Baby' sense of humor, TV peversions, food cravings and hot flashes

I'm learning how to deal with the sweaty hot flashes in the middle of the night.  It is horrible, almost like a muggy August night with no fans or air conditioner but in the middle of May.  Larry tried to open a window but it didn't help because the humidity was so high.  So the next day I cleaned off the fan and plugged it in -- HEAVEN.  Unfortunately for Larry it was cold in the room, for me it was heaven.  It isn't perfect because I do still wake up sweaty but I don't wake up in the middle of the night feeling overwhelmingly hot.

Anyone who knows me, knows I love my Criminal Minds, CSI, Mentalist and similar shows. Those shows never bothered me with how graphic they were.  I watched a recent CSI and raced to the bathroom when the Medical Examiner took the body temp through the eye and I threw up the apple juice I was drinking.  On the other hand I can watch Police Women of whichever county, Miami Dade Swat, Alaska State Troopers among others.  Oh well.  I did manage to watch the season ender of CSI but it did make my stomach flop but I watched it with a lot of communicating to my baby saying how I like this show and I'll put on something lighthearted afterward.  The baby protested but settled down as I bribed with yoplait whips strawberry.

I don't know what a true craving is but I know I cannot get enough of fruit.  Strawberries, Cantalope, Watermelon, Pineapple, Apples, Pears, Plums, Peaches are my favorites in general but I'm eating them like they are going out of style.  Plop some Yoplait yogurt on top, sprinkle some nuts and I'm in heaven.  If I could eat rotissary chicken for the rest of my pregnancy I'd be a happy camper.  I cannot eat enough of it.  Oh and lemonaid in any form.  McDonald's & Applebees has a frozen lemonaid that I adore as does the kid.  I also like Fruit Punch and Gateraide, almost like to the point Elizabeth loved Apple Juice.

Here is the video from Look who's talking that had me laughing as Elizabeth nearly reinacted it with a jug of apple juice one day during her pregnancy:

Thirsty?  

Being pregnant has forever ruined the movie "Look who's talking" for me.  I remember watching it when Beth was pregnant and it was the beginning of the end for me and the movie.

I visited the vampires, um blood collection office, to give 7 vials of blood and a bucket of 24 hours collection of urine (which by the way I am so not equipped to do and was a total pain to do).  I also did the glucose tolerance test and if you like watered down koolaid mixed with jello then this drink is for you, way too sweet for my taste but I did it and it stayed down.  As on cue, my veins did the "hide and seek" for the technician but managed to find one but man it hurt getting to it.

Well we went for the Down Syndrome test.  The baby is very active and we got to see the baby moving it's mouth and on que waved as I said "Hi honey."  Now the test administrator needed my child to lay on it's back so an accurate reading could be taken.  Unfortunately, like mommy, baby likes to be on it's side.  So we jiggled the sack and poked with the ultrasound wand (which technically hurt because of a pulled muscle) but the only thing the baby did was roll over to the other side.  We wiggled harder and the baby landed on it's back but not before throwing up both arms in a "wheeee" stance and I saw the mouth open in protest.  It had us laughing.  We got a reading of 2.5 cm which is still in the healthy range but upper end of it.  We'll take it.

I did reinjure a fistula, the horseshoe one, and can't drive very far because I can tear it further by jerking or overcorrecting myself in the drivers seat.  It was very scary when I saw blood and wasn't sure where it was coming from.  Happily the OB/GYN saw me immediately and reassured me it wasn't the baby.  She had me change my diet to a softer diet and increase my fiber intake as my pregnancy constipation is what injured it. So now i'm looking at my favorite foods and their "fiber rich" counterparts.  The texture is different but anything to not have that pain return is a godsend.

Tonight is the first meeting for the second trimester and then Friday is the genetic doctor.  Next month is when we find out about the sex of the munchkin.  I cannot wait for that because I'm dying to start to look for baby room stuff but it is hard when you like one crib for a boy:

and then like a totally different one for a baby girl:

But once June 28th comes we will know what we have.  Then again why don't we let the kid from "Kindergarten Cop" explain it better <G>  What makes us different. <G>

Well we're heading into our second trimester and happily the nausea has abaited somewhat, reflux is still annoying but doable, sleep is still troublesome but we're working on it.  I am learning to not do anything as frustrating as it is.  As I believe in the paranormal, I have seen the same man out of the corner of my eye walking in the apartment either standing by the spinny unit with a cowboy hat or just walking down the hallway after standing in the door jam.  I'm not frightened by him but am curious to know who my visitor is.  He is about 17 years old and has dark hair, medium build, tall (like 5' 6") and over protective.  I think I know who it is but it has been so long since I've seen him.  Hum.

