Baby H Week 15 Pregnancy Update

Oh, hi, I'm back. I got a bit distracted in the last three weeks and haven't been tracking anything in either my personal journal or in writing blogposts. BIG FAIL. But, here I am now with a new update...

How big is baby: The size of a naval orange, about 4 inches from head to butt. 

Movement: Nothing yet. I'm anxiously awaiting what I hear will be the strangest feeling ever!

How I'm feeling: In the last 3 weeks, I've been feeling dramatically better (which is probably why I've been struggling to document). We've been busier and I have just had much more energy to do. I'm still exhausted and needing my rest, but it doesn't take quite as much to get me going. 

Symptoms: I feel like I'm in headache city! I've had a dull headache going for the last 2 weeks. I'm mostly attributing it to tension in my neck, probably from having to sleep in a different position, as I'm staying super hydrated and don't think I've been overly stressed. I'm trying to stick to taking a maximum of two tylenol per day if it's really bad, and I got some peppermint oil to rub on my temples and the back of my neck, but I haven't noticed much relief from that. So...I'll just wait it out, especially since they usually are not crippling. Otherwise, my belly is just growing and growing, which is fun. 

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: The appetite is doing much better! I'm definitely having some serious cravings--harvest cheddar sun chips AND chocolate milkshake??--but I'm doing my best to resist them. At about any point, though, I could go for chocolate and some sort of cheddar potato chips. I'm working on eating lots of fruit and veggies every day, while maintaining a healthy intake of dairy and good carbs. I've also warmed up a bit to eggs, though I didn't eat any this past week, and I've been eating a healthy amount of shrimp. The only serious aversion I've had is salmon--I don't want to see or smell any form of cooked salmon. I can handle the sight of it raw or smoked, for some reason, but I think the sight of cooked salmon brings back bad smell memories. I'm also very weary of anything spicy, but we ate thai food last night, and I did just fine with my panang curry! 

Weight gain/loss: I'm about 5 or 6 lbs up from the start now, which I think is still just fine. But seeing the new numbers on the scale are definitely NOT easy. 

Sleep: Ohhhh glorious sleep. I'm sleeping mostly well, though I definitely switch sides and shuffle positions through the night. I really enjoy waking up and checking my fitbit to see my sleep patterns from the night. On my late-work days, I definitely take full advantage of a morning off to catch up on sleep. And I tweeted the other day, "Pregnant Marie functions best on 10 hours of sleep...I've become far too high maintenance even for myself." And it's true, requiring 10 hours of sleep is definitely not ideal or sustainable...so we'll continue to work on that! 

Exercise: With my feeling better, my movement has definitely picked up. I've gotten in several walks (a few at the mall...because winter), Yasu and I went snowshoeing last weekend--so fun! We're hoping to get in a few more trips before the snow melts, and I've done my pure barre dvds once each. There's definitely continued room for improvement, but I'm picking up my activity more each week, and it feels great!

My best moment of the [last 3] week[s]: Feeling more like myself has been amazing. I think the very best thing was going snowshoeing, and finally feeling a little strong while enjoying the snow! 

We've also made a couple little purchases for baby. We found a super on sale winter bodysuit from nordstrom, which basically made Yasu and me completely melt...so cute. 

And last night, my REI working brother clued me in on a super sale on a BOB jogger, which we were planning on buying anyway, so we went ahead and got it. We likely will not use it for an entire year, which is kind of crazy, but seeing as they are very rarely on sale, it was a deal we couldn't pass up. 

Yasu's thought of the week:  My mom told me I need to start talking to baby in Japanese. 

What we're looking forward to: We have our 16-week midwife appointment friday, and we can't wait to hear baby's heartbeat again!! I'm also getting really anxious to feel baby move! We're also really working to consolidate our guest room and office so that we can begin working on the nursery. This is going to be a slow process, but it feels good to have it going. 

Oh, and last but not least, here is me with my bump in the mountains at 14 weeks. It's still little, but I'm glad to finally be out of the "is she fat or pregnant" stage, particularly when I'm wearing something fitted. 

