RESOLVE launched a new initiative this week, and I thought I would pass along the information [thank you, From IF to When for this info!]:
They have a created a petition for the infertility community to add their names to that will be sent to Sec. Sebelius at the Department of Health and Human Services, along with a letter urging the Secretary to consider infertility treatment an essential health benefit as the discussion on the new healthcare reform policies happen this fall. Their goal is 7,300 signatures: 1 signature to represent every 1,000 people living with infertility.
I urge you to click HERE to read and sign the petition, whether you battle with infertility, know somebody who does or just want to help out.
RESOLVE will be creating a landing page with more FAQs this week. I will post it to my blog as soon as I have more information.
I was very lucky that with my husband being in the military, all of our treatment was covered financially. The only thing we had to pay for was the sperm wash. Our costs would have increased had we had to go the IVF route, but we still would not have paid was most of you do. I know many women who have to save for years for this opportunity, which is such a damn shame. Let's show our policy makers that we are serious about having infertility treatment recognized as an essential health benefit.
September 28, 2011
September 27, 2011
Why Facebook & Pregnancy Do Not Mix*
Being pregnant is a funny thing. Besides all the aches and pains, there is a whole other side to it that involves everybody and their mother giving unwanted advice, their two cents, telling you exactly what kind of parent you'll be, how you should eat, etc. It's like as soon as I have this little person gestating inside of me, I am no longer an individual. I'm a breeder and I'm apparently supposed to lose all form of identity.
Wrong, folks.
Last week, a co-worker brought in cupcakes on Friday morning to celebrate the first day of fall. They were delicious. And because I am the queen of random thoughts, I shared with all of my friends that yes, it was 8am, and I was having a cupcake. Most of the responses were polite, friendly, even supportive ["For you? Absolutely! YOU EAT THAT CUPCAKE, GIRL!" or you know, something like that]. But one individual decided that I was "eating for two" and felt necessary to warn me that if I continued to "eat for two" that I would gain a bunch of weight, have a horrible time losing it just like she did and that I should probably be more careful about what I was ingesting into my body because, you know, I don't want to get fat or anything.
For the record, I have been doing pretty well in my eating endeavors thus far. Minus that week where ALL I WANTED was mexican food [I will admit, four times in one week is a little excessive] I've been sticking to healthy options. I drink a ton of water. I make sure to get my calcium/protein/veggie intake for the day. I take my prenatals. I work out when I can [but because of my hip/pelvic pain it's somewhat unbearable most days]. So sue me for having a damn cupcake.
And you know what? I ACTUALLY HAD TWO. And it was totally worth the splurge when I needed that 3pm pick me up to get me through the rest of the work day. Granted, by reading this woman's posts its painfully obvious that she has body image issues. But it didn't stop me from getting slightly upset in the beginning that somebody who barely knows me, let alone knows what I eat on a day to day basis, would interject on this subject and let me know that "eating for two" is not a good thing. When it had nothing to do with pregnancy to begin with. I read the books. I know that for now it's only an extra 300 calories a day that's needed. I'm a smart gal, y'all.
But it goes so far beyond that. Everything I do suddenly revolves around the kid that's not even here yet. Every single thing I say somehow gets turned into baby. I could write that the sky is purple and somehow SOMEBODY would find a way to bring it back around to baby. EVERY. DAMN. TIME. Last week I decided to pick up knitting again and mentioned so because I have a lot of friends who knit, and it was "where are the baby bump photos?" Um, did I mention my pregnancy or the baby anywhere? I don't think so. And yes ... I am knitting for me. Not for the kid.
I was also introduced to this amazingly hilarious website called STFU, Parents! that is beyond funny. As an infertile, and really as just a human being, there was nothing more annoying than those parents who posted 20 times a day about their kids. I even had one friend go so far once to post a photo of their kid, SITTING ON THE TOILET, doing his "first big boy poop." Seriously? Some things need to be kept a secret. Or shared only in person. And on more than one occasion, these individuals got blocked because if I wanted to hear the ins & outs of every single thing your child did, I would be friends with THEM on facebook. And when I vowed publicly that I refused to be one of those parents, I was told "don't worry, you'll be just like that. Because poop is funny."
Ok. Maybe poop is a little funny sometimes. When I talked to my best friend last week and she told me how her one month old had his first big blow out and her husband almost threw up because he was so grossed out, it was funny. But what was funny was that as a first time parent, they didn't know what the fuck they were doing. But she kept it to herself and only shared with a few. And didn't post it all over facebook. Because honestly, who wants to read that?
The simple point to all of this is that I am a person, too. Just because I am now carrying a child and expanding our family does not mean that MY life ends. I get that baby's are cute and squishy and adorable, but not everybody loves them. Hell, I don't even like other people's kids that much. In fact, most times they annoy me, with a few exceptions to those that are currently in my life. And just because I am stepping into Mommy-Land, it does not take away from the things that I still enjoy. I have been very careful about the pregnancy related stuff I post on facebook, mostly out of respect for my friends still battling infertility, but also because it does not completely define me. Not in my eyes. I'm not going to lie ... I'm sure there will be plenty of photos and "look what Baby W did today" posts. But I honestly do not want to be that person that annoys everybody else.
I will love this child with every ounce of being that I have. It doesn't mean that I will give up who I am as an individual and forget that I had a life and a personality before a baby came along. And if I have to fight to remind people of that, then I will.
Wrong, folks.
Last week, a co-worker brought in cupcakes on Friday morning to celebrate the first day of fall. They were delicious. And because I am the queen of random thoughts, I shared with all of my friends that yes, it was 8am, and I was having a cupcake. Most of the responses were polite, friendly, even supportive ["For you? Absolutely! YOU EAT THAT CUPCAKE, GIRL!" or you know, something like that]. But one individual decided that I was "eating for two" and felt necessary to warn me that if I continued to "eat for two" that I would gain a bunch of weight, have a horrible time losing it just like she did and that I should probably be more careful about what I was ingesting into my body because, you know, I don't want to get fat or anything.
