CORRECTION: FIRST PRENATAL APPOINTMENT

Turns out that I did the math wrong and baby June Bug and I will be 11 weeks along (not 10) at our first prenatal appointment.  Even better!!!  That heart will be good and strong by then!!!  How wonderful.  And we have a gender determination ultrasound scheduled for the following month.  January 16 at 5:30pm!!!!  That puts us at 17 and a 1/2 weeks and it is my BIRTHDAY!!!  What a great way to celebrate the day.

UGGGGGHHHHHH.... 8 WEEKS IS MY "POP" TIME

I was beginning to think that I was going to sail through the first trimester without the early spread that affects momma's of seconds and beyond.  I have been impressed by my super narrow waist and mostly flat tummy.  I was convinced that my early "pop" with Lennon was simply because I was only 6 months post-partum and that being nearly 2 years post-partum this time would mean a slower spread.  Nope.  Nope.  NOPE.  I went to bed, last night, a svelte (and oh too confidant) momma, and woke up this morning a tree trunk!!!  LOL.  My tummy does have a tiny, rounded bump, but my waist has also expanded.  This one was new to me.  In my pregnancies with Miles and Lennon I was all baby bump and managed to keep a pretty curvy waist.  This morning my waist decided to take a vacation.  As much as I love having a beautiful baby bump and rubbing all over it, I was hoping to avoid maternity clothes for a little longer.  Looks like I may be making the switch in the next couple of weeks or so.  Yes....  I plan on squeezing every last nano second out of my pre-pregnancy pants!!!  LOL.  So anyhow, this newfound waist spread has got me thinking!!!   Hmmmmmmmm.....  does this mean that I may be carrying a little girl after all????  I wouldn't dare to hope, because we would certainly love our bug no matter his/her gender, but it certainly gets the noggin buzzing.  We shall see.

PUMPKIN BOLOGNESE OVER ACORN SQUASH

One of the great things about being pregnant is how creative my little brain can get when it comes to finding delicious and nutritious ways to feed myself and the bug.  This morning I was hankering for some bolognese, so I decided to add a can of pumpkin puree to a crock pot filled with browned turkey, italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and tomato sauce.  The combo turned out to be incredibly divine.  The pumpkin smoothed out the tangy tomato and made for a nice creamy base.  I even added a cinnamon stick to enhance the flavor.  So freaking yum and so freaking nutritional.  To top off the nutrition factor  we served this yummy bolognese over some roasted acorn squash.  We usually use spaghetti squash, but Nana suggested the Acorn Squash and let me tell you.....  it was heaven.  The acorn squash is a little sweeter and really blended well with the flavors in the bolognese.  And it boosted this evenings dinner into super nutritious territory.  Pregnancy can be a foodies best best BEST friend!!!

ANOTHER BREAKFAST CRAVING (ONLY HEALTHIER)

A heaping bowl of Quinoa with coconut oil and almond slivers.  It's like having a bowl of steel cut oats only WAAAAAAAAAY better nutritionally.  The boys enjoy theirs with a touch of honey stirred in.  I admit, it tastes fabulous with the honey, but I am trying to be good.  This dish is so yummers and I am so excited about the nutrition content of this super-food seed.  It is a complete protein and is loaded with magnesium, phosophorus, b-vitamins (including folic acid), and a bunch of other really great minerals.  It is such a versatile dish.  I plan on making it with some canned pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and pecans for a little taste of the season.  I also plan to make a savory breakfast dish out of it mixed with scrambled egg, green onion, mushrooms, cilantro, and lime juice.  Delicious.  And just in case you are all wondering whether or not quinoa tastes good for breakfast, it might help to know that Miles and Lennon gobbled every last bite and asked for more.  That is saying something!!!

SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO FOR THE NEXT 33 WEEKS?

