Month Nine - April almost home...

Wow, how did I get all the way to the 9th month? I can't believe it.

Despite some of the drama, my pregnancy has been fairly easy. I didn't get morning sickness, I didn't gain a ton of weight (26 pounds to date with 10 days more to go), my face still looks the same and I feel pretty good for the most part. My spells seem far away but sleep is still elusive and I still can't smell but that is OK. I really consider myself lucky. Anything negative was beyond my control. Being in tri-athalon shape before I got pregnant really does have its benefits. Oh those tiny shorts I wore for practice seem fit for 1 leg now but I plan on doing the Duxbury TRI in the fall.

Here are some of the things I said I would never do but have ended up doing; not finding out what we were having and leaving work before my due date. My whole life I thought I would find out, I am a planner by nature but when the day came (20th week ultra sound) I looked the other way. Our nursery is bluey/green and the bedding so tan and blue so good lord if its a girl but what are you going to do? Most people think boy!

I always bocked at women that worked up until their due date (gasp!!! what if their water breaks at work??, shock and horror). Well when it comes down to it, I am not dead and can still work and don't want to waste my 11 weeks without a baby in hand. I am lucky enough to be able to work at home too so this makes things easier.

I was surprised with yet another shower by my coworkers on April 5th. I was heading to a lunch with my coworker, AnneMette where we were to go across the street to the Rattlesnake to meet Martha (a client of ours). We get there an my whole office is there and Dave. I was totally surprised. I usually sniff out anything. Chris and AnneMette hoodwinked me by calling to prepare for the meeting. I was huffy with Chris as he didn't print out what I wanted and it was 11:30. Well I was punked when he was laughing over at the Rattlesnake. Again, people were too generous. Even Jeff who went to work elsewhere showed up. Again, blessed to be surrounded by great people.

This month was fairly quiet, we are not traveling (well I am not). One weekend is not great as the stress of the last 6 months weighs heavily on Dave. It all comes crashing down and hits him like a ton of bricks. I feel for him and thank you Dr. G for helping us get through it. His advice works and Dave's dad pays us a visit on 4/8. I hadn't seen him since October. He drives 10 hours in 1 day (with crazy Polly dog) and spends the day with Dave. I see him for 30 minutes as I have to work but I only care that my husband feels better. Ole' Dave laughs when he sees me as I am usually running around in shorts, not a giant tent that I am prone to waddling around in now. This helps make the month better!

We have an all day birthing class on 4/9. This I would not subject or recommend anyone do. I might either spread it out or do it through a store in town. 8 hours when you are 9 months pregnant is NOT comfortable. Dave was again a trooper and sat through the whole thing, even the obese people giving natural birth. I almost had to leave at that and not one person did. Kudos to everyone in the class. We made it through the class and treated ourselves to dinner with the Rands at the new Salem Beerworks. I have a 4 oz Blueberry beer and can barely finish it. Home in bed by 9:30.

The last class is Infant CPR that we take at the Pru. I am almost 37 weeks so technically I can go anytime. The other ladies in the class are jealous as my time looking like a watermelon is almost over. This week I have a dream that I have a girl. It's the first time I dream about the baby and come to find out so does my mother. She dreams its a girl too. We will see.

Lucy has Natalie on April 19th which is exciting. All goes well and the baby is too cute!

Dave gets a bunch of work on Nantucket. Of course it comes right when I am due but we have to do what we have to do. We have a plan of who can take me to the hospital and how he can get back in time for the delivery. He leaves for 10 days. I am happy in one respect as I get the WHOLE bed to my over sized self. The cat and I settle into a routine and I sleep through most nights. I had to drive to Acton one day to pick up the bassinet from Katie's Mom and I also drove to NH with Patti for an AZD reunion type thing. I feel SO old at UNH as the girls are at least 14 years younger than us. NUTS!!! The driving is OK when I have company. The bassinet is beautiful and exactly what I was looking for so I am STOKED I get to borrow it!!! Dave calls twice a day and answers every time I call him. He is just as nervous as me that the baby is imminent. Brandy and Al head to ACK for part of the time. It makes me a little nervous as they are my back up plan.

