Every Pregnancy is Different

They (doctors, websites, books) always say that every pregnancy is different. I always thought, “Aw, it can’t be THAT different, can it?” I remember some marked differences between pregnancy number 1 (which resulted in twin girls born at 39 weeks) and pregnancy number 2 (a son born at 38 weeks), but I figured it was the difference in a twin vs. a singleton, my age (I was 26/27 the first time, 31/32 the 2^nd), and genetics. So, here we are, 5 years later, and I am totally buying in to the sentiment!

This last week has been a BEAR. Up until now, if you had asked me how I was feeling, my response was good, pretty good, or fine. I would follow that with “I’m a little sleepy, but other than that, not too bad!” This week, my answer was MISERABLE. First off, it is HOT. Oppressively hot. We have had 14 days of over 100 degree heat and it’s only July 3. We average 10-11 per summer. It’s awful. I have a friend who is 36 weeks pregnant, and I saw her at church last night. I told her I think of her often, because the heat is killing me, and I am not even carrying around a big belly yet, I’m just suffering through the end of my 1^st trimester. She promised me I would feel better soon.

So, besides being super-hot, I have just felt yucky all week. Monstrous headaches that Tylenol doesn’t even phase, extreme fatigue, body aches, and irritability. (It’s a good thing I only had one child here this week, it could have been pretty ugly with all 3!) Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I actually came home for lunch and took naps. I slept HARD until Britt woke me up to go back to work. Thursday, I tried to be brave and actually have lunch with him – was in tears by 2:30 and home in bed by 3:00. Friday I felt a small bit better, even joked about my condition with this tweet: I even made it a whole day of work with no nap, but I slept the evening away! I remember being tired when I was pregnant with Jake, but NOTHING like this. This is tired to the point of emotional distress. I don’t remember crying because I was so tired that I hurt. I don’t remember leaving work. I do remember the mood swings, though! I have heard this phrase uttered more than once by the World’s Greatest Husband: “I can’t wait for you to feel better!”

One of my favorite “predictable” pregnancy symptoms did come back this week: nose bleeds. I remember having some pretty bad spontaneous nose bleeds in the fall and winter with Jake. I just had my first one Tuesday morning when I woke up. I got up to go to the bathroom, and while I was in there, I just felt the blood come running out of my nose. Good times. It didn’t last long, but I know more are coming. Crazy pregnancy side effect! Oh – and another “symptom” that I have noticed more this time than any other pregnancy – unwanted body hair! My upper lip and chin are a zoo (before I got the wax strips out), and my belly, too! So weird. I don’t remember this from past pregnancies…

So, I guess “THEY” are right. This pregnancy sure is different from my others… I have one more week in the first trimester. I am READY to see what the 2^nd trimester brings – hopefully some ENERGY!

Saw the Doctor

Monday was my first actual visit with my Obstetrician.  I had to meet with the lady in the business office first to set up the payment plan for my out of pocket expenses for the clinic.  Not as bad as I had expected - my insurance is actually better this time than when Jake was born!  Then, it was down to business with the Doc.  After making "old" jokes to Britt then asking how old he really was (he told the doctor he will be 47 when the baby is born), he decided I didn't need a pelvic exam since I just did that in December.  YAY!  I didn't want to have to do that.  Then, he tried to listen for the heartbeat with the Doppler.  He told me it might be hard to find and to not be disappointed - Shocker is still pretty little in there!  But, we were lucky and did get to hear it for a nano-second!  Other than that, it was a brief, uneventful appointment.  I got back in a month!

I have been asked a couple of times in the last few days about the video I made of Britt opening the card revealing his fatherhood fate.  I finally took it off my camera and have uploaded it to youtube.  As of RIGHT NOW when I am typing this, he has still not seen the video.  Several of my family members have - they saw it the day of Papa Les's birthday party when we told my side of the family, but Britt has not.  I tried to show him last night when the upload finished, but he was tired and just wanted to sleep.  LOL!

So, here it is...  Britt Weaver finding out he is a father of FOUR:

At Convention

Two things I don’t recommend doing in the early weeks of pregnancy. A quick honeymoon to Los Angeles and Hollywood (8/9 weeks), and your sorority’s Grand convention (11/12 weeks)… in Phoenix… in JUNE! The air temp has been hovering right around 113/114 degrees, and it may be a “dry heat,” but it is still MISERABLE! Feels like a toaster out there! The a/c in our “villa” (fancy hotel room) cannot keep up, and even though we can view 2 of the Arizona Biltmore’s 8 pools from our room, they are not that tempting as the water temps is about 87 degrees! That’s like BATH water. Plus, our days start early and end later and later and later. Not much free time on this trip! We were in the pool about 30 minutes on Wednesday and about 45 minutes yesterday. And I think it’s already time to pack up the suit!

This has been an amazing experience. I am so lucky I am getting to reconnect with one of my college days sisters, and it is very entertaining and educational to see all the history and all the volunteer WORK that goes into runing an International sorority smoothly and efficiently. I am here representing the Alpha Omicron chapter of Alpha Delta Pi from Oklahoma State University in the capacity of Social Advisor. These last few days have been more emotionally charged that I expected, more intense than I expected, but mostly more FUN than I expected! I have really enjoyed getting to know our 3 collegiate members that are on the trip with us, and just to see that Alpha Delta Pi really is the First, the FINEST, and it’s FOREVER! I am so lucky to have this sisterhood, and I have been reminded of that time after time the last few days.

Now I am off to a day of workshops before our final formal dinner tonight. I am hot, swollen, dry (I am really TYRYING to drink my water – even bought a CamelBak water bottle with the sorority crest on it to help me stay hydrated), congested, and tired. By this time tomorrow, I should be at Sky Harbor airport ready to head back to Oklahoma to see my 2 favorite men, Britt and Jake! I miss my family SO MUCH – and I don’t get to see the girls for another 10 days after I get back!