First Trimester Review

So I just wanted to do a quick (belated) review of my first trimester!

I have been so bad at blogging throughout my pregnancy; but between a physical paper and pen journal, Instagram, Facebook, and pure memory--I'm gonna try to stitch together a review of each trimester.

Weeks 1-12

Quick Overview:

My first trimester started immediately following my Holiday vacation home in Illinois. I was pregnant over Christmas and New Years and had no idea. I didn't have any early pregnancy symptoms at all. I only tested because we were actively trying to have a baby and so I was very aware of my cycle. About a week after I got the positive test, I did start to feel some symptoms--at week 7 or so I began to experience the lovely morning sickness, and learned it was best not to take all my vitamins without eating before sitting in stop and go traffic... Most of that first trimester was spent trying to keep my symptoms hidden at work, which proved to be more difficult than I had envisioned! I really thought I was showing from day 1. But looking back I think most of it was in my head. Exhaustion was my main symptom, by far--and I would drive my car around the side of my office building, so I could take naps over my lunch break.

My 8th week appointment was moved up due to some bleeding, and that was very scary for me, due to my history. So hearing that heartbeat and seeing that tiny jelly bean was the most reassuring, wonderful thing in the world.

Not too long into my pregnancy we decided to go to the bookstore and look through baby name books. It was so much fun and we actually narrowed down our girl names to two very close to that day. I had a list running for a couple of years, but Daniel found the baby's middle name on that trip.

Week 12 we went in for another ultrasound and were BLOWN AWAY by the changes in our little jelly bean. She looked like an actual baby and was literally jumping! We could not believe how much she had changed in those short weeks! I believe we both cried at that visit--it was just so unreal!

We then went home the following weekend to finally tell our parents. Up until then, I had only told my sisters, a couple of friends who had been praying for a baby for me, and my supervisor at work because funny enough, she actually asked me straight up if something was going on. (I guess i'm not good at hiding things.)

Cravings: The beginning of my pregnancy wasn't filled with so many "cravings" as it was filled with certain foods that sounded good and I could tolerate. Between my total exhaustion and limited palate, I ate a heck of a lot of frozen pizza. During those early days I would also get this weird taste in my mouth, and to fight it I ate a lot of sour candy and jolly ranchers. I enjoyed most anything salty, and lots of protein like bacon, eggs and refried beans.

Orange juice, specifically from McDonald's. 

Food aversions: Coffee. I never threw it up or anything, but the smell of it and drinking it just never sounded good, and the couple of times that I did sip some, it just kinda made me feel nauseous. Most of the time sweet stuff didn't really sound good to me either (besides those cherry danishes from Panera, I had a weakness for those) . For breakfast, a granola bar or sweet cereal just didn't do it for me anymore-I ate breakfast sandwiches from McDonalds almost every day. 

Best moments: Best moments were definitely seeing that little thing move on the screen. We could see her just jumping around and I couldn't feel a thing. It was insane and awesome all at once. Another amazing moment was definitely telling my in-laws. Our baby is the first baby on the McCurdy side for this generation, and needless to say there was quite an explosion of joy and excitement when we told them. That was a pretty amazing moment. One of my greatest pleasures is the fact that I am giving a niece to my brothers and sisters-in-law. Being an aunt has been one of most amazing parts of my life and I am so excited to be able to share that.

Our announcement to Daniel's parents. We told sneakily them we bought a new frame for the family pictures we just had taken. ;) 

Difficult moments: My bleeding scare was pretty awful. I really thought it was the end and basically Daniel had to talk me off the ledge, because I was pretty hysterical. He was wonderful though, and we just prayed and prayed for this baby almost every night before bed. Another rough moment was the sickness in the very beginning. The first day working and not feeling well wasn't the most fun experience. I called Abby crying and saying "Will this ever end? I feel hungry and like I'm gonna puke all at the same time." Not to mention, Daniel and I were actually carpooling through my whole first trimester, so I was up at 5am driving him to work, and then waiting outside his office until like 7:30pm sleeping in the car. Those were some of the tougher moments, but they were much more short lived than it felt like they would be.

Our jelly bean!

What are you looking forward to: During the first trimester I just looked forward to each week and each milestone. I love the Ovia app that helps explain symptoms and lets you know what medicines and foods are safe and gives you weekly updates on your baby's development. I felt like in the beginning I just had SO. MANY. QUESTIONS, so it was good to have a resource for a lot of them.

What are you wearing: It didn't take long for my jeans to get a little snug, and by week 8 or so I was already doing the hair tie trick. Wearing dresses and flowy shirts helped me to hide at work, but I felt like I grew pretty darn quick. I think it must be the way I'm built, because my bump grew a lot faster than other first-time moms that I've seen.

Somewhere around 8 weeks in, trying to hide in my elastic-waist pants. 

 What about Dad?: Daniel was amazing from day one. I had a really emotional time adjusting to being pregnant, and he was there supporting me the whole way. He prayed for me and the baby almost every night, and I don't think I did the dishes one single time during my first trimester because he did them. Partly I didn't want to because they didn't smell good and also just because I was so exhausted. Also, because I was really nervous in those first weeks, he came with me to every appointment. It was so great just to know that he was there in case anything did go wrong. Honestly, I know that God gave me the perfect partner to go through this journey with me. Without him I would have been an absolute wreck. He is the perfect calm, laid-back balance to my worrisome, chaotic crazy!

Singing while doing the dishes. 

Photo Dump:

1. A quote I posted for New Years, appropriate I think. 2. King cake, I got the baby. 3. Our announcement photo 4. Flowers from my co-worker when she found out. 4. First bump pic. 5. Paletas always sound good.  

Milestones for the baby's size on the Ovia app. 

1. Hiking with my in-laws and my bump. 2. Books I bought when I was pregnant the first time. It was bittersweet to be able to use them. 3. Bump is getting obvious. 4. Cherry danish from Panera. 5. Snapchat filters with the bump. 6. CINNAMON ROLLS.