Shaken, not stirred!

Graduation!

Our little Blueberry is now a Green Olive. Not only that...but our embryo has graduation to elementary school---and is now a fetus. Yay! Now just about an inch in length, its heartbeat can be heard via Doppler, which I hopefully have scheduled for this coming Wednesday! Woot!

The biggest suffering for me now is the pregnancy fatigue. It nearly takes a bulldozer to get me out of bed--and then I only take a few steps to our recliner sofa where I veg and eat. My diet and exercise routine has taken a beating.

Yesterday, I took a run. I ran for half a mile before the pain on my side hurt more than I could stand and my breathing was much too labored for my speed and distance ran. So I walked a little longer until I found Little League. I watched some 7 year olds playing baseball...and perhaps for the first time, I thought I'd be ok with having a little boy. I can't wait for that stage!

Well, I foresee an update following my appointment!!
Ciao!

And it begins...

As Blueberry Baxter is fixing to upgrade to "Raspberry Status," the stronger symptoms are beginning to shine. A sprinkle of nausea, midnight trips to the restroom to give my bladder a break...oh lovely.

Blueberry is making it known that it's there. Cramping. Hunger. Some more cramping. This week, it's forming (hopefully) two arms and two legs. It still has a tail--making it more alien than I care to think about. But it's forming. Heart is beating at more than 100 beats per minute. Ear canals are forming, but Alien Blueberry still can't hear for another 7 weeks. We're already watching our language, though :p!

I'm doing well with my exercise. Walking is my exercise of choice and my brother in law, Max (a mini/toy poodle), is being helpful with that cause. I feel good about keeping active!

More later following the berry upgrade!!

Introducing...

BLUEBERRY (MUFFIN!)!!
Little baby Baxter is now the size of a blueberry---keeping in the spirit of Blueberry season chez my parents in Holland! Yumm-O!!! It's a sad thing, though, that every time I think of the Little Blueberry---my mind goes to muffins, pancakes and the most delicious bowls of Frosted Flakes around. In any case, the Fetus Formerly Known as Poppy Seed is making great progress.

It's spent a week out in California (well, half a week so far) meeting the paternal grandparents and future uncles and aunts and cousins and Dog...it's had a blast.

It does regret the Personal Sized pizza from Round Table it just ate. Perhaps the morning sickness starts now? Tonight may be the first trip (albeit short) to the hot tub out at Grandpa and Grandma's house. The weather's no longer scorching its carrier.

Everyone's excited. Janet and I went out shopping yesterday (more like window shopping) and found some really cute toys at a placed called Giggle. Luckily, they have an online store, so I'll be able to get some of the hard-to-find items it sells back home in Virginia when the time is right. We also got to test the stroller/travel system I'm preferring at the mo and it seems like it'd work perfectly. The price tag is a bit steep...but we'll research more! And we've got plenty of time!

I need a nap. Jeff is sick and I slept poorly in a child-size bed. :P It's quiet in here!

Ciao!

OUR LITTLE SWEET PEA!

It's been yet another slow moving week in Herndon. Apple seed now is the size of a sweet pea. Little sweet pea is giving me pretty bad cramps (different than those that Aunt Flo brings along). No morning sickness still. We've worked hard and are doing ok on a diet plan to keep healthy. I'm chugging loads of milk daily (I actually finished a 1/2 gallon before it went bad). I'm eating my apples (sauce, mostly), my veggies (in pureed soup form, yummo!) and chicken. I'm craving sweets...buuuuutttttt....that's not abnormal for me!

I've been working a bit, picking up shifts here and there. My pants don't fit well much anymore. Uncomfortable. Top it off, apparently, another side effect is a higher body temperature. I don't know if I've ever sweat so much while standing or sitting still. Polyester pants stink!!!

We're packing up and leaving on Saturday for a 10-day visit with Jeff's parents in Bay Area, California. Can't wait. Should be fun :)! Not sure what I'll get up to while there. Phoebe and Daphne, the nittens, will be taken care of by the kind people at our Apartment Complex. Or so we hope.

We still don't have our dryer back.

So, now in my 5th week of pregnancy, I keep seeing women at work, at the store, on tv far along in their pregnancies and I begin to wonder if I'll make it that long! Hopefully I'll get used to the strange side effects. And I hope that when I get to doing something, time will go much faster.

