Feast your eyes on our child’s first piece of clothing—Cyberdog! And straight from the UK no less. Thank you Aunt Molly and Uncle Bodhi!
http://shop.cyberdog.net/page/84/itemscroll?catLink=/category/193/babies&catMain=kids&catSub=babies
Our little daredevil hit a milestone today. He got his very first picture taken, and his heartbeat was visible through ultrasound. That means the little tyke successfully made it through what medical science states is the most critical phase of development. And so, we have graduated him from the alien feeding off my body to a welcomed daredevil in the making!
Per BabyCenter, my uterus went from the size of a tennis ball to the size of a grapefruit this week. What a strange and funny thought. But at least that’s clearer than last week, when it went from the size of a lemon to a tennis ball.
Uterus is the size of a grapefruit right now, and the baby is probably the size of that strawberry.
I sit next to the kitchen area at work. From 11-1:30, the smells from microwave food have the potential to kill me. I do everything I can to breathe through my mouth, but it doesn’t take long to find myself not breathing at all. I’d leave for lunch, but I’d have to be gone longer than an hour.
Two potential solutions: Take laptop and hideout at local coffee shop and/or schedule all my project meetings during lunch time, so that I can be away from the kitchen, which will piss people off, but at least my precious alien will get the oxygen it needs to successfully develop some of its main organs.
I was 30 pounds heavier five years ago due to a slow and steady growth I undertook until I got out of grad school. Soon after grad school, as I started having more time, I looked at a picture of myself dancing at a friend’s birthday party, and I had an out-of-body experience. That girl is fat. That girl is not me.
After a few sad weeks of dwelling about how I had let myself go, I had an insight…the image in that picture was not a reflection of who I really am. Who I am is sexy and fit, and I knew that and was immediately inspired and in action researching how to eat right and get in shape. For a weeks, I was a bit lost in information overload reading the internet; I had never had to watch what I ate or exercise regularly (I didn’t even know how to really), but I didn’t give up.
Then my friend Michelle had her 40th birthday party. She had a major passion for cycling, so for her 40th, she created a charity where people could donate Bikes and local volunteers would fix them up and then they’d be given to less fortunate kids. Her party included a Chinese silent action to raise money, (like a normal silent auction, except instead of bidding, you buy raffle tickets and put as many as you want towards the item or items of your choice, later to have a chance to win the item.) The more tickets you applied to an item, the more chance you had to win it.
I was pondering down the tables looking at items to use my tickets on when I came across two free sessions with a personal trainer. I hadn’t even looked into personal training. I didn’t know anything about personal training, but I was so struck by the possibility of realizing my goal to get in shape, that I threw ALL my tickets in, (and I even bought more to up my chances to win).
Aaron was the DJ and MC for the party, so when it came time to complete the silent auction by choosing a winning ticket for each item, he was the one to do it! I was standing in front patiently, waiting for my item, and as Michelle handed him the bag for the personal training sessions, he said to the crowd in the microphone, “I know someone who wants to win this, and he looked at me.”
I was jumping up and down, and everyone knew everyone, so Aaron through in the comment, “and if she wins, I guess I win too – a hot, new wife.” It was so meant to be! Aaron chose the winning ticket, and it was mine!! Everyone cheered hysterically, and I was ecstatic for this opportunity.
The personal trainer happened to be a good friend of Michelle’s who had helped her get into shape years ago, and she was at the party, so I got to meet her. She called about setting up our appointments soon after, and really, most of the rest is history. I ended up losing 30 pounds in four months. I learn how to eat right for the first time in my life, and I learn how to be active and never looked back.
Except today. Today I got out three plastic bins of my old fat clothes. The bins are even labeled, “Stacy’s fat clothes.” I kept them, because (1), I lost 30 pounds, the amount you generally gain during pregnancy, and (2), I had spent a lot of money them.
I’m glad I kept them. Most of my casual “fat pants” have awesome embroidery that must have been in five years ago, or maybe that’s what people in their 20’s like, lol. There are also lots of great work pants that are will in fashion, oh, and, there’s a pair of Citizens that I just loved and am looking forward to altering and wearing again.
