Hello 2nd Trimester!

What's Really Going On?
Very exciting, the 2nd trimester!  This is where Jon officially feels like telling the world.  This was the weekend to tell Facebook the happy news, so we did.  We felt much more confident to share with more people, so he told his work, and I told mine.

You can hear one of our doctors talking in the video we're sharing with you here.  The other voice is mine.  He's pointing to the left side of the picture which is the head.  You can also see the legs and hands move a bit.  At the beginning of the video, you can see the eye sockets. By the end of the video, Baby has moved to reveal a profile shot (left side, he/she looking up).  It's pretty easy to make out what looks like a forehead, nose, and mouth.  It makes me giggle out of disbelief, it's so amazing :').  This is all going on inside of me, and I can't even feel it yet.  I've only gained about 5 lbs.  I'm still wearing my same clothes.  I'll be needing to go clothes shopping real soon.

"How U Doin'?"
Over the last couple of weeks, I had started feeling less exhausted.  Haven't really needed my afternoon nap during the week, so I've been powering through the afternoons.  I'm still feeling somewhat sluggish by the evenings, but I'm optimistic and ready to have more energy for exercising and cooking.  A couple days after Valentine's Day, Jon started to feel sick, and sported through a fever Thursday night.  He even slept in the spare room for a couple of nights, trying not to get me sick.  "I don't get sick, I'm high on prenatals!", I kept saying.  Well, it's Sunday, and I've been blowing my nose all day!!  (!@#bleep, bleep#@)

Cravings?  Yes, please!
I've sent Jon the following random text messages:  "Mothers Brand chocolate chip cookies, yum;" "Big fluffy marshmellows," "STEAK, yes, steak is in the air!"  I have had visions of waffles and tuna melts, as well as an old childhood favorite of peanut butter and jelly with BBQ potato chips!  Now that I'm feeling a lil' more up to cooking, I'll be better at fitting in the kale and broccoli, again, I promise.  I've been eatin' tons of oranges, red grapes, and tangerines.  I'm thirsty like crazy, so I've been downing tons of water and diluted juices.  Salmon and Zoe's breath is sending me in the other direction for the first time. ... Salmon, the fish, not Jon (just in case it wasn't clear).

Emotional Much?  Yes, thanks.
So I feel pretty darn good every morning.  I look forward to my work with my students.  I get home ‘bout 3 pm - 4 pm.  From about this time to 8 pm, when Jon gets in, it’s pretty easy to feel lonely.  I miss…I miss…people.  There are things I could do, sure.  So I take Zoe for a walk and make a phone call, or listen to the music of the Indigo Girls, my favorite.  I check the mail.  I see what I can piece together for dinner, before I start looking for restaurant coupons.  I feel tired, but I don’t feel like napping.  I don’t like watching TV alone, so I don’t.  I think.  I miss my mom - you know, my number one fan.  I miss my sister.  I miss my brothers a lot.  We don’t talk enough.  I talk to my dad quite a bit, and I love it so much!  …so much.  I buy flowers for my mom’s picture table, and I see her smile at me…it’s so familiar and instantly comforting, but some days, I just want to know what she’d say.  My dad says it’s all gonna be okay, and that’s all I need to hear.  It’s all good. ;)

Happy Mommy & Daddy To Be

Christmas morning, 2010.  Still holding on to our secret.

Finding Out!

We found out about the pregnancy the morning of Dec. 22nd.  I took a test in the presence of our supporting housemates, Dog and Cat.  They were sure to clear out of my way as I started muffling a cry of, “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!”…while trying to make my way to the phone.  Pants around ankles, I was speechless with tears accumulating when Jon answered at work.  “I think it’s positive,” I said, knowing the “plus sign” was so much darker than on either of the pregnancy tests I took just the week before.   I drove out to Jon’s work, he jumped into the Jeep, and we sat in awe just staring and comparing all three pregnancy tests.  “Wow, today’s is definitely darker”, we agreed excitedly. 

Telling Dad

On Christmas Eve, we took my dad out for a real nice dinner, just the three of us (plus one, right?!)  Jon had picked up a bottle of wine we were excited to try and share with Dad.  I didn’t have a real plan as to HOW  to tell my dad, but as soon as the wine was corked and poured, and I had to decline…that was as good a time as any.  I asked for the first of ten glasses of iced tea!  We toasted and I shared with my dad that the reason I wasn’t having any wine was because I was pregnant.  He smiled, began nodding his head in that agreeing way he does, saying, “That’s great, Mija”…nodding, “…that’s great.  I’m happy for you.  That’s real good.”  I was the one who started to tear up before finishing my sentence.  It was a great night.  Very special, indeed.