Thursday 30 January 2014

Bump Shot: Week 16

It's been a frosty week, but even the colder weather welcomes some bright skies!


Of course I can't complain as Ohio has been dumped on with snow this week.



How far along:  Sixteen Weeks! 
Weight Gain:  4 pounds!
Maternity Clothes:  I am still determined to wear my regular clothes and have even begun experimenting with skirts. How high can they realistically go??  Maternity jeans at weekends and evenings though - I need the comfort!  I'm wearing a pair from Top Shop jeans - amazing!
Stretch Marks:  None - and I bought new Weleda stretch mark massage oil. The smell of all of the others left me queasy - we found this in Boots and although it's a bit expensive it smells and feels great!
Belly Button:  In - but actually looks bigger. Is that normal??
Queasy or Sick:  I'm waiting for the day when I get to say NO. I've had really bad nights and mornings this week - I've even messed up my vomit free streak. The doctor has taken me off of one of the medications and now I'm suffering again!  Don't get me started!
Sleep:  Quite good when I manage it. Tuesday night I woke up at 2:30 and could not for the life of me get back to sleep. I was a walking zombie all day. I was stressing and worrying and then feeling queasy. It just wasn't a good night. Luckily, I seem to be back to normal. 
Best Moment of the Week:  So much great stuff happened - a Spa Day for Heidi's 40th at Congham Hall and the amazing package my brother sent with the most brilliant gifts in it - but really it's a toss up between Poppy and Bella planting their faces into my belly to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to Baby McBerry and FINDING A HOUSE!!  I haven't mentioned that little gem yet becuse....
Worst Moment of the Week:  Being told our landlord is selling our house. Boom. B got the call last week and I was just devastated. I love this house. I've planned a nursery for this house. It's OUR house!  Long story short - B took control and sorted it in a week. The new house is gorgeous!
Miss Anything:  Blue Cheese and wine. I want to be in a position in life where I have a fridge full of wine, champagne and nice cheese.   I really REALLY want La Gachere wine from the vineyard we stayed at in France two summers ago!
Movement:   No, but I get so many niggles of pain - I often feel like tapping on my belly and asking if baby is comfortable - he/she's certainly making me uncomfortable!!
Cravings:   Avocado. Of course this could be because this week Baby McBerry is the size of an avocado. We've already had guacamole and chips and then avocado, tomato and mozzarella salad to appease me. 
Looking forward to:  The February half term. I cannot wait for a break just so I can catch up with marking and sleep. 


In the world of work, this aren't exactly going to plan as I'm feeling so rotten in the evenings. Wednesday night I was in bed by 7. 7!! I'm working so hard while I'm at work and then in the evenings, when I was usually putting in about four or five hours of marking, I'm virtually unable to do anything!  I'm getting panicked as my marking needs to be done, but I've had no time (while well) to actually do it. 

I think I have a plan though - so let me trial it and I'll get back to you. 

In the meantime, I'm starting moving preparations!  Here's a shot of our new house - it's HUGE!  Hopefully we will be in by mid March - just in time for St. Paddy's day!


I'm most looking forward to the little things - loo roll holders, a table in the kitchen, heating that doesn't lock out in the middle of the night and leave us freezing, getting away from a main road...the list goes on!

How we are going to fill a four bed house is beyond me - I mean, there are four toilets.  Such options!

Tonight B and I are headed to the Comedy Club at the King's Lynn Corn Exchange.  I bought him tickets as part of an anniversary present - a prepaid/pre-organised date for every month.  January's gift was the comedy club!  How's that for a fun night out?  Hoping I don't puke...

Xx

Tuesday 21 January 2014

London, Baby!


On Friday I joined B in London town for a weekend away!  We were meant to celebrate our anniversary with a weekend away, but my sickness kept us house-bound.  B was sitting his USMLE on Friday (After MONTHS AND MONTHS of preparation), so we rolled the two into one!

He is going to do a guest post soon as there is nothing out there for Brits who want to sit the US Medical exam.  My mom hooked B up with an elective in America last Easter, so he had loads of advice from Americans just out of their exam period.  Fortunately, he also befriended a fellow Doctor here who sat the USMLE and leant him loads of resources and gave him great advice.  Stay tuned!



How fabulous is the London Underground for their Baby buttons? You can get them from any Tube station, but busy stations tend to run out of stock quickly.  We were staying near Bayswater, so they had loads spare.  Let's face it - there are seats for pregnant women, women with small kids or the elderly.  In a coat you can't tell - I wore it with pride!

I was quite pleased that I was never left standing on the tube.  There were always seats available, so I was quite lucky.  Even though I'm miles better than I was, I wasn't really able to walk around and enjoy London for all it's worth - which was a real shame.

