Travel Often

“I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.” — Rosalia de Castro

Love Deeply, but Laugh Along the Way

"Happiness is only real when shared." - Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild

View Marriage as an Adventure

"Love is a flower which turns into fruit at marriage." ~Finnish Proverb

Fuel your body with GOOD (It's the only one you get)

He who has health has hope; and he who has hope has everything. - Arabian Proverb

Open your Soul to Motherhood

A Grand Adventure is About to Begin - Winnie the Pooh

A New Kind of Love is Born

Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Give me Peanuts - Month 2

written August 31, 2011
week seven

Baby is the size of a blueberry today!

I've been reading three books since I became pregnant:
1. What to Expect When You're Expecting
2. I'm Pregnant (super cool pictures)
3. Healthy Baby, Healthy Mom (and Journal)

In What to Expect When You're Expecting, the author suggests eating a little bit of trail mix every time I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. Yes, seems weird. I didn't even snack that much in college...well, okay, I'd basically eat a full order of cheese breadsticks before bed, but who's counting? And I already can hear my dentist screaming at me. But you know what? I'd rather feel normal and was willing to try anything.
Think about it: eight hours of no food and of course the stomach is acid-y. No wonder mornings are rough. Without any trail mix in the house, I found an expired package of lightly salted peanuts and put them on my nightstand. I decided not to eat any at 12:30 a.m. or 2:30 a.m. when I took a trip to the water closet but opened it up at 4:15 a.m. and ate more when my alarm went off at 6:00 a.m. A little salt and crumbs on my pillow won't hurt anyone.
The peanuts worked! I felt more like myself than I have in a long time. Then I remembered how my body has always craved protein over carbs. Everyone is wired differently and I'm an athlete. Athletes and their muscles need protein. Saltine crackers just weren't doing the trick for me. Just like when I used to eat cereal or oatmeal in the morning. I was always hungry by 9:30 a.m. But give me eggs and some meat and I'm good until the afternoon. I've been reading that when you're preg, the average woman needs like double the amount of protein. Things are starting to become a lot clearer. Finally.

New cravings:
1. Popsicles - OMG...there are now Jolly Rancher Popsicles out there that are sooo good. And there are jokes on the sticks.
2. Coca-Cola - I swear this stuff is magic. I gave up coffee so I figure a little bit of caffeine will be okay every now and then. And I'm used to drinking Jack with my coke. It kind of tastes good on its own!
3. Pickles and banana peppers - thing is, I've ALWAYS craved these but they just taste extra good.
4. My homemade pizza - is it bad if I'm at work just dreaming about this all day long??
5. Nectarines - they are sooo sweet and perfect right now.

On another note, I totally did something crazy during my lunch break. I went to Old Navy and checked out baby clothes. I know it's still early but I couldn't stop myself. There is such cute stuff out there!!!!!! And I realize how nice and easier it would be if we knew the sex of baby, but it's kind of fun not knowing. It adds to the surprises. I wonder what you're going to be baby blueberry. I always pictured having a boy just because I had an older brother and I liked how he always protected me and watched over me. He's such a leader, but girls can be leaders too - I know that all too well working in a male dominant work environment. But everyone (Karl for one) keeps saying they think we're going to have a girl. Of course I just want a HEALTHY baby. That's all I ask. Okay...and maybe if the baby could have Karl's ears, thick hair, his laugh, smarts and sense of humor... and our dimples!

I personally think it's awesome Karl has an app on his cell of the size of our baby. Every Monday he wakes up all bushy tailed and grabs his phone and checks out where baby is. I can't help but get all warm and fuzzy inside. This is really a special experience.

Back to Old Navy... I sort of bought a few things. There was an outfit for $.49!!! How could I resist? Man...baby is going to be tiny! Those little clothes are just so adorable and small. And soon a body will be filling those!!! So yeah, that was too much fun. And I started to get super excited for my ultrasound!! What if I start crying or something? Oh well, I'll worry about that then. I pray everyday that baby is healthy and everything works out.

And, yeah, still biting my nails. Damn!

Everyone was meant to share God's all-abiding love and care; He saw that we would need to know a way to let these feelings show...so God made hugs.

- Jill Wolf