in pregnancy, I am up to about 10-12 pee breaks during the day and at least 2 during the night. UGH~
Well, I think this is probably enough to digest for this week. I hope you are enjoying and we have our second doctor's appointment on Thursday, so I will probably do a mini-update unless anything crazy needs to be reported. I will end by referring to the above very cute picture of Harper. We introduced him to licking the batter off the mixing beaters this weekend. Like his father and mother - he was an instant fan! These moments are all the reasons that I can't wait for BB's birth to add another one to the mix!
The site is www.babycenter.com and you enter some basic information and it calculates your due date and tracks your pregnancy. Based on the due date, it sends you weekly updates on the progress of your unborn babe along with pictures of what the little bean sprout might look like at any given week. This week, for example, Baby Brace (BB) is the size of a lime and is beginning to look more human and less alien. I think if you click on this link, you should be able to see the quasi-scientific cartoon photo of what BB looks like: http://www.babycenter.com/general/1498244.html
Even now, I still get weekly updates and advice about where Harper should be in his development. I am glad to say, if this site is correct, he is on track. Even its prediction of tantrums and manipulating behavior was right on the nose. This site has been a "god send" when it comes to searching for useful parenting information as well. I have looked up things like "Why does my little one throw up every time we are in public places", "Why is my 2 month old not talking yet", "When should I start feeding him chocolate?", "When can I start teaching him to do house chores?" and "Why does he want to bite everyone who takes anything he is playing with or is thinking about playing with"? Trust me, it has calmed a many of my fears and made me realize that he is more normal than I am!
So back to the site as it relates to BB's pregnancy. Today, I got an update that was titled "5 Surprising Pregnancy Side Effects" and I thought I would share with those of you who could really care less but just read my updates because you are my friend or you are related to me - either way... Thanks!
Here goes:
1. Forgetful - Check. This one has been going on for about 8 weeks now. I have forgotten people's names I work with, I forget where I put my car keys and I am continually calling Harper by the dogs names.
2. Clumsy - Check. The other day at work, I went to the water cooler and much to my surprise there was no water. So, I thought I would be very resourceful and change the big 5 gallon water holder. After all, I have done this several times before without incident (but I was not pregnant and clumsy). As I was pulling the empty container out, my head got in the way and the empty 5 gallon bottle whacked me right between the eyes. No problem - I laughed it off. Then I picked up the full 20 lb or more refill and went to put it on top of the tank but lost my grip and dropped it on my toes. I quickly looked to see if anyone saw me and said a few choice words and then laughed again in pain. Once safely and securely in tact, I put my Nalgene bottle under the spout and begin filling it up - I do not understand why, but I lost my grip again, and my Nalgene bottle went to the floor and water went everywhere. I think I have clumsy down to an art!
3. Short of breath - Not there yet - but I have avoided exercise, stairs, steep hills and any other thing that raises the heart rate. So this one could be laying dormant in my system just waiting for me to move quickly.
4. Dizzy - Dizzy no but ditzy yes!
5. Craving odd foods - well I haven't craved anything like dirt or ashes or clay but if you count tater tots saturated in vinegar - I've got this one covered too! It is funny because with my first pregnancy I didn't really buy into this craving thing. I didn't really have any strong convictions about what I needed to eat. This time around, I analyze food days prior to eating it. I know exactly what I want for dinner because I have rehearsed eating it several times throughout the day. The one thing that I loved the most during pregnancy #1 was Mexican, but this time I seem to have an aversion to it. Funny how things can be so different.
These were the top 5, but I thought I would add a three more of my own:
6. Crying at the drop of a hat - for those of you who know me very well, you know that I don't cry alot. But, for the last several weeks I think I have worried Matt and made him wonder if he really married such an emotional time bomb. The other day I started crying uncontrollably when Matt wanted to take a stab at a few "handyman" projects. It was a very emotional experience thinking that he might mess our door frame up and we were having guests over in 48 hours for a Halloween party! I think he relented only because he thought it might send me over the edge and he might have to commit me to a mental insitutution and he would be left to care for Harper and the dogs for an undetermined amount of time by himself.
7. Carpal Tunnel - For the skeptics - this is real problem! I always wondered about those people who claimed they had carpal tunnel before I was pregnant. But during the last 6 weeks of my first pregnancy I thought I was going to die from the pain. Unfortunately, this issue has raised its nasty head way too early with BB's pregnancy. I am imagining that I won't be able to even open my hands by week 30. Maybe I will just be walking around with balled up fists. I wonder if my boss will buy into this notion when I say that I can't open my hands to type, answer the phone or shake anyone's hand but I would still like to stay on the payroll until I deliver.
