It's happening...

The cravings.

I've always been a weird eater. For instance, the other night we went to dinner with our friend Keith, and in the car on the way to the restaurant, Keith said "have you had any weird cravings?" and I honestly couldn't think of any I've had yet. I said "hmm...I've had a lot of chocolate milk lately...and the same bagel with cream cheese every morning for 2 weeks straight...but nothing totally out of the ordinary. I've always liked odd things." To which Keith asked "what about like, pickles and cottage cheese?" which I was a teeny bit ashamed to admit "um...I've eaten that several times in the past...NOT pregnant..."

See? Always liked the weird stuff. But since getting pregnant, I haven't really had a moment of "WOW, I need that now...that sounds so delicious." Until last night.

We were laying in bed at about 9:00pm (OK, I was laying in bed already, Todd was on the computer) waiting for Top Chef to come on (because my hubby was TOTALLY all over the camera!!) when all of a sudden, all I could think about was mashed potatoes. I HAD to have mashed potatoes. Todd came downstairs from the loft and I said "um, will you make me mashed potatoes?" His reply..."what? now?" So I pouted a little and said "no, I was just kidding."

So he went downstairs and scoured the kitchen and came back upstairs to announce that "sadly, we have no mashed potatoes." Are you kidding me? I ALWAYS have a box of instant spuds on hand. Darn it.

About 10 minutes went by, and I feigned thirst and said I needed to go downstairs to get a glass of water. 5 minutes later I reappeared in our bedroom with a small bowl of instant grits. Not the same, but a pretty good stand in. And they were delicious.

But sadly, today, I still want my mashed potatoes. Perhaps I'll have to look into that for lunch...

There's the shrimp!

First sonogram where we could actually see Baby K looking like, well, a baby instead of a seahorse, took place on Tuesday. Todd had to work, so my mom came with me. The minute the baby came up on the screen (well after mom and I gasped and teared up and got all kinds of excited) I immediately said to the ultrasound technician "Oh my gosh, that's SO Todd's nose!" The technician (who I love and want to make part of my family because she's so sweet, and totally knowledgeable about all things pregnancy, baby, ultrasound, etc.) said "I assume Todd is your husband?" to which I said yes and then she said "hmm, is this your husband's last name?" and I said "yes, it's Polish" and she said "well that's certainly not a Polish nose!" I died. Hilarious. And I had to agree. Somehow, minus the fact that his last name ends in 'sky' (pronounced ski), he has this round button nose. So I told the technician "I told my husband that all I wanted was a healthy baby, boy or girl, just as long as it's healthy and happy. To which he replied 'me too...and I just hope it has my dimples. Oh...and a penis." Shocking, I know, that my all-boy, hates most things girly, husband would want to have a son! Of course our 5 year old female west highland terrier has him eating out of the palm of her hand every second of every day, so I know if Baby K turns out to be a little girl, she'll instantly have him wrapped around her little finger.

Regardless, the technician said the genetics testing all looked really great and she expected the results to come back clear. We probably won't find out the official results for a while, but my next appointment is on my birthday (September 8th, please send gifts), and then the next appointment after that will be when we can actually find out if we're having a little Melissa or a little Todd :) (NO, we will not be naming our children after ourselves).

So there's the first (well technically the second, but the first ones were just a blob) pics of our little muffin -- who is actually the size of a medium shrimp this week. But that's for the weekly updates, which we'll save for tomorrow.

Man, I love this kid already!

Crazy dreams.

I have been having INSANE pregnancy dreams. Seriously insane. I've always had a vivid R.E.M. imagination, and tend to remember my weird dreams...but lately, they've just been off the charts.

Last night I had a crazy dream about a bunch of zombies, who looked like normal people (but somehow we all knew they were zombies) invading my friend Monica's new house. There were about 5 of us in the dream and we kept trying to get away from the zombies, but couldn't seem to actually leave Monica's house. And as long as we acted normal and fed the zombies spaghetti, they had no interest in us. Oh, and we couldn't shower because the "fresh clean shower scent" made the zombies want to eat us. TOTALLY BIZARRE.

But the even more weird part was that we figured out how to kill the zombies, in a very humane sort of way, using only a protractor. Yes, protractor -- as in a ruler designed to help calculate and measure angles.

Once we had killed all the zombies, I got in the car and headed to Denny's for dinner to meet up with my parents, Todd, and...wait for it...our new baby. What?

Yes...the baby, that I had apparently birthed, just prior to zombie nation, was sitting in his little chair at the table, looking like the most beautiful baby on earth.

And you read that right -- I said "his". Because it was a beautiful baby boy. With thick dark hair (um, what? we have blond hair...) and big dark blue-ish-brown eyes (which I didn't even know was possible). He had beautiful tan skin, and was so happy and just absolutely all around PERFECT. Literally the most perfect baby ever born. Gave the Gerber baby a run for his money.

So after I cooed over my new baby for a few minutes, I turned to my dad and said "will you tell me my birth story, since I missed it?"

UH, WHAT?

Apparently I wasn't present for the birth of this baby, but somehow knew I had carried him, and given birth to him?