The one thing I can't manage to tackle as I am sooo tired is the house work. I am usually neurotic and a freak of things being in their place. I am sooo tired that one night I am in bed at 6:30. I could barely make myself supper. I had grand plans to get the crib all dressed and the new curtains hung. No dice. In my old body I would have done that in the 15 minutes before I rush to work. The baby waits for Dave and he comes home Friday night.

Yet another example of "it takes a village" is us being fortunate enough to get some extra gear from the Noonan's. I head over to Heather's one afternoon and she has a veritable Babies R Us set up in her basement. They are done with the little ones so there are clothes, swings, exersaucers, etc all up for grabs. I am beside myself. How nice is this? She and Jack pick out a few things for me to take (mostly going to Nantucket). I also get to see Jack's big boy bed too. He shows me all around and counts to 100 for me. Love this kid! I cart everything home and can say both houses are stocked. So thankful for friends!

Easter weekend Saturday we head to Tasha and Dan's for the annual crock pot cook off at their new house. The cooks are getting better every year. I am doubly excited for this event as I get to eat all I want of the crock pot goodness. I can't ever seem to eat enough so this is Mecca. Dan and Tash make "walking tacos" which are all the fillings put into a small chip bag and shake. AWESOME! I make some Thai chicken thing but the best things there (to me) are the chocolate fondue and Kate's choco crock cake. Easter was spent quietly at home (and with ice cream and we manage to get the crib dressed and window treatments hung). Wish we saw our niece and nephew as we usually do.

Dave has more work to do on Nantucket and since we don't know when Baby More will come, we say OK take off again. Again, we have the back up plans and girl friends on speed dial. Fingers crossed Baby More waits again but not too long as I can't bend over to pick up things I have dropped.

This is my last week in the office. I can't believe its here almost here.

OK update on 5/9/11 - I have still not delivered. Though it is only a few days past the due date, it feels like eternity. Your grandmother flew up from Florida only to just hang out with me. Nothing is really happening except for what feels like a 10 pound brick sitting on my pelvis. It's incredibly hard to turn over at night. I thought I would have you by Mother's day but no go. We go to the Barnacle for lunch with Mom, Dad, Matt, Me and Dave. I have potato skins, a virgin Mary and steamers (now if that isn't a preggo meal, I don't know what is). Still nothing! Oh well, I will be induced on May 10th at 7pm. Just wish you were here for Grandmom from FL. She's come back :)

Patti is still waiting too, I bet you two babies will be thick as thieves.

Photos:

Month 9 belly photo

AZD Reunion

Baby Natalie

Month 8 - Showers and Classes

Here we are in March and there is no sign of spring. Snow, snow, snow.

Up until now we have 2 things for the baby, a pair of blue moccasins from Margaret and a book from Aunt Joyce. I start to panic and we head off to Babies R Us to get the crib. I have a coupon so am feeling good about getting a bargain on this stellar crib I spend 2 weeks researching. I am very relieved when we order the crib and dresser. My Mom is coming to visit so we keep the bed in the nursery until she leaves.

Mom arrives on the Wednesday before my family shower. Like me, she is also slowing down which is a good thing with a very boring pregnant lady playing hostess. We have a nice time watching bad TV, grocery shopping and hanging around the house. One of the best visits with my Mom! My amazing Aunt Joyce is throwing me a shower on the 12th. I am so looking forward to this shower as there is absolutely no stress or worry involved with this shower. I simply have to show up and be loved by my Rodenhiser family. It's a nice spring day and my whole family is there. Aunt Lorinda made the 12 hour ride down from Canada and brings my grandmother's rocking chair that she rocked me in. (Tear!!!, I miss my Nana). Aunt Joyce has a bunch of games planned and we open gifts early! Wahoo!!! We spend most of the day there and then head home around 7pm where we again, just hang out. Life is soo different. On a funny preggo note, it's 40 degrees out and I have a dress on but I can't wear tights and I feel they are strangling me. Most days, I wish I didn't have to wear pants but this wouldn't be appropriate at work.