8. Needing to pee LOTS! - I am a person that tries to limit the number of times that I visit the ladies room during the day. For some reason, it has always seemed to be a hassle and unproductive. But, even this early in pregnancy, I am up to about 10-12 pee breaks during the day and at least 2 during the night. UGH~
Well, I think this is probably enough to digest for this week. I hope you are enjoying and we have our second doctor's appointment on Thursday, so I will probably do a mini-update unless anything crazy needs to be reported. I will end by referring to the above very cute picture of Harper. We introduced him to licking the batter off the mixing beaters this weekend. Like his father and mother - he was an instant fan! These moments are all the reasons that I can't wait for BB's birth to add another one to the mix!
Monday, October 23, 2006
Thinking for Two....
Week 11 and to the naked eye, I don't look pregnant yet but mentally I'm just not all there! I really knew that all my neurons weren't firing (or maybe they are working overtime) when I bought a few new maternity items at Motherhood Maternity this past week.
First off, let me say that buying maternity clothes is not anywhere close to my favorite thing to do. To be honest it takes the fun right out of shopping! But, in preperation for my expanding tummy, I like to try to buy a few things before I need them, rather than waking up in a panic one day and not having anything to wear. (Trust me, that does happen mysteriously... I swear!) Really I am just trying to avoid the emotional turmoil that this would cause me and those around me! Since most of my maternity clothes from Harper's birth were more summer in nature, I thought I would try to get a few pairs of pants and some long sleeve shirts.
Thank goodness we have more choices than our mother's did, but there is still something icky about walking in a store where all of the pants have a large stretchy band of material where a button and zipper should go and on occasion there is even a drawstring for added convenience! And for some reason, most of the materntiy industry is about 3-5 years behind in fashion concepts - so, the majority of the things in the store just don't have that "buy-me" appeal!
Anyway, I had picked up a couple of shirts the week before at Macy's and I thought I would check the selection at Motherhood for a few items. As I was browsing the limited selection in the very narrow aisles, a red shirt caught my eye. I thought "hey that looks like a nice shirt and something I would wear." So, I had the nice lady get it off the rack for me. Oh, that is the other thing about Motherhood - there is a whole row of clothing that hangs about 6 1/2 feet from the floor and totally unreachable for someone short like me! It makes you wonder if they enjoy watching pregnat ladies navigate the narrow aisles knocking things off with their bellys and then jumping up and down trying to reach the "top shelf" items!
So when the sales lady handed me the shirt in my size, I decided to buy it along with a pair of jeans and another black shirt. I was proud of my new purchases and headed out of the mall - walking by the windows of all of my favorite stores like Ann Taylor, Banana Republic and Nordie's just envying the new fall fashions.
When I got home, I went to compare my Motherhood purchases with the stuff that I had bought at Macy's the week before and I could not believe my eyes! I had bought that same red shirt at Macy's the week before that I had just bought from Motherhood! I thought - am I going completely crazy? - how could I have done that?! But, I remembered to give myself some slack because after all I am now using one single brain for two people!
I quickly returned my red shirt to Motherhood and exchanged it for something that I didn't already have (at least to my memory!). I was glad that it wasn't a sale item because Motherhood has some really weird return policies - 10 days to exchange anything new and your just SOL (shit out of luck - mom)if it is a sale item. No money back....ever! I guess I will need to carry an inventory of my clothing as I am shopping in the future for extra protection.
So, as you go about your daily tasks this week and forget some minute detail, remember all of us pregnant ladies whose brains are working overtime to just get the small tasks like clothing ourselves done and appreciate your little moments of insanity!
Until next time....
p.s. You might notice at the top of my blog there is now some room for advertising. I am trying this blog feature out - so, feel free to click on the ads and generate me some extra money. Supposedly, you get paid for every click that someone makes on the ads. I must apologize to all the men and those who could care less about pregnancy topics because I have no say in what gets posted as an ad. I guess google just sells ad space based on the topic of your blog - so of course, mine are about fetal dopplers, planning your conceivement date and other topics that you don't generally talk about at dinner. So click away and help pay for the kid's college!
First off, let me say that buying maternity clothes is not anywhere close to my favorite thing to do. To be honest it takes the fun right out of shopping! But, in preperation for my expanding tummy, I like to try to buy a few things before I need them, rather than waking up in a panic one day and not having anything to wear. (Trust me, that does happen mysteriously... I swear!) Really I am just trying to avoid the emotional turmoil that this would cause me and those around me! Since most of my maternity clothes from Harper's birth were more summer in nature, I thought I would try to get a few pairs of pants and some long sleeve shirts.
Thank goodness we have more choices than our mother's did, but there is still something icky about walking in a store where all of the pants have a large stretchy band of material where a button and zipper should go and on occasion there is even a drawstring for added convenience! And for some reason, most of the materntiy industry is about 3-5 years behind in fashion concepts - so, the majority of the things in the store just don't have that "buy-me" appeal!