Baby H Week 12 Pregnancy Update

SURPRISE! We're having a baby, due in early August. I'm writing this post in real time (1.24.16), but it's publishing late, for obvious reasons :)

Also, in typing this I realized I typed completely over Week 11--helloooo pregnancy brain. UGH. So, RIP week 11 update. 

How big is baby: The size of a plum, a bit over 2 in. 

Movement: Still nothing yet, but we saw our little one wiggling around like crazy during the ultrasound on Friday! 

How I'm feeling: This week was pretty easy. I had one weird thing happening on Thursday, which involved what I thought was sciatic nerve pain and came out of nowhere and lasted all day long. It was literally a pain in the butt, but when I woke up on Friday it was completely gone. 

Symptoms: Besides the sciatic nerve pain, and some occasional after-dinner discomfort, the week was pretty uneventful. 

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: My appetite is continuing to become more normal, for which I'm grateful. I'm still keeping it pretty easy on the spice and seasoning front, and haven't been very adventurous with my choices. However, I got a lot more greens into my diet this week--avocado, spinach, bok choy, and I'm also obsessed with caesar salads. Friday afternoon, I drove by an ice cream place and IMMEDIATELY needed ice cream, so my cousin Eilee got lucky and reaped the benefits of my craving! 

Weight gain/loss: Per my appointment Friday, I am up 3lbs from the start. Oh, and I definitely have a tiny taco baby bump--I'm wearing maternity jeans and am definitely starting to show. YAY!

Sleep: The 3:30am wakeups have returned...sometimes because I need to go to the bathroom, sometimes just because...it's definitely annoying because I tend to take a while to get back to sleep. 

Exercise: It was another slow week. Yasu and I walked on Friday afternoon after our appointment, but that was the extent of my "exercise." I was much more active throughout the week, though, and it felt good to be more mobile. 

My best moment of the week: We had a couple big moments! Friday, we had our 12 week ultrasound and appointment, and baby seems to be developing great!! I was 11 weeks 6 days at the appointment, but baby measured at 12 weeks 3 days--already an overachiever. We got to see baby wiggling around like crazy and all the little features. We saw a strong nasal bone, which is a good sign, and we also got to check out two sweet little feet--they measured at less than a centimeter. It was such a relief to see everything going as well as we'd want, and I definitely shed a few tears though Yasu was all smiles. 

After our appointment, we announced Baby Hotta on social media--I feel free! I'm so glad to have the news public, and the amazing outpouring of love and excitement was such a great feeling. It's fun to see people's congratulations and excitement, and we know how loved our baby is already. I know my parents are incredibly relieved to have it in the open, too--especially my mom who works at Meredith, where I went to college. She really had to keep things under wraps because our network is so immeshed. HOORAY! 

Yasu's thought of the week:  Now, everyone knows. 

What we're looking forward to: Continuing to see the bump grow and to make preparations for our little one!

Baby H Week 10 Pregnancy Update

SURPRISE! We're having a baby, due in early August. I'm writing this post in real time (1.9.16), but it's publishing late, for obvious reasons :)

How big is baby: The size of a kumquat, and a little more than an inch! 

Movement: "The Bump" tells me the baby is moving its arms and legs like crazy, but I certainly can't feel anything yet! 

How I'm feeling: This week has been dramatically better. I was really nauseated on Monday, but the rest of the week I felt like I had a lot more energy, a bigger appetite, and I was in a much better general state. 

Symptoms: My nausea Monday was triggered when I gagged brushing my teeth in the morning--it wasn't the first time this had happened, and it's an incredible inconvenience. Thankfully, I was feeling significantly better by Tuesday. I've also noticed that sometimes my dinner makes me feel super full, bloated, and uncomfortable. I've been eating a single peppermint tum after dinner most nights, just to ease the discomfort. Lying in a ball on the couch is honestly the only solution. Oh, not sure if this counts as a symptom or not, but I've also noticed about 5 WHITE hairs since Christmas day. thankfully none are in my part, but MAN it makes me want to cry. My skin (scalp included) has also been incredibly dry, which could definitely be attributed to the cold, dry winter air, but it doesn't feel very good!