For the record, I have been doing pretty well in my eating endeavors thus far. Minus that week where ALL I WANTED was mexican food [I will admit, four times in one week is a little excessive] I've been sticking to healthy options. I drink a ton of water. I make sure to get my calcium/protein/veggie intake for the day. I take my prenatals. I work out when I can [but because of my hip/pelvic pain it's somewhat unbearable most days]. So sue me for having a damn cupcake.
And you know what? I ACTUALLY HAD TWO. And it was totally worth the splurge when I needed that 3pm pick me up to get me through the rest of the work day. Granted, by reading this woman's posts its painfully obvious that she has body image issues. But it didn't stop me from getting slightly upset in the beginning that somebody who barely knows me, let alone knows what I eat on a day to day basis, would interject on this subject and let me know that "eating for two" is not a good thing. When it had nothing to do with pregnancy to begin with. I read the books. I know that for now it's only an extra 300 calories a day that's needed. I'm a smart gal, y'all.
But it goes so far beyond that. Everything I do suddenly revolves around the kid that's not even here yet. Every single thing I say somehow gets turned into baby. I could write that the sky is purple and somehow SOMEBODY would find a way to bring it back around to baby. EVERY. DAMN. TIME. Last week I decided to pick up knitting again and mentioned so because I have a lot of friends who knit, and it was "where are the baby bump photos?" Um, did I mention my pregnancy or the baby anywhere? I don't think so. And yes ... I am knitting for me. Not for the kid.
I was also introduced to this amazingly hilarious website called STFU, Parents! that is beyond funny. As an infertile, and really as just a human being, there was nothing more annoying than those parents who posted 20 times a day about their kids. I even had one friend go so far once to post a photo of their kid, SITTING ON THE TOILET, doing his "first big boy poop." Seriously? Some things need to be kept a secret. Or shared only in person. And on more than one occasion, these individuals got blocked because if I wanted to hear the ins & outs of every single thing your child did, I would be friends with THEM on facebook. And when I vowed publicly that I refused to be one of those parents, I was told "don't worry, you'll be just like that. Because poop is funny."
Ok. Maybe poop is a little funny sometimes. When I talked to my best friend last week and she told me how her one month old had his first big blow out and her husband almost threw up because he was so grossed out, it was funny. But what was funny was that as a first time parent, they didn't know what the fuck they were doing. But she kept it to herself and only shared with a few. And didn't post it all over facebook. Because honestly, who wants to read that?
The simple point to all of this is that I am a person, too. Just because I am now carrying a child and expanding our family does not mean that MY life ends. I get that baby's are cute and squishy and adorable, but not everybody loves them. Hell, I don't even like other people's kids that much. In fact, most times they annoy me, with a few exceptions to those that are currently in my life. And just because I am stepping into Mommy-Land, it does not take away from the things that I still enjoy. I have been very careful about the pregnancy related stuff I post on facebook, mostly out of respect for my friends still battling infertility, but also because it does not completely define me. Not in my eyes. I'm not going to lie ... I'm sure there will be plenty of photos and "look what Baby W did today" posts. But I honestly do not want to be that person that annoys everybody else.
I will love this child with every ounce of being that I have. It doesn't mean that I will give up who I am as an individual and forget that I had a life and a personality before a baby came along. And if I have to fight to remind people of that, then I will.
September 26, 2011
Sixteen Weeks*
I know I promised a bump shot this week, but I didn't get to it. And I'm not feeling it quite yet either. Maybe next week. I swear.
The truth of the matter is this week has been rough. I know that I'm supposed to say that pregnancy is joyous & happy & flowers & rainbows all the time. And for the most part, it is. We are still beyond excited about this baby and are looking forward to March [although it seems to be coming quicker than we are prepared for!]. But the truth is, I am jealous of these women who have said that they LOVED pregnancy, & it was so wonderful for them the entire time.
Because it sure as hell hasn't been like that for me.
I know that a lot of my readers are from the Infertility community and let me stress again that after three and a half years of trying for Baby W, it's a huge blessing that we are at this point. And I don't blame you if you get pissed and leave for me complaining. I was/am totally one of those women who would say "Bitch, be grateful you have morning sickness because I would kill to be puking my brains out!" But this shit is hard. I have been miserable since day one. I suffered from some pretty serious nausea during the first trimester, and the pelvic & hip pain that I currently have is borderline unbearable. I am in pain every time I take a step, or move wrong, or lift my leg the wrong way to do something. My midwife says that this is normal, unfortunately, so I am trusting her that there is nothing seriously wrong. The hip pain I can get through. But I feel like I've been punched in my vagina and the surrounding area. Then throw in the back pain, heartburn and constipation, and well ... I'm just a regular ball of fun.
I am hoping ... PRAYING ... that it gets better in the coming weeks. I think that once I feel movement, I'll be more bearable when it comes to all of this. But nobody talks about the rough parts of being pregnant which makes me feel very alone in what my body is going through. I'm tired of being miserable. And I really hope it gets better quick.
I have a super cute idea for my weekly shots, but it's a matter of getting dressed enough to feel cute! I'll work on that! Here are my fun facts for the week:
How Far Along? 16 weeks, 3 days.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still down those 10 pounds. I'm starting to hope that it stays this way for a few more weeks! I have enough weight to lose when I'm NOT pregnant, that hopefully my overall gain won't be too much.
Maternity Clothes? I love maternity pants. So much. I can now see why so may women swear by them even post-baby.
Stretch Marks? No new ones!
Sleep: I slept a little heavier this week, mostly due to being plain exhausted by the end of the day. I don't think I stayed up past 9:30 one night this week.
Best Moment of the Week? Meeting my new midwife who is AMAZING. I am so glad that I was finally able to get away from my crappy hospital and be with a clinic who truly cares about their patients. She is fabulous.
