Baby Room!

I've been pretty blog-lazy these days, I know. Lots has been going on, and I just haven't felt like it. But anyway, it's about time I put up some pictures of the baby room! I still want to put some decoration on the walls (I envision framing some cute used-book covers, but we'll see if that happens) but otherwise it's pretty much done. Now, to fill those drawers and the closet with cute things!

Fit Pregnancy's top 20 reasons you’ll miss about being pregnant - and my thoughts on each.

I just read an article on FitPregnancy.com, and thought I'd comment on their list of the top 20 reasons you'll miss about being pregnant. I've cut the article down a bit in some spots. The original is here: http://www.fitpregnancy.com/yourpregnancy/sex_relationships/20-reasons-youll-miss-being-pregnant-40728997.html?page=1

1) having a secret Before anything shows on the outside, you know something's happening on the inside. For the first few months you might look like your same old self, but you know something that no one else does.

Agreed. And knowing the sex when everyone's guessing is an even bigger fun secret! Even though I didn't want to know and won't get that big surprise in the delivery room, I have to admit that it's fun listening while everyone makes their predictions based on my belly.

2) smiles from total strangers Once you start showing, you might be surprised at what a friendly place the world has become. You've joined the sorority, sister, and your stunning silhouette brings smiles, questions and congratulations.

Agreed – partly. I love the smiles and sweet comments… but I won't miss the "wow, you're so big already!" bullshit.

3) naps In our go-go-go world, there may not be another time in your life when you don't have to feel guilty about sneaking in a 30-minute snooze after lunch. In fact, when you're pregnant, naps are practically prescribed. So slumber away blissfully: Soon enough you'll be sleeping on your baby's schedule — in other words, naps may be the only sleep you'll get.

I do love naps, and I will definitely miss being well rested.

4) that rosy glow The pregnant woman's glow might be more myth than reality. You do get some increased blood circulation, but it generally doesn't show on the face.
But just as we're about to cross this off the list, Lichtman offers another explanation. "I do see wonderful smiles and happiness, and that emotion is translated onto the face." Aha — an inner glow. Even better.

I don't think I have a glow – other than the shine on my face from my over-active oil glands. So I won't miss this. I'd like my old, acne-free skin back.

5) calories, calories, calories Women can eat more during pregnancy because they're eating for two. The exact number of calories will depend on how active you are and what your metabolic rate is. If you play your cards right, you can potentially extend this benefit for another year or so by nursing your baby — you'll need the extra calories to produce all that milk.

I love not really thinking about what I'm eating. I'm eating well and pretty healthy (I've never drank so much milk in my life1), but I don't say no to sweets and bread like I used to. This is the first summer where I haven't been on South Beach in a long time, and man, am I ever loving the fruit.

6) the anticipation There's a certain excitement in looking forward to events — it allows us to extend and savor our enjoyment of them. The anticipation phase is pure enjoyment It's like waiting for Christmas.

Agreed! And along with that, I can't wait for baby's first Christmas, complete with a newly monogrammed stocking and presents under the tree from Santa!

7) indulging your cravings sans guilt It's important for pregnant women to listen to what their bodies want. A woman may be craving a food that is high in a nutrient she really needs.
This is your very own pregnancy, and you get to indulge whatever cravings your hormones concoct. Mangoes? Chocolate chip cookies? Steak? Go for it.

I haven't been having any 'typical' pregnancy cravings, but as I said above, I'm really loving the summer of guilt-free fruit!

8) feeling special The humdrum of daily routine can suck the feeling-specialness out of the best of us. But is there anything more special than creating life? "Making a person!" Nothing humdrum about that.

It is pretty incredible – I mean, I have a tiny human growing INSIDE MY UTERUS!!!

9) being the center of attention Pregnancy may be the last time in a long while that you are the center of attention. Once they have the baby, so many women are so instantly wrapped up in — and overwhelmed by — caring for their infant that they immediately forget the recent experience of being pregnant. Also, the outside world pays attention to you when you're pregnant and to the baby once it's born.