Only 7 weeks in and we have already chosen names for our little boy or little girl.  It really wasn't that hard.  We already had a pretty decent list going from our previous two pregnancies and since we loved the names on those lists so much we revisited them, tweeked some things, and now we have two beautiful names chosen.  I think we had Lennon's name chosen around the same time last pregnancy.  I guess we just like to get-er done.  So, now that I have told you we know the names, I am not actually going to tell you what they are.  We have a very special surprise planned for the way we tell everybody the names and it won't happen until we find out the gender.  But trust me it will be well worth the wait and so super fun.  For now, just know that they are just as beautiful as Miles Alexander and Lennon Wyatt.

7 WEEKS PREGNANT

At seven weeks, you’re probably gearing up for your first prenatal visit with your OB, and you’re probably dying to know what to expect. Brace yourself to give a variety of samples (blood, urine and cervical cells -- yeesh!), get an ultrasound test that will confirm baby’s doing okay in there and get an estimated due date (yep, you might already have one, but the doc may adjust it a bit based on what she sees). It probably seems weird to go about your day knowing you’re pregnant, when no one else can see it. Not to mention, wondering what it will be like when everyone else can see it. Caught yourself staring at your tummy in the mirror -- and even pushing it out to fake a baby bump, just to get a preview? Yeah, we did that too during week seven.

your baby's the size of a blueberry!

Your .51-inch embryo doesn't exactly tip the scales just yet but she's developing like crazy. She's already doubled in size since last week.

Let your friends and family know about your baby's latest growth

your baby at 7 weeks

• She's generating about one hundred new brain cells each minute!
• Not only is her brain becoming more complex, but her heart is too.
• Also important: She's developing a permanent set of kidneys
• Her arm and leg joints are now forming.

 pregnancy symptoms at 7 weeks

• Nausea. Hang in there. Your hormones will become more normal in the second trimester.
• Food cravings and/or aversions. It's okay to give in here and there, but remember to choose healthy options.
• The urge to pee -- constantly! Even though you probably don’t look pregnant yet, your uterus has doubled in size.
• Zits. Thanks, hormones.
• Extra saliva (gross!) -- likely, this is also hormonally triggered.
• Emotional -- not only are your hormones out of whack, but you're likely still getting used to the idea of being pregnant.

 your must-do's

• Have your first prenatal checkup, if you haven't already.
• Check out health insurance options, or update your existing plan.
• Find an OB (if you haven't found one yet).
• Learn what hospital you'll give birth at.

 your fun-to-do's

• Make a list of questions to ask your doc.
• Create a healthy eating plan.
• Start saving up for baby.

MY STRONGEST PREGNANCY CRAVING YET...

I can literally feel the drool drip down the sides of my mouth when I start to think about the cheesy, sausage-y, biscuit-y goodness of a McDonalds Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit. OMG. I die.  I don't think I have ever "craved" one of these in all of my 33 (nearly) years.  I finally caved in to this craving, this Saturday, and it was worth every last, teeny, tiny, saturated fat calorie!!!  Each bite was like pure heaven in my pregnant mouth.  I tried to offset the health factor (or lack thereof) by only getting the sandwich and ordering a plate of fruit and walnuts on the side.  It helped with my conscience, but in all honesty, I really would have rather eaten 3 of these bad boys.  I totally COULD HAVE eaten 3 of them.  And If you ask Jason, he will confirm, I spoke about nothing else for the rest of the day.  I lamented over the fact that there had to be a final bite and I reveled in the taste sensation that was this glorious meal.  I reveled in it all the way up until I spent the entire evening sitting on the toilet.  I don't know if it was the sandwich that did it, but I do know that I now associate the two events and my plan to eat one of these biscuits every Saturday morning until the cravings subsided no longer sounds good.  Shit.  No pun intended.  Oh well.  It's probably for the best anyway.  I will say, that I am so happy to report that my cravings this pregnancy are ALL salty and NO sweet.  That is a big change for me.  I was on the sugar wagon with Miles and Lennon.  In fact, the thought of most sweets is a bit nauseating.  I don't think I have had ice cream since we found out I am pregnant.