Miss Anything? Cuddling with my husband at night. I have so many damn pillows to help keep me comfortable, it's like Fort Knox in the bed!
Movement: Nothing yet :(
Food Cravings: None this week!
Anything Making You Queasy or Sick? I've had a couple incidents where I've gotten queasy. But they passed quick.
Have You Started to Show Yet? Maybe?
Gender Prediction: Still boy. Although maybe leaning towards girl.
Labor Signs: No.
Belly Button In or Out: In
Wedding Rings On or Off: On.
Happy or Moody Most of the Time? Pretty happy, although being in pain makes me slightly moody.
Looking Forward To: Feeling movement!
The truth of the matter is this week has been rough. I know that I'm supposed to say that pregnancy is joyous & happy & flowers & rainbows all the time. And for the most part, it is. We are still beyond excited about this baby and are looking forward to March [although it seems to be coming quicker than we are prepared for!]. But the truth is, I am jealous of these women who have said that they LOVED pregnancy, & it was so wonderful for them the entire time.
Because it sure as hell hasn't been like that for me.
I know that a lot of my readers are from the Infertility community and let me stress again that after three and a half years of trying for Baby W, it's a huge blessing that we are at this point. And I don't blame you if you get pissed and leave for me complaining. I was/am totally one of those women who would say "Bitch, be grateful you have morning sickness because I would kill to be puking my brains out!" But this shit is hard. I have been miserable since day one. I suffered from some pretty serious nausea during the first trimester, and the pelvic & hip pain that I currently have is borderline unbearable. I am in pain every time I take a step, or move wrong, or lift my leg the wrong way to do something. My midwife says that this is normal, unfortunately, so I am trusting her that there is nothing seriously wrong. The hip pain I can get through. But I feel like I've been punched in my vagina and the surrounding area. Then throw in the back pain, heartburn and constipation, and well ... I'm just a regular ball of fun.
I am hoping ... PRAYING ... that it gets better in the coming weeks. I think that once I feel movement, I'll be more bearable when it comes to all of this. But nobody talks about the rough parts of being pregnant which makes me feel very alone in what my body is going through. I'm tired of being miserable. And I really hope it gets better quick.
I have a super cute idea for my weekly shots, but it's a matter of getting dressed enough to feel cute! I'll work on that! Here are my fun facts for the week:
How Far Along? 16 weeks, 3 days.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still down those 10 pounds. I'm starting to hope that it stays this way for a few more weeks! I have enough weight to lose when I'm NOT pregnant, that hopefully my overall gain won't be too much.
Maternity Clothes? I love maternity pants. So much. I can now see why so may women swear by them even post-baby.
Stretch Marks? No new ones!
Sleep: I slept a little heavier this week, mostly due to being plain exhausted by the end of the day. I don't think I stayed up past 9:30 one night this week.
Best Moment of the Week? Meeting my new midwife who is AMAZING. I am so glad that I was finally able to get away from my crappy hospital and be with a clinic who truly cares about their patients. She is fabulous.
Miss Anything? Cuddling with my husband at night. I have so many damn pillows to help keep me comfortable, it's like Fort Knox in the bed!
Movement: Nothing yet :(
Food Cravings: None this week!
Anything Making You Queasy or Sick? I've had a couple incidents where I've gotten queasy. But they passed quick.
Have You Started to Show Yet? Maybe?
Gender Prediction: Still boy. Although maybe leaning towards girl.
Labor Signs: No.
Belly Button In or Out: In
Wedding Rings On or Off: On.
Happy or Moody Most of the Time? Pretty happy, although being in pain makes me slightly moody.
Looking Forward To: Feeling movement!
September 21, 2011
ICLW #2*
Welcome, ICLW'ers! This is the second time I have participated in ICLW & I am trying to become better about posting & linking every month :) So if you are here because of that, than WELCOME!
If you want a quick snap shot of who I am, then feel free to go to my first ICLW post. You can, of course, always check out the "About Brittany" section up top as well.
Things here are pretty calm in the Boho household. Friday marks 16 weeks in the pregnancy, and while we still feel it's a little early to get too excited about the nursery and registering for gifts, I definitely don't want to be that person that is still putting the nursery together when kid boho is three months old. Ideally, I would like to have it completed & good to go WELL before the wee one gets here. This is my OCD taking over.
With that said, we've started researching some of the larger items that will be needed and figuring out a budget for what we want vs. what we can afford. We know the likelihood of family & friends getting us things is possible, but we don't want to rely or EXPECT any of these things. So it's important to us that we know what we are getting ourselves into. The registry has been created, but only because we decided on a stroller/car seat. That's the only thing on the list at this time!
My laziness is getting better, as in I'm not being as lazy as I was during the first trimester, but I still definitely have days where all I want to do is go home from work and watch reruns on tv.
I am also SO excited that the cooler weather is ALMOST here. While the weather is still in the low 80's here it is a very welcome break from the months of 100 degree days that we had. I know this isn't "cool" to many people, but it means that those 60 degree days are right around the corner. I might actually try to decorate for fall this year, but we will see. Again, with the motivation. It's lacking.
Thanks for checking out my blog ... feel free to browse & please come back!
If you want a quick snap shot of who I am, then feel free to go to my first ICLW post. You can, of course, always check out the "About Brittany" section up top as well.
Things here are pretty calm in the Boho household. Friday marks 16 weeks in the pregnancy, and while we still feel it's a little early to get too excited about the nursery and registering for gifts, I definitely don't want to be that person that is still putting the nursery together when kid boho is three months old. Ideally, I would like to have it completed & good to go WELL before the wee one gets here. This is my OCD taking over.
With that said, we've started researching some of the larger items that will be needed and figuring out a budget for what we want vs. what we can afford. We know the likelihood of family & friends getting us things is possible, but we don't want to rely or EXPECT any of these things. So it's important to us that we know what we are getting ourselves into. The registry has been created, but only because we decided on a stroller/car seat. That's the only thing on the list at this time!