Anyway, I had picked up a couple of shirts the week before at Macy's and I thought I would check the selection at Motherhood for a few items. As I was browsing the limited selection in the very narrow aisles, a red shirt caught my eye. I thought "hey that looks like a nice shirt and something I would wear." So, I had the nice lady get it off the rack for me. Oh, that is the other thing about Motherhood - there is a whole row of clothing that hangs about 6 1/2 feet from the floor and totally unreachable for someone short like me! It makes you wonder if they enjoy watching pregnat ladies navigate the narrow aisles knocking things off with their bellys and then jumping up and down trying to reach the "top shelf" items!
So when the sales lady handed me the shirt in my size, I decided to buy it along with a pair of jeans and another black shirt. I was proud of my new purchases and headed out of the mall - walking by the windows of all of my favorite stores like Ann Taylor, Banana Republic and Nordie's just envying the new fall fashions.
When I got home, I went to compare my Motherhood purchases with the stuff that I had bought at Macy's the week before and I could not believe my eyes! I had bought that same red shirt at Macy's the week before that I had just bought from Motherhood! I thought - am I going completely crazy? - how could I have done that?! But, I remembered to give myself some slack because after all I am now using one single brain for two people!
I quickly returned my red shirt to Motherhood and exchanged it for something that I didn't already have (at least to my memory!). I was glad that it wasn't a sale item because Motherhood has some really weird return policies - 10 days to exchange anything new and your just SOL (shit out of luck - mom)if it is a sale item. No money back....ever! I guess I will need to carry an inventory of my clothing as I am shopping in the future for extra protection.
So, as you go about your daily tasks this week and forget some minute detail, remember all of us pregnant ladies whose brains are working overtime to just get the small tasks like clothing ourselves done and appreciate your little moments of insanity!
Until next time....
p.s. You might notice at the top of my blog there is now some room for advertising. I am trying this blog feature out - so, feel free to click on the ads and generate me some extra money. Supposedly, you get paid for every click that someone makes on the ads. I must apologize to all the men and those who could care less about pregnancy topics because I have no say in what gets posted as an ad. I guess google just sells ad space based on the topic of your blog - so of course, mine are about fetal dopplers, planning your conceivement date and other topics that you don't generally talk about at dinner. So click away and help pay for the kid's college!
Monday, October 16, 2006
You Know You Are Pregnant When.....
You know you are pregnant when you are planning each of your meals with passion and vigor. Even at 10 weeks along, I am once again savoring every ounce of food as if it were my last bite! It is amazing how food, no matter how simple, becomes a delicacy! For those of you who have had babies before, I know you will relate when I say that I start planning what I will have for breakfast the day before during lunch!
For the past week or so I have been wanting to eat eggs, cheese and ham for breakfast. So, on my way to work, I have been stopping in at Einstein's bagels to get a bagel sandwich. After about a week of this and $20 later, I decided I could start making my own for much cheaper. Yes, motherhood has made me both practical and cheap - another change that I did not anticipate :)
So, yesterday, Harper and I went to the grocery store and I meticulously planned my breakfasts for the week. I bought english muffins, egg beaters, canadian bacon and swiss cheese. I figured I could take it to work and make it when I got there. I have been watching those workers at Einsteins make eggs in the microwave and I finally got the courage to ask - "Can I buy just regular Egg Beaters and do that myself?". The very nice person behind the counter gave me the exact instructions on how to make the perfect microwave egg. I'm sure he wouldn't have shared that if he would have known how much business he would be losing over the next 7 months!
I know this is really scary, but I thought about making my egg sandwich all last night and couldn't wait until this morning. Let me just say.... it was a complete SUCCESS! I toasted my english muffin while my egg was cooking in the microwave - (which by the way, eggs are alot like hotdogs in the microwave - they need to be closely monitored because they expand about 100 times their size!). After the muffin was toasted and the egg was done, I melted the cheese and heated the canadian bacon on my muffin (once again in the microwave) and then put it all together. It was pure joy!
So, I would like to send a special shout out thank you to the bagel worker who gave me confidence and courage to cook my own perfect egg in the microwave.... this might save me alot of money during pregnancy!
Until next time.....
For the past week or so I have been wanting to eat eggs, cheese and ham for breakfast. So, on my way to work, I have been stopping in at Einstein's bagels to get a bagel sandwich. After about a week of this and $20 later, I decided I could start making my own for much cheaper. Yes, motherhood has made me both practical and cheap - another change that I did not anticipate :)
So, yesterday, Harper and I went to the grocery store and I meticulously planned my breakfasts for the week. I bought english muffins, egg beaters, canadian bacon and swiss cheese. I figured I could take it to work and make it when I got there. I have been watching those workers at Einsteins make eggs in the microwave and I finally got the courage to ask - "Can I buy just regular Egg Beaters and do that myself?". The very nice person behind the counter gave me the exact instructions on how to make the perfect microwave egg. I'm sure he wouldn't have shared that if he would have known how much business he would be losing over the next 7 months!
