Week 13

Who knows how many times I will do this, but I thought I would give a pregnancy update.  This is probably more for me to look back on with future children and have something to compare to.  I didn't write down anything with Martin. 

This is week thirteen and it is that awkward stage where your pants, all of the sudden, don't want to button closed. This happened gradually last time. This time around I was fitting nicely into all my pants until this week. Bam. Something changed this weekend. Now I feel quite squashed and am about about to start the rubber band trick because maternity pants don't work until there is a belly to hold on to. 

Otherwise, things are looking up. I have been much less nauseous and have a bit more energy.  I went to the gym last week and I walked the park with my dad today. It was a lovely day for that. 

Week: 13

Pounds gained: 8

Cravings: Until this week I was just hungry all the time, it didn't matter what I ate. This week and last week I have been wanting fruits and veggies.  It is a good thing our CSA box starts this week and that strawberry season is soon. I have eaten a bunch of apples lately. 

Projects completed: A stuffed animal elephant and a copy of our wedding cake (I was looking through my recipes for a bread recipe last night to go with dinner and saw the recipe for my wedding cake and thought, I should make that for our anniversary, no wait, I should make that now. About an hour later a 1/4th recipe of a beautiful peanut butter cake, with chocolate ganoche layers and cream cheese frosting was finished. I might still make the whole recipe for our anniversary). 

Books read: The Problem of Pain, The Abolition of Man, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer (542 pages).  I have been doing a lot of reading recently. I am almost finished a 719 page book on North Korea, but Jared is reading it too so I have to share with him in the evenings. 

And here is a list of symptoms that people don't talk that much about (I may add to this, I am sure I am forgetting something). I think the first trimester is the worst. The last couple weeks are also pretty rough, but it is almost the end so it is doable. :) 

1. Random hiccups. I hiccup once or twice randomly throughout the day. I did it a few times while I was in labor with Martin and the nurse commented about how she had never heard of that happening. I must be weird. 

2. Being hungry all the time!! I didn't find that I was that hungry while I was nursing, but during pregnancy is another story.  I eat small meals and snacks all day long and still feel hungry all the time. Which is why I gain weight, but it all comes off with a little work afterwards. 

3. Waking up 2-5 times a night to go to the bathroom. This is the one that no one warns you about. It is exhausting. Thankfully, it goes away during the 2nd trimester. 

4. Heartburn when you eat too little or too much or garlic of any kind. 

5. Feeling so angry. Ha ha. This happens to me during the first few weeks.  I get mad about the littlest things and feel like stamping my feet and crying. 

6. Crying about silly things.  Jared asks when he will get his wife back because of this one. Although, I haven't cried as much this time. 

7. Everything smells. You will notice smells that are stomach turning.  Things that don't normally bother you suddenly make your stomach do flips. Coffee grounds are the worst for me. 

8. Being exhausted. I never nap, except during the first few weeks I am pregnant and the first few weeks the baby is born. When I worked, I would nap during lunch break, when I came home from work in the afternoon, And go to bed at 730. I am not quite that bad now, but I do like to go to bed early. 

But all in all, having a baby isn't that bad. It is exhausting and you wonder why you are doing this to yourself (again).  In the end, it is all worth it. I would trade a longer labor for a shorter pregnancy. Pregnancy seems to drag on forever. Labor is refreshing because you know it is about to end. Nine months is a long time, thankfully, I only have six more to go. Woohoo. 

We love this weather. 

And our picnic table that my Dad made us. :)