My laziness is getting better, as in I'm not being as lazy as I was during the first trimester, but I still definitely have days where all I want to do is go home from work and watch reruns on tv.
I am also SO excited that the cooler weather is ALMOST here. While the weather is still in the low 80's here it is a very welcome break from the months of 100 degree days that we had. I know this isn't "cool" to many people, but it means that those 60 degree days are right around the corner. I might actually try to decorate for fall this year, but we will see. Again, with the motivation. It's lacking.
Thanks for checking out my blog ... feel free to browse & please come back!
September 19, 2011
Fifteen Weeks*
How Far Along? 15 weeks, 3 days.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still negative 10 pounds! For reals. I'm not complaining, at all ... I ate like crap for a couple of weeks so was expecting it to catch up with me, but I can tell that I've lost weight, especially in my face. Although I don't FEEL like it anywhere else. Hoping that since we're getting ready to jump into the fourth month, that things will start to catch up.
Maternity Clothes? I got super lucky and inherited about four bins of maternity clothes from a friend. So as far as pants go, they are pretty much the only thing I'm wearing these days. Because let's be honest ... they are freaking comfortable.
Stretch Marks? Nope. Only the ones that were there before!
Sleep: Sleep is just plain difficult. Sometimes I sleep through the night completely, other times I'm up at all hours because my hips hurt. It's frustrating, but it is what it is. Thank god for coffee.
Best Moment of the Week? We were gifted an at home doppler from an old work friend early in the pregnancy. It had been about three weeks since we tried to find the heartbeat on our own [which was always unsuccessful] but the other night we thought we would try again. We found it instantly! It was a magical experience!
Have You Told Family & Friends? YES! I couldn't wait any longer to spill the beans!
Miss Anything? Still wine. I fear that this will always be my answer every single week.
Movement: One moment where I thought it might have been the baby. Or I was just hungry. I don't know.
Food Cravings: None this week!
Anything Making You Queasy or Sick? No, I think I am definitely past the point of being queasy. Which is great.
Have You Started to Show Yet? Um, I think so. But mostly it's my fat being pushed out farther. ha!
Gender Prediction: Still guessing a boy! But hoping for a girl :)
Labor Signs: No.
Belly Button In or Out: In
Wedding Rings On or Off: On.
Happy or Moody Most of the Time? MOODY! Sorry, husband. I can't help it.
Looking Forward To: Feeling movement!
I know there are like, two people that read this blog, and I'm not sure if anyone really cares about these updates, but they are a good reminder for me to look back at to see how I was feeling throughout all of this!
The hip/pelvic pain is still pretty strong, but I'm dealing with it and just accepting it. Although it does make me move a little slower than normal. I FINALLY got everything worked out with the insurance company and will be seeing my new midwife on Thursday morning. I'm looking forward to another official check up and to get some official answers about my pelvic pain. But with hearing the heart beat this past week, it's so reassuring that everything is ok. The heart beat has been in the mid-150's so very nice and strong.
Photos starting next week!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still negative 10 pounds! For reals. I'm not complaining, at all ... I ate like crap for a couple of weeks so was expecting it to catch up with me, but I can tell that I've lost weight, especially in my face. Although I don't FEEL like it anywhere else. Hoping that since we're getting ready to jump into the fourth month, that things will start to catch up.
Maternity Clothes? I got super lucky and inherited about four bins of maternity clothes from a friend. So as far as pants go, they are pretty much the only thing I'm wearing these days. Because let's be honest ... they are freaking comfortable.
Stretch Marks? Nope. Only the ones that were there before!
Sleep: Sleep is just plain difficult. Sometimes I sleep through the night completely, other times I'm up at all hours because my hips hurt. It's frustrating, but it is what it is. Thank god for coffee.
Best Moment of the Week? We were gifted an at home doppler from an old work friend early in the pregnancy. It had been about three weeks since we tried to find the heartbeat on our own [which was always unsuccessful] but the other night we thought we would try again. We found it instantly! It was a magical experience!
Have You Told Family & Friends? YES! I couldn't wait any longer to spill the beans!
Miss Anything? Still wine. I fear that this will always be my answer every single week.
Movement: One moment where I thought it might have been the baby. Or I was just hungry. I don't know.
Food Cravings: None this week!
Anything Making You Queasy or Sick? No, I think I am definitely past the point of being queasy. Which is great.
Have You Started to Show Yet? Um, I think so. But mostly it's my fat being pushed out farther. ha!
Gender Prediction: Still guessing a boy! But hoping for a girl :)
Labor Signs: No.
Belly Button In or Out: In
Wedding Rings On or Off: On.
Happy or Moody Most of the Time? MOODY! Sorry, husband. I can't help it.
Looking Forward To: Feeling movement!
I know there are like, two people that read this blog, and I'm not sure if anyone really cares about these updates, but they are a good reminder for me to look back at to see how I was feeling throughout all of this!
The hip/pelvic pain is still pretty strong, but I'm dealing with it and just accepting it. Although it does make me move a little slower than normal. I FINALLY got everything worked out with the insurance company and will be seeing my new midwife on Thursday morning. I'm looking forward to another official check up and to get some official answers about my pelvic pain. But with hearing the heart beat this past week, it's so reassuring that everything is ok. The heart beat has been in the mid-150's so very nice and strong.
Photos starting next week!
September 18, 2011
Fall Style*
With fall peeking around the corner, I've become kind of obsessed about finding the perfect outfits that will a) work well with being preggers, b) can be worn to work & c) keep me comfortable. Because of my expanding belly, I am not wanting to spend a lot of money on maternity clothes & thankfully I have a lot of cardigans that I will continue to wear. But I also want some other pieces that I can work with in the coming months. Primarily cute tanks and a rockin' pair of boots that I can wear all fall & winter.