Tick Tock. Tick Tock. Wait...the batteries of that clock are dead.

Until next time,
Cate

Johnny Appleseed

Johnny APPLESEED
A lot of you will be reading this post retrospectively (if you know who I am), as I've not technically shared the news with everyone...figure sharing it with the world that doesn't know me would be pretty harmless.

Embryo is now the size of an APPLESEED. Two days ago, it was the size of a POPPYSEED. Crazy to think it's more than doubled in size in one week. Crazy to think there's something growing inside of me that isn't simply a product of laziness and poor dietary choices. A doctor has confirmed early pregnancy and let me know not to get my hopes too high...there's a 25% chance of miscarriage. So, rest assured that I am aware of the risks of sharing the news too early. We both decided that if it happens because something didn't develop right, then it was meant to happen that way...and that apparently we both are very capable of getting pregnant fairly easily again.

I feel blessed. I know so many people who have endured super-long struggles to get pregnant for years on end. Who've suffered losses that---no matter how far along they were--broke their hearts. I feel guilty that we didn't have that struggle. I guess God thought we were ready right away!

So far the side effects of the pregnancy have just been minor cramping. Not nearly as intense as menstrual cramps. (yay) I also am starting a prune regimen. Imagine that side effect. Unpleasant bloating has been the most uncomfortable side effect so far. If that's the worst of it (I know it won't be), I'm good to go.

Jeff is excited. I imagine he's already figured out college funds. He's requesting information for 2029 admissions to Harvard (I'm planning to look into Grand Valley State). I'm so thrilled to be bringing a child into the world with a man who's looking forward to it just as much as I am. Again, I'm blessed! Got him (ok, the baby) a onesie that reads "My dad is a geek" on the front. He loves it. I planned on telling him the news whenever it came with gifting him that shirt. Unfortunately, he was out of town when I found out. I couldn't imagine waiting 3 days to tell him my news...it was long enough waiting to a decent hour to send him a picture of the positive test!!! Plus, I wanted to talk to my mom and it just wouldn't be fair to tell her and not him!!!

Alright...blah, blah, blah. I've talked enough. Now I have to go pee again. Oops, TMI.

Cate

The Bike...

It felt awesome popping my bike up onto the back of my brand new Escape. I stood back and gawked for a while. That's the way an SUV is supposed to look. Like it has purpose. And I wanted to put off the actual ride. I put it off a bit too long, but it felt great.

I love biking. It takes away the mundane that is running. The slow that is running and the lack of breeze that is running. It provides struggle (up a hill...) and built in breaks (...down a hill), breeze from your speed alone. Incroyable. Best. Investment. Ever.

Dinner will be around 9PM, but I'm glad my bike ride didn't start and end in the hottest part of the day. My legs feel good. My back does not feel so good. My lungs feel good. I'll be back on next week. (Hey, I can't overdo it!!)

So if any of you out there don't already, get a bike. It brings back your childhood (just a little bit). It's more interesting exercise than an elliptical or a treadmill or a recumbant bike at the gym. Find a trail, an empty road and ride. Ride like the wind!

It starts!

Hello readers (or reader),

Welcome to my blog. I'm Cate Baxter. Born in Indiana...raised in Virginia, Maine, Hawaii, Michigan, Kentucky...and Michigan again. Middle child of your typical military family. I got married to my best friend, Jeff, on July 3rd after a year and a half of the fun time known as dating.

We tied the knot in Holland, MI. We honeymooned in Niagara Falls, ON and New York City. We've snuggled into our new apartment in Herndon, VA. We are both thrilled that we survived the blur of time that was July 2010. We've resumed our routines. Gotten comfortable. Having a blast.

We began attending the First Baptist Church in Herndon, VA. We were greeted by a very friendly congregation. We intended on checking out a few different places...but we may have found our home (run) on the first strike. Hopefully, we'll get the connection (beyond the one with God) we were hoping would accompany our healing of the souls. The first Hymn I sing every week makes me smile---and usually is stuck in my head all week. It's wonderful. I'm glad that Jeff is going with me too!!

Until next time,
Cate