Part II- The Search for Energy and the Perfect Curb-My-Nausea Foods

Part II-week 11

As the days post the pregnancy test began to pass, as the shock still began to sink in that I was no longer just sick but with child, other signs began to hit me like a ton of bricks- irritability.  Even though I  consider myself a pretty even keel person, always keeping my emotions in check, I was become irritated at EVERYTHING.  Even if I didn’t physically show it, the smallest things were making me feel like I was going bonkers.  And then, the low energy and disinterest in common,daily activities began to set in.  I didn’t want to clean.  Doing the dishes, vacuuming, dusting and mopping all didn’t appeal to me.  Making the bed in the morning took every last bit of strength I had and I was even loosing interest in wanting to go to work, to work out , to walk the dogs and even check my e-mail!  It was something that was so surreal to me because NEVER in my life had I felt this way.  I have always been full of life, full of energy and had a sense of get-up-and-go that loosing interest in life itself was definitely becoming a concern to me.  Was this how pregnancy was truly supposed to feel?  Was I getting a form of depression during pregnancy that I had no control over?  I was a whole lot of bit frightened and scared and it wasn’t until I picked up a copy of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” that I realized all of my feelings, my aversions, my emotions and my moods were completely normal and to be expected.  I was relieved.   I realized that the nausea and disinterest in life would quickly pass as the first trimester came to end.  I only had a few more weeks so I was completely relieved that I would hopefully be close to being back to my old self. 

My aversions during weeks 8-?:

Things that I LOVED before were seemingly becoming unbearable for me to even smell.   This made me sad but I knew someday I would renew my love for these foods:

·         Raw almond and peanut butter-and I am a peanut butter FREAK.

·         Hummus- whatever will I do without you?

·         COFFEE?- Really? The queen of all things coffee, the one who considers any coffee shop her second home, couldn’t even stand the smell of the grounds?  I think I’m going to be sick just thinking about being sick in not wanting to drink a cup-of-joe.

·         Oatmeal- I suppose this goes with my almond butter aversion as my fave breakfast for some time prior to conception was oatmeal, a tablespoon of almond butter and craisens and golden raisins. YUM, before, not so much now.

·         WINE-not only am I not supposed to be drinking it of course, but the thought and smell of it actually makes me nauseous. ( And here I thought that this was going to be the most difficult parts of being pregnant, giving up my love for wine, and it is  actually one of the easiest parts!)

Things I LOVE now:

Some of these are new cravings, others are things that I have always loved that are now continuing to comfort my nausea:

·         Cinnamon-always LOVED, apparently always will.

·         Cereal- I love it all almost.  There was even a time when I grabbed a box of peanut butter  captain crunch.  SO not healthy but worth it to curb the nausea. Mostly Special K cinnamon and pecan, Raisin Bran and Cracklin Oat Bran have been my go to’s. 

·         Citrus-oranges, grapefruit,  lemonade flavoring in my teas, lemon in water, anything with a hint of citrus I gravitate towards. 

·         Club Soda concoctions-  I can’t get enough club soda and splash of cranberry with a squeeze of lime.  I feel as if I am indulging even though it is one of the healthiest drinks to consume.  It is perfect for after meals when trying to sooth the growing pains or an upset tummy.

·         Tuna-always loved it, its been a perfect lunch for me especially in trying to consume my 12 oz. of fish in a week for the Omega 3’s.  I love that I can still have fish even if I have to pass on my fave of all faves: sushi. 

·         Mexican food-black beans, chicken, cheese, guacamole, salsa, chips, all ingredients that I normally can’t get enough of and especially now that I’m pregnant.  Chips and salsa always have been and always will be one of my greatest weaknesses.

·         Yogurt,berries and almonds- I can’t get enough of this yummy breakfast.  Usually this is breakfast # 2 or snack number one for me in the morning and it completely hits the spot. 

Here's to the FINAL week of the first trimester and keeping my fingers crossed that all that I have read is true-I will begin to feel 'normal'!

