Am I growing a giant?

Question of the week: am I growing a giant in this belly of mine? And if so, can I write about this in an interesting self-qualitative study and call it my dissertation? (The answer to both questions is probably no).

Background info: I work at a research center with about 50 other people. Our office is an old dorm, so the set-up is less than stellar since we all have our own "rooms" and most people just shut their door. Every once in a while I will see someone. The likelihood of that person being pregnant is actually pretty high since 3 out 8 people on the floor are pregnant and all due within 2 weeks of one another (this includes me).

Story: Yesterday, I ran into one of the other pregnant ladies who noticed my belly is getting bigger. She exclaimed, "wow, that's a big baby in there" (she has already had a kid, so I think these types of comments are ok coming from her).

Me: "I know, what's going on? It's not cookies, well, it may be some, but it's not all cookies, I promise!"
Her: "Oh no, your face looks thinner (mental comment: I need to talk to her every day, she's sweet), it's just belly. I think it is just big. Are you sure there aren't two in there?"
Me: "I think so."

Mental thought: add this as a question for the hippie baby catcher ... am I growing two babies, is this one a giant, or am I eating too many cookies?

I guess this is what happens when you marry someone 6'3" who was born over 10 lbs, 23"
(and I really like cookies).

Thorns (i.e. nemeses) and Roses

I am not quite sure if I have the spelling correct for this one, but pretty much, I'd like to take a moment to make a list of things that are just not working with me lately ...

MOST WANTED (to disappear!)

1. ragweed. Where does this stuff NOT grow? If you live in a ragweed free area, I may become your neighbor for the rest of the summer. It hates me and my sinuses ...

2. garlic. I used to LOVE garlic. Now, it makes me puke. Literally. I think my neighbors have been roasting garlic and onion all day because I swear our kitchen smells like it and I haven't seen any garlic around here for a while (take that back - our CSA snuck it in with our basil and it sat in the fridge ... maybe I need to clean the fridge).

3. heat. Can it get any hotter outside? Oh wait, yes it can. Tomorrow it will be hotter and more humid.

But what kind of educator would I be if I didn't end on a positive note ...

1. I heart prenatal massages. Thanks Shaina for suggesting That's the Rub. Yes, it sounds dirty, but it wasn't ... I promise.

2. I heart my husband (even if he does say things like "How are those birthing hips coming along?" (as he pats my new extra weight on my thighs)

3. I heart when it is less than 90 degrees.

What were your thorns and roses for the day or week?

Baby Belly

This past weekend, hubs and I did a "15 week" photoshoot. Yes, a photoshoot. I didn't mean for this to happen, it just did. Here is what went down:

Me: Love, will you take a picture of my belly?

Hubs: Sure. We need to get a poster and ruler or something to measure.

Me: Um, well, I don't think I have a poster around. What if we just take it against the wall?

Hubs: Ok, but I think we need to see some measurements here.

Me: Um, let's just take the picture.

10 minutes and 20 pictures later (all deleted by me because I thought I looked heinous in every single one) ...

Hubs: You don't look heinous, you look pregnant.

What does that mean?!

P.S. Since this experience, I have totally googled pregnant lady photo poses to figure out how to make future pics NOT look like silly mug shots.

P.P.S. This is actually an improved photo from the one I mentioned above ... the other one was truly just too heinous. Hubs said he will not take any more (at least this week).

"Double Time!"

My younger brother has a sick sense of humor. For a little bro, he's pretty into me being pregnant, but this was just too much. I opened my email to find an email from him titled 'Double Time!' No words, just a picture ... Too much bro, too much!

Insurance

No, I will not use this as a political soap box, just a slight rant about some issues I've recently had with my health insurance. Before I get started, let me say this, I know I am lucky to have health insurance (even luckier that the university absorbs the cost ... except when I want to meet my doc for the first time, or take a good prenatal ... oh wait, we're not there yet).


So let me fill you in ... My husband and I left our friends and family to move to this college town. Although we're within driving distance (~2 hrs.) from our old abode, I made quite the effort to find local doctors (i.e. dentist for both of us, girl doc for me ...). After talking with some grad students, I decided to make an appointment for a "meet and greet" with a local midwife who practices with two OBs. I assumed this would be covered by my health insurance. I mean, I think it is pretty important for you to meet your girl doc before you get down to business. Am I right ladies?! Well here is what happened.


Had a fabulous 20 minute appointment, loved the midwife, we talked about babies and getting pregnant. About two weeks later I received a bill for over $100. I called the doc's office, they said the insurance company wouldn't cover it. So I called the insurance company, they said they don't cover "family planning" appointments. Here is our conversation (roughly):


Lady with insurance company: Well, it looks like this appointment was coded as family planning. Did you talk about and receive a prescription for birth control?


Me: Nope, we were talking about how to make babies


Lady with insurance company: Giggle. Well, maybe they can recode that for you.



Me: Sounds good, thanks!


Well long story short, even with things being recoded, my insurance company still wouldn't cover my meet and greet. Blah.

But here's the slightly ironic part ... this is insurance for students ... wouldn't they want to cover family planning? I mean that's a heck of a lot cheaper than a pregnancy ... just saying.



Ok, so now fast forward. I had a rough first trimester and the only supplement I could keep down was folic acid (and even that wasn't always so great). At my last appointment (~12 wks), my midwife gave me some great prenatal samples that are easier on the tum tum. Of course, the freebies can only last so long, so I called for a Rx. Today I went to pick up this wonderful Rx prenatal and guess what, my insurance company won't cover them.


Guess how much a pack of these wonderful prenatals is without insurance coverage ... $70! When the woman told me this I thought, "for 300 tablets right?!"


Insert dream interruption: "It looks like there are 30 in a pack."


Yeah, I didn't get them. I think I am going to ask the super duper hubs to do some research and figure out what prenatals my insurance will cover.

PhD comics

If you are a grad student and have not subscribed to PHD Comics, you need to! This is one of my favs.

Tap tap ... anyone there?

Maybe I am a bit narcissistic (hey isn't everybody), but I feel like a lot of funny things happen to me and don't we all deserve a good laugh every once in a while? I've had a few friends ask if I'd journal about my pregnancy and others who just want to know what's going on in my life. So, here ya go - here's to anyone who wants to know what's going on in my life these days as a grad student, wife, friend, and first-time pregnant woman.

I'm wrapping up my first year as a doctoral student, just celebrated my 5th wedding anniversary, and am 14ish weeks pregnant. Given all of this, I might back track a bit (especially with the pregnancy bit).