1/19/11 - 9 weeks and a realization

Well, I made it through yesterday, but it sucked the entire day.  I felt like total crap.

Today I definitely feel better, but there are a few noticeable changes.  Is it just coincidence that today officially marks the 9 week point?

1. My hunger has taken a turn towards intense.  I am starving, constantly.
2. I feel fat for the first time. My belly looked puffed out for the first time this morning and as I am sitting here typing this it feels like a fat roll is bulging over my pants.  I've gained less than 1 pound people, what's going on here?
3. Cramping has intensified.  And I've experienced some weird spotting.  But the books say this is normal, so I'm not panicking.
4. Nesting has kicked in.  I want to start looking at maternity and clothes and cribs and other things that we need to purchase.  This desire seriously just hit me.

Speaking of maternity clothes, perhaps that interest was sparked by my decision to go through a tote of maternity clothes that my sister gave to me years ago when she was trying to clean out her garage.  I took them, figuring that anything she bought would be nicer than anything I would.

I realized two sad facts last night though.

1. Style changes - even with maternity clothes.  My sister is a very stylish person, but I can't imagine myself wearing some of suede-feeling shirts that are in that bin.  Maybe it's style, maybe it's just personal preference.  Who knows...
2. The maternity clothing needs of a woman due in February are extremely different than those of a woman due in August. 

If I could wear turtlenecks and heavy, long-sleeved shirts during the months of June, July and August, then I would be all set.  Something tells me that I am NOT going to be interested in doing that though, and so I'm definitely going to have to invest in some summer-friendly clothing.

The pros of all of this?  I'll be on maternity leave during the fall months, my absolute favorite season.
The cons?  Pregnant women are already sweaty, overheated walking incubators, and I'm going to be at the peak of that during the hottest and most humid months of Pittsburgh's summer season. Joy. That probably means I should start stocking up on skirts and sleeveless shirts if I see anything on sale from last summer.  I would rather buy things gradually over time and then have them when I need them instead of waiting until I absolutely need something and then have to go out and pay full price for it during peak season.

Let the searching begin.