The Roller Coaster Ride that is the First Trimester- Part I

April 26^th-the day that I knew something other than a ferocious sinus infection was taking over my body.  I was definitely 'off' feeling.  I am not one to usually get nauseous, not really on roller coaster rides or boats out to sea.   Yet that day, I felt like I was going to throw up literally every second of the day.  I felt this overwhelming urge to eat comfort foods.  Fast food, bread, cereal, anything that would curb this sensation that I needed to be hugging the porcelain 24/7.  My first craving, McDonald's fish sandwiches.  Anyone that knows me knows that ever since I read ‘Fast Food Nation’ I have an aversion to fast food.  It is something that I have only eaten since then very sparingly, usually when we are on  a roadtrip and are limited on options will I indulge in a greasy cheeseburger and a highly carbonated soda.  But that day, I needed a fish sandwich and it was the only thing in my mind that was going to save me.    This was so odd I kept thinking to myself.  The next day came and went and similar symptoms.  Another day of odd comfort food cravings ( such as a steak sandwich, weird) as well as the beginning of my food aversions.  Of course at this point, still thinking that it is because I have a sinus infection that my body is totally ‘off’, I really had no idea that I was having food ‘aversions’ and ‘cravings’ because I was incubating a little one inside of me.  I had begun a dosage of 24 hr. time release amoxicillin and I thought for sure it was the meds that were making me want to loose my mind ( and the strong overwhelming desire to upchuck my food).   

May 10^th-The true test.  Literally.  I gave Chris a warning 2 days before that something was just ‘not right’ about how I was feeling and that I felt the strong desire to take a pregnancy test.  It was one of the hardest things I had to say to him in all of our 5 years of marriage.  I felt unsure of what his reaction would be, would he be upset? ecstatic? scared? Surprisingly he was supportive of me taking it I think with the impression that there is just no way that I could be pregnant.  I had been on birth control for far too long, even though I did have a slip up (our anniversary and birthday(s) climbing trip to Oklahoma was taken sans birth control as I had forgotten my refills on the counter.) But still, there was just no way that it was positive.  It was one of the most stressful things that I have ever done- take that test.  ( and I have taken a lot of tests in my day, school tests that is!)  The first test: positive. Wow, this is really happening I thought to myself.  I quickly showed Chris and he didn’t believe me.  “Take another one!” he said.  He just didn’t believe that the first one could be accurate.  At this point I didn’t think so either.  So I opened the next package and took the test.  Again, positive.   At this point I was in complete shock.  There is no way I thought. No way.  We had talked and talked and talked again and we were waiting.  We weren’t completely prepared and so we knew we needed some more time.  2 positive tests later though, and there was ‘no more time’.  It was real.  I was pregnant and that was now the reality.  Not the reality that we had just 5 minutes before where we had time to plan.  The planning had to begin now and we had to fully prepare ourselves for the steps to come.  Shock, awe, jaws dropping to the floor and a smile here and there.  That can best describe that first evening that we realized we would be parents and that just as we had talked about before, the rest of our lives would now be forever transformed.  We were expecting and that little one would continue growing whether we accepted it or not!!

~Week 10 Belly Shot! I have an inkling my flame tattoo will be a bonfire by the third trimester~here's to hoping it shrinks back to normal post-baby!~

Fresh Beginnings and New Paths......

November....since that time, Winter in Northwest Florida has come and gone and the beginning of AbFab has since grown into something beautiful, Spring brought about an intoxicating smell of sweet jasmine on our back pergola along with beautiful fuchsia azaleas blooming all around our house and summer has been in full force with temperatures breaching 100 limiting runs and bike rides to steamy early mornings but increasing our time spent in the turquoise waters of the beautiful Gulf Coast. We are growing into our location, with each and every week settling in more and more even though the reminiscing has continued for me. Nostalgia of a phase in our lives that is in the past, and a continuous drive to want to embrace the new phase that we are in. House, dogs, new job(s) and A BABY on the way.

