peach and then beach

I've had a busy busy week. Grading portfolios, figuring out final grades, canning peach preserves, making yogurt and packing to go to the beach for 3 days. Yay beach!

And peach:


I was very lucky and got a free prenatal massage on Monday and it was fantastic. I honestly think it has helped me have extra energy this week. Great timing! I was considering scheduling for after I was done grading(to combat sore shoulders, and as a reward) but the person only sees people on Monday and Saturday, so I chose Monday. I am so glad I did!

I feel the baby in new places now, higher up(as happens each week) and also way on my side, which is a strange feeling.

Vacation

The general run of our days while away(and not counting the 2 planes, 2 taxi's and ferry to get there, and to return)...
Wake around 630-730.
Eat breakfast. Read, talk to people.
spend the morning swimming, snorkeling or hanging out with people(depending on rain)
12-make lunch and eat it on beach or in cabin.
swim/snorkel or read, journal for afternoon.
go to pavilion for dinner*, talk, watch beautiful sunset over water.
evening: go to lecture in park, or slideshow/documentary, or play cards. Talk lots.
To bed between 930-11pm
(to clarify, lodging is cheap-$80/night, but food is pricey- dinner ran $20, so we often shared)

No tv, radio, newspaper or even indoor spots, for most of the week(unfortunately, a mosquito 'bloom' happened 2 days before we left, and indoors/sealed cabins would've been nice). We kept 'forgetting' to go online and check email until the day we left. We figured that if something was dire we'd hear about it through the main desk people, or Mr.S's cell-phone(mine didn't like the humidity and cut out on the 2nd day).

Some great things we saw while snorkeling: schools of purple and yellow fish, parrotfish (that look like they are made of checkered fabric) a few ray's (incl. a huge one) a couple of sea-turtles(one over 5 feet) many purple sea fans, sea urchins, coral of many colors, nurse sharks and huge starfish.

Neither of us has had such a relaxing time since our honeymoon. It was awesome!

We also met up with our good friend's brother and met his 10month old daughter. He took us on a boat/snorkel trip one day that was partially fun and partially stressful b/c the waves were REALLY rough and I had some anxiety about banging the baby around, as well as picturing out boat flipping over(small powerboatish things, one for us and one for him)...while out in the open sea. I seem to be a tad bit less adventurous right now....
We did see some great fish, urchins and sea fans while out with him.

We met a great couple, and the woman is a doula/childbirth educator, it was cool to have her around to discuss things with. It was fun to meet lots of new people and be able to say "we're expecting" and have it be a normal 'next phase of life' thing.

Now I have to catch up with what is going on with everyone!

Onward to the 2nd trimester

I am almost there... so close!
I keep thinking the nausea is gone, but then my hubris gets me and I feel awful for a day or two. I woke up at 330am last night, because I was so hungry. Why was I so hungry? Because around dinnertime last night every food I could imagine eating sounded like the worst idea ever. I finally ate 3 pierogi at 630 pm, and 1/2 a banana around 930. That is not enough food!
So, I sat up in bed and ate some dried cereal, at 330 in the morning, and fell back asleep.

I am looking forward to feeling truly better soon, and getting some of that mythical energy. I'd especially like it to kick in this week, as Mr. S and I are going to the Caribbean for a honeymoon-revisited/babymoon. I know it is early, but with my summer teaching schedule it was either go now, or in September when I'll be large and not so excited about snorkeling.

I am a bit obsessed with snorkeling. When we were on our honeymoon, I did it so much that my legs got severely burned. I've bought some swim tights(who knew?) and shall be unfashionable, but not lobster red, this time. We're going to St. John, an amazingly pristine place. I like to imagine the baby getting a little saltwater-blood from this trip. I am a bit of a fish, so I'd like a swimmy baby.

Waves and waves

The babies and I(and Mr S) are back from the beach.

We had a lovely time. I actively tried to relax, which I know sounds like an oxymoron, but I am the queen of doing things(even if only reading.) So, the amount of laying around listening to waves that I got in was impressive, for me. On Monday afternoon I was on the balcony(which faces the beach) reading and listening to waves, and I had the overwhelming urge to nap. Is it a sign?

I never want to nap!(unless I am sick)

I hope that I am not sick, but that the babies are digging in and making me sleepy.

I have some other symptoms, but they are similar to ones I've had since being on injectable progesterone, so nothing is telling me much. My beta is set for next Tuesday(which is 19dpo or 14dp5dt which is LATE) so I put in a request to have it this Friday, 10dp5dt.


Here is a not so straight picture of our feet, Mr. S's sister and her daughter, and the beach.



The Relaxertons