Goings On

One of the best things that's happened of late is that my old housemate, Elizabeth, entered a cloistered, contemplative monastery on Saturday. She began an intense discernment period a year and a half ago. After a month-long aspirancy with the sisters last summer, she returned home for a few months of even more intense discernment. In early 2011, she applied and was accepted - much to everyone's delight. We weren't exactly surprised because this lifestyle fits her temperament: cheerful, prayerful, and interior. One of her greatest gifts is communication (in prayer and otherwise).

Heidi and I had a nice dinner with her & her family on Wednesday, and we hosted a party for all of her friends on Thursday (St. Pat's). People came from her Bible Study, Curves, Montessori school where she taught, her parish, her college, roommates, her parents and her sister. We raised several hundred dollars for her as she was required to pay for a few things during the first year (including health insurance). As people gathered around the cake, she addressed everyone, told them how much they meant to her and yet how attractive religious life had become. It's a beautiful story that's just begun. We are so proud of her!!

Heidi, Elizabeth, and I

I am now definitely showing. We are 15.5 weeks along. Little Nemo is about the size of an apple - 4 inches long.

We are trying to keep a healthy diet and eat in more often. Here is one of WCM's favorite pastas: pesto chicken. We also have salad with homemade dressing and fresh fruit with freshly-whipped cream (my favorite! ... The doctor says that calcium is really important. :)

Getting his muscle food:

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Survived!

Ash Wednesday - check
Physical Exam - check

And it was all worth it to hear that heartbeat for the first time: 140 and healthy! :)

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My Wonderful Husband

After throwing up five times in the last five days, WCM reminded me that 40/3 does not equal 12. More like 13.2 weeks - which would be tomorrow. I finished my Prometreum last week and was feeling great on Saturday, but then crashed Wednesday night and started losing foods like Kielbasa and Olive Garden salad. I don't know if there's a relation between the supplement ending and how I've been feeling, but I see the doctor again on Wednesday for the wonderful physical examination. Bleh. What a good Ash Wednesday sacrifice. I wonder if I should go to Mass & get ashes before or after the visit...

Anyway, this is mostly about my husband, the person a lot of people forget when a woman is pregnant. He's really been working hard both at the office and around the house. He never complains about it. He's been doing all the dishes, taking out the trash (and my sick bags - God bless him!), paying our bills, and working about 60 hours per week. His only day off is Sunday and I really encourage him to relax that day! This morning he woke up at 4 AM and started getting ready for work. When he came to say goodbye to me, he told me that breakfast was ready: vanilla yogurt with fresh blueberries & raspberries and nuts and granola. This is one of the few foods that I'm pretty sure won't upset my stomach. I don't know how he gets it all in. Without complaining.

Yesterday I realized that I've been pregnant for a majority of our married life. It's things like the sickness that really make me so glad that I picked WCM. I can think of dozens of other men who just would not have been able to handle this part of life. It was definitely worth waiting the extra few years (during which I wondered if I'd ever meet anyone or date anyone who was marriage material) to end up with WCM at the end of them. :)

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Something Edifying

After the amazing reviews and it's 4 Oscar wins, we finally saw "The King's Speech." It was outstanding - probably the best movie we've seen in the last year. There are difficult themes that I wouldn't watch with a child, but it was really worthwhile for us. And it's a true story. WCM was intrigued by the history. Here's the trailer:

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The Second Trimester Has Arrived!

And I am singing it's praises! Thank God, I am following the typical pregnancy schedule and now no longer am getting nauseous. I have significantly more energy - so much so that I will always be grateful for it now! I can make dinner and go shopping and get my body out of bed without much trouble - and even go the extra mile at work, make a dessert and clean at home, etc. It is so nice! I feel like myself again. :) [I'm sure when El Niño arrives, he'll show me that 'myself' is a work in progress.]

I am even starting to show a little bit. My stomach now sticks out all the time. I can't hold it in. This is an interesting new phenomenon. Now I'm trying to learn the art of flattering a short, pregnant figure - and this is an art. Thankfully, WCM gave me leave to spend a few $$ to buy some nice staple pieces that make me feel beautiful.

I was surprised by how difficult it was to find beautiful, flattering maternity wear. A majority of the shirts at Motherhood Maternity (one of the nearest stores that actually sells maternity wear) were pleated from the bust down - both in the front and in the back. Hello, Tent! Not. Cool.

My helpful sister also lent me some clothes that she's found useful in her pregnancies. I bought four staple pieces in basic colors that I can mix & match with them. I needed a few specifically for work, so here we are. Thankfully, a couple of people told me that I don't even look pregnant. Flattery will get you everywhere!

Just for kicks the ladies at Motherhood threw this in my bag. I'm trying to have a sense of humor.:

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