The Bookworm Wife

Much of my first trimester was pretty angst-ridden.  Not because I was high risk or had any sort of problems, but because I was so worried all the time.  I think this is a by-product of the information age.  Any twinge, any cramp, any symptom at all could find me looking to Dr. Google and imagining the worst.  I also read a lot of books & blogs & forums, both pre-pregnancy and during my first trimester.  While it was great to have all this knowledge BEFORE I was pregnant, it definitely made me worry a lot more because I knew the various things that could go wrong.

Thankfully, I seem to be having a pretty normal, and dare I say easy, first pregnancy.  I had a few days of nausea here and there, but largely skipped morning sickness.  I often found myself wishing I was sicker, just so I could KNOW that something was going on!  I didn’t have my first pre-natal appointment until nine weeks, and waiting was agony.  I was super nervous for the appointment—in fact, I still get nervous for every appointment.  I’m trying to stay relaxed, but growing a baby is nerve-wracking business!

Our first appointment went really well and my doctor said everything looks great.  We got to see the baby on the mini-ultrasound machine (though I couldn’t really see it, Brad did!), and it really helped me calm down.  Then we went on vacation for a week and I relaxed even more!

My second appointment also went well and my doctor is happy with how everything is going.  The best appointment so far, though, was my first trimester screening ultrasound.  I got to spend over half an hour looking at the baby and that beautiful heartbeat while the sonographer got the measurements she needed.  Then she printed a ton of pictures for me and even put some on a disc for me to take home.  I love looking at them!

Ups:

* Seeing the lines on the pregnancy test.  It was the Saturday morning of my best friend’s baby shower and Brad was working.  I cried.

* Telling our friends and family.  Every time we told someone it felt like Christmas.  I loved sharing the news.

I made a onesie to share the news with Brad’s brother. 
This was the image I used!  (He’s in culinary school).

* Seeing the baby at the ultrasound and knowing that everything is progressing perfectly!

Downs:

* The massive headaches I developed towards the end of my first trimester.  They were seriously brutal and I woke up with one almost every day. (Ugh, and I am still getting them.  I have a headache as we speak!)

* Not being super sick.  I know, this is a weird down, but I often wished I was sicker just so I could know that something was going on.

* Telling my boss.  To make a long story short and not too personal, it did not go well.

Total Weight Gained: 5 pounds

Maternity Clothes:  wore my regular jeans, though with a belly band or the rubberband trick.  Picked up a few maternity tanks and shirts but only wore them sporadically.  During the first tri, all of my regular clothes still fit.

Main Symptoms: a few days of nausea, some cramping early on, fatigue (though nothing out of the ordinary, I would say), and some headaches towards the end.  I know how lucky I am to be able to say that overall, I really felt great.

I made a little 30-second video recap of my first trimester bump photos IN COLOR, because all of the photos I am posting on the blog are black and white.  I also flipped some of my photos so I am facing all the same direction—that way you can see how the bump is really growing!  I hope to continue doing this for my second and third trimesters as well.

And with that, I am pretty much caught up.  I still have to post my week 14 and this week’s picture yet (which I will do tomorrow!), but then I PROMISE:  bump photos only once a week.  Whew, catching up is tough!  Thanks for hanging in there while I document this exciting journey!

Originally written on May 6, 2012.

My weekly bump photos were inspired by The Peanut Gallery,
from the lovely Alyssa Gamlin over at Adventures of the Stay At Home Mom.

Missed a week? Check them out here:
Week Four
Week Five
Week Six
Week Seven
Week Eight
Week Nine
Week Ten
Week Eleven
Week Twelve

Originally written on April 29, 2012.

My weekly bump photos were inspired by The Peanut Gallery,
from the lovely Alyssa Gamlin over at Adventures of the Stay At Home Mom.

Missed a week? Check them out here:
Week Four
Week Five
Week Six
Week Seven
Week Eight
Week Nine
Week Ten
Week Eleven

Originally written on April 22, 2012.

My weekly bump photos were inspired by The Peanut Gallery,
from the lovely Alyssa Gamlin over at Adventures of the Stay At Home Mom.

Missed a week? Check them out here:
Week Four
Week Five
Week Six
Week Seven
Week Eight
Week Nine
Week Ten

Originally written on April 15, 2012.

My weekly bump photos were inspired by The Peanut Gallery,
from the lovely Alyssa Gamlin over at Adventures of the Stay At Home Mom.

Missed a week? Check them out here:
Week Four
Week Five
Week Six
Week Seven
Week Eight
Week Nine

Originally written on April 8, 2012.

My weekly bump photos were inspired by The Peanut Gallery,
from the lovely Alyssa Gamlin over at Adventures of the Stay At Home Mom.

Missed a week? Check them out here:
Week Four
Week Five
Week Six
Week Seven
Week Eight

Originally written on April 1, 2012.

My weekly bump photos were inspired by The Peanut Gallery,
from the lovely Alyssa Gamlin over at Adventures of the Stay At Home Mom.

Missed a week? Check them out here:
Week Four
Week Five
Week Six
Week Seven