This one is totally doable for a casual friday or the jeans could be switched out with a cute pair of black pants. I LOVE the sweater and the ruffled tank, & of course the boots. I MUST go boot shopping this weekend:
Dresses are also pretty awesome, & I could totally wear them year round. I love the colors in this one paired with the mustard yellow sweater. Have I ever mentioned how much I love grandpa style sweaters like the long cardigan? I have many, & I wear them frequently. And again ... the boots:
Sometimes I think there is nothing sexier [or more comfortable] than just jeans and a white shirt when done properly. I love the scarf paired with the white oversize shirt & the accessories with this outfit. And I LOVE love love booties!! These ones are adorable and definitely class up your favorite pair of jeans. This whole outfit just looks clean & comfortable:
What are your favorite fall staples? Are you a jeans, light shirt and scarf kind of girl? Or are you in love with all the fabulous boots & sweaters?
This one is totally doable for a casual friday or the jeans could be switched out with a cute pair of black pants. I LOVE the sweater and the ruffled tank, & of course the boots. I MUST go boot shopping this weekend:
Dresses are also pretty awesome, & I could totally wear them year round. I love the colors in this one paired with the mustard yellow sweater. Have I ever mentioned how much I love grandpa style sweaters like the long cardigan? I have many, & I wear them frequently. And again ... the boots:
What are your favorite fall staples? Are you a jeans, light shirt and scarf kind of girl? Or are you in love with all the fabulous boots & sweaters?
September 16, 2011
Fall Bucket List*
I found this on Pinterest, and I thought it was pretty much awesome. I'm going to try and abide by this and see how many things I can accomplish! Besides ... it's a fun list! Do you have a fall bucket list?
September 10, 2011
fourteen weeks*
How Far Along? 14 weeks, 1 day.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still down those 10 pounds, but also have been eating like crap this week. I expect it to keep up with me, and being in the second trimester now, I expect that to keep up with me, too.
Maternity Clothes? One pair of jeans, one pair of work pants, and a couple of shirts. Still fighting it by holding my jeans up with a rubber band and a belly band :)
Stretch Marks? Nope. Only the ones that were there before!
Sleep: Sleep was better this week than last, but something is going to have to give sooner rather than later. I believe a body pillow investment will be made this weekend.
Best Moment of the Week? The nomination only baby shower that I was selected for by Operation Homefront ... details to follow on that!
Have You Told Family & Friends? YES! I couldn't wait any longer to spill the beans!
Miss Anything? Still wine. I fear that this will always be my answer every single week. I did have an O'Douls this week. So not the same.
Movement: Nope, not yet. At least none that I recognize. I've asked around and 16 weeks seems to be the magic number. We will see.
Food Cravings: This week it was mexican food. I've eaten it twice so far this week and have a date with a friend today for another round!
Anything Making You Queasy or Sick? This past week at work, it smelled like cat food outside. Apparently there is some factory not too far away that process oil for animal food. It was disgusting. And all day I fought the urge to ralph in my garbage can.
Have You Started to Show Yet? Um, I think so. But mostly it's my fat being pushed out farther. ha!
Gender Prediction: Still guessing a boy! But hoping for a girl :)
Labor Signs: No.
Belly Button In or Out: In
Wedding Rings On or Off: On.
Happy or Moody Most of the Time? MOODY! Sorry, husband. I can't help it.
Looking Forward To: Feeling movement!
Other than that, I've had some difficulty with the hip & pelvic region pain. Not to get to graphic, but basically the doctor said that everything is inflamed and irritated, which was very evident when she went to check my cervix and I nearly let out a scream. But my cervix and baby looked fine (and very active!) and I was told to just take some tylenol and tough it out, because likely it's just hormones.
I'm also getting the run around from our lovely Army hospital on getting a referral off post. I need to be closer to my job, and they are fighting me on it/not giving me the correct information/all in all making my life more difficult. I'm hoping to have things squared away by the end of this week, and an appointment set up with [hopefully] my new midwife. If they deny me, I will scream. End of story.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: Still down those 10 pounds, but also have been eating like crap this week. I expect it to keep up with me, and being in the second trimester now, I expect that to keep up with me, too.
Maternity Clothes? One pair of jeans, one pair of work pants, and a couple of shirts. Still fighting it by holding my jeans up with a rubber band and a belly band :)
Stretch Marks? Nope. Only the ones that were there before!
Sleep: Sleep was better this week than last, but something is going to have to give sooner rather than later. I believe a body pillow investment will be made this weekend.
Best Moment of the Week? The nomination only baby shower that I was selected for by Operation Homefront ... details to follow on that!
Have You Told Family & Friends? YES! I couldn't wait any longer to spill the beans!
Miss Anything? Still wine. I fear that this will always be my answer every single week. I did have an O'Douls this week. So not the same.
Movement: Nope, not yet. At least none that I recognize. I've asked around and 16 weeks seems to be the magic number. We will see.
Food Cravings: This week it was mexican food. I've eaten it twice so far this week and have a date with a friend today for another round!
Anything Making You Queasy or Sick? This past week at work, it smelled like cat food outside. Apparently there is some factory not too far away that process oil for animal food. It was disgusting. And all day I fought the urge to ralph in my garbage can.
Have You Started to Show Yet? Um, I think so. But mostly it's my fat being pushed out farther. ha!
Gender Prediction: Still guessing a boy! But hoping for a girl :)
Labor Signs: No.
Belly Button In or Out: In
Wedding Rings On or Off: On.
Happy or Moody Most of the Time? MOODY! Sorry, husband. I can't help it.
Looking Forward To: Feeling movement!
Other than that, I've had some difficulty with the hip & pelvic region pain. Not to get to graphic, but basically the doctor said that everything is inflamed and irritated, which was very evident when she went to check my cervix and I nearly let out a scream. But my cervix and baby looked fine (and very active!) and I was told to just take some tylenol and tough it out, because likely it's just hormones.