Additionally, I keep reading and hearing about mood swings, crying at everything,  and emotional rollercoasters, and I have been incredibly flat. I told Yasu today, that I feel like I haven't been experiencing emotions like I usually do, and while it's nice to not be a wreck and crying all the time, I feel like I haven't been feeling the highs like I usually do. I'm not really concerned, but it's definitely something I've noticed. 

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: I've had a much better appetite this week, and I even felt up to standing in the kitchen to prepare (not cook) dinner on Tuesday night. On Saturday, I looked at Yasu and, very strangely, insisted that I NEEDED Cap'n Crunch cereal. WHAT? I've probably only had it 3 times in my entire life, and it definitely wasn't something my mother ever bought. BUT, the big bowl full was delicious. And now I have a big box that I'm needing to get through. Yasu also made me a milkshake one night this week, because I heard the word on tv and it just needed to happen. Now that I'm feeling better, and more food tastes, good, I'm thinking I need to definitely up my intake of greens and calm down with the unhealthy cravings!

Weight gain/loss: I think with my feeling better I'm definitely back to where I started. I also am really noticing some swelling in the stomach area--not sure I can call it a bump yet, but my body is definitely changing. 

Sleep: Sleep is the same. I'm actively trying to teach myself to sleep on my side instead of my stomach, and it's not easy. I do think I'm adapting, though, and there were a couple nights I actually slept through the night! 

Exercise: Despite my energy being up, the weather has been crappy, and I really haven't felt up to doing much, and all the advice on prenatal workouts is intimidating. I decided to order a couple PureBarre Prenatal workout dvds, since I've enjoyed the classes in the past. I think if I can get comfortable with these low-impact workouts at home, then I can eventually go to a class and be comfortable there. The dvds arrived today, so I'm [hopefully] going to try to do one tomorrow!

My best moment of the week: I'm SO sick of keeping the secret, so I'm telling a couple close friends every couple of days until we're ready to announce on social media. Oh, and we facetimed and told my Grandma last Saturday, which was incredibly special--my dad was with her, and she was really just so excited! It's really hard to keep the most exciting thing in my life a surprise, so it has been fun to tell people and hear their reactions. 

Yasu's thought of the week: Now that we are looking around for the "stuffs" we need to buy... This having baby deal is really expensive... How does everyone deal with having multiple kids without going bunkrupt?!?!?

What we're looking forward to: Making Baby H Public!! Also, still looking forward to a bump of any kind! And our next appointment is in 2 weeks, so we're really excited for that, too.

Baby H Week 9 Pregnancy Update

SURPRISE! We're having a baby, due in early August. I'm writing this post in real time (1.2.16), but it's publishing late, for obvious reasons :)

How big is baby: The size of a green olive, about .9in. Baby has also officially graduated from embryo to fetus--we're so proud ;)

Movement: "The Bump" tells me the baby is moving its arms and legs like crazy, but I certainly can't feel anything yet! 

How I'm feeling: This has been an up and down week. I made the mistake of saying that my nausea had subsided, and on Wednesday afternoon it returned with a vengeance. Thursday (New Year's Eve) was really bad, too. So...there have definitely been good days and bad days. 

Symptoms: It's getting to be the same old, same old--nausea, low appetite, faint headaches, and the SEVERE need for a long nap. 

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Food has stayed pretty bland. I've had a lot of smoothies, bagels, cheese pizza, and other plain things. We went out to one of our favorite italian restaurants downtown for dinner on New Year's Eve, when I was honestly at my worst, and I could only stomach some bread, a bit of tomato soup, and one slice of cheese pizza. It was honestly incredibly sad. I also had a serious craving for donuts on Thursday, so we had those for my birthday breakfast on Friday. It was a really good choice! 

Weight gain/loss: I'm in about the same place as last week, so down 1.5 lbs.  

Sleep: The snoogle pillow is SO worth the hype. Despite it creating an unfortunate barrier between Yasu and me, it has really helped me sleep comfortably and on my side. I've woken up in the early morning on a couple of days, usually hungry, so...that's something to work on, I suppose. 

