second trimester update

So I'm halfway through my second trimester of pregnancy, and I've gotta say, looking back on how I felt during the first trimester, it's been a breeze.  I've got a little bit of energy back (most days, anyway), my food aversions seem to have faded away (The week my chicken aversion went away, I seriously ate a "greatest hits" style menu of my favorite chicken dishes every meal for the entire week - and bless my husband's heart for cooking them all, from scratch, per my grandmother's & mother's recipes), and of course, the bump is growing a little every day. I still haven't felt the baby move, which makes me a little anxious, but apparently it's not something to get worked up about yet (according to my doctor).  I read somewhere that babies in the womb are sometimes most active when the mom is resting or asleep because the movements of our normal activities kind of lull them to sleep throughout the day, so I figure with my luck, the mini me is breakdancing in there for the 7 or 8 hours a night that I sleep, totally exhausting itself, then sleeping throughout the day. kick me, already.

Now that I'm feeling a little better, I've had some time to focus on the giant stack of reading material they gave me at OBGYN Orientation (it's a Tricare thing....), and I'm just finding myself a little overwhelmed.  All this time I've thought that actually pushing the baby out of me was going to be the hardest part, but there's all this other crap to wade through between now and then - there's about half a dozen classes they encourage you to sign up for, a list of facebook groups, meeting groups, play groups, website links to follow.....I feel like someone who slept through the first half of a semester of college and has to play catch up before finals week.

Don't get me wrong - I appreciate all the information and all the assistance to help get people as prepared for their child as possible, but who really has time for all that? The classes seem cool and helpful, but they all take place ONCE a month, in the middle of a day in the middle of the week, and, unfortunately, I happen to have a job, and I don't think using a day of leave to learn how to diaper a baby is really going to fit into my schedule.....And will I really get THAT much out of them? All of my relatives and friends back home who have babies didn't have these classes, and their kids seem perfectly fine......

Another thing I also didn't know? That breast milk vs formula could turn into a debate that so ugly that it put all gay marriage and gun control arguments I've witnessed lately to shame.  Is there seriously a need to fight or ostracize each other over this? SERIOUSLY? I've sort of stalked some of these facebook groups and some of these women are just absolutely vicious to each other over something that is so personal and private and silly to fight over.  It's like being in high school, but everyone is lactating.

The biggest pro to the second trimester so far (aside from feeling better, obviously) is the ever growing bump.  I love my bump, and I'm not afraid to show it. seriously. I literally think it's the most incredible, adorable thing I've ever had.  I like touching it, talking to it, tapping on it....I LOVE MY BUMP. The bump is even consulted on multiple decisions through my day - "are you thirsty, bump?" or "what do you want for lunch, bump?" are just a couple of examples - I know there are plenty of women who have a really hard time embracing their bumps at first, and I can absolutely understand how it can affect everyone so differently, but I didn't feel that way at all.  I just felt super excited, like that moment in junior high when you realize your boobs are big enough to require that you buy something more substantial than just a training bra.  I remember when it was just a teeny thing, but it was big enough that it made wearing my regular scrub tops really uncomfortable.  At first, I was bummed to have to transition to maternity scrubs so soon (I was just around 4 months), but then I slipped the pants on, and it was like angels sang.  I've seriously never been in a pair of pants MORE comfortable than maternity scrub pants....until I got my first pair of maternity jeans.  I'm talking full belly panel, no real waistband, fake button, fake zipper mama-in-the-making pants.  It's like wearing pajamas ALL DAY LONG.  I couldn't believe how comfortable they were, and still can't believe the frequency with which I WANT to wear pants now (those of you who know me well know that I'm pretty much just a dress girl).  so comfy.

and NO, I still don't know the sex of my child, and it's driving me insane.  Because of my insurance and going to an on-base clinic, I only get two ultrasounds, so my sexing ultrasound, which in the real world would have been done a couple of weeks ago, will not happen for another 2 weeks. The suspense is killing me.  It would be nice to be able to fully identify with what I'm growing in there, and also to be better able to plan for him/her as far as purchasing stuff goes.  I can't even figure out which way to jump with the nursery until I know what kind of genitalia this little person is packing. I guess I'll just have to deal with a couple more weeks of suspense.  until then, I'll just focus on and obsess over other things, like why my child isn't making moves I can feel yet.....

seriously, baby. KICK ME.