I'm also getting the run around from our lovely Army hospital on getting a referral off post. I need to be closer to my job, and they are fighting me on it/not giving me the correct information/all in all making my life more difficult. I'm hoping to have things squared away by the end of this week, and an appointment set up with [hopefully] my new midwife. If they deny me, I will scream. End of story.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
September 9, 2011
The Reopening of a Chapter*
Before I started this blog, I wrote over at a blog named "My Army Wife Life." [I am an Army Spouse if you did not know!] I started that blog a few years ago as someone who was new to the military community while also going through my first encounter with a deployment. I knew nobody in this town and needed to feel connected in a way, while also wanting to share my stories with other possible new military spouses who didn't know what the hell they were doing, either.
My blog was a minor success, and was an amazing opportunity. I did interviews with BBC, pissed off the Director of Communications [or whatever his title was] at West Point [hi!] when I questioned their then recent suicide rates and what they were doing about it, helped start a wonderful blog with great writers [that I miss writing for oh so much], and ultimately met some pretty amazing women [I cannot stress the amazing portion enough] who to this day remain loyal friends in real life. Some have graduated from the military ranks and moved on to a normal life with their spouse outside of the Army, pursuing their passions in other areas. Others are still in the thick of it, experiencing deployments and being a voice to the military community by questioning the issues that matter to the military community. And then there are some, myself included, who needed to take a break from military life because our lives changed and our focus shifted.
We did back to back deployments for a while. My husband was gone for 15 months, then home for 12, then gone for another 12. Since then, he has been here for almost two years [give or take random trainings and field exercises that take him elsewhere for a short amount of time] and from the looks of things, we are not going to experience another deployment for a while. We live a somewhat normal lifestyle these days, and at the time when he came home, we were throwing ourselves into the baby making game again, only to end up having to go down the infertility route. Suddenly sharing the stories of my busted plumbing and my husbands sperm count to thousands of people [including real life family, friends & I'm sure a few enemies] didn't seem so awesome. And being in somewhat of a routine with no deployment to worry about, I found myself not having much of a voice. I wanted to share my infertility journey, but not there.
So I said goodbye, and I came here. I gave away my new address on twitter to followers, but never put it in the blog because part of me wanted to go back to being anonymous. At least partially. I don't know who followed me over here, or who stayed once they came. But today I decided to log into my google reader account [which had not been touched in a VERY long time] and see what was going on with the people that got me through the deployments. The ones that I have had the opportunity to meet in real life, I know where they are. But I had been so involved in the military blogging community [because lets face it. Life during deployments is extremely boring], and had suddenly removed myself from that.
It was a sad, sad reality. So many of the blogs I used to be so dedicated to [and vice versa] are not there anymore. Or have been abandoned. I know that blogs don't last forever [mine certainly didn't] but it felt like i was losing friends. Maybe they went elsewhere, but it was sad to click one by one and realize that so many people were gone, and I had no clue where they went. It felt like a very sad closing to a chapter in my life. I miss some of the women who I used to be close with in that world, and I hope they are all doing ok, wherever they are. I was lucky to have stayed close with so many [and not so lucky to have willingly parted ways with others for one unfortunate reason or another] but the ones that I lost track of ... i hope they are ok.
The reality is, the military lifestyle is still very much my life. I don't plan on switching directions here and moving away from what little direction I have here, but I might throw some non-confrontational items about my military lifestyle in here a little more often. Because I do sort of miss it, and it is who we are. And maybe some of those old followers will find their way back.
But I think I am ready to reopen that chapter of my life ... at least a teeny, tiny bit.
My blog was a minor success, and was an amazing opportunity. I did interviews with BBC, pissed off the Director of Communications [or whatever his title was] at West Point [hi!] when I questioned their then recent suicide rates and what they were doing about it, helped start a wonderful blog with great writers [that I miss writing for oh so much], and ultimately met some pretty amazing women [I cannot stress the amazing portion enough] who to this day remain loyal friends in real life. Some have graduated from the military ranks and moved on to a normal life with their spouse outside of the Army, pursuing their passions in other areas. Others are still in the thick of it, experiencing deployments and being a voice to the military community by questioning the issues that matter to the military community. And then there are some, myself included, who needed to take a break from military life because our lives changed and our focus shifted.
We did back to back deployments for a while. My husband was gone for 15 months, then home for 12, then gone for another 12. Since then, he has been here for almost two years [give or take random trainings and field exercises that take him elsewhere for a short amount of time] and from the looks of things, we are not going to experience another deployment for a while. We live a somewhat normal lifestyle these days, and at the time when he came home, we were throwing ourselves into the baby making game again, only to end up having to go down the infertility route. Suddenly sharing the stories of my busted plumbing and my husbands sperm count to thousands of people [including real life family, friends & I'm sure a few enemies] didn't seem so awesome. And being in somewhat of a routine with no deployment to worry about, I found myself not having much of a voice. I wanted to share my infertility journey, but not there.
So I said goodbye, and I came here. I gave away my new address on twitter to followers, but never put it in the blog because part of me wanted to go back to being anonymous. At least partially. I don't know who followed me over here, or who stayed once they came. But today I decided to log into my google reader account [which had not been touched in a VERY long time] and see what was going on with the people that got me through the deployments. The ones that I have had the opportunity to meet in real life, I know where they are. But I had been so involved in the military blogging community [because lets face it. Life during deployments is extremely boring], and had suddenly removed myself from that.
It was a sad, sad reality. So many of the blogs I used to be so dedicated to [and vice versa] are not there anymore. Or have been abandoned. I know that blogs don't last forever [mine certainly didn't] but it felt like i was losing friends. Maybe they went elsewhere, but it was sad to click one by one and realize that so many people were gone, and I had no clue where they went. It felt like a very sad closing to a chapter in my life. I miss some of the women who I used to be close with in that world, and I hope they are all doing ok, wherever they are. I was lucky to have stayed close with so many [and not so lucky to have willingly parted ways with others for one unfortunate reason or another] but the ones that I lost track of ... i hope they are ok.