Yes and no. It's great to an extent, but sometimes I'd just like to walk through the halls at work and not have everyone stare at my belly and start speculating about the gender based on how high I'm carrying.

10) the shopping New clothes for you. New clothes for baby. New furniture, new gadgets, new linens. Yellow and green if you don't know, pink or blue if you do. Socks smaller than your pinkie finger, whimsical hats with ears attached. Just remember that you do still have to save for college.

I can't wait to really shop for the little brownie! As soon as we have the house (and Nick signs another contract), let the baby shopping begin!

11) tiny hiccups & big kicks There is simply no substitute for the wonder of feeling your child move inside you. Ultrasounds are wondrous but distant meetings with your unborn child. It's that first squirm in your belly that signals a personal hello.
The first time your baby has the hiccups after she's born will be a sweet yet sad reminder of what you used to feel inside.

I will miss that, for sure. I haven't felt hiccups yet, but I can only imagine how unreal that will be!

12) being taken care of You're led to the front of the line, the door is cheerily opened for you, and your sweetie even offers to bring you a snack and rub your feet. Isn't this the way life should be? So what if it isn't PC — it sure is fun. Let's face it, after your baby's born, you will be the one carrying the bundle and wiping up messes wherever you go.

Nick definitely enjoys the expectant mother parking more than I do, and I'm pretty self-sufficient overall. But ya, I'll admit that I like getting the special treatment.

13) all that motivation When pregnant, you're motivated like never before — you watch what you eat, eliminate unhealthful habits, get plenty of rest and stay physically active. "Pregnancy is a good opportunity for a woman to develop a sound nutrition plan and healthy habits for the rest of her life," Kundrat says. Cutting your daily dose of caffeine, eliminating artificial sweeteners and increasing your water intake are all smart moves for baby. If you can stick with them, these better habits will serve you well for years to come.

Eh, I guess.

14) fabulous follicles Some women will get thicker hair during pregnancy and some won't, says Shangold. (Changing hormone levels can synchronize hair growth so it is all in the same phase, meaning more hairs might be on your head at a given time.) Like everything else on the list, enjoy it while it lasts.

I haven't experienced this at all – my hair is exactly the same as it was before – except that now I seem to be growing fine hairs on my belly too, which I will be glad to get rid of!

15) who cares if your clothes fit? This may be the only time in your life when you're supposed to expand like a balloon. But don't use that as an excuse to inflate beyond reason: A steady, gradual and not too extreme weight gain is advised during pregnancy.

Agreed – It was so liberating being in the Bahamas in the maternity bathing suit, knowing that my belly isn't supposed to be flat! But…. I do miss feeling thin, and rolling over in bed easily. And having pajama pants that fit.

16) you're never alone Of course, you will have your bundle of joy when it's all over and done with. But sharing your body with your child provides an intimacy unmatched by any other relationship.

Um, I guess?

17) a better body image Pregnancy brings countless changes to your body. Paying attention to the nuances of that child growing inside you means you'll feel everything from your breath to your belly with new appreciation. A lot of people are more aware of their bodies during pregnancy. But, some women are not so happy with the way their bodies change. "It would be nice if all pregnant women would think of the pregnant body as being beautiful," she says.

I feel pretty good about myself – until people speculate that I must be almost full-term. Jerks. But otherwise, it's been fun!

18) having pregnancy as an excuse Forgot where you parked? That's OK — you're pregnant. Need to walk slowly? That's OK — you're pregnant. Just want to sit and daydream? Of course you do — you're pregnant. Behaviour that raises eyebrows in "real life" seems universally excused for now.

Funny – YES.

19) the newness of it all When was the last time you were truly surprised? Or experienced something completely new? In this day of Internet information, television, fax and instant everything, there isn't much wonder left in the world. Until you become pregnant, that is. For 40 weeks, almost every day brings something new. In a way, both you and your baby are experiencing a birth.

