11 Weeks Today!

As we approach the 2nd trimester (a thought I still can't wrap my head around) I'm starting to look at images like this and daydreaming about a little one's nursery. 

Tomorrow, at 11w1d, Baby H will have its 7th ultrasound.  Can you belive it? SEVEN. 

Extreme? Yes.
Worth it?  Absolutely.

I thought I'd do one of those cute question and answer posts.  However, I don't know the exact questions, so I'll share some basic info. 

Weight gain? 
Weight is a touchy subject.  I looked very pregnant during IVF #2, so actually 11 weeks pregnant makes me feel slightly less fat.  I refuse to weigh myself.  It will happen soon enough at the next OB appointment on September 2nd.

Maternity clothes? 
Oh yeah.  I went to Target yesterday and got 2 pair of pants and 4 tops.  Let me tell you, it was heaven.  They were too big, but it's so much better than too small.  I should get one of those bands because I spend 90% of my time hiking them up.  I'm still wearing my regular shorts that don't have to be zipped and buttoned.

Nausea? 
Honestly, before being pregnant, I thought morning sickness was a bunch of malarkey.  NO it is not.  I have felt sick 24 hours a day.  Yep, morning, noon, and night.  I have actually only gotten sick 4 times and that was at 7.5 weeks.  Every other time I've been able to breathe deeply and talk myself out of it. 

Cravings? 
For a few weeks, all I wanted was Sprite or Diet Gingerale.  All I could eat was the worst thing in the world...carbs.  The plainer the better.  Potatoes and Bread were the only things that were appealing.  Yes, this behavior has stopped.  In the last few days, I've started eating normally again. Oh, and I also really truly crave pickles AND ice cream.

Sleep? 
Sleep is normal except for the bathroom breaks.  Some nights it's four times, some nights it's only one trip. 

Cramps?
I have AF cramps all the time.  ALL the time.  I've finally just resigned myself to the fact that this is normal for me.  My uterus is growing and with all the confusion my body has been through, of course I'm going to feel it.  The most painful physical symptom I've had is my boobs.  They were big to begin with, DD's, and  now they are much fuller.  Fun for some of us, not for others.

The husband? 
He has 3 children ages 15, 12, and 10 but shares my excitement.  I'm sure cheating a vasectomy has something to do with the thrill of victory.  Thank you, ICSI!  It's so nice to marry a man who is a pro at all things baby. He knows the answer to most every question.  I've got a lot to learn from him.

The kids?  His kids had a very positive reaction.  We told them at about 7 weeks.  His daughter was very excited as she already has two younger brothers and would love to have a sister.  The boys are definitely hoping for a boy.  All in all, it was well-received news.  And, yes, I was veeeeeeery nervous.  So glad I was wrong. 

Excercise?  Our city just spent 1.13 million dollars on a walking trail connecting two parks.  As luck would have it, our neighborhood is right smack in between the two parks.  This means the paved, ten foot wide trail has to go through our neighborhood.  How about right through our backyard?  The trail runs along the tree line of our backyard so I can hop on outside the backdoor and walk to my heart's content.   Perfect timing.  Stroller shopping, anyone?

I'm trying to be calm until October 27th when we can find out what this baby is!  We're going to the Smokey Mountains with my family for Thanksgiving. My dad is renting a cabin large enough for us all to stay in.  I hope I can keep the sex of the baby a secret from them for one month.  When we get there, we can have a reveal party by cutting into a cake with white icing.  Inside will be pink or blue cake. 

So exciting!   
Life is good.