18 Weeks Tomorrow

Part 1

Hey folks. I haven't felt much like writing this week. It's been hard to get off the hormonal roller coaster this pregnancy has me on. I'm either feeling like the happiest woman in the world and too busy running around doing stuff and being happy, or I'm feeling like a tired, sobbing mess- and I don't want to write a blog when I'm down because blogging is more fun when you're full of positive things to share. Ya know? But as we all know, real life comes with its ups and downs- and I'm not the kind of person who can fake happy very well. Sometimes you just need to admit that some things suck. Maybe even bitch about it a little.

The crying spells that have been getting me this week do suck. Sometimes all it takes to bring on the waterworks is being spoken too in an disagreeable tone. Once I start crying about something I can't stop. From then on I will cry the rest of the night, shedding tears for so long I don't even know what I'm crying about anymore. Why on earth does pregnancy have to have this affect on me?

Unfortunately, recent news from home has given me a heavy heart and a reason to cry. Today I know what I'm crying about. My parents have told me that Fabio, our family dog of 11 years, has not been well lately. He hasn't been wanting to eat, drink, go on his walks. He just lays there, sick. Anyone who has ever loved and lost a pet knows how heartbreaking it can be when your pet gets to its elder years. Fabio came into our family when I was a freshman in high school in Knoxville, TN. He is the most loving, loyal dog and has brought much joy to our family in his years.

Maybe it's too soon for me to write this blog, because I can't help but cry as I type these words. But I've got my tissues here, so I'll keep going.

Today, after several days of seeing Fabio in this concerning state, my mom and brother took him to the vet. My mom had to ask Evan to go with her for support. I haven't gotten word yet on the outcome of their visit. Perhaps the vet found there was something that can be done to help him recover. Please pray for Fabio Canoli Whipple on this day.

Me, Fabio & Mom just a few years ago

Part 2

Let's talk about some of the happier things that have been happening in my life lately. There is much I have to be thankful for.

First, we've officially decided that we are going to hire the Birthcare midwives to assist with my prenatal care and birth! It is such a relief to have it be definite and decided. I was planning to interview other midwives, who would perhaps offer more personalized care because they would be the one midwife I'd see all the time. Birthcare has 6 midwives, and you see a different one each time to go to an appointment, and on the day of your birth they have 2 that are on call and you get one of those 2. You don't necessarily get to choose who comes to your birth. At the info session we went to though, we were told we can request a specific midwife for our birth, and if she is available the day you are in birth she will come.

Although I like the idea of having a personal relationship with my midwife, I'm not worried about which of them I have come to my birth. Because I have a midwife that will be there that I have the closest, deepest relationship with- my mom. So I have no worries. And hiring Birthcare, we get a much higher level of care than we would get with almost any independent practice midwife, because they are all Certified Nurse Midwives and have their master's in nursing. Most home birth midwives do not have that level of training and education. It is rare to find CNMs that do home births, so I consider myself very lucky to be in the care of such highly qualified midwives. In a week we will have our first appointment with them! I like going to their office because it's in Old Town Alexandria, VA. It's so cute and historic there!

I continue to find more to love about my new home. Sitting on my couch in my living room right now, I watch airplanes coming in for landing at Reagan airport, only minutes away. I love the look and feel of this part of the country. The red brick buildings everywhere. The feeling that everything is so close and in walking distance. I don't have to go on huge 5 lane super highways all the time to get places. It's easy to drive here because everywhere I go the speed limit is about 35. Thank god our new car has a GPS to help me get around. Even though it takes me on long out of the way loopy routes sometimes, I don't care, because it always gets me there eventually. It's just nice and interesting here. Maybe I just feel that way because the newness of this place hasn't worn off yet. I need to remember to take more pictures when I'm out and about to share in my blog what my new home looks like.

Last weekend I met up with an old high school friend from TN, Becca. She invited me out to her part of DC near Eastern Market. We went to a delicious little restaurant called Zest where I had the freshest most delicious omelette. Then she introduced me to the adorable market, where they sell all kinds of artsy things, health products, jewelry, organic foods, etc. It was great! So nice of her to introduce me to something so quintessentially DC.

I am part of this new group of expecting moms. It's neat because we all have due dates that are fairly close to each other so when we get together we are all on the same page and understand what the others are going through. We've only met as a group once so far, but I look forward to getting together and getting to know them better. We'll continue to get new members as the months go on. I've already made one great friend out of it though, Kasey. We have had a good time going out together shopping and eating. It's nice to have pregnant friends. Just as it's always nice to get with people that are going through whatever you may be going through.

I finally found a prenatal yoga place in my area, one that has daytime classes. I'm excited to go try it out on Monday! I imagine it may be tough because it's been months since I did yoga. When I tried doing it back in my first trimester it wasn't working for me, I couldn't bend over without having all the blood rush to my head. Maybe I was just going through too many changes back then. I'm ready to give it another go!

I got a fish the other day. A Beta fish that I let Lina name. She named it Snuggles. She has been great with helping take care of it and feeding it everyday.

Lina and Snuggles

The fish, however, has not satisfied my pet craving. I want a puppy or a kitty, something I can hold and snuggle with. Snuggles the fish is not so snuggly. Surely this is just a prego maternal thing and I'm probably just anxious to have something like a baby to care for. As much as I want a pet, I'm not convinced getting one now is the best idea. Aside from the fact you get so attached to them and have to let them go- it might just not be a good idea for us because we will have to move it with us across the ocean. Poor kitty would have a long flight to go on. And we'll have a baby to care for, I bet we don't need the added responsibility of a pet. Argh! But I STILL WANT ONE!

While shopping for my fish, a Petsmart worker came to offer me help with my shopping. "When's your baby due?" she asked.

"February," I tell her.

Her jaw dropped to the floor and in the most surprised tone one could speak in she says, "FEBRUARY!?!?" Looking me up and down with a look of shock on her face.

I'm ready to punch her in the throat for being so incredibly rude. How indecent people can be. They are just clueless about how to talk to pregnant women. Yea, sure, pregnant women just LOVE for you to tell them how big they look. Come on. So this just makes me want to say Yea I'm having triplets actually. Although it's a total lie. It doesn't matter I don't know these strangers that ask me these questions. Today at the Apple Store I told the store person I'm having twins.

Seriously though, I don't think I am that extraordinarily huge for being almost 5 months. These strangers with their rude remarks probably just don't know or have much experience with pregnant women, so they don't know what's normal or how to talk to them. This is why I find it in me to lie to them... but I kind of just want to give it to them and let them know how rude they are. Perhaps they need to be educated on this. Or as Kasey suggested, maybe I could just ask them back "And when are you due?" I don't know if I have it in me to be mean like that, but hey, maybe if you catch me at the bottom of my roller coaster I just might do it.

We finally move into our permanent apartment tomorrow! Can't wait to be settled in there! And I can't wait to go shopping for baby stuff! Maybe once we go to our appointment with Birthcare next week, we'll have a date for our ultrasound. So much to look forward to!

Lina and I trying out the DVD player in our new minivan. It's pretty sweet! We won't normally use it when we are just driving around town running errands, we were just trying it out for the first time. Will be great for road trips!

On the balcony of our apartment, 17 weeks and 4 days