Mom heads home on Sunday and Dave puts up the crib, instantly we have nursery with actual baby things in it. This is becoming real. I am superstitious so I don't want to do too much. Phrew, a rush of relief. On a great note, I have almost no spells while my Mom is in town. She has a calming effect on me this week. Thank YOU. Baby More thanks you too!

We have our first baby class (Newborn essentials). It's taught at the hospital and Dave actively participates. In true Dave fashion, he puts the diaper on the dolls head, I almost kill him but one of the other Dad's is in hysterics. Men will always be boys! We get home and he tries to swaddle our 17 pound cat. Senor More will have none of this and we think oh nelly, he is in for a surprise.

I have a super busy week at work, meetings and entertaining. My clients can't believe I am still going to games/taking them out. Well, I am not dead and the spells are subsiding so live and let live. We have Matt and Leah over for dinner, we haven't seen them in a while so it's great to see them, they are recently engaged. We watch Donald Trumps roast and Matt laughs so hard he spews whiskey all over the living room. I crack up at this. We spend St. Patty's day with the Macione's, another couple we haven't seen in a while. Gotta get this stuff in before Baby More, although I plan on taking him/her out after 2 weeks. I will not be a slave to the living room.

Sleeping is still elusive, it's so unfair when I have just weeks left to sleep through the night and my giant belly, anxiety and wicked charlie horses do not allow this. I have 1000 pillows and there is no more comfortable bed than mine yet I lie awake staring at the ceiling (and occassionaly petting the Senor More).

My friend shower is on the 19th. We receive a nice card from Dave's parents a few days before and for the first time in 7 weeks, I sleep through the night. PHREW!! My friends are incredibly supportive and the shower will now be 5 minutes from my house at Brandy's . I am so grateful, this eleviated me having to travel which has been a huge source of my anxiety. Cars and trains = me not so good. The night before the shower I also have another nights sleep - yay, thank you lord! Dave knows I may have 100 spells this day and he is a great "Dave" mood. He comes downstairs with his shirt off and holding Senor More and says, "look, skin to fur". This is something we learned in Newborn class. Its so ridiculous I almost spit out my hot chocolate. HAAAAA

I wake up this day and have not idea what to wear so I decide to put off getting dressed and go for a run. I feel sooo great running. It's only 1 mile but whatever, I am 8 months preggo and the music pumps me up. I have 20 minutes to get ready and end up putting on a black dress that is 2 sizes too small with red heels and I look like a hooker. Oh well, my friends are so complimentary and I say screw it. Some friends I haven't seen in years show up, the theme was baby animals which seems to be our theme in general. Brandy's house looks so great. Love my girlfriends. Dan also makes a surprise visit! We get a ton of loot which again, I am so thankful for. We get the "Bob" stroller. I feel a bit guilty because all I harped about to Brandy is about this damn stroller. I must have forced her to buy it.

On the Monday after the shower, we have a breastfeeding class. I did not sleep the night after my shower. Up ALL night!! The spells came back. I really wish I could make the stress go away but I have no control over others. Anywho, we go to the class which is not taught by the same teacher as the newborn class. She is all over the place. Dave almost falls asleep at the table and I want to crawl under the table and die I am so tired. We'll try this feeding thing.

Super busy at work as I am trying to cram everything in before I leave. We attend Al's 45th birthday party. Brandy hosts her 2nd party in 6 days. I manage to stand up for 4/5 hours then need to get home to rest my bones.