Anyway, right after that, before my dad could answer, I woke up.

Perhaps it's a little foreshadowing that we'll give birth the the most beautiful, perfect, baby boy ever.

Or perhaps it's foreshadowing that I'll have a run in with zombies soon. yikes!

Ultrasound!

Disclaimer -- this will probably be a boring and more informative post as I'm not feeling particularly funny today. Call it the Chipotle we had for dinner that has reaked havoc on my stomach this morning...or the fact that I'm exhausted and it's Monday in general. Either way...here's the scoop:

So insurance apparently covers one ultrasound per pregnancy. The 18-20 week ultrasound. Also known as the "great gender reveal", wherein the penis or vagina are finally formed and we can stop referring to the baby as "it" and use big words like "boy" or "girl" when talking about our future child.

BUT, my doctor rocks (like I've said before), and she told me there is a way around it. There are several different "tests" you can have whist pregnant, which test for different genetic disorders, etc. Insurance tends to cover some of these tests...specifically the "nuchal translucency" screening. So, I called up our insurance, gave them the proper billing codes, and found out that I can, in fact, cheat the system a bit in order to see our baby now, as opposed to waiting (impatiently) until week 18.

So tomorrow is the test, and I get to see our little baby up on the big screen, with hopefully more shape than he/she had at week 7 when he/she looked like a little seahorse.

And because my doctor rocks, she said to make sure to ask the technician to look between the baby's legs (hilarious)...because sometimes (and this is really just sometimes) a little "private part" may already be starting to form where the penis or vagina would eventually form...so occasionally they can tell if you're making a boy or a girl in that oven.

Hopefully we'll get some good pictures of the little one, as well...which I'll be sure to post here tomorrow!

12 weeks!

From babycenter.com:


The most dramatic development this week: Reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over two inches long (about the size of a lime!) and weighs half an ounce.



Ahh, little baby lime. I love how they compare the baby to a fruit (or vegetable) every week...especially because the all time favorite "birth comparison" seems to be "imagine squeezing something the size of a watermelon out of something the size of a lemon!"



So what are MY observations in week 12? Pretty much the same as the weeks leading up to 12...indigestion, gas, bloating, no pants that button (I'm guessing this won't change?), extreme exhaustion, and a continuing aversion to chicken. (Todd tried to get me to have homemade chicken tenders for dinner last night and I gagged. They have been in the fridge now, thawing since Tuesday. He said we're having them for dinner tonight whether I barf or not. I'm still trying to convince him that I need Red Robin french fries and ranch for dinner instead. He's weakening. I can tell.)



I also had a Dr. appointment on Tuesday. This was my annual "lady exam", which I typically get in June, but was not far enough along at that time to have the exam, so hence I had it Tuesday. During the exam my Doctor said "hmm, you really don't like this, huh?" Uhm, no actually, a vaginal exam is my favorite! But it was more uncomfortable than in the past, and she said that was due to all the increased blood flow "down there". (I told you I wouldn't hold back in these posts!). After that was over, came the fun part -- the Doppler radar system where we tracked down the baby floating in my abdomen, much like Bob Ryan tracks down a storm system. And lo & behold, we found that baby! And his/her heartbeat was pumping like a champ. My Doctor, who is the coolest by far, immediately wanted me to call Todd to play the heartbeat for him by phone, which worked for a couple seconds, but my blackberry kept interfering with the Doppler system and turning it off. So after we called Todd, we called my mom and played it for her too.



At the end of my appointment, I asked the Doctor when I could officially claim to be in the second trimester and she said when I turned 12 weeks. She said technically with all the math involved, and looking at some gestation time period calendar, and a bunch of other things that I wasn't understanding, she narrowed it down to the best system to go by would be the first three months (or 12 weeks) is the first trimester, the last three months (or last 12 weeks) is the third trimester, and everything in between is the second trimester. I promise she said this much more "doctor-like" and professionally, in terms that would be deemed hospital worthy, but she broke it down into layman's terms for me, and I'm stickin' with this theory.



SO, I'm happy to announce I am entering my second trimester! And I'm really hoping I wake up tomorrow morning full of my pre-first-trimester energy. Although I might milk the "exhaustion" thing a little bit longer, if I can get away with it. I'm really enjoying watching Todd do laundry, make dinner, and empty the dishwasher!

Bun in the Oven

You heard right. We're multiplying! True to what my mom always said, sex does in fact often lead to pregnancy. In our case, it led there fast! I find it hysterical that every time we've told a man close to us (dads, brothers, male friends, etc.) they all want to slap Todd on the back, give him a hearty handshake, and say something along the lines of "you stud!" or "you dog, you!" Little known fact though -- I had something to do with it, too.

In fact, now I have the biggest role to play over the next several months, until our bundle of joy comes out screaming and ready for Todd to get involved. Although Todd might disagree that he, in fact, has the hardest job...dealing with my mood swings, constant food aversions, and terrible gas. OH the gas. Nobody told me I'd be competing to put Barney from the Simpsons out of business with the burping and farting I can construct. Everything gives me indigestion. Yes, even water. Seriously, Todd should be put up for sainthood, the way he just laughs and congratulates me when a "loud one" sneaks out just as we're laying down for bed.