Anyhow, I better get the fruit cut up because the fresh pineapple scent is driving the two of us nuts.

Mother's Day, Turning 43, and second trimester fun

I have been physically and mentally exhausted for what seems like for months.  For whatever reason I decided to have a small dinner party on sunday for mother's day.  I had Suzie, Sarah, Beth, Roy and Larry at dinner.  I made a small dinner of honey mustard chicken, brown rice, mixed vegetables, garlic bread and a tossed salad.  Roy was impressed with how healthy everything was and gave me high praise for doing better.

I played the Wii with Sarah and we played tennis and for a good 3-5 minutes we were lobbing the ball back and forth and Roy got very concerned that I was exerting myself.  But as I reminded him, I have to exercise and this is low impact.  He laughed and boxed with his daughter, which was very wrong on many levels.

Sarah and I had a long chat and thanks to Ken's advice, I told her that she cannot hurt me or the baby if she gives me one of her hugs.  I told her I missed her hugs and with that she gave me such a bear hug I stifled an "ouch," but it felt so good.  She started to talk to the belly telling the baby how I drive her nuts but it is ok.  She is uneasy touching the belly because although I always had a little one, this one makes her uneasy and I told  her it was ok.  I wouldn't make her do anything that would make her uncomfortable.  She timidly smiled and held my hand.

We texted back and forth via our DS' and she looked at me and said "I love you Aunt Kate, forever and ever."  Her eyes nearly broke my heart and I hugged her and I said "I love you Sarah Goose forever and day, I promise."  So she snuggled and I kissed her head.  This is going to be very hard for her.

I turned 43 and had so much energy today it was a nice change of pace.  It was almost like the baby wanted to give me a gift of a good deep sleep and that is exactly what I got.  I was energetic today and got so much done that I am so excited about. I boxed up a bunch of stuff that we sold on eBay, got my homework done earlier than usual.  Larry came home to his teasing mischevious wife and jokingly asked "where's your pod."

So welcome to the second trimester where dizziness reigns supreme, but nothing new for me who is teased that my relationship with gravity has always been a love/hate relationship.  I am hoping the energy will last as I enjoyed my walk to the library today.  With Larry's never-ending energy the house looks great and hopefully I'll be able to keep it going.

Learning to be dependant and other challenges

I have been independent since I learned how to walk.  I find dusting and straightening up a room rewarding epecially if I haven't done it in awhile.  Now I cannot even muster the energy to sweep the floor of the ever growing dust-bunnies.

Larry has been doing a great job picking up where I left off.  I spent two days sorting through books on our bookshelves and nearly got clocked in the head with an Ikea bookshelf light fixture.  I'm listing a ton of stuff on eBay and managed to score $75 thus far towards the baby furniture.  In rearranging the bookshelves I decided to put some family photographs on the top shelf, Larry hollars at me "don't stretch, don't reach." I didn't reach like if I had to go on my tippy toes but my arm did go above my head and the result is beautiful but my hip is out.  In going through a box I found something that I thought I threw out years ago, it had me crying for a good 10 minutes and I couldn't explain to Larry why.

I learned my lesson to watch how much exercising I do.  I went with my family to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and it is a very large place.  We walked for 3 hours, breaking for a few minutes for lunch but I managed to keep up with everyone but towards the end I felt my back go out.  Sarah, my beloved niece, refuses to hug me because she is scared she will hurt the baby but she is technically hurting my feelings because I don't know how to explain to her she can't hurt the baby.  She's trying, I'm new at this too honey.

So I am learning to leave a mess on the floor, not make the bed every morning, not empty the dishwasher because I can't stretch without throwing out my hip.

I have learned to like fruit punch and apple juice instead of diet coke or orange juice.  I will give up tuna fish and pizza for now.  I have learned to love yoplait whips yogart for breakfast with nuts and raisons.  I will get up for my 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. water drinking needs (why do I see a pattern emerging?).

I guess God wanted me to learn how to be humble and ask for help.  One day at a time.