Week 14 Update

Welcome to Ellen's New Year's resolution number one: posting on the blog more often (at least once a week). I am making it public so that all you faithful readers can hold me to it! There's still plenty to tell everyone about regarding our adventures in Korea, so I have no reason to be so unenthusiastic about blogging. Hopefully I haven't lost all of my readers during my recent lackluster performance.

Now that we've made our pregnancy public knowledge, I can start publishing updates about Baby's (and Mommy's!) growth on here. Today is the end of the 14th week of our pregnancy, so we are officially at the beginning of the second trimester, which is supposedly known as the most comfortable part of the pregnancy, although I was so lucky during the first trimester that I haven't noticed much of a change. Baby's development from week to week has slowed - not so many new organs and bodily systems but much more growth. According to my pregnancy books, the baby is now the size of a clenched fist (hopefully mine and not Michael Jordan's). This week, the baby is starting to grow hair and eyebrows (unless it's destined to be a baldy like me), and its ears are moving up from the neck to a more "normal" place on the head. The baby's muscles and bones continue to develop, and it can make more and more sophisticated movements. Unfortunately, it's still too small for me to be able to feel anything - I am so excited about feeling the first movement! I think I probably have another month or two to go for that, though.

I'm continuing to feel pretty well. I'm still very hungry in the afternoons and a little less hungry in the mornings and evenings, which seems to balance me out pretty well. I gained my first pound this week, and my belly is definitely starting to grow a little. The belly actually sticks around in the mornings now and doesn't just disappear if I haven't eaten in a while. I can't believe how much bigger it's going to get! I also started exercising again this week after being instructed by the doctor to take it easy during the first trimester. I did a 30-minute run/walk (the running was only two 5-minute sessions - I am taking it very, very easy) on Tuesday, and yesterday I went to the pool and swam four easy 250's. It feels great to be exercising again, and I feel wonderful while working out (ok, a little awkward running), but I am very tired afterwards. Also, it pains me to admit it, but I am a little sore from Tuesday's run. Clearly, I have a long way to go. I am going to try to work up to 3 miles running and maybe 1500 meters swimming, but I will pay a lot of attention to my body and back off if things get uncomfortable.

Now that the pregnancy is public knowledge, we've been getting some offers of used baby items that we can borrow or have. There are so many families here that we should be able to gather a number of supplies without having to purchase everything new. We are so grateful to those who are willing to share and feel very good about being able to reuse items that often have a pretty short period of usefulness.

I think that's about all that's new this week. My next doctor's appointment is this Tuesday, so stay tuned for the newest ultrasound and belly photos!