bemybabynow

It’s been a while since I last posted. Since then I have had my second blood test for the nuchal screen. The genetic counselor still pushed really hard for the amnio since I am (gasp) 38, but we just smiled and nodded through her questionnaire. I decided that if all comes back well with the screen then I’ll forgo the amnio, regardless of my Advanced Maternal Age. Ugh.

She had a laundry list of questions about both of our backgrounds. Silly me, I thought that our baby would be up there in the genetic diversity category: my father is Irish and a quarter German, my mom’s Hungarian. D’s father is from Calcutta, India and his mother is half Persian Jewish and Austrian Jewish. But this didn’t deter her from suggesting testing for Tay Sach’s, CF and I’m sure other things were mentioned before I fully zoned out. I started to loop through the real possibility of me being a Tay Sach’s carrier and also D since he’s half Sephardic but I gave up since trying to explain that to this woman would have been an adventure I wasn’t willing to get into. We’re going to a county hospital for our testing and for the birth (they have a birthing center for private patients) so the majority of the patients are lower income and minorities (it also services the prison next door). Though not of the Jewish minority. She probably went home and wrote a book report about us. Dear diary…

The blood draw was horrifying, almost more so for D than for me since he was watching and I was wincing with my head turned away. Three attempts and two huge black and blues later for one lousy vial of blood. Please I hope they listen next time when I say to use a pediatric needle. Thanks.

I’m starting to show a little, a pouch sticks out as the day wears on. I’m still fitting into my regular clothes, but it became time to suck it up and shop for maternity. I was lucky to have my sister donate her entire maternity wardrobe to me since she’s closed up shop, but I still need some other things. All of her stuff is brown. Not a single pair of black pants to be found. And the one pair of jeans? Um, not too good.

I found a great wrap cardigan and an awesome pair of jeans at H&M. Being new to all of this I didn’t realize that the mommy clothes would be buried in the childrens department. It sucks that we can’t order online from H&M here in the states since they have more stuff on the site. Unfortunately I couldn’t get a pair of black jeans since the only ones they had were “skinny”. Which I don’t mind, except for the snug ankles. Why oh why would this be flattering during pregnancy? This will not make my ass look smaller.

And horizontal stripes on maternity tops is just stupid. Stop it. Now. I am not a boat captain. I do not desire to look wider. Please.

All you other mommies out there probably know about Old Navy (got my package today in the mail, great basics), Target (some good, some okay), Kohl’s, and surprise of all, Forever 21. It seems like they just have real basics online right now, but it’s super cheap if you want to use belly bands or need some tank tops. Some people are freaked out thinking this is geared toward teen moms, but the news flash is that this won’t make kids get pregnant faster. Maternity clothes don’t encourage unprotected sex. You know what makes kids want to have sex? The having sex part. It’s not that complicated.

Also found a great site through pregnantchicken.com called Kiki’s Fashions. Very cute, inexpensive things but also guilty of the horizontal stripes.

Went out for dinner with D last Friday to celebrate Baby Basmati reaching 16 weeks and the size of an avocado. It was Huntington restaurant week and the place we went was packed. Had an awesome appetizer of burrata stuffed with ricotta, short rib for my main, and bread pudding with caramel sauce which kicked ass. And a nice glass of Malbec so deal with it sanctimommies. I watched with longing as D had two “special agent” martinis (basically a vesper, like from Casino Royale). One day you too shall be mine, martini. One day.

I didn’t ask if the cheese was pasteurized, but incidentally I searched through our local cheese market at the wide selection of brie in the case. ALL PASTEURIZED. Finding unpasteurized cheese is harder than getting hit by a rhino on Main Street. I got some brie and ate half the wedge as I made dinner Saturday. I may do it again this weekend. I haven’t gained any weight so far thanks to my first trimester food aversion, so I feel good on that front. So bring on the cheese.

And all those blogs and websites touting the second trimester energy surge are pure BS. I am so freaking tired. I’m sure BB is going through a growth spurt (I know my bump is getting there) which has to be sucking the life from me. I’m not anemic. So it’s just crap. I think they tell you how “glorious” the second trimester is to get you through your (possible) barfing in your first and the inevitable foot in your bladder/throat/lung that will bless you in your third.

Gotta drag my ass to the gym to keep moving. Ordered more clothes from Kohl’s today and we’ll see how they are when they arrive.

M