10 weeks

Written Friday, Feb. 1, 2013

How Big are the Babies?

The grapes have about doubled in size! My sources indicate the babies are as big as kumquats or prunes this week,  a little more than an inch long, crown to bottom, and less than a quarter of an ounce.

How I’m Changing

To most people, my body hardly looks different, but to me, it appears puffy and bloated. I want to cover up my midsection with flowy, breezy tops, and I want to let my belly relax in stretchy-waisted pants. I can feel my grapefruit-sized uterus, just below my lower abdomen, too – which sounds bizarre but actually is really cool.

Since about 6 weeks, I’ve experienced classic pregnancy sickness. It was completely manageable at first, but reached a peak this past week: I couldn’t keep anything down Monday and stayed home from work. I also was hit with a cold. It was my worst day of pregnancy so far. But I have recovered nicely in the days since. I am hungry all the time, and I even want to exercise. The middle of this week has been great!

Also since about 6 weeks, I’ve been exhausted – like, yawning through much of the workday and wishing it was time for bed by 9 o’clock at night. I can sleep for 9 or 10 hours at a crack nowadays, and I easily fall back asleep if I wake up to use the bathroom or adjust my position.

Overall, I’ve yet to feel achy, uncomfortable (except for little twinges and stretches here and there – evidence of the womb growing) or even hyper-emotional. I’m sure those days are numbered, though.

What I’m Eating

Vegetables have been few and far between the last few weeks. Fruit, on the other hand, has become a big part of my diet these days.

Comfort foods have been the most desirable since the sickness set in. A couple weeks ago, it was cheeseburgers, meat and potatoes. Last week and this week, it’s pizza, lasagna and garlic bread. Bagels with cream cheese, string cheese, Greek yogurt, granola bars and almonds are staples. Soup – almost any kind – is about the most delicious-sounding meal in the world.

Strong smells and strange-looking foods bother me. Meals I craved a week or two ago are revolting this week. Lingering smells of dirty dishes, garbage or even recently-cooked meals make my stomach turn and leave me gagging.

What I’m Thinking

I still can’t believe this is real. I still can’t believe that there are two little babies growing, growing, growing inside of me. I wonder if it will set in as my belly grows? I press on my lower abdomen in the morning, after I get out of the shower, and at night, before I go to bed, just to remind myself of the miracle of life and to let the babies know their mama loves them.

• Weight gained: 0 lbs.

• Workouts: 1 – 2.6 miles of 1/2-mile running intervals on the treadmill.

• Food aversions: Most vegetables, raw or cooked, unless they’re in soup.

• Food cravings: Pizza, lasagna and garlic bread. Strawberries, watermelon and cantaloupe. Chipotle or Qdoba burrito bowls. Bagel sandwiches.

• Suspicions on gender: Both of us think girls.

• Potential names: Two for girls, including middle names, and three for boys, including a couple first-and-middle-name combos.

• Baby items purchased: None. I’m going to try to hold out – and encourage excited grandparents to hold out – until we know the genders.

• Maternity items purchased: My mom bought me a bunch of long, loose tops and a couple pairs of no-waistband pants to help me transition over the next couple months.

• Meltdowns: None – unless crying during “Parenthood” counts.

• Next prenatal appointment: Tuesday, 10 ½ weeks.

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