I am really enjoying this – every week is a new milestone. Everything is new and exciting!

20) taking part in the miracle of life
It sounds like a cliché — until it happens to you. During the course of your pregnancy, it's hard not to marvel at the little bit of destiny growing inside you and follow its progress with acute interest: two cells, then four, then eight. The size of a pea, then a peanut. A heartbeat, fingers, toes. Inside you. Inside you.

Seriously. Yes. How can my uterus grow a person?? Honestly?? That's freaking mental, and it's awesome.

Oh, those beautiful little pink caplets....

Each week when I fill in the "What I Miss" field, I think of the obvious things - like sleeping, and wine, and not feeling like a beached whale every time I lay down.

 

But one thing I haven't given its due credit is how much I miss PEPTO BISMOL. Man, what I wouldn't give for one of those beautiful little pink caplets that cure everything....

 

Especially now that I have the diet of a very oversized (and not very nimble) fruit bat, I would LOVE to take just one. Even a half of one. My digestive tract would love me for it.  And my feet would thank me - because I spend a good portion of every day walking back and forth to the washroom, hoping to find it empty (because ladies just don't do that kind of thing when there's someone else in there - Nick does not get this). I understand, though, that our little brownie would likely not thank me for taking the Pepto... But man oh man... I miss the convenience of taking those perfect little pills and feeling fabulous no matter what I ate.

Calf + Ankle =

Cankles.

I now have cankles.

Cankle: "An obese or otherwise swollen ankle that blends into the calf without clear demarcation"

Mine aren't obese (thank goodness) but they definitely swell up now, which is new. I'm not even in the 3rd trimester yet. Awesome.

I was talking to my mom about it the other night and she said she had cankles from around 4.5 - 6 months and then it magically went away. I'm praying it's genetic.

I went out yesterday to Winners with the intention of buying some sensible flats to combat the swelling feet... and came home with these instead, and they're totally worth it:


Sensible? No. Cheap? Definitely not. But HOT? Heck Yes!

I wore them with pride today, in all my 5 month pregnant glory.

After work today, I went to Payless and picked out some boring sensible shoes, which I will wear begrudgingly with a snarl on my face.













(I bought the round-toe ones in eggshell white)

Everybody Dance!

Today, it seems, I'm hosting some kind of rave in my ute. A rave with only one raver, but a rave nonetheless.

Dance dance dance.... on the left hand side. Dance dance dance.... around the belly button. Dance dance dance... back to the left. All day, from about 7 a.m. until forever. With maybe an hour here and there where the baby is likely absorbing some nutrients through the delicious amniotic fluid (which today would taste like the chocolate chip pancakes I had for breakfast along with meatloaf for lunch), downloading some new tunes to the internal iPod, and mentally choreographing some new moves so that there can be much more dancing. Dance dance dance.

Hope you're having fun in there, little one! The rest of us out here (meaning me) are working like suckers on a cloudy Monday.

Rounding up to 5

The fourth month has felt like it has gone on for freaking ever. I'm now rounding up, saying I'm around 5 months. I don't know why, but it feels like I've been 4 1/2 months pregnant for about a year. I guess that Tuesday officially marks 5 months, since on Tuesday I officially have 4 months remaining until my due date. Still, it's just easier to count in weeks. I wish I could tell people I'm 21 weeks and have them actually understand that in weeks without asking how many months that is. (though in fairness, I've never measured my life in weeks before either, and I was one of those people who asked all my pregnant friends how many months they were).

So now that I'm around 5 months pregnant, I feel like I'm allowed to look as pregnant as I do - and I actually feel pretty cute. I have a little round belly and I love it :) And I'm addicted to maternity dresses. I feel super duper cute in them.

