I remembered this 'first visit' all too well from being pregnant with Gabbie...they draw what seems like enough blood that I forgot if I was there to donate blood or just for labs. They ask many questions-my favorite one being "so are you feeling well?" Well I suppose, for the shape I'm in. Then it gets a little 'uncomfortable'...but I guess what modesty is left after having had a child already. Finally the fun part...time to look for the heartbeat. It took what seemed like a while to find it, but all of the sudden I heard that swoosh, swoosh, swoosh going way to fast to be my heartbeat! That was pretty exciting-all of the sudden being pregnant again seemed real, and more than just constant nausea and headaches.
I thought we'd be having an ultrasound today, as we did that with Gabbie also. But it turns out we just did that with her to figure out the due date, since she had surprized us :) This time we can figure a due date and doctor said he won't worry about an ultrasound until sometime around 20 weeks. We are planning to leave the gender a surprize again, and doctor said we measured at 10 weeks, so there would be no need for an ultrasound right now anyway.
I didn't take any baby bump pictures with Gabbie. I guess just 1 a couple of days before she was born. This time I am keeping a journal that has spaces to include pictures, so we took one today. I included it at the bottom here. Although I don't have pictures to compare, I do know for fact I did not look like this at 10 weeks pregnant with Gabbie! I was able to wear my regular pants until almost 20 weeks with her. People told me you 'pop out' faster the second time, but that is an understatment. Today at work I was told several times "geez, you are already showing!" That, or I am just enjoying the reason to eat extra just a little too much...
I hate to use the word 'crabby'; but I can't say I've been 'pleasant', but I'm not 'emotional', so crabby would be the best descriptor for how I have been to those who have to tolerate me on a daily basis. Otherwise it feels about the same as last time; nauseated, tired, headaches, acid reflux, carpal tunnel, and up every few hours at night to use the bathroom. I manage to make it through work at the care center without puking, but then I go to see my home health clients and I vomit during my treatments at their houses. I feel best early in the morning, so I've started exercising at 5:30 or 6 a.m. instead of waiting until I get home at night, which is when I feel really crappy and tend to just sit on the couch. I'm glad to be getting through this being sick part in the winter, so hopefully I'm ready to run around outside again come Spring and Summer. I think Gabbie is wondering where her old Mom went.
Okay, so although that was an entire paragraph of me whining about how I feel physically, I do truly feel blessed to be adding child #2 to the family. Gabbie has been such a joy to us; its hard to imagine how watching 2 of them grow will feel! I'm really trying to absorb every moment I can of this pregnancy. Not that I didn't try to do that with Gabbie, but we were definetly in a different phase of our lives then. I worked full time, then typically worked a PRN job in the evenings and on most weekends and it felt like we were running all the time. Gabbie has taught me so much about simplifying my life, including working less, not obsessing over a clean house so much, ignoring the computer and phone, and just taking time to play.
That's the main news from our house today! It has been harder to keep this one a secret since we have known for so long. We were about 7 weeks pregnant with Gabbie before it dawned on me that I wasn't feeling quite right...that made the first trimester go a bit faster!
The belly...I give up on even trying to find a baggy shirt or sweater right now
Gabbie's new favorite thing...a fish. Brice caught it while ice fishing and put it in the tank. She loves it, but I don't think 'fishy' loves her playing in the water and hitting his tank.