The last day of this month I have jury duty in Lawrence of all places. I try to have a positive outlook on this as I think its important that people uphold thier civic duties. We have freedoms that not all enjoy. I hike over to Lawrence and get to a beautiful courthouse. The judge comes in a few times. I bide my time reading In an Instant about Bob Woodward and eat donuts from a place they mention down the street. 4 hours later they dismiss all of us and say thank you for your service. Being positive gets you places I swear!

We go from having nothing for the baby to having double and triples of everything as well as having gone to classes and finding a pediatrician. We got a ton of swings for some reason, all the big things and almost no clothes which I find comical. I am so grateful and it really does take a village to prepare for the arrival. We are READY!

Month 8 Photos:

Month 8 Belly x 2

Aunt Joyce's shower

My Aunties and Mom

Champ Dave

Friend Shower

Month 7 - February

The spells come almost everyday now. I visit the OB and one happens there. I was thankful that it did so they didn't think I was crazy. Crazy needs validation you know :). This happens about a week before we are supposed to go to the Cayman islands. I am told, the trip is off, there is no way you should be flying until we figure this out. I am stubborn and think, well I COULD try it but even the hubby says, I think we should cool it. For a whole week I work from home and visit the cardiologist every other day for a battery of tests. I had an echocardiogram and wear a holter monitor for 24 hours. I have to say the Cardiology center at North Shore Medical Center is top notch. I am impressed, its a bright light in the dingy, old hospital. The good news is that they find NOTHING wrong with my heart, the bad news is what the heck is going on? Since nothing is wrong technically, I am determined to salvage a vacation, we both need to get out of dodge and at this point so does Baby More. Caymans is cancelled and we loose those tickets. I write it off as its better than having to land the plane in San Juan because I faint or worse. Usually I would have a heart attack about loosing the money. We had miles to Florida so am able to get tickets down there. The good thing about Florida is that we have friends there and can make a last minute trip. My boss is amazing and says, GO! Dave's dad even offers to drive us to the airport after he made the trip to Newport to visit them.

We head down to Islamorada, FL to visit Dave's friend Drew. We called him on a Wednesday and he said, come on down. We get on a direct flight to Miami and it is amazing what the airlines will do to be helpful with a very visibly pregnant woman (who is terrified something is going to happen on the plane). I am pretty sure I scare a few passengers, they are thinking, please don't have the baby on the way to Miami. We got a whole row up front of the plane. Dave promptly falls asleep and I sit up the whole time thinking mind over matter, don't have a spell. At one point I did but since we had a row, I was able to lie down horizontally and get over it in about 20 mins. Long story short, we get to Miami in 1 piece, rent our car and drive the hour and a half to Islamorada. We get there at midnight.

I wake up in Florida to find out that we are in spitting distance from Drew's pool. I spend the day by the pool and Dave and Drew fix a boat (which is right up his ally). I am usually moving 100 miles and hour, I did not move more than a few feet ALL day. I am worried mama isn't going to have enough snacks so later that evening, I venture to the Winn Dixie to get some vittles and a Valentine's card for the hubby. I have a spell there and it takes me an hour to get 2 bags of snacks. I get back to everyone waiting in the street for me (I had forgotten my phone) and we were meant to see Sunset. The good thing about the keys is that everything is 5 minutes away on a straight road. The next 2 days are spent by the pool not doing much. Dave is content to muckle around on the boat and we ride out to toilet bowl alley a couple of times. I bought some beer at the Winn Dixie when I was there for Dave and you know our life is already different when he doesn't even finish a 12 pack and is bed by 11 every night and we sleep until 9.