What’s funny to envision is that once I get just a tad bit bigger, I’ll be wearing a lot of those fat clothes, which were my favorite clothes from when I was in my 20’s–that should certainly help me feel young at a time when it’s so easy to feel like you’re suddenly getting older.
Right at 5 months, our friend Molly and her husband Bodhi had an annual getaway weekend in Breckenridge to celebrate her birthday.
I was confronted as to whether we should go or not. I didn’t know if it was appropriate for us, how Molly would feel, how others would feel, and we hadn’t thought through how or when we wanted to tell anyone besides our immediate family.
On the other hand, we were just at 5 weeks, and I didn’t think it was right to miss out on celebrating one of your favorite people! So, I decided it would be best to have a conversation with Molly to see how she feels about us going and not partying as much as usual.
I guess I hadn’t thought it out enough, because Molly’s immediate response was, “so is this a preemptive measure to get pregnant, or are you pregnant.” Oops, well there was the first lesson: people might guess if you dither around the truth. (And I guess I was silly, because she knew we had been trying.)
Anyway, I couldn’t deny it and confirmed the news, and of course she wanted us to be there for her birthday.
I still wasn’t sure if I was ready to be pregnant in everyone’s eyes yet, but given the conversation with Molly, I knew if we went, that we should be ready to tell, so we wouldn’t miss out on sharing the news right-out (or having to deal with the wrath of wonderings).
And finally, the choice was solidified when Molly’s husband Bodhi got home, and he was more than encouraging about us going and being free and having fun, so we decided to go!
The only reason I know why people wait 3 months to tell others they are pregnant is because “that’s what you’re supposed to do in case something happens.” Well Aaron and I don’t usually do things “you’re supposed to do.”
And I learned telling people early means you get to continue being yourself and do the things you love, you don’t have to change overnight, and you get friends’ support early in the process, including if something “were to happen.”
While I have been challenged with nausea and tiredness, I have been feeling a lot of stress needing extra time in the mornings and requesting to work from home more than usual lately.
I’m stressed, because I am committed to my job, and having to be a flake around my schedule without others knowing why, makes me feel out of integrity and like I can’t be myself or get things done. The stress was heightening and starting to impact other things too.
So, I ignored society’s opinions about waiting three months to ensure nothing goes wrong and told my boss today that I am almost two months pregnant.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid he might be disappointed or mad, or worse, write me off as a person and put me on the list for upcoming budget cuts—he is the Chief Information and Technology Officer. However, that was not the case…
His first response: “Ask me if I am surprised.”
I played along and asked with some reluctance, “Are you surprised?”
He replied, “I am not surprised, because my daughter is going through the same thing, and she has been sharing her challenges with me and breaking the news at work, and I have sensed and noticed the same in you. Congratulations.”
It was a short conversation, because we both had to run off to other things, as is usual in our busy working environment. But I was able to learn that his daughter is five weeks pregnant, and it will be his first grandchild.
I couldn’t feel more blessed. I mean, how lucky am I? I get to work for a boss who is probably going to know what’s coming during this adventure before I do. I’m so glad I followed my heart and didn’t let fear or societal rules stop me from telling him when I felt it was right! (I’m not much for following rules anyway.)
The first “visual sign” I was pregnant was my boobies got larger and really firm. I obviously wasn’t anywhere near breastfeeding. These things just must just know that they have big job ahead them, or maybe it’s a special thing god does for marital relations before the belly starts growing.
Three out of three men we’ve shared the news with in person have teared up. Although totally excited and full of happiness, women haven’t cried at the news.
A few minutes after we told my mom, dad, and brother, I was walking downstairs when I heard my dad speaking under his breadth. I asked, “dad, what are you saying.”
At that moment my brother poked his head out of the bathroom and said, “he’s been standing over there saying this is wonderful over and over.
I looked over and said, “oh dad, you’re growing to cry before mom does.”
And my brother replied, “no, I am. I just looked over at dad and pictured him as a grandfather,” and his eyes filled with happy tears.
Then he preceded to text his best friend to let her know my season ski pass is for sale, lol.
Sincerely Stacy 