The Undiscovered Country

Feeling is believing

One way to increase your blog views: Don't write an entry for a week. Yep, I’ve noticed some people come back again and again to check for updates, find none, but the view still counts. Thanks! (hee, hee).

For the last two months, I’ve had the usual symptoms of pregnancy:

Morning sickness: Still not gone, darn it, but it hasn’t worsened. Saltines help, but to make them a little more edible, I slather peanut butter on them. I think after this I will never want to touch a saltine or eat peanut butter again.

Headaches: Whether sinus, lack of caffeine, stress, or all the above, hardly a day goes by I don’t have one.

Fatigue: I wonder if my muscles and bones will atrophy away soon from laying down so much. I managed to walk to and from work yesterday without collapsing halfway in a fit of snores.

Prego-brain (or mental hibernation): My super-fun symptom! Being mentally unaware of most things can result in some funny behavior. Last week I filled out my time sheets, and I could have sworn it was July! It took me two days to realize it was still June.

Moodiness: It’s not bad, but I made Hubby feel really bad the other night. I told him I was going to bed, and not 10 minutes later, he decides to set off firecrackers right below the bedroom window. Let’s just say I wasn’t diplomatic when I ran downstairs and ordered him to stop.

Flip-flopped appetite: Case in point. My hubby two days ago spent almost two hours cooking a casserole with potatoes, fresh walleye, cheese and cabbage; normally a yummy dish for me. One bite and my tummy clenched as if to say: “Oh, no, you are not putting that in here!” I felt so bad when I told Dave I couldn’t eat it. I instead slurped down a cup of peach yogurt, because nothing else sounded remotely appetizing.

Still, up until last night, they’ve been mere symptoms.

I went to bed and laying on my back I placed my hand on my tummy. I then felt it: not the baby, but a hardness an inch below my belly button and about the size of a large orange. I poked around in wonder at how much my uterus had expanded in such a short time - it seems like only a day. For a while I wondered if the doctor would find the heartbeat at my next appointment, because for so long I felt no physical changes. Now I don’t think it will be a problem. I called Dave and had him poke around my tummy a few minutes later. He felt it, too, and thought that was pretty neat.

At that moment I knew I had a baby growing inside me. That might sound a little strange considering I’ve known since mid-May. But just as seeing is believing at times, so is touching something that makes it seem more real.

Oh, I decided a month or so ago I need to trade in my Jeep Wrangler for something more “family friendly.” While I have plenty of room, it’s not designed to get into the back easily, especially trying to secure a wiggly child in a car seat. I realized that after watching my sister-in-law struggle to get her two-year-old son in his car seat when they visited last fall. Dave’s truck is no better since it has no back seat. I figured I had plenty of time to decide, but after last night, I realized I need to look for a different car within the next two months. Pretty soon I won’t be able to tie my shoes let alone step up into my Jeep without trouble.