We head up to Palm Beach Gardens on Wednesday to visit Nikki and Adnane Chalf and their 2 kiddies, Zahra and Ali. This is a whole other Florida experience. The keys are kick backed, sandals and t shirts, PBG reminds me of the Real Housewives of Orange County. They live in a pretty condo surrounded by beautiful trees and shopping malls. We spend a day there then head to Miami. I LOVE MIAMI. Whoever will listen to me, I am always harping about Miami. In my heyday, I would go there with my girls (Mysti or the travel gals) and wear hot pants and heels and strut around the beach. Skin to Win! Now, I am sober as a judge with a 20 pound basketball attached to me, wearing a long moo moo. So yes, the experience is different. We spend an entire 9 hours by the pool at the Four Seasons (downtown, not on the beach). Dave has never been and is amazed with how city it is and the hot people everywhere. Both nights we head down to South Beach to have dinner (after we are told, we'll never get a reservation as the boat show is in town). 1 night in particular is funny as we get a table on Collins Ave at one of the Bice's (on the boardwalk). About 2 doors down from Bice is a bar/restaurant called Planet or something like that. I am wearing a white dress and Dave is sporting his Nantucket Whale shorts. All the boys are staring at Dave and his shorts, we clearly look like WASPy posers. Then I realize the boys are looking at this thin, neatly dressed man because Planet is a gay bar. I am chuckling and Dave suggests we go for a drink (he doesn't realize it) hahahah We make one more pass through and a drag show starts. I get chased or rather Dave is being chased down the side walk by a 300 pound African American drag queen wearing red angel wings and red patten leather heels. Hysterical!

OK enough about our trip, we get home in 1 piece and both salvage tans. The sun helps the spirit so much. We get home on my 36th birthday. I love a Facebook birthday as I get about 100 happy birthdays. Even though I am dead tired from flying, I don't want to stay in so we hit Paradiso with our friends, the Rands. Always good food and 5 minutes from home. I still cannot believe I am 36. Seriously, what the hell! I moved to NY at 25 and fast forward 9 years, I am in the burbs, going to bed at 9pm with my big fat cat, Senor More.

The rest of this month has its ups and downs. I want to keep these postings positive, I will never forget how I was very hurt this month. A girl is just trying to be pregnant and keep a good vibe for baby More. The spells are particularly bad when we get home from FL, thank god I can work at home. I rarely drive or leave the house. On a very positive note, my parents are being more supportive then they have been and Dr. Gennaco gets a big increase to his business.

Dave goes to Lake George to ice fish with some buddies. I am glad he gets a boys weekend but also to have the bed to myself since sleeping is very elusive. I need a crane to turn over.

March is coming and so are the showers! Not rain, but baby!

First is Lucy's shower on Nantucket. I am 1 of the coordinators (I sign myself up for these types of things all the time). We have it at Roberts House and it is a great day, good food, lots or wine for the party girls and lots of loot for Lucy. Lucy and I are 1 week apart and have been able to go through this together. This was one of the easier showers to throw and what is most important is Lucy has no stress.

Onto the next month....

Month 7 photos:

7 month belly

My perch at Drew's

Daddy Dave enjoying a Heineken in the pool

Pierre's at Sunset

The Ice House at sunset

Mel, Dan and Lucy

Month 6 - The New Year 2011

Right after Christmas we headed to Loon Mountain to visit our friends the McCulloughs and see their kids. We both get skiing fever. Our heads start spinning, should we look at Condo's, are we going to be a ski family. Who else will be up here, it's only 2 hours away, wow this is great! OK, back to earth, I have to get this baby out and we plan (god willing) to have at least 1 or 2 more in the near future. I am too old to wait. So really am I going to be a ski bunny while pregnant for the next 3 years? OK, we'll hold off signing the P&S on a new ski condo. Dave isn't working this month either so we'd probably better save our pennies.

We spent New Years at the Rands, playing "headbandz" with the kids, eating a ton of appetizers and then watching entirely too much Tosh.0. I love Tosh.0, he is hysterical. We debated his sexuality and why half the time he is naked. We flipped back and forth between Ryan Seacrest and Tosh until Midnight then called it a night. The next day was the Frosty 5, a New Years day race in Salem that kicks off the race series. I really want this dumb race sweatshirt so I wanted to make the race to have it qualify. My good friend Amber joined me and off we went. I wasn't sure how fast I'd go since I'd had a lousy run a few days before but all in all a great race. I had to walk for half a mile but I'll take it. RUN Forest RUN is what I keep thinking as Dave again follows me on his bike and takes pictures. We saw our niece and nephew after that and I would say its a successful New Years Day!

