Lovin' Sunny California....

....Wow, hard to believe that I've been in Cali a whole week already!  We have 5 days left before we return to reality....the weather has been fabulous and I've been lucky enough to eat pretty consistently and only threw up twice...once very aggressively and once not so dramatically...I finally got to eat at the Famous In and Out Burger...and it was....soooooooooooooooo good!!!  There are still a few hot spots that Gregg and I are hoping to hit before our vacation is over...my nieces are soooo cute and so well behaved...they are such angels...my brother-in-law and sister-in-law are so lucky to have such cuties for daughters!  They must be so proud!  It was great to spend some time w/Gregg's dad...he was here for the first few days of the vacation and it was great to see him spending time w/his sons...an opportunity that doesn't come around too often...It was also so nice to be able to finally share our pregnancy news w/the whole family!!! Phew!  I really hated keeping it a secret but we wanted to make sure we were at the lowest risk stage as we didn't want to disappoint any family members if we'd have to retract our news...

...I'm feeling kinda sluggish at the moment...it was hard adjusting to the 3-hour time difference...and I'm just plain tired all the time...ugh.  We went to Knott's Berry Farms Soak City yesterday and even though I couldn't really take part in the water rides, it was nice to be able to lay out and just...be.  We are so fortunate that my sister-in-law, Nary has a niece named Kaylee that Vanessa was able to become friends w/last year and they are like 2 peas in a pod when they are together...so we are very lucky that Vanessa has a buddy for when we visit...and it's cute cuz Vanessa tells everyone they are cousins...lol.

...Today we took the girls to Barnes and Nobles to look around ...I forgot how much I loved being in there!  So many books and interesting stuff...and later we will take the girls to see Kung Fu Panda 2 at the movie theater...I'm already devising how I'm gonna sneak the popcorn and soda into the theater...hmmm...I just can't believe how much they charge?!  It's like...highway robbery...totally raping the public...way overpriced food for no good reason other than to turn a profit....talk about greed...ugh.

...Anyways, I just wanted to update on the trip....thus far.  I can't believe I'm finally 12 weeks and starting my 2nd trimester!!!  Woohoo!  It's so exciting...before coming here, last week I weighed myself...I was 105 lbs...I actually lost 1 lb from throwing up...I weighed myself on Monday...I was 109 lbs...and then yesterday I weighed myself again and I'm now 110...my bottoms are definitely tightening up...I'm gonna need that bellyband soon lol...and pre-pregnancy, my waist was about 24-25 inches and now it is measuring 30 inches lol.....I am starting to get a bit of a tiny bump...I'm widening at the sides and rounding out...I think this is the fun part when you start to show...yet we all know once we're in our 8th month or so...we hate how we feel and how our bodies look...so I will just revel and relish this while I can before I can't stand it anymore, lol.

me and baby gia, how sweet is she?? :)

family in california, truly a fun group!

...That is it for now, hope all is well and take care til next time!  Hugs!

Elise_Is_PG

Craving Sweets,Morning Sickness, Heightened Senses, Headaches, GERD?

....Ugh so as I was being optimistic that I may NOT have morning sickness with this pregnancy (and yes I know it's too early to know that)...I have already been humbled yesterday and last night...although it wasn't the projectile vomiting kind....it is however, the dry-heaving that takes all of your energy out of you kind...and for that...the insanity begins. 

I realize now that I have been definitely craving sweets ...I totally love chocolate and cake, cookies  and some candy but if you ask Gregg or Vanessa, I rarely eat this stuff as I am very much a SAVORY gal...I love all things savory and salty and will choose it over sweets any day of the week!  However, lately sweets have been calling my name and it's hard not to be tempted, lol.  We went to Beau Monde Creperie yesterday for Mother's Day and for the first time, instead of a savory crepe, I ordered a sweet crepe: Crepe w/bananas, nutella, and hazelnut ice-cream!  Can I say....I "INHALED" it like my life depended on it...so crazy!

...And let's just say the indigestion and slight nausea I felt as we walked around South St. afterwards didn't bode well with me at all!  On top of that...my sense of smell is like...10-fold.  Everything is much more acute which sucked since as we were walking...cigarette smoke was all the more irritating and the smell of incense coming out of the Meditation bookstore totally grossed me out...when normally I love the smell of incense.  I am so much more sensitive to my surroundings now which I don't believe to be a good thing at all lol...since I am already very "aware" of what is going on around me...this is just...too much.  When I was pregnant with Vanessa, I was only 21...and I don't think I really gave much thought to my pregnancy at that time...primarily because it was a "surprise", I wasn't trying to be pregnant and I was so young...I was just...going through the motions because I didn't know what to do...it was all so new to me ....and very surreal as I never thought I would be a mother sooo soon ...(Vanessa was conceived on my wedding night, how funny is that?!!!)

...I think I pay more attention now since this is intentional.  We've been trying to conceive for so long that it has totally consumed me and in turn the experience has been very literal...with purpose.  My headaches are coming and going as well and that is just...not a turn-on.  I hate feeling like I have no control and being limited to what meds I can take to alleviate my suffering.  Limited access to my allergy and pain meds doesn't make me a happy gal....but I am willing to make the sacrifice to get a happy and healthy baby out of it...so I am not by any means whining or complaining.

...And then there is this..GERD thing...Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease...I don't know if I am plagued w/this, but I feel like I may be.  The taste in my mouth....is absolutely........hurrendous...not metallic-y...but just like...foot odor but in my mouth??? I have no idea how to describe it, but it's gross.  I have constant phlegm and it's like I can taste the juices that are coming from my stomach...sounds soooooooo disgusting and is absolutely giving me the worst breath EVER...this is beyond halitosis....and I'm having trouble...not frequently...but taking long deep breaths, makes me cough...and there is a slight wheeze from it...I've only had one occurrence so far...and hopefully not many more...but I do believe my symptoms are of the GERD kind....if it continues, I will have to consult my doctor....just blows.

Exhaustion is getting the best of me....really slowing me down which is also annoying as I am the type that does 10 things at once and even while taking a break, I am doing something to get ahead...I have to learn to slow down and take it easy ...especially if I truly want to nurture this pregnancy to be a healthy one....just not in my vocabulary and is so hard for me to do.

But anyways, I digress....it is a beautiful Monday and start to the week...hope you area all doing well and talk more soon!

***UPDATE: this is a vlog that I recorded and finally have been able to add to this post.  Hope you enjoy it!

Elise_Is_PG