Yesterday, I was over at my Sister- and Brother-in-Law's house, and my BIL earned himself some serious brownie points. I hadn't seen him in a few weeks and he looked down at my belly, smiled and was surprised by how it all of a sudden looks pregnant, not just round.

He asked how far along I am now, and I said "about 5 months". He said, "Wow! You look great!" I could have kissed him. He went on to say, "You know how a lot of pregnant women put on weight all over - through their face and arms and stuff - well, you haven't at all! You look exactly the same!" honestly, that made my day more than the hotdog I had at the movie theatre, or the 2 hours of mindless entertainment of robots turning into vehicles that was the new Transformers movie. That was exactly what I wanted to hear. I did put on weight in my face (and boobs!), but that happened right at the very beginning, so for the last 3 1/2 - 4 months, I haven't really noticed a big change except in my belly.

No filter

So we went to my SIL's birthday yesterday, and her in-laws were there. Her MIL is old school Italian, and apparently has no problem saying really inappropriate things. She told my BIL that she's 100% positive I'm having a girl because I'm carrying my weight behind - like, in my back and ass.

That's just great. Because I'm pretty sure my ass is the same size it always was - I don't look pregnant from the back.

So she just called me fat. That's great.

I went to the party feeling really cute - I finally have a clearly pregnant belly with the little semi-circular line underneath it - the sure differentiator between too many Happy Meals and housing a little human in there. I started out in the best mood, and then, after her comments (and about 15 minutes of her pointing at me from across the back yard and making bets with the other parents based on my apparently-expanding ass) I was in such a funk. Totally ruined my day.

Honestly - where's your filter? In what world is it okay to tell *any* woman - let alone a pregnant one who is trying to get used to her new body shape - that she's getting fat anywhere?? Not okay lady, not okay.

A fun moment in the airport and other fun "I guess I've popped" milestones

When we were going through customs at the airport last Friday, I had a funny experience. I went through the metal detector, and the grommits on my capris set off the the little light so the woman proceeds to wave the wand over me to see what was setting it off. She then proceeded to pat me down... spending extra attention on my tummy. She was checking to see if I was smuggling something in my baby bump :) Yup - a little brownie. I wanted to tell her that was all me, but just waited for her to figure it out as she kept pat-pat-patting my belly from all angles. Once she lifted my shirt a bit to see the offending metal grommits and saw the big ol' stretchy maternity panel, she let me go.

 

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Sometime over the course of our trip I went from looking kind of pregnant but mostly chubby to "holy cow, I look pregnant!" I don't know when or how it happened (though I suspect it had something to do with the pastry buffet table and sugary fruit punches...) but all of a sudden, I look pregnant - over the course of a 4 day weekend. At the beginning of the trip, I could see people checking out the belly but looking curious. By the end of the trip, I went to sit down for dinner and the hostess asked straight out, "how's the baby?" and the woman trying to convince us to book another Sandals vacation said, "after the baby, of course". There's no questioning now.

 

So ya... I've popped!

 

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I was just downstairs getting a coffee with my boss (well, I was getting chocolate milk) and one of the EAs I work with (who really drives me mental) was sitting at one of the tables with another colleague. She looks at me and from across the restaurant says, "Daphne!' I look over, and she's all smiles and rubbing her belly looking at me. I nod, and she said she was shocked - she had no idea! And the other colleague said she saw me yesterday and wondered. The EA said, "wow! you kept that a secret!".  Well, not really - I just try to avoid her at all costs because she drives me nuts. But I had a conversation with her just last week and she didn't notice it then.

 

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I'm not quite halfway there... and I look definitely pregnant. I'm going to be HUGE by the end! But as one of my HR coworkers says, it's okay that I have a belly already - the baby needs room to grow!  Grow away, little brownie!