I am feeling fine this whole time except for the 7 days in November. Dave builds a snow cave with the mountains of snow we were getting. Ah yes, I should note, we've received sooo much snow already this winter, more than I've ever seen. I was suppossed to take clients to see the Celtics but yet another snow storm hits and they can't make it. I don't like being inside for too long so I drag Dave and we take the train into see the game. It was SOLD OUT, not a seat was empty. People were tired of being cooped up.

One weekend we head to visit the Regan's in NH. They are always a breath of fresh air and I know I can get a work out in up there. Their beautiful home is newly renovated so you feel like you are in a hotel. Their kids, Annika and Carson are the cutest. The next day we go cross country skiing in New London, it's one of the best days of skiing I've ever had. OK, I wasn't flying off the moguls but the weather was like being out west and we came upon this little cabin after an hour that served organic turkey chili, hello AWESOME!!! The Regan's are master skiers and emmm we are not so much but we got 2 hours in and felt like a million bucks.

The end of the 6th month, it all catches up to me. All this good fortune and feeling good creeps up on me on 1/19. I am headed into the city to meet by boss for some meetings. I make sales calls for a living so this is not unusual. I get up maybe an hour earlier and get on the train only to be blind sided by dizziness, nausea and a almost total collapse. I had my jacket off and am fidgeting on the train trying not to pass out. For anyone who takes the commuter rail, knows it can be a bit claustrophobic. I start to pass out (mind you NO one says a word to me) but we are pulling up to the Chelsea stop, I gather all my stuff and sprint off the train. All I could think was get me out of here, get me out, I can't pass out on the train. I get out in the snow, tear my jacket off and lie on the bench like a homeless person for 30 minutes until the next train comes. Dave says he'll come pick me up but I had 2 huge meetings that day and my boss was in from NY. She is a great person but I don't want to let her down. I am now going to be late for my meetings and my blow out is wrecked from being drenched in sweat. Good times!!!! I fly into the office, grab a snack and fly off to meetings. She is circumspect on why I am not wearing my jacket. I tell her I need to take it easy and fake feeling good through my 2 meetings. I get through it then throw myself on the train home though I am scared to death it will get me again. From this day on I have these "spells". They happen at all times of the day and I can't pin point why. I often have to lie on my work floor behind my door until I feel I can get upright again.

Ahh these are the things that happen with babies. Onto the next month!

Photos:
6 Month Photo
Crossing Country skiing with Kristina
The Celtics game
Snow
Frosty Race

Month 5 - The Holidaze

Ah yes the holidays! In a previous life in NYC, I was out every night swilling champagne and red wine like it was water and doing cartwheels on the bar. 2011 was a much different story. We started out going to Nantucket Stroll with our good friends the Thoms, Rory and Donna. We had a blast of a day cruising around ACK. They drank all day and I coasted on Apple Cider. We had the most amazing meal at 56 Union and headed off to the Rose and Crown and Chicken Box. For those of you in the know, it's no place to be sober. BUT, I do not want to be one of those people that just can't hang. In the end I was the last to survive and stayed out later than Rory and Donna. I can say I've been to the Box, 5 months preggo and sober as a judge. The kicker is that my husband who drank himself silly woke up feeling fine and I was the one who woke up with the head ache. HAAAA

The next weekend was our annual TTT Christmas dinner and this year it was at the Palm. Good times had by all. There were 3 of us preggo this year so that was nice company to have. Some of the husbands sang which was hysterical, who knew they had talent. At midnight, I called Uncle and we drove back to Salem (saving $200 in a hotel room). We've saved so much money - HA!!

One other event this month was seeing Cousin Erik in his rendition of Scrooge. It's a great holiday outing for the whole family in Salem.

