Christmas and Whatnot

My husband and I went to Texas for Christmas to visit my family. We had a really good time, and we announced that we are expecting to my family! I had already told my mom, but not my dad or brother. So, they were excited, but as my brother already has two kids, and my mom takes care of them regularly, I couldn't help but feel that it is "just another baby". The same with my husband's family. His brother has two children and they are actually due for a third one month before me!! Sometimes it really sucks being the youngest in the family. Everyone gets all crazy over the first baby in the family, but once its the 4th or 5th.. well, its just another baby.

I felt great the whole time we were in Texas, but upon awaking back home in Alabama, I feel totally sick again. I don't think Alabama agrees with me. :) I have had a lot of all-day-sickness that started just before my 5th week. I'm now going into my 8th. I had a wicked cold two weeks ago that certainly didn't help anything. At first, I drank a concentrated ginger tea which did help, but I soon started hating ginger. Now I consistently take ginger and alfalfa capsules. I have taken the combination for a little more than two weeks, and I'm pretty sure it helps, but I don't want to quit taking it just to find out if I feel more sick! So I'll assume its working. Other than that, I have to eat every two hours. Water also is a HUGE factor in preventing and relieving morning sickness. Water is so important that I will have a post on water a little later.

My nutrition has really gone south since I started to feel nauseous. I find myself loathing vegetables, and as a vegetarian, that is really not good! My husband did make an okra dish last night that I found quite tasty, and my mom made a veggie soup that I ate while I was in Texas, but otherwise it has been very difficult for me to keep up on my healthy eating. Right now I'm just trying not to lose weight. I don't vomit, but I just hate food right now, so it is difficult. This is such an important growth time for my little raspberry, and the only way to feed the bun is to feed myself! We've been trying to do smoothies with a handful of spinach mixed in to make up some of my missed vitamins.

Well, I currently don't have internet at home, so I am not posting as often as I would like. I have some really great posts lined up though about the value of different foods that I am excited about. We are going to St. Louis (my husband's hometown) for New Year's, but after that, I'm hoping this blog will really get rolling. Next I'll introduce my husband and have a great post from my herb encyclopedia about Red Raspberry Leaf!

My Very First Blog

I'm not one for social websites (aside from GoodReads), so I don't have a lot of experience on the social side of the internet. So, posting things for the entire world to see, especially something so intimate as my pregnancy is quite a bit intimidating! But I feel that I have a lot of stuff swimming around in my head that a lot of other people could find beneficial. Nutrition has been a passion of mine for about the past four years, and last year I added a new passion - natural birth! Once I saw The Business of Being Born I was sold and totally hooked! I love meeting people who have had a natural birth and love talking about it with just about anyone willing to talk about it.

I'm not just excited to have a baby. I'm excited to be pregnant! A lot of people seem to view pregnancy and birth as just a means to an end - the only way to get a baby! And even then, a lot of people bypass the birth part. I don't just want a baby, I want the whole thing. I have always wanted to be pregnant ever since I was old enough to think about having a family. And I'm excited for birth! I WANT the experience of birth. I don't think a healthy pregnancy is a medical condition - its a beautiful process the Lord designed! - And I believe His design to be perfect. The more I learn about the cascades of hormones and progressions that a woman (an unmedicated woman) in labor goes through naturally, well, its just amazing to me. I'm aware it won't be a walk in the park. And I'm pretty sure I have no idea what I'm in for.. but I'm excited none the less!

Today, I am .. 33 days pregnant. Which translates to about 6.5 weeks in "practitioners" terms. I've had my share of early pregnancy discomforts.. but I'll save that for another post.

Aside from my reasons for starting a blog, my incredibly social network savvy friend, Laura, is quite excited to be an honorary aunt, and since she's in Manchester, she wanted me to blog about my experiences... so.. To honorary Aunt Laura!!