 

T-1 day until our ultrasound! I can't wait :)

16 week doctor's appointment & bloodwork

So last Wednesday, I had a doctor's appointment and I still haven't blogged about it. It wasn't a super-exciting appointment, but it was good. We actually thought I was just going to the lab for bloodwork and not seeing my doctor (it was part 2 of the IPS testing), but it turns out it was a full appointment, then blood at the lab. So Nick didn't come with me (since we thought I wasn't seeing my doctor) and it turns out he could have. Lesson learned.

 

So here's what I learned:

 

She got back the results from my last set of bloodwork - I don't have HIV or Syphillis --score! Either of those would have been a really unpleasant surprise. I'm also immune to Rubella, which I already knew since I got my shots in preparation for the India trip we didn't take. My Hemoglobin is on the low side of normal, but that's okay. She says that might go down more during pregnancy. I'm not really sure what any of that means, but I'm sure she'll tell me if it's an issue. My mom said to make sure I get enough red meat. No problem there. 

My blood type is O+. Never knew that. Apparently that's my mom's too.

 

She took my blood pressure and it's normal, and then we heard the baby's heartbeat for all of 10 seconds - she didn't even have to search for it. As soon as she put the wand on my belly, I heard the woosh woosh woosh. She said it was like the baby was waiting to say hello :) Heartrate is at 146, which is totally normal. 

Then she did a swab (I was not expecting that at all, since I didn't know I was even seeing my doctor - surprise!), which was given to the lab, and I did more bloodwork as part of the IPS stuff.  Good times. I freaking love giving blood. But this time it was only 2 vials, and I didn't bruise after.

 

So all in all, a good appointment. I go back in 2 weeks for my IPS ultrasound (at the lab, not with my doctor - for real this time, I don't see her that day) and then the week after I see my doctor again.

 

Good times!

A perk

They're doing the annual Spring carpet cleaning at the office this weekend, so the department is busy moving boxes that have been permanently fixed to the floor for the past 6 months up on top of filing cabinets and tables.

And I don't have to help.

The one guy in my department said, "Well, Daphne is exempt because of her condition". It makes me sound like I'm dying, but I'll get over it if it means I don't have to lug dusty boxes around today, and then back to their original spots on Monday.

Score!

Whose bellybutton is this?

So yesterday, as I was busy moisturizing after my shower, I looked in the mirror and saw something shocking. There appears to be a big, gaping hole in my stomach where my little and deep belly button used to be. All of a sudden, it has changed - it's huge and wide and you can see straight in - it's not the shadowed little circle it used to be.

I showed Nick when he woke up and he said, "I don't think I've ever been able to see the 'back' of your bellybutton before!" Meaning that it went in so far that it just seemed like a black hole.

And so it begins. I hope it just continues to flatten out and doesn't ever pop out... though I know that's probably an unrealistic hope.

Also, my belly's starting to feel less like a big roll of fat, and more like a thin layer of fat covering a hard baby bump. Which is awesome :) I don't mind feeling like a whale if it's a hard bump, but when it just looks like I've been eating too much, well, that's not so cute.

spot on - from theBump

Dear Non-Pregnant Person,

I hope you find these guidelines helpful in your interactions with pregnant women as failing to follow them may result in serious physical harm. If you are thinking, "surely she doesn't mean me," then you should probably read this twice.

1. The appropriate response to a couple telling you they are having a baby is 'Congratulations!' with enthusiasm. Any other response makes you a jerk.
   
2. Through the wonders of science, we now know that babies are made ONLY by the mother and father - not grandparents. Unless the baby is in your uterus or you are the man that helped put it there, you may not ever use the phrase 'my baby'.
   
3. On the same note, unless you made the baby as defined in #2, the pregnancy, birth and raising of the child are not about you. You do not have input. No one wants to hear your opinion unless they ask for it...
   
4. The body of a pregnant woman should be treated the same as any other body. You would not randomly touch someone's stomach if they were not pregnant, nor would you inquire into the condition of their uterus, cervix or how they plan to use their breasts. Pregnancy does not remove all traces of privacy from a woman.
   