Exercise: Nada...It's looking like I may actually have a warm morning this week, so I'm hopeful!

My best moment of the week: Telling family and close friends! We got to share the news with most of our family and some other friends this week. It was so fun, especially, to break the news to most of our Colorado cousins and my aunt and uncle--the excitement was real, and I'm glad we had the opportunity to tell everyone in person! 

Yasu's thought of the week: Oh my. We are announcing to some people in the close family and friends circle. People are keep telling me that I'll be gone from their life for next 3 years is really promising sign of this thing we are going to deal with is no joke. Am I really ready?

(What Yasu didn't hear was my aunt watching him playing with all the kids and saying JUST how amazing he will be. I agree and really cannot wait to see him as a daddy.)

What we're looking forward to: Continuing to share our news! And I really can't wait to have an actual bump...and an actual reason not to wear my jeans :)

Baby H Week 8 Pregnancy Update

SURPRISE! We're having a baby, due in early August. I'm writing this post in real time (12.26.15), but it's publishing late, for obvious reasons :)

How big is baby: The size of a raspberry, about .63 inches

Movement: "The Bump" tells me the baby is moving its arms and legs like crazy, but I certainly can't feel anything yet! 

How I'm feeling: It's been a great week. I've certainly had my ups and downs; HOWEVER, I bought sea bands from Target on monday, and OMG they have saved my life. They're ugly as heck, but my nausea has been significantly decreased, and I've been pretty active all week, aside from a slow day on Wednesday. It's such a relief to feel human again. Also, we met our Midwife on Tuesday and got to see our little one!! It was such an amazing feeling. Baby was measuring about 3 days ahead, based on my due date, but the Midwife confirmed that we'll go with an August 6th due date! Hooray! 

Symptoms: The nausea has been much more manageable this week, but I've certainly felt exhaustion. And when the exhaustion hits, it REALLY hits. I've had to take a couple naps this week, and I've really had to put myself to bed on the early side. I've also been feeling a bit of the soreness and sharp pains with my uterus beginning to stretch...nothing lasts for long, but I'm definitely having feelings.  

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: I've keep my food on the white and bland side, but my midwife told me that was just fine--such a relief for both Yasu and me. I've been starting each day with a sliced apple, then eating mostly meat, bread, and cheese, but I've also been able to stomach a few all fruit and yogurt smoothies and some bland vegetables. I even ate salad and brussels sprouts during last night's christmas dinner--Yasu and I did a high-five. As far as aversions go, garlic, soy sauce, fish, and eggs (usually 3 things I eat on the regular) are the worst sounding and smelling foods. I'd prefer they stay far away! 

Weight gain/loss: We finally fixed our scale! I think I'm definitely down about 1.5lbs, but that makes sense given the scant food intake! 

Sleep: I've had a few crazy dreams this week--the couple I remember, my pregnancy is definitely involved but not a focal point, but they've been really crazy. I'm also tending to wake up around 6:30 every day feeling super hungry. So I've been sleeping much better, but extreme hunger makes the mornings a little tough. Also, Yasu bought me a snoogle pregnancy pillow as my christmas gift! I'm a stomach sleeper, so I'm really hopeful that it will help me sleep safely and comfortably throughout this pregnancy. 

Exercise: I have not exercised at all this week, however I was much more active on the daily. I'm hopeful that I'll continue feeling better and that I can at least get some yoga or walks in this week. I'm certain that with my diet as it is, my body is not going to be capable of anything near intense. 

My best moment of the week: Seeing our baby!!!!! Our midwife was so awesome to us, and was adamant about us being able to see our baby. We had to do a vaginal ultrasound, but it was completely worth it. We got to see the little bean and baby had a super strong heartbeat--about 150bpm. There were tears of joy and some cheering when we confirmed just one little one in there! 

Separately, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen this week, baking Christmas cookies with Eilee and helping Yasu prepare for Christmas dinner with our friends Waki & Hiroko. We had such a nice time celebrating the holiday together, and are already so excited to celebrate with a little one next year! 

Yasu's thought of the week: It was super exciting to see the heartbeat of the little baby. 