There, I said it. Wow, little did I know how completely in shock I would be at the thought of Chris and I embarking on yet another new phase. I knew that we had settled into the thought of having what we lovingly referred to as 'The 5 Year Plan", and I knew that a baby, though we talked about it regularly, was something that we just didn't feel completley prepared for. I have since learned that complete preparation for bringing a little one into this world clearly doesn't exist, but we thougth that somehow we would reach that 'we're ready' moment in a different way other that complete shock. I call it our 'planned, unplanned' little one. We couldn't ask for a better time frame. Chris isn't deploying, we have readily available resources for babysitting and assisting us as brand new parents (aka Mom and Lauren and Cory :-) and we have 3 years left on the Gulf Coast before we will even be thinking about uprooting to the next phase of our journey. I now work as a contractor for SAIC in addition to teaching yoga and being a partner in AbFab, so we have additional finances coming in (financially I have heard you are NEVER ready) but we will be working extra hard these next few months to build up our nest egg.

We're working on getting out of the shock phase and into the researching phase, preparing ourselves as much as possible for this little surprise that will be arriving in less approx. 7 months. First appointment is on Tuesday, our first ultrasound, our first chat with the doctors and hopefully a big leap into finally swallowing the fact that we will be parents! I will delve into the details of this discovery later, as well as report on how our first doc. visit goes. Here's to the next phase our lives, perhaps the craziest, most difficult yet rewarding adventure yet.  Approximately 12 weeks down by the way, 28 to go until the big arrival!

Autumn is here....

While I still pine for the cool breezes of the Flint Hills, the crunch of the dried leaves underneath my feet on my afternoon runs in Annenburg park, and trips to Radina's for a hot chai after a brisk day on campus, I am somewhat satisfied by the Florida fall that we have begun to experience.  Being able to snuggle up next to our fire and wear our fleece jackets on morning walks with the pups definitely makes me smile.  I find myself getting so nostalgic around this time of year I believe because I still transcend my mind back into the days of my childhood picking apples from Greenbluff orchard in Washington, raking leaves to pile and then playing in it, and the beginning of the holiday season of baking and creating.  My mom always managed to keep us girls busy making things to decorate our home and baking cookies and goodies that filled the house with this wonderful scent of fall-cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and apples.  Yum.  I can almost smell it just dreaming about it. 

Halloween has come and gone, the grass is beginning to turn and it is during this season post-summer that I really feel I do come alive.  Phenomenal how I can find so many things that I love about Summer and then turn around and find so many unique things that I love about Autumn.  Nature really is miraculous and in my opinion really begins to show it's true colors during this season.  So here's to many evenings of having hot cider by the fire, chilly walks on the beach with the pups and plenty of holiday entertaining to be done in our new pad!

 First fire of the year!

She's smiling in this one!

Best buds.

   

So stoic.

Sweet Home Alabama (Lower Alabama that is..)

It's official-we are 'homeowners'!  September 24th, 2010 is a day we will never forget ( nor will our bank!)As we both sat in the conference room at the Title company, separate pens in hand signing documents for an entire hour, I didn't get the sinking feeling that we were signing our life away and I hope that's a good thing.  I feel that even if we are here short term that we have bought at a time in the market where if real estate drops any further the middle class will be living in cardboard boxes.  We have equity in our home, our mortgage is within our budget and we got MORE than what we could have bargained for even if we had rented.  We have vowed to ourselves (and my parents) to keep our home improvements at a minimum and to maintain the property over the next few years.  While we did complete one project already, (our noses were telling us that the carpet was in desperate need of being demolished in the room the cats called their home) we already know that our Return on Investment for replacing carpet with wood floors is good!  Who knew you could find a gorgeous, solid bamboo flooring at Sam's Club?  Not only is it beautiful, but we know it was a good investment for re-sale down the road. 

So enough with the words, we'll just let a few of the snap-shots do the talking:

Left by the previous owners, Theresa and Craig, on our closing day-they're awesome!

Our first home renovation project post-carpet destruction, ready for the wood!

We used a real bamboo wood with a darker, but warm finish, uni-clic system where the planks click and snap in place.  With a little elbow grease and a rubber mallot the floor was really coming together!  (Might I add that because bamboo is a renewable resource it was an eco-friendly choice!)

the gorgeous kitchen-love the island and the cork tile!

Living Room with real wood fireplace!

Dining Room-bamboo floor

Laundry room-cork tiled as well!

master suite-it's a giant!

master bath complete with garden tub

the backyard pergola-one of the best features of the house!

