Summary of the last month.5: since being pregnant isn't always so obvious, i took some early signs as just whims of appetite, not as signs that something new might be happening in my body. It all started the Friday before the July 4th weekend. A little trip to our local mega-supermarket resulted in my mass infatuation with the chocolate cakes on display at the very front of the store. Some may say, "big deal, chocolate cake, who wouldn't be drawn by it?" But then, you have to understand - I'm not that much of a chocolate person. This cake looked to me like the world, and I should have taken that little hint as a sign of something new. Even Hubby raised an eyebrow. That weekend was filled with my immediate desire to eat every sample of junk food we had around the house - from plantain chips, to potato chips, to sweet cheese danishes. And not once during the weekend did any thought of that wonderful chocolate cake leave my mind! (though we spared ourselves the torture by not buying the cake in the first place) Boy, I can still picture that cake - hm!
Things were moving along smoothly in the following weeks, without any flag or hiccup, and still I noticed nothing out of the ordinary. I had *luckily* no washes of morning sickness, nor of nausea - and I am hoping, that from this point forward, that I still will be able to keep my food down. When I finally realized that, yes, I may have something going on in my body, it was well into July, after dinner parties, nights out with the ladies, and a general laissez faire attitude, which I attributed to the wonderful humid heat of this area. Cravings? No. Nausea? No. Growing belly and chest? Well, that's what gave it away. Not to mention, I'm a back sleeper, and somehow in the mornings, I was always on my side. I guess the body knows just what to do at times.
So I told Hubby, "you know, I think I may be pregnant." He's like, "well, let's just wait and make sure." Girl is on monthly time like the Swiss clocks, and I knew I needed no waiting to make sure. A quick trip to the drugstore, and sure enough, an at-home test confirmed what I had suspected. Our 2 were soon to be a 3.
What pity, then, the next day we were to meet up with two of our very good friends, Bonnie and Andrew, whom we've coined "Bondrew" much to their amusement and chagrin, for dinner out. Andrew, as a wine merchant, delivers any meal like a journey through the best vineyards, whether home-prepared or out at restaurants. Coughing it up to a sore in my mouth (which I legitimately got from not being able to get a full-nights' sleep for the past 3 weeks without having to get up and use the bathroom in the middle of the night, and which made it nearly impossible to be able to carry on a decent conversation with our good friends), I made a somewhat clean get-away from having alcohol that evening, though all looked so wonderful. Nevertheless, the dinner was enjoyable, and the company was wonderful. I poutingly resigned myself to the role of designated driver for the next 9 months, but Hubby was kind enough to surrender alcohol consumption around me during the course of this pregnancy.
A week ago ended a 2-week heat wave here, during which temperatures went above 100 degrees, and I really had no appetite (but during summertime, I usually don't have much of an appetite anyway) nor desire to be in the kitchen. During that time, I kept up my usual intake of water and fruits, and I definitely upped my water on the days I biked to and from work. I normally enjoy the full bounty of summer fruits, so getting those fruits and veggies into my diet weren't as much of a concern as getting enough protein (again, my usual summertime reaction to the surrounding heat and humdity). I kept my energy up by eating smaller meals throughout the day (some of which are as simple as just a piece of fruit), so that I don't hit a wall of hunger at meal times, and so that I can help keep nutrients moving around in my body. This "smaller meals" approach is one I'm still doing now and hope to continue through the pregnancy.
Other-activity-wise...The jury's out on so many other issues, that, like both Hubby and Doc both have said, " don't do anything different from what you may normally do, but, now, really do listen to your body." So, I still bike to and from work, though now I allot a bit more time instead of trying to compete time-trial-style in a race to cut down my daily commute to and from the office. Yoga is still a part of my day, but I've decided to stay away from poses that put pressure on my stomach, since it's readily uncomfortable. And as yoga has already taught me, I listen more heartily to my body, to really see what is or is not comfortable, to adjust to make room for a growing belly, and to really breathe through each pose.
Are we surprised? Oh yeah. Excited? Getting there. We're still not in the safe zone. I've quickly gotten up to Internet speed on what in the world is going on in my body. What to eat. What to avoid. What to do day by day. And after reading everything, all I can say is, "blah hoopla." Yes, I'm avoiding them big fish, and I'm avoiding sushi (tuna, spicy tuna, salmon, and whitetail - how I miss you so!). I normally don't drink soda and coffee, so that isn't as much of a loss in my diet. And like I said, chocolate isn't high on my taste-bud list, so no caffeine worries there either. Alcohol consumption is also off my list, but I will enjoy a taste with meals (taste, meaning savoring a tongue's touch, but not enough to swallow). I now make sure I always carry around a bottle of water with me, to stave off dehydration. But otherwise, I'm trying as best I can to progress without making such a big deal out of everything. The mass of information available to everyone now seems to make everyone instant experts on all kinds of things, especially in the area of judgment. I would like to try as best I can to stay humble through this experience, in hopes that I will pass along some thought of non-judgment to our new addition. I say this now, as much a message to go out, as also a message for me to remember as I embark on this new journey.
I start this post, to other preggies out there, who may be struggling in the kitchen, who may have at one time loved to cook but now find no enjoyment in this daily dance around the fire. I intend to keep it up from here on out, of my daily kitchen routine, in hopes that somethings I make or do will help others. With that said...
1 comment:
Thanks Dayna!
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