12 Weeks Today!!!

Today we are 12 weeks, and our baby is about the size of a plum!  I don't think I've ever eaten a plum, but one of my other baby readings compared Olive's size to that of an egg, so that is a better visualization for me.  I'm so excited to be 12 weeks.  It doesn't seem like its been 8 weeks since we found out.  If we were to have an ultrasound now, Olive would actually look like a baby, instead of a rotisserie chicken, which is what I think our ultrasound picture looks like that everyone got to see.

Each week now when we hit a milestone, I'm going to post some pregnancy highlights as suggested by someone on a forum that I read for pregnancy.  So here goes for the 12-week post:

Size of baby: plum
Total weight gain/loss: about 3 pounds according to the gym scale here in the last 2 days (if I go to the doctor next week and have gained 5 pounds or less, I will be happy with that)
Maternity clothes: I now have a lot of what I will call "transition" clothing... though I do have a pair of maternity jeans which I will be wearing once we get back to Canada, where it will be a cold 50 degrees
Movement: just gas bubbles for now, still several weeks for that
Food cravings: nothing major lately, just food in general
What I miss: not having to pee 4 times a night, my flat stomach, and eating raw cookie dough, medium-rare steaks, and over-easy eggs
Sleep: in between peeing a TON, I'm at least sleeping deeply now (up until about 8 weeks, it was rough)
Symptoms: extreme hunger, moodiness (brought on by hunger), bloat, occasional back aches, heartburn
Best moment this week: last night when Chris and I got dressed for dinner, and I didn't look fat in my dress, I looked pregnant!  And Chris said he noticed it, and it was very cute.  Its the first time I've felt pretty in a long time.
What I am looking forward to: hearing Olive's heartbeat, which I'm hoping will happen with a doppler at our doctor's appointment next week.  Fingers crossed!

I'm really hoping that yesterday was a turning point for my energy level.  I didn't need a nap and felt pretty great all day, not that I have much to complain about, but the exhaustion that usually hits around 2 or 3 can be pretty debilitating, and I was fine all day yesterday.  It was very hot (90s) yesterday, and even with running around with Bailie AND going to the gym, I was fine.  And right now, I feel pretty good.  I'm hoping it sticks!

Last night we went to dinner at Gadsby's Tavern, which I can only describe as a very cute, quaint restaurant.  Its a place that was frequented by many presidents, with George Washington probably being the most frequent visitor.  It was something different to experience and we really enjoyed it.  Afterward we went to an ice cream shop and I had a cone of my absolute favorite - peppermint - and it was awesome!  I said that I went to the gym yesterday, which is the second time I've been since being here in DC, and it was again awesome.  Don't worry all, I'm the queen of caution right now, and I was very sad when my 20 minutes on the elliptical was up.  I did some very light lifting afterward and it made me feel like my old gym-rat self, which made me miss it so much.  That may also be what has helped my energy these past couple of days.  I wish I could run more, but I've definitely learned that running, I'm guessing because of the impact, is what usually aggravates my lower back aches.  They are never bad, just a minor dull ache, but I notice them more if I've been running around the dog park with Bailie.

Today I read something beautiful about what a minister had to say about babies: "When God wants an important thing done in this world or a wrong righted, he goes about it in a very singular way. He doesn't release thunderbolts or stir up earthquakes. God simply has a tiny baby born, perhaps of a very humble home, perhaps of a very humble mother. And God puts the idea or purpose into the mother's heart, and puts it in the baby's mind, and then God waits. The great events of this world are not battles and elections and earthquakes and thunderbolts. The great events are babies. For each child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged with humanity, but is still expecting good will to become incarnate in each human life."  I think this is really beautiful, and it just makes me want to be the best mommy I can be.

I think that's about it for today.  I said that I would start posting belly pictures once we hit 12 weeks.  I'll take a picture before we go to the Melting Pot tomorrow and then post that.  I can't believe tomorrow is our last day here!  It has gone by very quickly, but I know Chris is ready to get home on Saturday night.  Bailie is ready to be done with elevator rides.  I'm ready to start baking again after a much-needed break.  It will be good to be home.