Klutz

By kate on September 8th, 2005

The pregnancy continues to progress. Here are some notable developments lately:

I’ve become clumsy. I guess this is a magnification of the usual PMS/hormone-related reduction of spatial capabilities (aka hand/eye coordination). It’s annoying to keep dropping things, and to know this may not go away for months to come. So, don’t let me use any of your good china!
I had another growth spurt over the long weekend, as I moved into my 14th week, 4th month, and 2nd trimester. Suddenly I really do look pregnant, and my belly is now sticking out further than my (larger than usual) chest. It’s nice to look pregnant instead of just heavy, and I’m finding myself walking around with extraordinarily good posture, making my tummy stick out. I’ll try to get a picture taken and posted so those of you reading from afar can see what I look like these days.
Despite the growing belly, I’ve unexpectedly had a really good clothes week (the past three days anyway). In the past month, I’ve gotten some new skirts with either elastic or wrap-around waists, and those are the most comfortable thing to wear. I finally found a happy confluence of new skirts, long-enough tops, and new knee socks. Having pretty new outfits reinforces the back-to-school feeling that comes around at this time of year. It’s illusory, though, especially as the weather cools. I have only one pair of comfortable pants suitable for work: my overalls. I bought a pair of track pants so I’d have something less schlumpy to wear around the house, but other than that, I’m out of luck when the temperature drops. I think it really will be time to go maternity shopping/begging soon.
My motivation to do things has been dropping, even though my energy level isn’t rock-bottom. I just haven’t really felt like going out much, or doing much with friends, etc. Instead we’ve been spending quiet restful nights at home and going to bed early. I feel like I should be putting more effort towards my friendships than I currently am, but hopefully everyone understands.
Soccer is over for me, for now. In the last game of our season (a week ago), I took a ball to the side, which was too close for comfort. At the time, my uterus was still mostly hidden below my pubic bone, but it’s been moving up and I don’t want to take the risk anymore. It’s a shame, though, because aside from the risk of abdominal trauma, soccer has been a very enjoyable form of exercise. I’m trying to figure out what to do for exercise now. I run once a week, and now aerial practice has been extended to three times a week. I think I need to find one other day’s worth of aerobic exercise.
At aerial practice, I mostly end up doing conditioning and climbing (but not very many tricks). I hate to see my aerial skills slipping away; it’s frustrating and embarassing to get winded climbing the tissue. I’m dreading the many months of near-downtime to come, and the work it’ll take to get back in top shape. Luckily, the Aerialistas are incredibly supportive. They’re excited about my pregnancy and about welcoming the littlest Aerialista (or Aerialisto?) into the world. They tell me that they’ll create a part for me in our big Winterfest show at Seattle Center around Christmas. (Maybe I’ll be the Sun, or some kind of Earth Mother…) In the meantime, I’m trying to keep my muscles in shape and contribute to the group in non-physical ways.
Steve and I finally found a midwife we like a lot. I’ll post more details about her practice later, but our first real pre-natal appointment is next Monday. I can’t wait. It feels like it’s taken too long to “get started”, although in reality we haven’t missed anything. At the first appointment, she’ll do things like a thorough physical exam, family history, and blood tests for things like iron and sugar levels.
We haven’t yet bought anything for the baby. Is this weird? I think a lot of expecting parents rush out and buy nursery things right away. For some reason, I don’t feel motivated to do that, or even buy small things like clothes or toys. When I walk through a baby department at the store, I get a kind of overwhelmed feeling. I feel like the rest of my life (or what’ll feel like it) will be filled with these things, so why start right now? There are so many decisions to be made, plus Steve and I are hoping to resist the “need” to buy one of everything. We’d like to keep things as simple as possible.