I was desperate to visit Victoria's Secret while we were in London.  I am a snob and I only wear their bras - too bad I HATED the shop.  It was too big, with too many people and way too much stock!  I found a really helpful girl who took pity on my fear and anxiety and pointed me in the right direction. It's worth a visit, but maybe go when it first opens so you aren't smooshed up against the walls.

The other highlight was our trip to Harrods for tea and macaroons at Laduree.  I begged B to take me when we went to Paris for my birthday two years ago - I think he enjoyed it more than I did!  He was more than happy for a tea break (typical Brit)!



We enjoyed some Caramel, Rose, Vanilla and Green Apple macaroons with Orange blossom tea and I had the Melange special.  Pure bliss.  And let's be honest - nothing says luxury quite like afternoon tea at Harrods.

I wish we could have caught a show or gone out for drinks, but the sad reality is that we were back and in bed by 9:00 every night.  I was an achey, sick mess and I think B was just shattered following revision.

The one treat we did manage to sneak is was a cheeky visit to Tinsletown in Bayswater for some proper American Malted Milkshakes.  It was so packed so we took ours to go. In spite of the freezing temperature, it was a lovely treat!

Xx

Sunday 12 January 2014

Bump Shot: 14 Weeks!


There's a little bump there!

How far along:  Fourteen Weeks! 
Weight Gain:  2 1/4 pounds!  Hooray!
Maternity Clothes:  I don't own anything yet, but I'm wearing the same five outfits every week (hopefully no one caught on to that).  All of my work trousers are officially too small - I may need to invest in some bottoms that don't squeeze my expanding belly.
Stretch Marks:  Nope!
Belly Button:  In!
Queasy or Sick:  Only a little.  The evenings seem to be the worst - most nights I'm just zoning out.  I am still taking the medication early in the morning to be safe!
Sleep:  I'm sleeping really well at the moment.  We bought some pop up black up blinds and they are amazing - more below. (embarrassed to confess we have been in our house for over a year and still haven't gotten a blind/shade/curtain for our bedroom skylight ).
Best Moment of the Week:  We had a scan on Friday and got to see Baby McBerry!  I find ultrasounds hilarious - our sonographer had me up and down and turning violently in order to get baby to turn over so she could measure it.  Hilarious.
Worst Moment of the Week:  Being told I was NOT allowed back in work as we have a case of Slapped Cheek.  Seriously - I've just come back?  I am allowed back, but I have to wait until Thursday to see if I'm immune to it, so in the meantime I'm allowed in work but I'm not allowed to touch anything.....Ok......
Miss Anything:  I've got a mad craving for some champagne.  I'm not a huge drinker, but the thought of a nice, cold glass of bubbly.  I've requested a case for my 30th....
Movement:   Not yet.
Cravings:  Chilli Heatwave Doritos.  Why can't I crave the healthy stuff??
Looking forward to:  The weekend!  B and I have special plans - stay tuned!



We went to Kiddiecare in Peterborough on Friday.  B has been dying to go and as it was the first weekend I actually felt somewhat human, we decided to check it out.  This place - only comparable to IKEA for babies - was AMAZINGLY OVERWHELMING.  

Not only was it a hot bed for hormones, it housed everything - and I mean EVERYTHING you need/want/imagined for a baby.  Things I didn't even know existed!

We got a pretty good list which I have combed through with my friend who is experienced in this whole world of babies (note four things are already crossed off! Yay!).  Heidi gave me great advice on what types of things were better than others, what can be borrowed and what was a must have.  I'm feeling slightly less panicked now. 


We bought the Lights Out Portable pop up blind - more so for us than for the baby.  They were only £10 for a pair.  Our bedrooms have one window - a slanted skylight which is fairly large.  Custom blinds were so expensive.  These just pop onto the window and keep out the light and in the heat!

We also bought a lovely little change table.  B's parents bought us a crib and mattress and we have a chest of drawers we are going to paint.  It was reduced because it had a tiny scuff on the back - quite frankly I thought it was a steal!




The final thing we bought was this ADORABLE Summer Buddy Elephant.  Our niece has one and we loved it - the stars on the ceiling are just perfect!



We decided to slowly acquire bits and bobs - but on the whole it's nice to know our big purchases are dwindling.

I don't plan on only writing about baby, but I thought I needed to get a bump photo on the blog before long.  It's been such fun at work as most of the kids know and will cheekily say "You're pregnant Miss, aren't you?"  One boy was horrified when I looked at him blankly and said I had a big breakfast, but I didn't think I looked THAT big.

Such fun, such fun!  
Xx

Sunday 5 January 2014

Baby McBerry: Estimated Arrival July 2014!


B and I are SO excited to announce we will be welcoming to the world a BABY MCBERRY in July!
I have to admit, I was shocked when we found out.  I felt strange and I knew something wasn't quite right, but I didn't expect the test to be positive!


