Waking up at 6:45 am on Sunday morning for church was painful. The night before, I took a 2-hour afternoon nap which managed to throw a kink into my nocturnal sleeping schedule, providing me with a frustrating dose of insomnia. Couple that with three trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night and you have the perfect recipe for a painful and reluctant awakening.

I couldn’t find my only pair of jeans that still fit (Gap size 6). It must’ve been in the wash. So, I pulled out my pair of $14.99 maternity jeans that I bought from Wal-mart and tossed on a t-shirt and completed my ghetto look with a hoodie. The jeans don’t fit well at all. I bought a medium, thinking that I would grow into it — but not thinking about what to do prior to that. Unfortunately, I was running late and I just had to go with it. So, the baggy, too-long Wal-mart preggie jeans would have to do for the day. I walked around church feeling frumpy, shapeless and totally self-conscious. After brunch, I asked Hubby to take me shopping.

We ended up at Motherhood Maternity in Waikele, the only maternity store that I’m familiar with. Two hours and $278 later, I walked out with a whole new wardrobe and brighter spirits. Hubby remarked, “That’s a great deal. $278 would have bought you maybe three blouses at Ann Taylor.” True that.

Having clothes that fit without feeling like a stuffed sausage can be incredibly uplifting.

During that outing, I also bought a box of Preggie Pops. It’s one of those items that they strategically place near the register, perfect for impulse purchases. So far, I eaten a few and it seems to help quell the queasiness somewhat. They’re a little too sweet to be popping one after another, but I do turn to them when the nausea becomes more than a little bothersome.

Speaking of morning sickness remedies… I’ve also been wearing Sea Bands for the past few days and it seems to help somewhat with the nausea. Another useful tip that I gleaned from Lindy was eating cold foods since they tend not to have the aroma that heated foods do. (Food smells make me want to hurl.) Cold foods like salads, cold somen, sandwiches, etc. seem to agree with my delicate palate. I’ve managed to eat a few small meals that way without the gaggy feeling that I usually get. It’s nice to be able to eat something other than crackers and 7up for a change. Joni also bought me a bottle of Nutella as an alternative to peanut butter and jelly, so I’m going to give that a whirl, too. I’m pleased that my food horizons are slowly expanding again!

I hope this cold goes away soon. Every time I sneeze, I worry that I’m going to blow the baby clear out of my uterus. Being sick just doesn’t feel like it’s good for the baby and I’m about as paranoid as a newly pregnant woman can be about the health and welfare of the tiny Snowflake. No, make that MORE paranoid than most. I am, in fact, counting the very days to the end of my first trimester (in 18 days) which is when I can breathe a little easier and safely begin telling people that I’m pregnant, according to my doc. As if everyone doesn’t already know by now. Between this website, the few people I’ve told, and the rumor mill at work I might as well be wearing a sign that proclaims, “I’m pregnant!”

I hope the coming of the end of my first trimester (in 18 days) will also bring the end of my morning 24/7 sickness. Being able to eat my favorite foods with reckless abandon is almost unimaginable at this point. For now, the teeniest meals that I manage to squeeze down hardly seems nutritious enough to support me, much less the baby. My mother-in-law even declared that she will be bringing me a pack of Ensure to, well, ensure that I’m getting all the nutrients that I need. I hope I’ll be able to drink it without gagging.

Okay, I’ve expended all of the energy I have for now. It’s back to bed for me.

I awakened from my illness-induced nap, three glorious hours of late afternoon slumber. My only concern is that it may affect my ability to get to sleep tonight and may leave me tossing and turning for hours.

Napping has become a part of my daily routine. I have probably taken more naps in the past month than I have my entire adult life. Pre-preggers, I avoided naps because I would awaken with a pounding headache, feeling crappier than before I laid down. I also felt like naps were such a waste of time. Now, I embrace the opportunities for a little extra shuteye and rarely am I punished for my sloth-like tendencies with a headache these days. I suppose it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to sleep away my first trimester. It’s a rough few months, for sure.

I’m still not eating well. Carbs seem to be dominating my diet, its bland properties a salve for my constantly upset tummy. Today, I discovered my love of mashed potatoes. For some reason, rice has not been appetizing to me at all. I have a feeling that Hubby will be making a lot of runs to the KFC drive-thru in the upcoming days.