But along with the grossness, the teenage acne I've developed, the fact that NONE of my pants now button, and the "smells like poop" look that the thought of eating chicken often puts on my face, we couldn't be more excited to be entering in to the next phase of our lives.

When I was little, I had so many cabbage patch dolls, that I would have easily made the Duggars feel insufficient. And I diapered, fed, clothed, burped, and loved those babies like they were human children. Granted I can't remember the last time I changed a real diaper...and I have NO CLUE how to properly burp a baby...but hey, that's why the hospital offers classes, right? My point is, I think I have always subconsciously known that being a mother was "my calling". And now that call is being answered. And I feel blessed, and nervous, and anxious, and thrilled, and already so much more in love with the "idea" of something than I ever have been in my life. And I can't wait.

I can't wait for my belly to get so big that I can no longer see anything on the bottom half of my body (mainly because I hate shaving my legs, and this is like, the ultimate excuse. Todd's psyched, really). I can't wait for people to pat my stomach and ask when I'm due. I can't wait for strangers to tell me I have that "glow" (actually the nurse at my OBGYN's office said that yesterday and I was beaming like a big goof). I can't wait to spend the winter living in leggings and stretchy pants (which in my opinion totally constitute a professional office wardrobe when preggo). I can't wait to find out whether it's a boy or a girl (and as long as it's healthy, I couldn't care less. Todd has his own wish...guess which he's hoping for. Sheesh, he's such a guy.) I can't wait to hold our baby for the first time. I can't wait to see if the baby has Todd's dimples, blond hair, and blue eyes. I can't wait to see Todd coo over our newborn and be a daddy. I can't wait for my parents to become grandparents, and for all of our families to meet this life that we created. And I can't wait for Whinnie - yes, we consider her a family member - to meet her little brother or sister.

So this little blog...that went down the aisle, and through our first year of marriage, is about to hit an all new roller coaster. I plan to document the ups, downs, and everything in between, about pregnancy. And I promise to throw in a funny Todd story or yummy home cooked dinner here and there. (Proof: we had delicious baked potatoes for dinner tonight. Happy?)

I'm so happy we're public and that now I can put it all down here for family, friends, and strangers alike to enjoy. Get ready...because this pregnancy is about to get very real. And very entertaining...

WE'RE HAVING A BABY!!!!!!

Wow...Slack much?

I have been seriously slacking in the blog department. Sheesh!

To bring you up to speed, we went on a week long vacation to Myrtle Beach with my favorite people in the world (you guessed it, my parents). We ate some crab legs and other assorted deliciousness from the sea; elbowed countless children for inner tubes in the lazy river; Dad drank some pool water -- which caused a quick trip to the hospital and caused him to throw up violently while watching the beach from his bedroom suite window for two days; Todd came thisclose to making the PGA tour while golfing at 75% of Myrtle beaches best courses; mom out-tanned the lot of us and we had to leave her behind at south of the border b/c she no longer looked American; we watched an awesome show at the Carolina Opry which made me long for a singing voice...or some dancing skills (darn those Henson-Kramer genes); we ate some more mounds of seafood and made approximately 3 visits to Sonic (HELLO NOVA, CAN I GET SOME SONIC PLEASE?); mom learned how to mini golf; we purchased $100 worth of unnecessary Christmas stuff at the Christmas Mouse; and we all made general frowny faces as we had to pack up our 9,000 various outfits and 15 boxes of food & beverage (my parents pack for a family of 16), hug & kiss goodbye, and drive away from the gloriousness that is the beach. All-in-all it was a fabulous and memorable week, and I had some serious "back-to-work-blues" come Monday.

And I'm sure you're wondering where Whinnie was during our week away. Well, she was at a little place we call "camp" which is actually just code for the Vet kennel. And judging by the fact that since we've picked her up, she's had a serious bout with diarrhea, has eaten all of her meals like she hasn't seen food in weeks, has been sleeping like she hasn't slept in months, and has an incredibly hoarse voice when she barks (I had no idea this happened to dogs!), seems like she had an equally good time at "camp". And by good, I mean depressed-because-my-parents-dropped-me-off-and-I-don't-know-if-they-are-ever-coming-back-so-I-refuse-to-eat-and-will-stay-up-all-day-and-night-barking-until-they-return kind of time. The diarrhea was just a bonus I guess.

Fortunately Dad is better, Whinnie is getting better, and my blues are slowly fading as we transition back in to reality.

But I'm fairly certain that the whole trip can be summed up by one little sign I saw hanging in the Christmas Mouse: "If you're lucky enough to be at the beach...you're lucky enough."

I can't wait until next summer!

And if you're lucky enough (and if mom ever sends them to me) maybe I will post some pictures from our vacation soon!

PS - Thank you to my mom & dad, and Todd, for such a wonderful, relaxing and memorable week. I had the best time (minus a few bumps in the road) and hope we get to plan family vacations multiple times over the coming years! Love you all!