5. Likewise, no woman wants to hear comments on her weight... ever. A pregnant woman does not find it flattering that you think she is about is pop, must be having twins, looks swollen or has gained weight in her face. Telling her she looks too small only makes her worry that she is somehow starving her baby. Making such comments gives her license to critique your physical appearance and you may not act offended. The only acceptable comment on appearance is 'You look fabulous!'.
   
6. By the time we are 20-30 years old, most of us have picked up on the fact that the summer is hot. We are hot every summer when we are not pregnant. We don't need you to point out that we will be miserably hot before the baby comes. Nor do we need to know how badly you will feel for us because we will be pregnant during the summer and how glad you are that YOU will not be pregnant this coming summer.
   
7. There is a reason that tickets to Labor & Delivery are not yet sold on Ticketmaster. Childbirth is actually not a public event. It may sound crazy, but some women really do not relish the idea of their mother, mother-in-law or a host of other family members seeing their bare butt and genitals. Also, some people simply feel like the birth of their child is a private and emotional moment to be shared only by the parents. You weren't invited to be there when the baby was created, you probably won't be invited to be there when it comes out either.
   
8. Like everything else in life, unless you receive an invitation, you are NOT invited. This includes doctor's appointments, ultrasounds, labour, delivery, the hospital and the new parents' home. You do not decide if you will be there for the birth or if you will move in with the new parents to 'help out'. If your assistance is desired, rest assured that you will be asked for it.
   
9. If you are asked to help after the birth, this means you should clean up the house, help with cooking meals, and generally stay out of the way. Holding the baby more than the parents, interfering with breastfeeding and sleeping schedules and making a woman who is still leaking fluid from multiple locations lift a finger in housework is not helping.
   
10. The only people entitled to time with the baby are the parents. Whether they choose to have you at the hospital for the birth or ask for you to wait three weeks to visit, appreciate that you are being given the privilege of seeing their child. Complaining or showing disappointment only encourages the parents to include you less.
    
    Sincerely,
    All the Pregnant Women in the World

Flossing...

... is excruciating.

I haven't flossed in a while, I'm not going to lie.
My flossing 'routine' is normally brought on by (a) visits to the dentist, (b) eating a bag of microwave popcorn while watching a movie, or (c) going to the Keg for dinner. It's not a normal part of my dental hygiene routine, because frankly, I hate it. And I know I should floss regularly... but I don't. So there.

For the past 2 months or so, I'll admit that I haven't picked up the floss once. I know, I know - "Don't neglect your gums!" But here's the thing - brushing my teeth has been a bit of an ordeal on and off these days. Sometimes it's fine, but sometimes just approaching my back teeth with my toothbrush makes me gag. It's a daily surprise whether my gag reflex will be on overdrive or not.

But the last week or so, I've noticed a bit of blood when I'm brushing - and I use a soft toothbrush, so there shouldn't be any blood.

So last night, I decided to floss. And holy crap, it looked like an old-fashioned vampire movie when I was done. Blood everywhere. I turned to smile at Nick to show him and he freaked out. It was gruesome. And today, my gums feel like I took a jackhammer to them!

Which normally would be enough to deter me from flossing for a while... but I know I have to keep at it. Because of the extra bloodflow going through my gums, apparently gum problems are really common during pregnancy. So I need to keep flossing. And this does not make me happy.

We're going to the Keg tonight... and I'm really not looking forward to the havoc this will surely wreak on my poor sensitive gums. I wonder if I can convince myself to forego the steak and get a salad or something instead....

The rest of the beans - if it's on facebook, it's official

We changed our facebook statuses before dinner last night, and were so excited to get home from Oliver & Bonaccini's to see the madness that ensued.

Mine said: Daphne has a bun in the oven
Nick's said: Nick is preparing for the late-night ice cream & pickle runs.

