Monday, December 28, 2009

The Holidays and looking forward to 2010

Well, another Christmas season has come and gone. I hope everyone had a great time with their loved ones. We divided up our time over the past 4 days in Kokomo with Matt's family and in Valpo with mine. It always seems to go by so quickly, gone in a flash.
This Christmas was extra-special to me because it's the last one I will have before becoming a mom and I got to spend the holidays knowing I am with child. Hubby and I slept in really late on Christmas morning, thinking this will probably be the last where we'll be able to get up and shower and take our time, before the chaos of Christmas begins as parents.
I had such a great time with everyone, we really are so blessed to have our families and everyone be happy and healthy. I got some really awesome baby gifts, including baby's first Winnie-the-Pooh bear, a CD of lullaby music, some onesies (my first!) and some great baby books including the Dr. Oz/Dr. Roizen one which I already can't put down. Hubby gave me Inglorious Basterds which I already started watching last night, a bunch of clothes and books, perfume, etc. We have friends who say they don't exchange gifts with their spouse, but for us, we really enjoy giving each other a few special gifts we've chosen and Christmas only happens one time a year, so why not?
Another great highlight of this trip for me was seeing my little nephew Mark and spending lots of time with him. He's always been kind of reserved and quiet around Matt and me, and this time he really opened up and was so animated. Watching him really take to Matt was so cute and I know we will have such a great time raising a little boy or girl of our own. It melts my heart watching those two together.
This week, I'm working a short week so that will be nice. Wednesday we get out early and then I have Thursday-Sunday off. I'm sure I'll need to clean my house over that time, it's been a little neglected with all the traveling and holiday preparations...not looking forward to taking my tree down..maybe I'll leave it up another week or two longer :)

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

What do you crave?

So today I have been thinking about cravings and how I have been enjoying all my favorite foods in this pregnancy, to no end.
I started out in the first trimester having NO appetite at ALL and while that would be great for a woman trying to lose a few pounds, for a growing life that is no way to live. I basically survived on crackers and celery for the first several weeks, but it felt like months. My poor husband would try and come up with these amazing dinner ideas, but the thought of them made my stomach turn. Nothing sounded good. Mashed potatoes-are you kidding me? Even chicken (one of my favorites!) sounded disgusting.
Then I went through the phase of liking nacho cheese on everything. Tortilla chips, hot pretzel, you name it, I could not get enough nacho cheese.
Presently, I am really starting to get back into food and my appetite has come back full force!! I start to worry when I will get my next meal :) My in-laws do not do a big sit-down dinner on Christmas Eve like my family, so hubby embarrassed me by asking his mom on my behalf what's for dinner because "Jen was wondering how often she will get to eat." Gee, thanks. I just wondered because we're going on a long road trip and church is that evening, so I need to plan how to feed myself and my baby and should I bring some nachos for the road? :)

On the negative side, I have been bombarded with sweets lately and while I love candy, cookies and chocolate, I am feeling that these are not such good things to be introducing to a fetus. Will they even be able to get teeth at all if I keep this up? Mostly though, I want savory, not sweet. Why can't someone bring me a big bucket of popcorn or salted pretzels instead? Why hasn't that become the new holiday tradition? I should start it, seriously.

Well, I digress, but I hope everyone has a great enjoyable holiday season. I probably won't post on here until after the holiday but who knows. The in-laws have a cozy little computer nook and I might get the urge to blog around 3am after my 4th pee run of the night. Been feeling a little restless at night these days. I thought I was supposed to get a LOT of sleep right now because later I won't have that luxury, but all my body wants to do is lie awake. I guess it's doing it's job of preparing me for 2am feedings so I'm not in total shock when it becomes a reality!!

Monday, December 21, 2009

Wow, I really need to blog more..

Yikes! I can't believe it's been about a year since I last posted on this thing. You can expect that to all change soon enough. I have plenty to write about now! As you may have heard, I am currently 16 weeks pregnant and counting!!
The time since I found out has just FLEW by and I honestly still cannot believe that this miracle is happening inside of me. It's almost like it's not really real until the day you meet this new life.
So, as you can understand, my time has been consumed by the holiday season and the prospect of parenthood.
I have been anxiously trying to get caught up on all my baby shows, baby books, mommy blogs, etc. (As if that's going to even prepare me for what's in store!) In the meantime, hubby and I are just enjoying this bit of time we have left as a couple, going to dinner, sleeping in, spending quality time in front of the T.V. with our pets, etc. before our lives are about to change.
I'm really thrilled with this whole concept, of parenthood, of all that comes with it. I'm READY for this step in my life and while I may have been a bit of a pessimist in the past, I have nothing but high hopes for what's ahead in life.
It's funny too, all the changes that women go through while expecting. For the most part, I've been privy to them all, but the funniest one that gets me so far, is that as women, we're already a bit self-conscious about our figures and what not. Then to get these weekly emails stating where I'm at in the pregnancy and "Your baby is now the size of a ____ (insert slightly larger fruit here)." Ok, I get it. He/she is an avocado! That gives me some point of reference I suppose....but why then does my stomach look bloated and fat like it's already carrying a canteloupe? Can we use something else to talk about this besides fruit please? So then when I look down at my tummy that does not resemble an avocado but a bundle of them, I won't feel so bad? Kthanks.
All that body image stuff aside, I feel absolutely wonderful and can't wait to start preparing the baby's room. I hope you will join me on this journey and see what what develops in our lives, give me some advice (please?) and laugh at me when my baby-cluelessness rears its head. Lord knows it will, MANY times. Thanks and wish me luck!! AHH!!