9 Weeks Pregnant

The Belly:
 I feel the same. Maybe a eensie weensie bit firmer. (The belly is soft from entering motherhood 17 months ago, so I wonder when it will finally be big enough to stretch the skin taught again. Might be nice, almost like I'm toned. lol. I'm gonna count it as a perk anyway.)
But... apparently, I can see that I'm smaller --- after looking at the photos.
(Yes finally pictures!)
So that means, that yes, last week was bloat.

Physically: 
By the end of our weekend at my parents I was thinking I'd passed the hump of nausea, I was eating whatever anyone else did and nothing was grossing me out. It was great. Then I got home and immediately felt nauseous! Oh Life! Now that I don't have grandma-backup for J, I have to suck it up again.
But honestly, I've been doing really well with my energy level --- especially when I compare it to my pregnancy with J. Last time around I was experiencing tired in ways I didn't even know existed. Like there I was editing wedding photos for a client (conveniently located on my couch), and it was like I could hear a wave of sleep coming up from behind me and there was just enough time for me to think, "I'm going to sleep now." before the wave crashed over me and I was gone -- no force on earth could have kept me from succumbing to it.
And I was always going to bed at like 8:00pm or sometimes even 7:00pm!
There has been nothing like that this time. No waves crashing, not even ripples really. I go to bed at a normal time. Its a bit harder to wake up in the morning (especially if J wants to be up early!) but not really all that different from new motherhood days. And I often take a nap when J does. But hey, I've been doing that for 17 months now --- not really a huge deal. It just can make it kinda hard to keep up with the chores that I like to do when J's down -- but I'm learning to just not worry so much, even with the house on the market (you'd be surprised how much stuff you can hind in a hurry!)

(TMI warning:)
Oh and I forgot to mention last week, J is still a nursing machine, which I'm ok with. But as of last week I started having the sore nipples of a pregnant women, so its a bit more of a challenge for me these days. But usually if I just suck it up for 15 - 30 seconds when she starts to nurse it goes back to feeling normal. Although I will say there are points at which she is determined to be permanently attached to me for long amounts of time only to return shortly after for what she hopes is another eternal nursing session, and thats when I start to get very sore. I'm at a loss for ways to distract her from her determination to nurse, so sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed. But generally speaking it works out.



Food:
Right now eggs on whole wheat toast are where its at. Mmm mmm mm.
(But, to be clear, there is no way I can stomach them with out the toast. I don't know how eggs can sound so delicious on toast and so horrifying on their own, but they do!)
Orange juice tastes great with that, but immediately brings on the tummy ache, so I need to resist.

Everything else is hit or miss.

Tonight I tried steeping ginger root in hot water for the first time.
I had been wanting ginger ale, but I'm not comfortable with the sugar (both health and taste wise, I've been off pop for so long that it tastes waay too sweet.) and I'm also not comfortable with diet soda's sweeteners.
So I thought I'd give this a whirl.
I LOVE IT!
I felt like I brought home magic beans or something.
I just cut up some peeled ginger root and left it in hot water for a while (it was probably an hour before I got to it.)
I tried it hot and liked it.
Then I tried it iced and really liked it.
Then I added sparkling water and LOVED it!
Natural homemade sugar free ginger ale.
And the taste is so gourmet because its fresh!
I think this may be a staple in my life, pregnant or not! :)



Feeling:
More emotionally stable.
I always feel a little ify when I get home from staying at my mom's house because she is such a huge help with J, and its a harsh transition to be alone all day while Blake is at work. But we did fine today. Even got the dreaded grocery shopping done.
I also got in contact with a doula in Iowa who has 15 years of experience under her belt and specializes in VBACs. That was great! She had tons of knowledge on VBAC friendly providers in the area and the different ways in which they work. It was really reassuring to be able to talk with her and hear her input and experiences, especially since I was so intimidated by the prospect of finding a provider in a new state.
So now I know the options, I just need to look into our new insurance and see how it all lines up. And just keep praying that God will be leading and guiding me.



Baby:
Should be around the size of a grape! :)
I felt J move crazy early on (11 weeks), so early people might try and connivence me it wasn't her -- but no one could ever succeed in doing that. I KNEW it was her.  So sometimes I think I might be feeling little flutters. But I'm not positive this time, because like I mentioned before I've had phantom baby kicks ever since J came out. But these aren't kicks. They are tiny low lying flutters. But I'm still not real sure. If it is the baby, either they move A LOT, or I've gotten super sensitive since last time, because I only felt J flutter twice in a row and then not any more for a really really long time, and I'm feeling fairly regular flutters at the end of week 9. mmm. Totally undecided, but no one can tell me its impossible, that little one is moving in there whether I feel it or not! :) So cool! God is so amazing!



Other:
Blake HAS to finish is PhD before he starts his new job and our new life. He's feeling the pinch. So hold us up in prayer, if you would. Pray that God would give him wisdom and insight into what he needs to be writing and preparing. And that God would give him super human streangth to get through these next weeks with very little sleep.
AND
Pray I would be able to leave him alone enough to get his work done. I worry I'm gonna be pregnant-wimpy and ask him for way to much help with J and the house. (Like asking him to help me clean out the fridge cause the contents make me want to puke!) So pray I'd have some super human powers of powering through the 1st trimester yuckies with less help.

P.S. Normally Blake goes through and edits my posts because I am a terrible speller, and he is awesome at both spelling and grammer -- but I am not asking him to edit my stuff until he's a doctor! :) So bare with me and the many mistakes I'm sure to make!