What we're looking forward to: Telling more family and friends! Now that we had our first good ultrasound, we'll begin telling a few more family and close friends in the coming weeks! I think we'll announce "publicly" after our next appointment on January 22nd. 

Baby H Week 7 Pregnancy Update

SURPRISE! We're having a baby, due in early August. I'm writing this post in real time (12.20.15), but it's publishing late, for obvious reasons :)

How big is baby: The size of a blueberry, about half an inch! 

Movement: We're not even close...

How I'm feeling: Sick as a dog and completely unlike myself. It honestly feels like I wake up with a hangover every single morning. Our house is a mess, I barely eat vegetables, and I've probably spent more time lying down this week than standing. It's pretty sad and pretty pitiful--I don't think I've ever felt this lazy in my life, but resting is about all that feels okay. Thankfully every-other day seems to be decent, so I've been much more functional on the odd date days. 

Symptoms: Nausea, sluggishness, and exhaustion pretty much sum this up. I've continued to feel sick and pretty down. I'm also finding most food difficult to eat and moving nearly impossible. 

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Food has still been pretty bland--I'm mostly existing on carbs and dairy. Yasu has brought me a bagel with butter and cinnamon-sugar every morning, which helps me get something into my body immediately, but It's definitely not a solution. Any strong food smells have really set me off, and there's not much worse to me than the thought of eggs or fish. I can't wait to eat something green out of desire. 

Weight gain/loss: We fixed our scale! So I can't exactly say where I began, but I know I'm down at least 1.5 lbs since the beginning of the week. 

Sleep: Sleep has been pretty good. I still have a habit of waking up between 3 and 4, but I've consistently gotten about 8 hours of sleep. 

Exercise: Minimal. I walked a couple laps around the mall on Thursday evening (it was an odd day) and felt alright, but that's the extent of it. It also was suuuuper snowy (we got 12" on Tuesday and it has yet to melt), so I haven't been interested in strolling outside with ice everywhere. 

My best moment of the week: Every night Yasu talks to the baby. And it's so sweet--he keeps telling baby to be nice to Mommy, which I appreciate because currently pregnancy is not so fun. It puts a smile on my face, even if I'm feeling rough. 

Yasu's thought of the week: He keeps asking, "is it kicking'?" My answer--nothing that I can feel! 

What we're looking forward to: Our doctor's appointment is on Tuesday! Can't wait to see our little bean. 

And....no picture because MEH. Photo to return next week, with updates from the doctor's appointment!

Baby H Week 6 Pregnancy Update

SURPRISE! We're having a baby, due in early August. I'm writing this post in real time (12.12.15), but it's publishing late, for obvious reasons :)

How big is baby: The size of a sweet pea, still about a quarter of an inch! 

Movement: We're not even close...

How I'm feeling: Still excited, but VASTLY different from last week. Morning all day sickness has really gotten the best of me the last few days, and it's been tough. I have to remind myself that the sickness is only happening because there's a little one growing in there, and for that I am incredibly grateful.

Symptoms: HELLA nauseous...it started midday Tuesday and hasn't really stopped, though some days have certainly better than others. The lingering "ugh" feeling is honestly more difficult than I'd imagined. I'm usually the "power through the cold" type and this is just completely different. But again, it's all for a good cause. I've also felt a bit sluggish, though I can't decide if it's regular fatigue or more related to the lack of nutrients in my system. 

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Eating has been tough this week. It started out fine, but by tuesday night, I've just wanted a whole lotta bland--crackers, cheese, bagels, plain burgers, and chicken nuggets have been the oh so sad go-tos. It's so unlike me to have such a brown palate, and I've stomached a few salads and smoothies to try to get a little bit of color in every day, but not much tastes at all good. Oh, and the morning coffee habit is definitely gone for now (RIP). I've also eaten the majority of my food between about 11am and 6pm. Before 11 is difficult to stomach anything, though Yasu has been amazing about bringing a little something to bed before he leaves in the morning, so I try to get something in me before my feet hit the floor. And dinner has consisted of a few bites before feeling so full and bloated.

Weight gain/loss: Yup, still no clue! The battery on our home scale is dead, so I've got nothing. Still feeling bloated and really just plain chunky. 

