Chocolate Covered Cinnamon Bears

I have to pay a belated tribute to my sweet husband. For our anniversary back in February, J heard me say that one of the things I miss most about my college home town was the chocolate covered Cinnamon bears. So what should arrive by mail from in sister-in-law in a beautiful little BYU Bookstore bag the day before our sixth anniversary? A happy little one pound package of chocolate covered Cinnamon bears. This week I ate the last blessed one! I stretched it out to last all these glorious weeks, eating one or two here and there. Now and again I shared. But mostly I just savored them myself.

These yummy bears of goodness bring back great memories of studying late into the night at the food-banning Library and sneaking in my bag of non-drowsy bears tucked in the deep recesses of my backpack. I remember 1/4 lb bag-fulls taken to International Cinema to enjoy while I watch Chinese and Latin American movies for my humanities classes. Best of all I remember buying bags by the pound during the two-day pilgrimage my sisters and mother and I would make to BYU Women's Conference every Spring. Oh how we bonded over those bears. I think we get it from my mother. It must be in my blood.

Thanks, good husband, for the wonderful walk down memory lane!

Of Pie and Buttered Bread: Thirteen Weeks

Today I am officially 13 weeks pregnant! My due date is October 8, though I will have a scheduled c-section about a week before that. We are so excited for A to be a big brother and are so greatful to have been blessed to be able to get pregnant again.

So here are a few of the interesting things that have been a part of this first trimester. This pregnancy has been similar to and different from my pregnacy with A.

I'll start with the things that are the same:

• Food aversions. I can't stand the smell or taste of most meat, especially chicken. Though the thought of a good cheese burger has crossed my mind several times, especially if I dont' have to see or smell it cooking. I can't eat veggies, though occassionally I can stand a carrot or a piece of celery. Very few things sound appetizing.
• I'm sick all day--none of this morning sickness business; it's an all-day affair.
• I'm tired. All the time. Tired (that's why I haven't updated my blog in quite a while)

There are a few differences, too:

• I love pie and cake. I eat it every single day (really). I especially like strawberry ruhbarb pie. With A I couldn't eat sugar. In some forms and in large quantities, it still makes me queezy.
• With A I ate a lot of pizza (several times a week). With this baby it's buttered bread. I eat it for breakfast and snacks, and sometimes lunch or dinner. Carbs seem to be the only thing that really settles my stomach.
• I am able to take a nap every day. Before, I would try to sneek in a power nap for 15 minutes in my car on my lunch break. Now I can sleep for a solid hour or so while A takes a nap. This helps so much because...
• I can't sleep. I remember this happening before, but not this early. I can't get comfortable as I try to train myself not to sleep on my back.
• My clothes don't fit. It seems like I could fit into my clothes for a lot longer before. Though I have to admit it is probably because this is my second child and I bought a bunch of new clothes when I lost all that weight and they were very trim. I'm going to have to go buy an intermediate size pair of pants until maternity clothes actually fit.
• I'm trying hard to exercise. I rarely did anything until I was in my third trimester with A. I get in a good, brisk walk and even an occassional run on my tredmill a few times a week. I'm hoping with warmer weather and less queeziness in the second trimester it will make that a little easier. It better help because I've been eating a whole lot o' pie!

Here's one quick funny thing that happened to me the other day. I was so sick and trying to get lunch ready. We have several children's small plastic plates from Ikea, each one a different color. When I opened the cupboard door to get out lunch plates, I saw the orange and lime-green plates stacked on top of each other. In that moment that I saw those colors together, a wave a nausea came over me and I thought I'd throw up right then. That was a first. Smells have always bothered me, pregnant or not. Foods are bad. But, come on, the sight of colored kids plates! I can't wait until this phase is over. It usually lasts into week 15 or so. Here's hoping it doesn't keep going like it does with some of my sisters!

I can't get our scanner to work so I can't get the ultra sound picture we have to post. I'll work on it. I'll have another appointment in a couple of weeks and hopefully be able to show off those pictures.