Bugabug 15 weeks

Weeks pregnant: 15
Weight: +7
Waist: +6
Baby size: navel orange

Physical stuff: I am probably going to have to dig out my bin of maternity clothes this weekend. I will at least need to find the belly bands. I will be able to hold off on the official maternity clothes, but the belly bands will be essential for the next few weeks. I am pushing the limits of my shorts and often find myself undoing the button by the end of the day. Last pregnancy I was able to get by without buying any maternity shorts–the belly bands lasted me until pants weather. Thankfully, because maternity shorts have got to be the least flattering, ugliest clothing ever–ok, second maybe to maternity skirts. Since I am just a week or so behind this time, I am hoping for the same. Nausea is totally gone now, but unfortunately the headaches are starting to set in. I'm telling you, this pregnancy is exactly the same as my first. I would get intense headaches in a very isolated spot. If you follow your finger up your spine, there's a divot right at the nape of the neck with a bump on either side of it. The left bump is where I get headaches. I think I need to get to my chiropractor to see if she can help. Otherwise, pressing on it really hard with my knuckle sometimes eases the pain. But then it's all achy the next day from being abused. Oh well, it is definitely more bearable than the nausea. On a positive note, my hair and nails are in that fabulous pregnancy state of being super healthy and strong. Love that.

Emotional stuff: So, remember a couple weeks ago in this post when I said, "Of course, now that the house is done, we will probably get transferred somewhere new! I wish I was kidding." Well, it's happening. All of my emotional energy this week has been focused on the fact that we'll be moving to Chicago in a month. We just found out last weekend and got our move date yesterday. We kind of suspected it was coming, so it's not a total surprise, but it will still be challenging in many ways. But it will also be fun and exciting in many ways. I'm worried about finding a new midwife. I noticed that there is a birth center in the area that we're looking at, but I guess home birth is an option in Illinois as well, so we're pretty much back to square one. I will also have to find a new endocrinologist to monitor my thyroid during pregnancy, which is so annoying, as I finally found someone I am really happy with here. If I have a third baby, it would be really nice to be with the same care provider for the whole pregnancy. Hear that, universe? Please? But first we need to find housing, and then we will figure it out. Namaste.

Nursing/Boobs: Weaning is still coming right along, slowly but surely. Penny just nurses twice/day now: in the morning and after lunch/before nap, one side each time. We dropped the before bed nursing, and she hasn't really looked back. We only nurse in the family room now, not anywhere near her bedroom or mine, which helped a lot. On the first day that we dropped the bedtime nursing, I said goodnight to Penny downstairs before her bath. So after dinner, we played, and then at 7:30 it was bathtime. I said goodnight, gave her a hug and kiss, and she went upstairs with Daddy. They did the whole bedtime routine together: bath, lotion, pjs, books, teeth, and then lights off/laying down/sleep. He had been gone for a couple days right before that, so she was excited to have him home and doing bedtime with her, so that helped. She didn't ask for milk and just went with the new routine. Since I wasn't involved, I think that helped too. They did that routine together for 3 or 4 days just the two of them, and now I can be involved too if we want. I'm not sure now whether we should continue with the weaning process now or if we should wait until after the move. Definitely something to think about. Input welcomed.

Birth/baby prep: I started to do a little online research on my birth options, but I wanted to figure out where we'll be living before I get serious about it. One big relief about the move is that we have a very very close friend living in the Chicago area, so I am much less worried about who can watch Penny while I'm in labor if family can't make it in time. Chicago is also much more accessible than Omaha, so it will be easier for family to visit. But really I've done nothing on this front.

Gender stuff: I still think it's a boy, but Josh thinks girl. One of us will be right I guess.