Christmas was tough. Some of you know why. We powered through and came out on the other side. This would have been a good time to be living oversees.

Photos:
ACK Stroll
TTT Party
5 Month Photo
Christmas

Month 4 (up to week 16)

So things are cruising along (barring some wicked headaches), feeling good, still somewhat fitting into my clothes. I've told my boss at this point and all is well. We haven't been doing a lot of anything except for looking at houses and I am still running.

Our 2 year anniversary was on 11/15/2010 so we decide to make a day in Maine. We head up to Kennebunkport to hit 2 galleries we like and then plan was to hit this place in Kittery Point on the water to eat. Both galleries are closed - BUST but its OK, I really didn't need the giant portrait of a hunting dog either. We head down the water to get to Chauncey Creek Lobster Pot (I had googled their fall hours and it said till 7). We head down around 4pm and since I go to bed early, we thought we could have the early bird special. BUST again, its closed, locked up tight. We have to laugh and continue on down the coast. We end up at Captain Patti's restaurant on the water. We are the youngest in there by 30 years but they have lobster and ice cream and that is all I care about. We caught an amazing sunset and had a nice dinner where we were back in Salem by 7pm and asleep by 8pm. Oh how my life has already changed. Saturday night and I am in my jammies at 7pm. The next night we see the King's of Leon at the Boston Garden with Lucy and Tate. We meet before for some North End yummies. Concert was great, albeit strange being there sober. I swear we had the drunkest girl in Boston behind us. She fell over on her head multiple times. Her friends were really good sports holding her up the whole time and I am sure she had no recollection of what concert she was at. Hysterical!

Out of no where on the night of 11/17 I am having horrific pains which I chalk up to a eating something bad. This started around 4 and walking around the block 2 times does nothing. I call my Doctor (who takes an hour and a half to call me back) and she says go to the hospital, it my be your appendix. WHAT? My appendix? Are you nuts? I spend 20 hours in the Salem Emergency room where they have no clue what is going on. I get an IV, some pain drugs that I didn't want (I didn't even take a tylenol for my wicked headaches). The Dr on duty proceeds to tell me his wife is pregnant with triplets and I say oh great! and he says, not great, we are going to selectively abort 2 of them though there were no issues. I thought get him out of my sight. He finally goes off duty and I go in for an MRI at 6:30 am. Good times, what the heck! I can't have a sip of beer but you can fill me with drugs and send me into an electromagnetic box for an hour. Really this doesn't make sense to me. At 11am the on duty OB Dr. comes in and says, it was my fibroids acting up and we can give you some narcotics to take the edge off. Well I could have told you I had a fibroid the size of a golf ball, you all suck! It was a horrendous experience starting with me waiting in a dirty waiting room while people with colds got seen first and being there 20 hours for something I knew about all along. Trusty husband has been up all night in a chair. I had jury duty that next day but since I couldn't walk I called in and for some reason I got a person and they deferred me. I go home, take half a percocet (though I could have taken 2) and tried to sleep. My OB never calls me to check up, so she's fired. I start searching for a new Doctor. I spent 4 days in bed while Nurse Dave (my husband) brings me cereal and cookies and a stuffed elephant that Colin had given him when he was sick. It went away in 7 days so I was really lucky. I later read that some people's fibroid pain is worse than labor so I am not scared since that was horrendous and I made it through.

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I am meant to help host a shower for one of my best friends in CT. Nurse Dave drives me the 3 hours to CT to do this as I am still not 100%. The shower was meant to be a surprise but the night before she was told. I get a text at 10pm the night before saying, "I know". I text her back "you know nothing" and show up at the shower where she greets me at the door. Oh well - it all worked out.

Thanksgiving is on the Thursday and we go from having a houseful to only a few over. I won't get into it but I am not sure why family drama has to start when I am pregnant and not supposed to have stress. The next day our friends from the island call and want to stay the night, since I had all this extra food, it was perfect. We had a tree trimming party and at one point had 14 people in our little living room, 3 dogs and a dog size cat. Now that made it a holiday.