Sleep: It's been a much better sleep week--my body's early wakeup time has shifted to somewhere between 5 and 5:45, for which I am incredibly grateful. It's also been easier for me to fall back asleep and to sleep in if my schedule allows, which has made the days more bearable. 

Exercise: Hmm...about that. Sunday I attempted skiing because, from everything I've read, as long as I don't fall, skiing is usually fine. But my one and only run was so icy that I opted to sit in the lodge while Yasu and our friend Corinne skied together. I just didn't want to risk anything, and skiing on the ice didn't sound that pleasant anyway. I also went for a walk on Monday, which was really nice, but since I started feeling awful beginning Tuesday my movement has been pretty low. 

My best moment of the week: To be completely honest, it's been a tough week. But Monday night we decorated our christmas tree, and I was still feeling pretty great at that point. Just the thought of having a little one with me next Christmas got me incredibly excited. 

Yasu's best moment of the week: Yasu says every day was a great day...and I'm incredibly jealous of his good health!! :)

What we're looking forward to: We're still really looking forward to our appointment on the 22nd. I think it'll be a huge relief to see our little one. We are also very much excited to celebrate Christmas together. 

photo by my handsome husband

Baby H Week 5 Pregnancy Update

SURPRISE! We're having a baby, due in early August. I'm writing this post in real time (12.5.15), but it's publishing late, for obvious reasons :)

How big is baby: The size of an appleseed, so about a quarter of an inch! 

Movement: We're not even close...

How I'm feeling: So, so, so excited. Like honestly, I'm ready to burst--actually I have, as I'm the worst secret keeper. Probably a few too many people already know, but I think if anything bad were to happen, those are the people we'd be leaning on, anyway. 

Symptoms: For the first few days, I was experiencing insatiable hunger. Like, all the time, non-stop hunger. It's settled down now, thankfully, and I feel like I'm back to normal with eating. I've definitely had some soreness in the boobs, like I've never experienced before--not ideal when I spend most of my time with a climby two-year-old. I had some definite nausea on Monday morning, when I thankfully had the morning off, which I've since attributed to not eating early enough. Since that morning, Yasu has been amazing and has brought me breakfast in bed before he leaves for work, so that I can get food in me as soon as I'm awake. Oh, and the supersonic smell--it's there. 

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: GIVE ME ALL THE SPICY FOOD. All week long I've been craving spice--jalapeno chips, pepperjack cheese, tamales with mole sauce, and have been spicing up everything I'm eating at home! As for aversions, I had a very stinky encounter with raw cod the other day, which nearly killed me, but I was okay with it once it was cooked. 

Weight gain/loss: No clue! The battery on our home scale is dead, so I've got nothing. However, I'm definitely feeling bloated and am incredibly uncomfortable in jeans. GIVE ME ALL THE LEGGINGS.

Sleep: I've been in a bad trend of waking up at 4am and struggling to fall back to sleep. It's really frustrating, but I wake up either hungry or needing to go to the bathroom, and then my mind starts spinning. This isn't all that uncommon for me, but it's certainly inconvenient. 

Exercise: It hasn't been my best week, but it also hasn't been my worst. I got out for a couple walks and have been moving. The weather is supposed to be nicer this week, and my schedule should be a bit more open, so I'm hoping to get moving at least 3 days this week! 

My best moment of the week: FINDING OUT! I took 3 tests last weekend--I was a couple days late and just felt a little weird, and lo and behold...Baby! It was the most exciting and terrifying moment all at once. I took two tests, then we went to Target to buy another from a different brand, as well as What To Expect When You're Expecting...because, freak out! I'm definitely pregnant!

Also, Yasu texted me on Thursday asking if I could knit baby something. There was an handmaid artisan fair going on in his office building, and he'd bought a couple skeins of super soft alpaca yarn. It was the most sweet and thoughtful thing, and I definitely teared up when he told me. 

Yasu's best moment of the week: When the news came. 

What we're looking forward to: My first prenatal appointment on Dec. 22. It honestly can't come soon enough. 

photo by my handsome husband