For those who don't know, leading up to our wedding B wanted to join our surnames together to form the hybrid "McBerry."  I wasn't entertaining the idea as I was happy to get off the pound saver menu, but during the speeches at the wedding it caught on and EVERYONE toasted the McBerrys.

But let's talk about this pregnancy.  

How far along:  Thirteen Weeks! 
Weight Gain:  I've LOST a few pounds.  Thanks a lot, morning sickness.
Maternity Clothes:  I've been PJs for SEVEN weeks and leggings when I can leave the house.
Stretch Marks:  Nope, but I've got some Mustela cream on standby.  My skin is feeling super dry with the winter months so I've been using Winter Candy Apple body cream  (sold out it seems!) from Bath and Body works - smelling and feeling yummy.
Belly Button:  In!
Queasy or Sick:  Yes.  Just yes.  More below.
Sleep:  I love sleeping at the moment. I need 9 or 10 hours as well.  And when I'm asleep, I'm out.  No waking up or anything!  It's GREAT.
Best Moment of the Week:  On Friday I was driving to get some fennel (mad craving for THIS salad) and I suddenly realised - no nausea.  Nothing.  It was the first time I felt 100% OK in SEVEN WEEKS.
Worst Moment of the Week:  Waking up this morning and still being sick.
Miss Anything:  Normalcy?  Does that count?
Movement:  Early days. I can certainly tell there's something going in there though.
Cravings:  Orange everything.  Orange juice.  Orange soda.  Orange and fennel salad...
Looking forward to:  Going back to work!  Being forced to stay home was awful - I can't wait to get back to my department and the kids.




It was my intention to update the chalkboard weekly and then take a bump photo.  Yea....that's not happening when I've not showered.  I'll get on that in the next few days!
Now let's talk about this morning sickness.  
What a joke.  A joke that isn't funny AT ALL.

I've been suffering since Monday 18 November when I was six weeks.  I dragged myself to work and my show - MY SHOW!

By Thanksgiving, enough was enough, I went to the Doctors and was referred to the hospital.  I had keytones in my urine in addition to a possible UTI - I was severely dehydrated because of all of the nausea and vomiting.  Nothing was staying down.

I went straight to the Surgical Assessment Unit at the QEH.  I was put on a drip and given *great* drugs to relieve the sickness.  I've got to give the NHS a massive hand - they have been amazing over the past few weeks.


"You have the same thing Kate Middleton had!"  Thanks, Doctor.  Still doesn't make it any more glamourous.  

One of the worries with nausea in early pregnancy is a) twins or b) a molar pregnancy.  I wouldn't have minded twins (especially as I've said to B "NEVER AGAIN" numerous times a day), but a molar pregnancy is just plain awful.  

We went for the scan and all of the worries and sickness just sort of vanished - we saw the most amazing thing:  our baby.  It was tiny but had a wickedly strong heartbeat - it was racing a million miles a minute!  I nearly cried.  THAT little thing was causing all of this?!

Please excuse my awful appearance....

Once home I struggled with the sickness all of December.  I have been to and fro the surgery and the hospital for scans and appointments and check ups.  We got to see our little one again and are getting another peak on Friday.


The medication I have been on for the past seven weeks stops the vomiting MOSTLY but doesn't do much for the nausea.    And of those people who tell you 
"Oh, you should try this..." or "I never had any sickness..."
Yea.  I hate you.  
We tried everything.  There is no such thing as a "cure" for morning sickness.
Ginger.  Eating before getting up. Small meals.  Sea sickness bands.  Fluids.  Cold food.  Hard candy.  Peppermint.  Vitamin B6.  Lemon.
NOTHING WORKED.

The only time I ever get a little bit of relief was when I use our new Zoku Slush maker with Lipton Iced Tea.  I'm still working on getting my appetite back, but I finally want food - and I think that's a massive step forward.  Eating is a challenge, but I always feel better for it after. Small meals do work!

It's been a horrible few weeks.  I've never felt so low and so consistently worn down and exhausted before.  I don't like to sit, but most days I haven't been able to shower or get out of my PJs.  I would sleep, stare blankly and just wallow.  My mom took to phoning me at about 12:30 every day to check on me.  B was actually spraying me with the shower hose as I couldn't stand up and wash myself.   I missed Thanksgiving, the build up to Christmas and countless other things.

Everyone says it gets better - and I'm starting to believe them.  Finally, I feel a bit of relief.  Hopefully I can turn these feelings around and start loving pregnancy.  I've been so jealous of all of those glowing mums to be with their cute bumps...walking upright....hair done...vomit free.  Pretty soon that's going to be me!

Let's get this baby cooked and out of the oven!  Only 27 weeks to go!
xx