18 weeks

I'm just gonna put it out here early on: I don't feel good but I really want to document each week so excuse me if my humor is absent in this post. The past couple of weeks I've felt both more energized and more exhausted all at once. More energized because I've moved into the second trimester and the sheer exhaustion is fading but more exhausted because I've been keeping the schedule of a crazy woman (or 3 women!). I get tired just thinking about my week ahead and you would too because I leave to go to work at 6:45am and don't get home until 9:30 or 10:30pm. Almost...every...night. I guess some people might think I really am crazy... I mean who else works full time (and commutes 2 hours each day), gets their MBA (which involves being in class 3 hours 2 nights a week), and teaches coupon classes in their "spare" time all while being pregnant for the first time. Oh yeah, me. Mom loves to tell the story about the time I came home and told her I was trying out for soccer. She puts it this way "Bethany had 5 minutes after school so she tried out for the soccer team." Typical for me I guess. I used to wish for 25 hours in each day instead of 24.

On another note, the baby is getting stronger because the kicks are getting harder! I don't feel the baby kick every day, but I'm not worried at this point because everything I've read said that I won't feel regular movement until about 20 weeks or so. I read something else this week that is absolutely adorable to me. What to Expect When You're Expecting says that the baby is rocked to sleep by Mommy's movements, like walking and moving around, during the day and then wakes up when Mommy gets still at night. How cute is that? I'm practicing rocking my baby to sleep and he/she is still in my tummy! =) Oh I love this baby more and more as the weeks go by.

I had a thought this week... I hope the baby isn't having growing pains because he/she is growing so quickly...

Here is this week's survey:

How far along? 18 weeks

Weight gain? I weighed myself at work and it was not good. Doctor's appointment this week will reveal the true number but let's just say I've got to get my weight gaining under control.

maternity clothes? I still wear my regular jeans but I've also worn a pair of maternity jeans and black maternity pants. No maternity shirts yet because the bump just isn't big enough.

Sleep? One night I actually made it all the way through the night without having to get up to go to the bathroom!!

stretch marks? None yet...

Best moment this week? Feeling the baby's stronger kicks!

movement? Yes =)

food cravings? fruit and Japanese food =)

Food aversions? coffee... you don't realize how strongly the smell carries until it makes you gag =(

what I'm looking forward to... my doctor's appointment this week

milestones... This week BabyCenter.com says the baby is as big as a green bell pepper! How cute!

I need to run... as evidenced by this picture...