The finished product, minus the quarter round being put into place.  She's a beauty!

A Week of Amazingness....

It's easy in life to get caught up in only recognizing the 'spectaculars'.  You know what I'm talking about, only those accomplishments in life that wow us.  Since my life has slowed down post-graduating I have had the opportunity I suppose to marvel in the little things in life-sunsets and bike rides by the river, hot cups of coffee on snowy days and good conversation over a bottle of Mirrasou.  These were all things that I had enjoyed before the turning point in my life but only until you are able to release some of the worries and stresses of life are you truly able to marvel in these unique moments of opportunity.  These moments that create pause and reflection in your life and it is in that reflection of life that I feel I am able to grow and flourish and feel as if I can really take on the world.  I was inspired to take a moment after last week to look back and see what was accomplished and found out that while it wasn't earth-shattering, they were accomplishments all the same:

.: Surf's up, and so were we:  We did it together, rode our first wave and it was SURREAL. 

.: Lola preps for a half-marathon: Lola successfully completed her first 10K and she was ready for more.  She's an incredible running partner whom I see pushing both Chris and I in the future!  Get it little Lola Bean!
 (and I suppose I have to add that Toga has been a little running machine, taking on 2 miles most days no problem.  You try that after 2 rounds of heart worm treatment!  She's a ROCK STAR!)

.: D.C. or bust:  I took on another project, an intern in the Center for Political-Military Analysis at the Hudson Institute in Washington, D.C.  Now does this require another 4 month stay in one of my favorite cities?  Of course not! We're in FL for a few years and are just settling a few roots here finally.  Instead I'll be 'tele-commuting', (gotta love another few hours on the computer a week) and will be doing a service to myself and my future by staying in the researching loop.  Don't want to get rusty!

.: Job Prospects:  Palace Acquire recruiters will be in the area in the next 2 weeks and I am DEAD SET on meeting up with them one way or another.  Of course what good is an accomplishment of mine without getting into the bureaucracy of if all?  I have yet again had to push myself through some red tape but 'onward and forward' I go...I will make my way even if it's on my own terms.  I don't mind a little bushwhacking along the way if I can eventually get where I need to go!

It's all in the journey I continuously remind myself, not the destination.  So until I get where I am going I will continue to enjoy the suttle moments in the day that make me smile and laugh, looking forward to the tomorrows but reminiscing about the yesterdays.

Another pristine day in paradise........

Home Sweet Home

Almost 4 months and about 14 contracts later Chris and I are officially (well almost officially) first time homebuyers.  It sounds so 'adult'.  While I became used to a comfortable, cozy, and simple lifestyle in our apartments in Kansas, we both had decided almost a year ago that if our paths took us to Florida, we would try to buy a home.  Might I add that the process is incredibly deceiving on the Home and Garden network.  If only it were as easy as choosing between 3 homes and then almost guaranteeing that when you put in the contract you will surely get the home that you want the most. I knew intuitively that just the right home was out there for us, it was just a matter of waiting for it to come along.  We took a look at some real pieces of work and the last thing that this 'weekend relaxing' girl wants to do every weekend for the next 3 years is housework.  Give me a home where we can make a few upgrades to it but that is ready for our arrival.  A place that we can feel at home almost instantly.  6669 Fairmont St. is just that, not to mention a fellow Romads home.  Coincidences in life are so funny.  What are the chances that when mom and I are performing the first walk-through I come across a beret hanging on the wall of what appeared to be a 'man cave'.  From one Romad to another, the house gets passed down and Chris and I fully intend to take just as good of care of it as our predecessors did.  It will be an adventure in painting, flooring installation and maintenance, maybe a little home depot and bed, bath and beyond on an occasional weekend but we fully intend not to let it run our lives.  We don't have to fill every corner with furniture, or continuously make additions every weekend to the cosmetic details of the home.  We fully intend on following our adventurous spirits wherever they may take us on the weekends with perhaps a Saturday or Sunday here and there committed to THE HOME.