As of this morning, I have 29 comments ranging from "Congratulations!" to "Holy Cow!" to "Are you just baking again, or do you really have a 'bun in the oven?'" And I got an email from an old friend who moved to BC a couple of years back, who knew about my old no-babies rule - she was floored, and happy for us, and curious if this was planned ;)

So that's it - the world knows. I'm wearing maternity clothes, and the world knows about our little brownie. It feels so liberating to not be hiding it anymore!

Now, I'm not just cautiously pregnant, I'm PREGNANT! And I'm going to be a mommy in 6 months!

Ahhhhhhh.......

I love maternity pants.

I went shopping after work and dropped nearly $500 on clothes (ack, I know! but necessary) and I'm so glad I did. I wore a new pair of mat pants and shirt to dinner tonight, and it was wonderful. I felt great, and I think I actually looked skinnier without the muffin top that was happening with my other pants.

I even bought a dress for the wedding we're going to in 2 weeks. It shows off my best assets (the girls) and is really flattering. I certainly don't fill out the belly that much, but it's pleated in the front, so it doesn't look like I'm wearing a maternity dress, per se.

And I bought 3 new bras at la Senza that are the most comfortable things ever - and I had to go up in band size, which meant the cup was a little bigger too. Whatever, they're comfortable.

AND I bought some maternity underwear, because my old favourite boy-cut style was starting to roll under my gut and they aren't 100% cotton, so they were getting really hot. So, I now am the sort of proud owner of under-belly bikinis, and under-belly thongs. Nice.

I'm so glad I finally told work, and now I can be comfortable!

I broke pants

I was trying to zip up a pair of pants that fit last week (with a bella band, but still - the zipper at least did up) and I broke them. I was trying so hard to pull them up that the zipper pull came right off.

Nick laughed hysterically when I told him. I didn't find it so funny. My closet is absolutely stacked with clothes, and nothing fits me. It's so frustrating.

Time to go shopping!

Spilling more beans - telling work!

I spilled more beans yesterday - I just couldn't wait to tell work. I was going to tell them today in our monthly meeting, but it got cancelled so I said screw waiting! So I waited until everyone got into the office, and then rallied everyone out of their desks and just pulled out the ultrasound picture. They were all so thrilled - and they totally knew. They said they had been talking about it for weeks, but were just waiting for me to tell them. Even the only guy in my department noticed - and I rarely ever see him!

What tipped them off:

• I stopped coming in in the mornings with a cappuccino made at home. Antonia even asked me how my capp. maker was a while back - I said great.... when in fact, coffee just tasted bad so I wasn't making it.
• My acne. They all noticed that (great). Good thing the meds are finally working!
• My weight. They all noticed that too. And they said that this is the first time I've just seemed content with getting bigger. I'm normally the one pushing everyone to do South Beach together, and now I'm advocating bigger pants.
• My eating habits - they said the saltines were a dead givaway. And while I only felt sick for a couple of weeks, those few times they saw me munching on crackers confirmed their suspicions.

Anyway, they're all really excited for me. I then went and told one of the Marketing Managers that I work closely with, and she was so excited - but she had no idea. She looked at my tummy as I was sitting in her office, and said this is the first time she'd noticed it.

And then I went and told the Marketing Director - who used to be my VP at the Internet Franchise. She was surprised... sort of. At dinner a few weeks ago with the old work crew, she noticed my tummy and that my face had gotten a little rounder - and thought it was weird because I was skinny everywhere else and I've always had such a narrow face. So she said she's glad her suspicions were correct, and she's really excited for me.

So, the only beans left to spill at work are to the President, who is the most family-friendly man ever. He'll be so happy for me, and I love that. I'll have to set up a meeting with him or something, because I rarely run in to him unless I'm writing a speech or something for him.

And tonight, I think we'll change our facebook statuses and watch the madness ensue! I plan on saying, "Daphne has a bun in the oven", and Nick's going to say, "Nick is heading out on an ice cream and pickles run" :)

Our first baby picture!

