Bigger and Better

Yup, Kerri is bigger and better this week.
I am bigger (no joke, I have a belly now!) and better (details on the way about this part).

BIGGER: If I could find my camera, I would take some photos, but we have been moving over the past few days and numerous items are still in transit (or, maybe, missing). Hopefully, it will turn up later today and photos of where we moved and how I am growing will be posted. I find both very cool!

BETTER: It seems as though Jungle Baby has learned that it is alright to lose sometimes.  And, between me and you, I really like this side of Jungle Baby. (Please do not share this with Jungle Baby, for I would like to see just how far I can ride out the sympathy wins!) You see, every great competitor knows that you should lose sometimes. This just fires up your competition to try harder, and then you can squash them even harder the next time. So, if Jungle Baby has a bit of my competitive spirit, I highly approve of the strategy. However, I truly believe that Jungle Baby has some doozies in store for me and that is why I get a point for this week.

JUNGLE BABY: 8
ME: 1

Now, I am not in the clear all day-long. Oh no! I still get overwhelmed by some out-of-this-world bizarre waves of nausea. These waves literally make me shiver and gag and run to the bathroom. But, usually, my very strong desire to not throw up wins and I just shiver some more and exit the bathroom, feeling victorious. Sometimes I do ponder whether or not it would behoove me to vomit a bit, but I absolutely loathe everything connected with food exiting from my mouth. So, I try and try to keep it down.

The only guaranteed defeat is when I brush my teeth. I have read over-and-over again that oral hygiene is crucial during pregnancy, so I am trying hard to take care of my choppers and gums. But, for some reason (and explanations welcomed!), I can't stop the gag reflex during my daily brushes. It is quite the "Catch 22" for me, but I just deal with it. I brush, puke, brush, puke, brush, and run out of the bathroom.

Otherwise, I have quite an appetite now. This is nothing new for me, but everyone around me notices and comments about it. I don't really notice, but it seems that whenever food is in front of me, my interest is piqued and I really want others to share with me. And, who can deny a pregnant lady a bite? I mean come on...

And, I am really tired around 4pm and at 10pm. I can sleep through the night, with ease, but around 4pm, I am more of a zombie than a human. It is strange, for that is the time of the day when I am the busiest and now, the most tired. It is very inconvenient, but I am figuring out ways to deal with it. The most common method is just to close my eyes (regardless of where I am) around 2:30pm. If I can squeeze about 20 minutes of shut-eye in before 4pm creeps up on me, I can at least keep my eyes open and get through my classes. But, as Friday proved, if not, I just really can't keep my eyes open and should be given a doctor's note to excuse me from class.

Ok, so besides the physical things. I am also suffering from some strange physiological struggles as well. I have only voiced these struggles to a few close friends, and their reactions did not suit me. So, share your thoughts (or just tell me that it is fine, that would be great!)...You see, I have read that I should be sad, emotional, confused, forgetful and so on, and I was a bit of that a few weeks ago, but it passed and my sister helped. But, now, I am so emotional about the fact that I am not emotional. I am so upset that I have not had a freak-out moment, that I have not broke down into tears, even that I do not throw up much anymore. Supposedly, these weeks are supposed to be like that, but I am getting better, I am not a raging machine, I even hung out with my friends last night in town, at the bar (and, I rarely did that even before Jungle Baby decided to pitch a tent in my uterus)...Why do I feel so normal? I just want to be sick again and freak out at something or someone. Then, I will fit back into the Weekly Plan in the book I call my "Pregnancy Bible".

(I know, I know. You are not going to say what I want you to say either. I know!)