We have completed the first steps: Home Inspection was a cinch.  Thanks to the handy work and pride in ownership of Theresa and Craig, the home inspection report came back with ZERO, (let me write that again) ZERO discrepancies.  When does that happen?  According to our home inspector, very rarely.  Theresa and Craig are using the HAP program, a housing assistance program designed to assist the military in compensating for losses when they PCS.  HAP has already approved the purchase price and therefore it's onto the Benefits phase.  We could be looking as soon as end of September at getting into our home.  45 Days!  We're beyond stoked.  The wait is almost over, and I must say while it has been daunting, it's been an awesome ride.   I really almost feel this duty to share the process more with other first time home buyers in this 'buyers market'.  I say that lovingly and with a hint of sarcasm because typically putting in 14 contracts indicates a 'sellers market'.  Our process was not typically but perhaps there are others that would benefit from a few words of wisdom so here goes:

1.) Avoid getting emotionally attached to a home. 
Our first adventures in looking at home were all online and while 'cold' feeling it was almost perfect.  We could scout out what the home looked like objectively and get an overall feel of the home without walking into it and becoming suddenly 'attached'.  Think: Going to a pound to find a dog verses looking online.  (don't look it in the eyes!)

2.) Trust your instincts.
If you try to rush the process, you'll end up with something less than satisfying and who wants that when you're looking at spending the most money you've ever spent on anything in your entire life?  Take your time.  The right home for you is out there when the time is right.

3.) Square footage, square footage, square footage.
Remind yourself that no matter what upgrades the home has, the square footage is a HUGE factor in the price!  If the home has a pool or a patio that is not necessarily a factor in getting a bigger return on a home.  Upgrades count for something but look at the square footage and comparable homes in the area to determine if the cost is right for the market.

4.) Patience is a virtue.
While you might find yourself spending countless hours in front of the TV dreaming of a day just like on House Hunters where your contract is finally accepted and you find the perfect home, DON'T get caught up in the luster of it all.  Sometimes home buying takes time and can't be done in an instant.  Perhaps you find the perfect home in a week, or perhaps you find yourself like us with 4 months going by before the perfect home finally makes it's entrance on the market. 

5.) Find a Real Estate agent that represents your interests best.
We were fortunate because what better agent to have than your mom?!  She knew our price range, our tastes and what things were most important to us in a home.  Make sure your agent has you in mind and isn't just trying to get you into a home for the sake of getting you into a home!

6.) Make a list of important features that you want in your home.
Are you a chef who wants a big kitchen?  Do you want a big backyard for your pups to run around in? Whatever your heart desires that are 'must haves' make sure to let your real estate agent know and make sure to rank what's most important to you to make the widdling down process that much easier.

7.) The layout is critical!
You can upgrade appliances, add wood floors, change the features of a patio and put in new sinks but unless you are an expert in home remodeling (see: See Holmes on Homes, Home and Garden TV) you had better be satisfied with the layout from the moment you enter the home because those walls will always be there!

8.) Set your budget and STICK to it!
It is easy to get swayed into getting to height of your budget but refuse to let it happen!  Think of all the things that you will need to purchase in the near future like a lawn mower and a pressure washer to keep the exterior clean and in good condition!  Taxes, insurance, home warranty and every month upkeep will be more than the cost of just renting like you were used to so plan for the unexpected and leave room in your budget for that first 'home repair'.  Words we don't want to hear but we know are reality.

9.)  Location is a home sellers best friend.
Sure you're not even beginning to thing about selling a home you haven't purchased yet but have you even begun to consider the potential resale value of your future pad? Weigh all of the pros and cons and think smart.  Homes that have a decent size yard for a family, that aren't in a flood zone and that are in a good neighborhood are likely to be attractive to most home buyers.  Again, those are the things that you are looking at  right? 

10.) Shop around!
Chris and I were dead set on using the bank that we had used for years to provide home owner's insurance and our mortgage loan.  Little did we know that the competitors out there were a possible option for us providing us lower rates and a better piece of mind that we were locking in the best deal possible on our new home.

Our journey continues as we get one step closer to actually moving our belongings in and making that house our home.  So sit back, relax and just enjoy the ride.  Its a process you'll never forget, with a finale that you'll forever remember.