The reality is, the military lifestyle is still very much my life. I don't plan on switching directions here and moving away from what little direction I have here, but I might throw some non-confrontational items about my military lifestyle in here a little more often. Because I do sort of miss it, and it is who we are. And maybe some of those old followers will find their way back.
But I think I am ready to reopen that chapter of my life ... at least a teeny, tiny bit.
I Heart Washington*
I am an Esty fanatic. I rarely buy things on there, but i love browsing through the shops & looking at all the wonderful items i wish i could afford to buy. I have been eying this necklace for a while, even more so now that i just returned from a trip to the wonderful Northwest. I have seen this shop featured on other blogs before [which is where i probably first stumbled upon it anyways] but i'm hoping to get one of my own, sooner rather than later.
Isn't it lovely? She creates these for all states, and if she does not have yours in stock, you can request one. She also does lovely bamboo creations as well. The price is steep at $55.00 but for something that is hand stamped and created, as well as high quality material, I think that's justifiable. And I love my home state enough to rock some bad ass jewelry.
Go check her out! Show your home state some love!
Isn't it lovely? She creates these for all states, and if she does not have yours in stock, you can request one. She also does lovely bamboo creations as well. The price is steep at $55.00 but for something that is hand stamped and created, as well as high quality material, I think that's justifiable. And I love my home state enough to rock some bad ass jewelry.
Go check her out! Show your home state some love!
September 3, 2011
Thirteen Weeks*
Now that I'm out of the first trimester, I hopefully will do some more updates on the pregnancy. I'm not quite ready to do belly shots yet, because, well, I've just got some tubby chub that's being pushed out :) But maybe in a few weeks I'll start including those!
How Far Along? 13 weeks, 2 days.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I'm actually down 10 pounds since I found out I was pregnant. Hoping it stays that way for a while.
Maternity Clothes? I've bought a few things, not a ton. One pair of maternity jeans that are my new best friend & a couple of shirts. I'm holding out for as long as I can.
Stretch Marks? No
Sleep: Sleep is ok. I have good nights & bad nights. It's getting harder to get comfortable.
Best Moment of the Week? Going one whole day withOUT a headache!
Have You Told Family & Friends? YES! I couldn't wait any longer to spill the beans!
Miss Anything? Wine. Everything else was easy to give up. But with football season now being in full swing, I really miss having my wine during the games.
Movement: Nope, not yet. But I'm hoping to at least feel a twinge or something in the coming weeks.
Food Cravings: All citrus, all the time. Pineapple and lemons seem to be my favorite ... the tangier the better!
Anything Making You Queasy or Sick? Random smells. Like coffee, which is a thousand times sad considering how much I love it normally.
Have You Started to Show Yet? Um, I think so. But mostly it's my fat being pushed out farther. ha!
Gender Prediction: Right now, boy. But, we're not finding out until the birth, so we have a long ways to go!
Labor Signs: No.
Belly Button In or Out: In
Wedding Rings On or Off: On.
Happy or Moody Most of the Time? MOODY! Sorry, husband. I can't help it.
Looking Forward To: Feeling movement! I never thought I would be this far along.
Other than that, I've been having some pretty bad hip/pubic bone pain the past couple of days. I know some of this is a normal, but the pubic bone pain is pretty low [basically, I feel like I've been punched in my vajayjay]. I'm not sure if THAT pain is normal ... if I don't feel better in the morning, I may make a trip to the doctor just for reassurance. Any one out there have pain like that during their pregnancy? Again I know that some of this is normal as my hips move & get wider, but nothing I seem to be doing is helping with the pain. That's it for this update!
How Far Along? 13 weeks, 2 days.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I'm actually down 10 pounds since I found out I was pregnant. Hoping it stays that way for a while.
Maternity Clothes? I've bought a few things, not a ton. One pair of maternity jeans that are my new best friend & a couple of shirts. I'm holding out for as long as I can.
Stretch Marks? No
Sleep: Sleep is ok. I have good nights & bad nights. It's getting harder to get comfortable.
Best Moment of the Week? Going one whole day withOUT a headache!
Have You Told Family & Friends? YES! I couldn't wait any longer to spill the beans!
Miss Anything? Wine. Everything else was easy to give up. But with football season now being in full swing, I really miss having my wine during the games.
Movement: Nope, not yet. But I'm hoping to at least feel a twinge or something in the coming weeks.
Food Cravings: All citrus, all the time. Pineapple and lemons seem to be my favorite ... the tangier the better!
Anything Making You Queasy or Sick? Random smells. Like coffee, which is a thousand times sad considering how much I love it normally.
Have You Started to Show Yet? Um, I think so. But mostly it's my fat being pushed out farther. ha!
Gender Prediction: Right now, boy. But, we're not finding out until the birth, so we have a long ways to go!
Labor Signs: No.
Belly Button In or Out: In
Wedding Rings On or Off: On.
Happy or Moody Most of the Time? MOODY! Sorry, husband. I can't help it.
Looking Forward To: Feeling movement! I never thought I would be this far along.
Other than that, I've been having some pretty bad hip/pubic bone pain the past couple of days. I know some of this is a normal, but the pubic bone pain is pretty low [basically, I feel like I've been punched in my vajayjay]. I'm not sure if THAT pain is normal ... if I don't feel better in the morning, I may make a trip to the doctor just for reassurance. Any one out there have pain like that during their pregnancy? Again I know that some of this is normal as my hips move & get wider, but nothing I seem to be doing is helping with the pain. That's it for this update!