I know this is really scary, but I thought about making my egg sandwich all last night and couldn't wait until this morning. Let me just say.... it was a complete SUCCESS! I toasted my english muffin while my egg was cooking in the microwave - (which by the way, eggs are alot like hotdogs in the microwave - they need to be closely monitored because they expand about 100 times their size!). After the muffin was toasted and the egg was done, I melted the cheese and heated the canadian bacon on my muffin (once again in the microwave) and then put it all together. It was pure joy!
So, I would like to send a special shout out thank you to the bagel worker who gave me confidence and courage to cook my own perfect egg in the microwave.... this might save me alot of money during pregnancy!
Until next time.....
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
1st Appointment
Yesterday Matt and I had our first doctor's appointment for baby #2. It felt a little routine since we have been here before (and not so long ago!). We actually decided to change doctors because we would like to deliver at the University of Utah this time. Since Dr. Brown (Harper's doc) does not deliver at the U, we switched to an new OB - Dr. Howard Sharp. We both really liked him. He is young and very detailed with his questions and answers. Interestingly enough, I heard about Dr. Sharp through the nurse who is overseeing my graduate thesis project at the U. His clinic is one of the 3 clinics who is handing out my survey for research. (Contrary to popular belief - I am still working on my thesis!)
So, I did take the opportunity to let him know that he needs to make sure his staff is handing out and collecting my survey so that I can graduate before baby #2 arrives.
Although we really liked Dr. Sharp, we were quite disappointed with the amount of time that we had to wait at the clinic. My appointment was at 10:30am and we didn't even get to see the doctor until about 11:45. If you know me, you know my patience level is null and void. So, I have to come up with a game plan to make sure I get those early morning appointments.
I hate to report that I am actually going into this preganancy 7.8 pounds heavier than when I had Harper. I guess those last few pounds have stuck with me! After peeing in a cup and going through a bunch of questions about family history, past pregnancy / delivery, and expectations I had to experience the yucky EXAM! Dr. Sharp confirmed that everything is progressing very normally and that I am 9 weeks along today! He tried to listen for the heart beat but it was too faint (or maybe those extra 7.8 pounds wouldn't allow the sound to penetrate to the microphone). So, we will be going back in about 3 weeks to revisit Dr. Sharp and hear the first heartbeat.
I am still feeling pretty well - although very tired. I have been going to bed with Harper every night at about 8:30am. I am looking forward to my burst of energy during the 2nd trimester. I'm sure Matt is as well, because he has been picking up the slack alot lately with house chores! I haven't had any morning sickness or weird cravings yet - although my sense of smell is very keen these days.
As time progresses, I'll try to put a new posting up weekly. But, at this stage in the pregnancy there isn't much to report. I guess I did fail to mention that today is the first day that I have had to officially unbutton my pants so that I could breathe. This is much earlier than Harper - but I guess I can once again blame it on the extra 7.8 pounds!
Until next time.....
So, I did take the opportunity to let him know that he needs to make sure his staff is handing out and collecting my survey so that I can graduate before baby #2 arrives.
Although we really liked Dr. Sharp, we were quite disappointed with the amount of time that we had to wait at the clinic. My appointment was at 10:30am and we didn't even get to see the doctor until about 11:45. If you know me, you know my patience level is null and void. So, I have to come up with a game plan to make sure I get those early morning appointments.
I hate to report that I am actually going into this preganancy 7.8 pounds heavier than when I had Harper. I guess those last few pounds have stuck with me! After peeing in a cup and going through a bunch of questions about family history, past pregnancy / delivery, and expectations I had to experience the yucky EXAM! Dr. Sharp confirmed that everything is progressing very normally and that I am 9 weeks along today! He tried to listen for the heart beat but it was too faint (or maybe those extra 7.8 pounds wouldn't allow the sound to penetrate to the microphone). So, we will be going back in about 3 weeks to revisit Dr. Sharp and hear the first heartbeat.
I am still feeling pretty well - although very tired. I have been going to bed with Harper every night at about 8:30am. I am looking forward to my burst of energy during the 2nd trimester. I'm sure Matt is as well, because he has been picking up the slack alot lately with house chores! I haven't had any morning sickness or weird cravings yet - although my sense of smell is very keen these days.
As time progresses, I'll try to put a new posting up weekly. But, at this stage in the pregnancy there isn't much to report. I guess I did fail to mention that today is the first day that I have had to officially unbutton my pants so that I could breathe. This is much earlier than Harper - but I guess I can once again blame it on the extra 7.8 pounds!
Until next time.....
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