Tomorrow

Did you know there are four different times people consider being in the second trimester?

12 weeks, 13 weeks, 13 weeks 4 days, 14 weeks.

I am 12 weeks and 1 day, so I'm in the second trimester according to some people and a week or two away to other people. Confusing.

Tomorrow is my last appointment in my first trimester (knock on wood) - if all is well then I am going to consider myself in the safe zone (knock on wood) and will feel more comfortable telling people. Can you tell I'm so superstitious about it? I haven't even canceled my fertility appointment at the end of October yet - or my Weight Watchers membership, which is costing me $45 a month. I just don't want to get too cocky!

On a side note, I feel so awkward telling people I'm pregnant...it's one of those things that you have to bring up - it's not like it comes up in conversation - "How was your weekend? Are you knocked up?" It's fine with friends, but with co-workers and people like that, it's kind of weird. So as a result, some people know, some don't. I should just do a Facebook post, but I think I want to wait for awhile longer (like maybe Christmas time).

After my appointment tomorrow, I'll tell my extended friends (my close girlfriends who aren't my besties) and my mom can tell my extended family and their friends (my little brother's wedding is in a few weeks and we are a partying family - everyone will know when I'm not drinking, and I don't want to announce it at the wedding). I can't wait to tell my nieces though!

I might hold off another week to tell though - not because I don't want to tell them right away, but because I did the Materniti21 blood test last week (I did it at 9 weeks and 3 days as well - the nurse told me I could, but she was wrong and I had to have it redone after 10 weeks), and the results should be in within 14 business days (which would be October 15th at the latest).

The Materniti21 test not only tests for chromosomal abnormalities, but will also tell us the gender (which the nurse didn't tell me at the time - I found out through the baby boards and confirmed when I went in for the test) because they separate the baby's chromosomes from mine and obviously they can tell if it's XX or XY. It's 100% accurate.

I didn't want to know the gender (Steve did), so I asked if the gender would be obvious on the 3D ultrasound in November and the nurse said it definitely would. So I figure if we're going to find out, we might as well find out now.

The only other downside is that it's not going to be a special way to find out. Can you imagine how cool it would be to in labor and in pain for hours and then not only have a baby at the end, but you get to find out what it is too? Sort of more incentive to push harder...

And even finding out during the 3D ultrasound would have been sort of special - seeing the baby and having the technician point out the parts, etc. Something Steve and I could share.

Now, since they'll be calling me with the results, I'm guessing the nurse will just tell me over the phone - so I'll know before Steve (because I'll probably be at work). Not really that special. I might have them put it in a sealed envelope and I will pick it up on my way home...

Not sure they would do that - I could also find out and then make it a special surprise for Steve and our parents (separately - I would tell Steve first!). Or I read where someone picked out a girl's outfit and a boy's outfit and gave the salesperson their credit card and the envelope and had the salesperson ring up and wrap one of the outfits and put the other one under the counter (while they didn't watch), and then the mom and dad opened the wrapped box together when they got home.

So anyway, it might be weird to make two annoucements to everyone within a week or so - the first one that I'm pregnant and then the second one that I'm having a boy/girl (plus twice the work!). It would just be easier to tell everyone everything all at once. Although people will think I'm farther along than I am (I guess my mom will have to explain that when she tells them).

My nieces will also be so disappointed if it's a boy, so I'm hoping that I can lump both announcements in together so they'll be mostly excited about the baby...even if it is a "gross boy." Ha.

My morning sickness briefly subsided, but it came back the past few days - I spent all day Saturday in bed and I'm home from work today (but worked from home, which is awesome! I so want to telecommute!). I also discovered that I'm allergic to antacids, and in my research on how that's even possible, I discovered that people who are allergic to antacids are often allergic to shellfish. Shellfish allergies are highly genetic and my dad had his first allergic reaction to shellfish in his mid thirties (I turned 35 last week - fuck, I'm old).

I don't know for sure that I have this allergy, but it sure looks like it. I don't eat a ton of shellfish usually anyway, but during this pregnancy I'm going to avoid it. Plus, having a red itchy rash isn't that fun.

Now not being able to take anything for heartburn is awful. I'm hoping there is some type of antacid that's not made from shellfish or oyster shells (I didn't know that it was before I googled "allergic reaction to Tums"). Luckily my appointment is tomorrow so I don't have to wait long.

Although medical things give me such anxiety (yeah, not sure how labor is going to go for me), so when I realized that I was having an allergic reaction, I paced around for an hour, fighting off a panic attack, because I was convinced my throat was closing. It wasn't. So, the odds of me taking another antacid (just in case there's something else besides shellfish that's causing the reaction) is pretty slim.

I've lost three pounds this pregnancy so far though. I am down 23 pounds the past few months! Score! My goal is to only gain 10 this entire pregnancy. I guess being sick has it's upside. It's amazing I haven't gained weight though - all I want to eat is carbs. Luckily I can't eat that much - and I'm eating more frequent, smaller meals, so I think all that's helping. But yeah, all carbs and no working out and I lost weight. Weird.

I do hope I feel better soon though - I want to change my diet to cut out the carbs and eat more protein and veggies, which will help me avoid getting gestational diabetes. There is no way that's going to happen until I feel better though.

I will update after my appointment tomorrow. Work is going to draaaaaaaaaag by since my appointment isn't until 3:20. I just hope and pray that everything is okay and Mega Tron is still alive. I have tried so hard not to get attached, but it's been more difficult this past week or so.

Good thoughts, good thoughts, good thoughts.