Great Expectations: The First Trimester

Now for the post some have been waiting for and others didn't even know was in the works. 

We are indeed expecting! 

Baby Herndon is due January 30th...

...Meaning I have now made it through the first trimester!!!

I've been taking some bump pictures these past few weeks to begin documenting things...

and so begins the makings of a baby bump.

10 Weeks (prune)

(right after our big move to Boston in the baby's future room)

 11 Weeks (lime)

 12 Weeks (plum)

 Week 13 (peach)

(I'm still working on how I want these photos to look...so I got a little creative on you!)

Highlights from the first trimester...

How Far Along: Weeks 5-14 (First trimester)

Weight/Clothes: Since in the beginning I was eating pretty regularly to keep my nausea at bay, so I was a little nervous heading to the scale at my first few appointments. Not to worry though because I had actually lost a couple pounds in the beginning and I've only gained 4 pounds the first trimester. 

In terms of clothes, I've been able to work with my normal wardrobe until the last week or so when I finally broke down and bought a couple pairs of maternity capris. I can still button my normal pants, but I get uncomfortable and even sick feeling from the pressure on my belly after a while and since I had yet to buy a belly band and the capris were on sale and calling to me, I went ahead and picked them up and I've been LIVING in them ever since. I feel like now my regular shirts fit better since I'm not dealing with weird button issues underneath though I am also going to need to buy new bras pretty soon because I've been living in my sports bras for the comfort and added support since the ladies have grown quite a bit over the past few months. Adam will randomly comment from time to time almost surprised by how large they've become, haha.

Cravings: Since moving to Boston, I've found myself obsessed with PIZZA. It has all the food groups right?! I will say going into week 14 I think that craving is beginning to dwindle after it triggered major heartburn last week. 

I am also obsessed with SOUP! Any kind of soup...clam chowder, chili (a lot the first week we were in Boston eating at Beantown Pub each day), hot and sour, tomato and I know I've had others along the way. Just LOVING SOUP!

Fizzy Water, the best kept secret EVER! Regular water was making me sick at times, weird I know...so at camp I drank gatorade to stay hydrated and before that I was drinking quite a bit of ginger-ale, but then I discovered FIZZY water or club soda (my new go to at restaurants). I can stay hydrated without the added calories and it feels fancy and cultured since I normally only drink it in Europe...WINNING!

Gender: Not known yet...but we do plan to find out and have a fun gender reveal party where we'll find out with our family and friends hopefully...still working on those plans depending on Adam's job and days off.

Movement: None yet...though my mom says I could start feeling a fluttering feeling soon. Guess we'll see.

Symptoms (discomfort, belly issues, nasal issues, sleeping, etc): 

Occasionally there's some discomfort as I can feel things stretching internally...very strange to be that aware of your uterus! In the beginning it would make me nervous, but now I realize it's just part of the experience.

I've also been SNORTING when I laugh and quite a bit (usually at night)...bizarre I know...but I'm thinking it has something to do with the congestion that can come up during pregnancy. 

I've had AFTERNOON sickness! It would set in around 3-4pm and last well into the evening. I've only actually gotten sick a couple of times, but the lingering nausea wasn't too fun.  Getting sick the first time had to do with taking my vitamins with not enough food in my stomach...I've taken to calling this Vitamin Torture. I take my vitamins at night, but now I try to take them with my largest meal since vitamins are the main cause of feeling yucky at this point. I've also had to add more fiber to my diet to try and keep things moving along if you know what I mean especially since I'm trying to cut back on caffeinated coffee, which has helped in this department in the past.  I had some heartburn...but nothing Tums can't knock out thankfully. Gotta love tummy troubles. Good times!

I've been sleeping a ton...a full nights sleep and naps pretty much daily...NO SURPRISE...especially since this girl has always loved her sleep.

Mental State: Pretty good being that since finding out we were expecting I've held down life while Adam was at Airforce Chaplaincy School for 6 weeks, packed our home in Chesapeake (WITH A LOT OF HELP...thanks to my moms), gone to summer camp, moved to Boston and settled into our new place (WITH A LOT OF HELP from our parents...I was mostly allowed to supervise), traveled and photographed a wedding, sold our Chesapeake house (Praise the Lord), and begun traveling for another photography project. It's also been interesting lately because we're meeting a ton of new people through our new church and while being pregnant has not been a secret and most people back home in Virginia Beach already knew by the time we moved, it has seemed like a weird introduction to say, "Hi I'm Jessica and I'm pregnant." but it also seems important to share as people are asking me about work and my plans for this coming fall as we get settled into life in New England. Little by little we're sharing our news with our many new friends and acquaintances.

Appointment Updates: After taking three pregnancy tests (I'll post that story separately along with how I then told Adam the news), but after seeing that magical double pink line letting me know I was indeed pregnant, I headed in to see my doctor in Norfolk. The first appointment occurred just before 5 weeks, but the doctor thought I should be 7 weeks due to my irregular, crazy cycle, so I went home and prayed for a lot progress at the next week's appointment. That next appointment was a HUGE answer to prayer because there was a HEARTBEAT!!! It was official...I was 6 weeks! I cried tears of joy! I headed back again two weeks later to check on things, have blood work drawn and make sure the dating was still correct, which is was...I was now 8 weeks. I was even able to video the ultrasound and heartbeat, so Adam could be apart of the appointment since he'd been away. It was great having both moms come along for alternating early appointments though in his absence. 

I knew I needed to find a new practice as soon as I arrived in Boston since I was about to be scheduled for a 12 week appointment and special ultrasound screening. Really I didn't want to miss out on that major ultrasound where you really get an amazing look at the baby (more on that cool experience in a separate post). Thankfully I met up with Adam's boss's wife who had delivered her youngest two in Boston and her practice was just what I was looking for...a collaborative practice of OBs and midwives who delivered at Brigham and Women, which I've also been told is THE place to deliver a baby. I've met my midwife and I have an appointment with the OB next week. They got me into the practice right on schedule to then also schedule the ultrasound at 12 weeks! PERFECT TIMING!

Is this normal? Strange occurrences: Sometimes it become difficult to walk because of pain in my backside, like a pinched nerve kind of thing...but I can sometimes walk it off or wait it out. I keep saying it's my sciatic nerve, but who knows really. Adam loves my self diagnosis...NOT. I don't think it's anything too serious, but it's been an interesting development since I'm walking around Boston as much as possible now.

Best Moment of the Week: Seeing Baby Herndon on the ultrasound. It's amazing how you can see so much...all his/her organs...even the four chambers of the heart. WOW! 

So there you have it...more postings to come on life in pregnancy.