The doctor was able to work me into his schedule this afternoon. Since I’m pregnant, he wasn’t able to recommend much in terms of medication. He said to try Chlor-Trimeton if my infertility specialist would allow it and also called in a prescription for an Albuterol inhaler for my shortness of breath. I haven’t picked up either yet, wanting to check with my specialist first. If I can bear it, I will go without the drugs entirely. Although, I think having the inhaler might be handy just in case I have an all-out asthma attack. He also gave me a note to stay home for the rest of the week, which I will gladly take — as copious amounts of sleep will probably be the best medicine right now. At least I can rest assured that my cold hasn’t escalated into something nasty like pneumonia.

After 11 minutes and 37 seconds of hearing endless ringing, punctuated by an automated message indicating “all agents are currently busy, please continue to hold,” I have decided to hang up. My doctor’s office needs to invest in a better telephone system that at least lets the caller listen to cheesy elevator music rather than the jangling of repeated ringing. Frankly, this can get old pretty quick to someone who is already feeling worse for wear.

I gave up on calling the clinic directly and called the central appointment line and got an agent in two rings. Unfortunately, they checked my doctor’s calendar and he’s booked solid today and tomorrow. Not good news for me, since it seems that my cold has taken a turn for the worse and my only option for treatment at this point is rest, since drugs are not recommended while I’m pregnant. I just want to make sure the cold has not transformed into something worse, such as something resembling pneumonia or bronchitis. Or equally dreadful, awaken my asthma. The agent offered to send a message to my doctor’s office and I threw in the part about being 9 weeks pregnant in hopes that would give them a little more incentive to squeeze me into the schedule. We’ll see.

For now, I suppose all I can do is keep warm, drink lots of fluids and get as much rest as possible. Unfortunately, feeling crummy is unavoidable at this point.

Too sick. Can’t write. More later.

The Snowflake’s second portrait

Today was my second ultrasound. This time, Hubby was in town and was able to see the baby’s heartbeat for the first time. (He was traveling when we had the first ultrasound.) The doc says I’m at 8 weeks and 5 days according to the ultrasound, which is strange because exactly 2 weeks ago, I was told that I was 6 weeks and 3 days. Whatever the case, my due date is September 24, 2008.

I am happy to report that the doctor says the Snowflake has a strong heartbeat! But, he always makes it clear that I am still “not out of the woods yet” and warned me that many miscarriages happen between the 4th and the 12th weeks of pregnancy. I will be taking it very easy at least for the next 4 weeks or so.

Then, he said, “it’s safe to start telling people once you hit the 12th week.” Ooops. Too late. The whole world, including the Internet, already know. But, it’s okay. I always meant for my journey to be open and transparent, no matter what the outcome. But, we’re keeping all things in prayer for the Snowflake, that I’ll be able to carry baby to full term and that he/she will be born healthy and strong.

Doc congratulated us and said, “okay, now I’m kicking you out. Make an appointment with your ob/gyn in two weeks.”

“You mean that’s it? This is my last appointment with you?” I asked, incredulous. I thought he’d be monitoring my progress at least through the end of my first trimester. I felt a tinge of sadness. After all, doc and his staff had been a big part of my life for the past two years. Had I known this was my last appointment, I would have brought the staff a goodie basket as a thank you for all their help and care during my journey.

“That’s right, I’m kicking you out,” he grinned as he gave me a warm hug. “Good job, guys. I’ll see you again in about a year and six months. One year to rest… that should be about the right time.”

A year and six months. I can’t imagine going through another in vitro cycle. But who knows, maybe after experiencing the joy of having the Snowflake, I just might reconsider.

Technorati Tags: ultrasound, 8 week ultrasound, pregnancy, IVF, in vitro fertilization, infertility treatment

Coming down with a cold on a Friday is just plain wrong. Coming down with a cold on a Friday before a long weekend is pure evil.

And that’s where I find myself today: staring into the face of a very busy weekend and a body that is bent on going into siesta mode.

I took a few hours of sick leave this afternoon for my second ultrasound appointment. I hope to have an updated picture of the Snowflake for your viewing pleasure tonight.