Delivery Room Bliss*
Hello friends! I know it's been a couple of weeks. I was off gallivanting in Seattle with family & friends for a while, and taking a much needed break from life. I have so many photos to share about my trip to Seattle, and a lengthy post to go with it, but instead of bombarding you with information overload, we'll just take it one day at a time :)
While I was home, I had the amazing honor to be in the delivery room with my best friend of almost twenty years, as she gave birth to her first child. Kim & I have known each other since we were in the sixth grade. We played soccer on the same team, even though we went to different schools. Our sophmore year, we were inseparable, and drove our parents and families crazy by our obsession of No Doubt and Empire Records. To this day, we can still recite the ENTIRE movie, line by line. [This may be due to the fact that we would watch it two or three times in a row, EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND.] In college, we spent our summers working together at the marina, chasing boys, drinking way more than we should have, and expanding our obsession for good music and living the ultimate bohemian lifestyle. Even though we went to college on opposite sides of the state, she remained my closest ally, and somebody that knew me better than anybody else. We never did anything without the other person, and we continued to drive our families crazy by our attached at the hip mentality. It was funny & borderline annoying to some that we could complete thoughts & sentences without even realizing that we were doing so. And even though I have moved farther and farther away from Seattle over the years, she remains one of the closest people in my life. She is my sister. My friend. My family.
When she asked me to be in the delivery room with her when it came time to push, I was completely honored. Having a baby is such a personal experience. Not to mention the fact that anybody that's in that room is going to see *ahem* everything. Luckily, Kim & I are very comfortable around each other, but it definitely took our friendship to a new level. Being in the delivery room with her was both terrifying & exciting at the same time. I had more than one moment where I thought to myself I CANNOT DO THIS IN SIX MONTHS. Kim was a trooper. She was so amazing, and everything that she did made me so proud of her. The miracle of life is just that ... a miracle. But it's rough. And definitely not pretty. And all I could think of WHAT DID I GET MYSELF INTO?
But at the same time, it was beautiful. With the first glimpse of the head, all I do was cry and tell her how amazing she was doing, that her baby was almost here. When i say she was a champ, I mean that ... she pushed through four contractions and out he came. It was amazing. The room was instantly filled with joy, & her sister and I just hugged each other while trying to stay out of the way of the nurses. He was tiny, & beautiful, & absolutely perfect. [I should mention that the photo above was taken just moments after baby was born. It is my favorite, and it makes me tear up every time I look at it.]
Seeing Kim & her amazingly supportive husband afterwards ... holding baby Sully & seeing how happy they were ... crying with her family in the waiting room as I got to show them the first pictures of their new grandson/nephew/cousin ... it was worth it. All of her laboring. All of her pain. All of her struggles to get that baby out and welcome to him to the world ... worth it.
There was so much love, and so much happiness floating around in the hours afterwards. And holding that little man in my arms two days later, it was amazing.
So while I know that watching her do her thing brought a whole new level of terror into this pregnancy, I know that it will all be worth it in the end. That having our child will be worth every ounce of pain and suffering that I go through in just six short months.
I love you Kimmie! Thank you for being an amazing friend. And welcome to the world, Sully. Your mamma & I cannot WAIT for you and Baby W to be the best of friends!
While I was home, I had the amazing honor to be in the delivery room with my best friend of almost twenty years, as she gave birth to her first child. Kim & I have known each other since we were in the sixth grade. We played soccer on the same team, even though we went to different schools. Our sophmore year, we were inseparable, and drove our parents and families crazy by our obsession of No Doubt and Empire Records. To this day, we can still recite the ENTIRE movie, line by line. [This may be due to the fact that we would watch it two or three times in a row, EVERY SINGLE WEEKEND.] In college, we spent our summers working together at the marina, chasing boys, drinking way more than we should have, and expanding our obsession for good music and living the ultimate bohemian lifestyle. Even though we went to college on opposite sides of the state, she remained my closest ally, and somebody that knew me better than anybody else. We never did anything without the other person, and we continued to drive our families crazy by our attached at the hip mentality. It was funny & borderline annoying to some that we could complete thoughts & sentences without even realizing that we were doing so. And even though I have moved farther and farther away from Seattle over the years, she remains one of the closest people in my life. She is my sister. My friend. My family.
When she asked me to be in the delivery room with her when it came time to push, I was completely honored. Having a baby is such a personal experience. Not to mention the fact that anybody that's in that room is going to see *ahem* everything. Luckily, Kim & I are very comfortable around each other, but it definitely took our friendship to a new level. Being in the delivery room with her was both terrifying & exciting at the same time. I had more than one moment where I thought to myself I CANNOT DO THIS IN SIX MONTHS. Kim was a trooper. She was so amazing, and everything that she did made me so proud of her. The miracle of life is just that ... a miracle. But it's rough. And definitely not pretty. And all I could think of WHAT DID I GET MYSELF INTO?
But at the same time, it was beautiful. With the first glimpse of the head, all I do was cry and tell her how amazing she was doing, that her baby was almost here. When i say she was a champ, I mean that ... she pushed through four contractions and out he came. It was amazing. The room was instantly filled with joy, & her sister and I just hugged each other while trying to stay out of the way of the nurses. He was tiny, & beautiful, & absolutely perfect. [I should mention that the photo above was taken just moments after baby was born. It is my favorite, and it makes me tear up every time I look at it.]
Seeing Kim & her amazingly supportive husband afterwards ... holding baby Sully & seeing how happy they were ... crying with her family in the waiting room as I got to show them the first pictures of their new grandson/nephew/cousin ... it was worth it. All of her laboring. All of her pain. All of her struggles to get that baby out and welcome to him to the world ... worth it.
There was so much love, and so much happiness floating around in the hours afterwards. And holding that little man in my arms two days later, it was amazing.
So while I know that watching her do her thing brought a whole new level of terror into this pregnancy, I know that it will all be worth it in the end. That having our child will be worth every ounce of pain and suffering that I go through in just six short months.
I love you Kimmie! Thank you for being an amazing friend. And welcome to the world, Sully. Your mamma & I cannot WAIT for you and Baby W to be the best of friends!
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