How cute is that???
Seriously cute. That's how cute.

The baby was moving around and stretching its arm over its head - it was adorable. And Doctor T-B says everything looks just fine, so go ahead and tell my mom it's okay to tell everyone now :) She said I'm measuring 12 weeks 1 day, so it looks like the due date really is November 7! So that means I'm behind on my pregnancy journal :)

So I guess it's safe to tell everyone now... but I'm still wary. Not that I'm worried about anything going wrong with the pregnancy at all - because I'm 100% confident now. I just don't want close friends to find out at the same time as acquaintances. So we're going to call our close friends tonight (the ones who don't know already) and then in a few days, I'm going to change my facebook status to "Daphne has a bun in the oven." I'm constantly baking something, and often have this in my status, so we thought it would be fun to make people guess if I'm actually baking a bun, or if I have a bun in the oven.

We're going to see a few houses tonight. Now that the 2nd trimester is just around the corner, the heat is on to find a place that we'll be happy with for the next 5 years or so and just buy the damn thing. We've come to terms with the fact that we're not going to buy our dream house right now, so we should just get something that's nice for now, and get on with it so we move while I'm still useful.

Big Ultrasound Today!

At 2:30 p.m., we'll be heading to the OB's office to see our little babe again. We're doing the IPS testing and 1st Tri ultrasound. And we'll get a picture of the ultrasound this time! Woooo!

I'm excited :) And one of the best things is that the appointment is at 2:30 so I get to leave work, and then just work from home after. That's fab. So I get to go home right after the ultrasound and scan that little picture and send it to our families and my boss and upload it to my blog :)

And provided that all goes well today, I'll feel pretty comfortable telling people. We'll wait until next week to announce it on Facebook (much to Nick's dismay) but we can tell friends and such now.

I can't wait to just 'come clean' with everyone!

The sweetest sound I've ever heard

My SIL (the doctor who prescribed me wonderful acne-killing face medicine a couple of weeks ago) brought her doppler to the BBQ so we could try to find a heartbeat. She made us promise that we wouldn't freak out if we didn't find it - she couldn't find it most of the time on herself because she was so swollen all the time. But since we have our big ultrasound on Tuesday, she brought it anyway.

So we're all waiting for the non-family guests to leave the BBQ so we can go try it out... But as 11 rolls around, we realize they're not leaving anytime soon, and say screw it. Nick, SIL and I go into the bedroom and close the door. My SIL got me all set up and covered in US goo, and put the wand on my belly. She searched around for a minute or two, pointing out my own heartbeat and the sound of the umbillical cord passing by the doppler, and then the most beautiful sound I've ever heard comes out loud and clear over the monitor.

Woosh Woosh Woosh Woosh Woosh Woosh Woosh....

Our little brownie has the sweetest heartbeat. Around 135 beats per minute (which is in the range of normal - hooray!) I was floored. And the babe was swimming around - we could only get maybe 15 seconds of heartbeat before s/he would move away from the wand. I had just had a cup of tea, so maybe the babe was feeling a little frisky :)

We invited my other sister-in-law in to hear, and then my mother-in-law.

And she let us take the doppler home, as long as we returned it on Sunday so she could take it back to the office on Monday.

So we listened again before bed, and then again in the morning before I showered. In the morning, we decided to call my mom. I ended up waking her up (oops!) but told her that someone wanted to say hi. We put the phone up to the monitor so she could hear the woosh woosh (still around 135 BPM). She said, "what the hell was that?" I told her it was the baby's heartbeat, and she melted. We put the doppler back to the phone, and I could hear her saying, "Hi baby! This is your grandma!" It was so sweet. I apologised for waking her, but said we figured she'd want to say hi before we had to take the doppler back.
I think it completely made her day.

I could listen to that all day.... But that's okay. The big ultrasound is Tuesday and we'll get a picture of our little baby brownie!