The only bummer is that I was not well enough to run the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving day. I knew when to call Uncle and knew I shouldn't push it, there would be a million other races to run when I was better.

Photos:
Anniversary dinner in Kittery Point Maine
Month 4 stomach
Mel and Leah at her shower
Dave and Mel on Thanksgiving

Weeks 9 - 12

I am DYING to tell people at this point and we are holding out as I am 35 and lucky to even get pregnant. We told immediate family. At week 10, I let it slip at a friends pizza party and they said they knew it because they were wondering was was up with my baggy sweater and OH the grape juice I was drinking. At this point I had not even had a sip of something since the day I found out. I had no desire to either. Not a whole lot happened during this time. We went to Lake George to avoid having to see anyone socially when I couldn't tell people. We went on this mega hike and carried a 100 pound Kayak in a mile to this cool mountain pond. (see the pictures on why this was worth the haul). I still did not feel bad and the only "symptom" I was having, was going to bed at 8:30. I am a night owl so this was a switch for me. I had another race, the Salem Devil's chase 666. It was a 6.66 mile race through Salem on Halloween day. Again, my Sherpa husband followed me on his bike and took pictures and had Gatorade. Another great race!

Finally on week 12, I let it spill. We had a good ultra sound and my tests came back OK. There is always a chance of something happening so I let it ride on faith and being calm that all is well.

Photos:
3 Month photo
Devil's Chase photo
The Kayak
The pond we hiked to

Weeks 5 - 8

I am way behind in writing this (I'm 27 weeks now) but I can't sleep so this seems like a good time to start.

I find out at week five that I am preggo. I had almost no symptoms and was feeling great. OK I was eating a few more cheerios but no nausea, no bla and not particularly over tired. I was a runner so I was always tired so I didn't think anything of it. I was meant to run the Reach the Beach race with a bunch of college friends on the weekend of 9/17. I was to be seven weeks along and couldn't tell anyone. For anyone that knows Reach the Beach, it's an up all night, sleep in your car type of thing where you run legs anywhere between 2 and 9 miles and all hours through the night. I really wanted to do this and asked my Fertility doctor if I had his ok. He said, please don't run more than 6 miles. Thankfully, my longest run was 6.5. My main concern is spending 36 hours with some close college buddies and some new strangers in a van without telling them I was preggo AND I needed my sleep, it can't be good for the baby for me to not be sleeping. I enlisted my faithful husband to play sherpa and follow the van, pick my a$$ up after my legs and get me to sleep somewhere besides the floor of a van. Thankfully, my late night run was to be near my Mom's condo in NH so we could crash there. He was like a Nascar pit crew, following me, taking pictures and giving me gatorade. The race was a success and no one dared to ask me what my deal was. Nice crew I thought. They all could guess at the finish line when there was a huge beer tent and I was having water. Non-preggo I would have had 4 beers and a toast and a cartwheel.

The next weekend (week 8), I was to run the Salem 1/2 marathon like I had 3 times before. Mind you I had trained for a tri-athalon all summer and was in pretty good shape. I felt awesome on my long run for Reach the Beach so I decided to give the half a try and if I didn't feel great, I would stop. I had asked my running coach who at the time was 7 months pregnant what I should do, she said, in your shape, go for it and if you don't feel good, walk. OK so it's a deal. Again I enlisted my trusty husband to play sherpa and follow me around. The day goes great and I finish in 2 hours in 10 minutes. My fastest non-pregnant had been 1:47 so not too bad I thought. I did have to walk a few times and it was bloody hot but I never felt like I was too worse for wear. Later that day, we drive to Newport to see our new nephew, William. I went to bed at 7:30 that night and ate 2 portions of Dave More Sr's lasagna.

Photos are:
Week 7 stomach
Reach the Beach Crew
Salem Half Marathon
Baby William