Fourteen: Chicken Nuggets and Naps

Based on my consciousness this week, I think I may be able to sleep through all the anxiety and anticipation, through the entire pregnancy, and all the way up until the birth. Ideally, I would like to sleep through the labor as well, but that just isn't realistic.

This week can be summarized as follows: Pizza, Chicken nuggets, sleeping, and teenage tantrums. I woke up from a nap the other day and literally said to Jordan: "What are you looking at?".

On a positive note, I haven't really felt much nausea this week. This is wonderful. A little car-sickness while driving to and from Lynchburg for my watercolor class, but I was driving to and from Lynchburg- so who can blame the little babe? Other good news, I finally am starting to look a little more pregnant and a little less like I've been eating Adele's emotions.

This leads me to my current dilemma: how to avoid buying maternity jeans. Here's the thing, I know most you you reading this are like "Get over it Jess, you usually wear sweatpants, don't act like you care what you look like"- Guys, I know, you are totally right. The thing is, maternity clothing in general costs about double what the regular version of such items would cost. Yes, that flap of spandex above the crotch of the jeans adds an extra twenty dollars to the price. Ridiculous. So, in naive determination, I have decided against buying maternity wear (unless it can be purchased at a reasonable cost), and am going to search for clothing that can be worn after Baby S is born as well. This is like searching for Atlantis, but less plausible. I have no idea how big I will end up getting, so I am not sure what sizes to buy. This is especially difficult in trying to buy a winter coat. Coats are expensive, and buying a maternity coat (if there is such a thing) seems a little ridiculous since right now I am only four months, but by February, I will be about eight months and probably huge. 

So enough about that, let's move on to yesterday's appointment. I had my first Centering appointment, which is a program where you have a group appointment with other women due the same month as yourself, and it is conducted by a midwife. They have you weigh yourself and take your own blood pressure and record it. Its a very hands-on and intimate way to be involved in your own pregnancy, as well as connect with other women who are going through the same experiences as you. It was great. There were five other women and two other husband/boyfriends. For all but one of us, this was our first pregnancy. The midwife Mary, who was so sweet, called us back individually and let us listen to the baby's heartbeat, while the others got to know one another in the main room. When Mary went to get our baby's heartbeat, she found it almost immediately. It was awesome. Hearing our baby's heartbeat is so comforting. After that we sat in a circle and talked about weight gain and nutrition. Jordan and I learned that the baby's lungs are deflated all the way up until she takes her first breath. There was something so spiritual about hearing that, how they come into the world and they just are still and quiet and then suddenly they take that breath and just "come alive".  All the other participants were friendly and fun. I asked about flu shots and one of the midwives said she could do it right after the appointment, which was awesome.

The entire appointment was a great experience and I'm looking forward to the next one in November. I just want to say that Augusta has been absolutely wonderful. The entire staff has been so kind and pleasant. I can't think of a better place to experience our first pregnancy.

So that sums up the fourteenth week. In two weeks we are at four months, and in two months we will be in our third trimester!

Amazing. 

Name tags from first Centering class