Second Trimester = Heaven.

Its officially the second trimester. 1/3 of our time is over, 2/3rds to go until we meet this new little guy (or girl). Our ObGyn has continuously told us that the second trimester would be better, things would improve and I would feel, and I quote, "better than I have in my entire life". I'm here to tell you, that after just a few days into the second trimester, these pipe dreams are coming true.
Now, me, with my critical-examine-the-research-show-me-the-hard-data eye had no intentions of conceding to such suggestions. I mean seriously, how can this little baby moving around in there have such a change of heart? Where before he or she was intent on making me feel like my stomach was on a never-ending roller coaster and squelching even the tiniest bit of energy that I could gather up just to finish some research agendas, is now giving me a break. There must be some connecting piece- like the baby is thinking, "hey mom, way to grin and bear my first test of endurance. Now lets rest up for the next one, because I'm planning something huge, exhausting and maybe even a little painful!" But, its true. Things are on the up and up. I'm feeling tons better, and since I've only spent a hot second here in the second trimester I'm hoping it is only going to get better and maybe by the end of february I'll be shouting from the rooftops how the last three months were the 'best of my life' (although, somehow, I'm doubting it, because after all I do have an exceptionally critical eye....).
The newest guy on the scene is my new, and rather annoying friend heartburn. Apparently, there are many a wives tale out there that make blanket statements about heartburn. Here are a few I've heard:

• Clearly, its a boy. Only boys give you hearburn.
• You're kiddo is going to have a ton of hair. That hair is causing all the heartburn (at which point I presented with the not so friendly visual of a little baby hairball lodged in my esophogus- possible? No. Still a weird visual? Yes.)
• You'll be overdue. Who on earth would tell you this? Yet, its made its way to me? As if indirectly, they are saying, go ahead and plan for 11 months because you didn't make the cut for the regular 10 months of pregnancy.
• and my favorite. Your baby will be a good swimmer. Gathered from the notion, that people who believe this, believe your baby is doing summersaults in that little placenta and all the waves and commotion are in turn causing heartburn. How you ask? Don't ask me.... But, I'll be sure to take our baby swimming right after birth to see if this one holds up. ha ha. Just kidding ( I don't want anyone to think we have any intentions of plopping our kid in a pool at two days of age).

So, thats the story of heartburn. I'll add on when I hear more exciting old wives tales. But word to the wise, I'm fairly sure that there are no hard and fast data to support any claims provided here.

On another topic, lots of people are requesting of us the 'profile belly pictures'. We think its nice that you want to share in me getting bigger and bigger (as I simultaneaously become more and more reluctant to me getting bigger and bigger). We haven't put any photos up yet, because you can't tell I'm pregnant by looking at me. I don't have a belly yet and in fact, I'm still losing weight. Now, for all of you who are out there getting alarmed that I am not eating right, or doing all of those things that allow you to add on the extra pounds, not to worry. I am indeed doing all the right things. The problem is (was) that during the first few weeks of our pregnancy I ran a marathon, which I trained for for 10 months. I was fairly fit. My calves were especially fit. I had lots of nice lean muscle. Then I met my dear friend nausea. He hit me like a ton of brick and I pretty much quit working out. So, all of my nice lean muscle melted into gross fat, and as we all know, muscle weighs more than fat, so here I am still losing the muscle. As soon as it actually looks like I'm pregnant we'll start sharing photos. Currently, the votes are falling around the fifth month, which would be in January. So maybe check then. I'm sure all the Christmas sweets will only help the cause of making me look like a little whale. And, I do mean a whale because our ObGyn suggests I gain 30-40 pounds. I about fell off the table when she told me this. I quickly began reciting research I had read saying 20 pounds is more than enough. She wasn't having it. She kept referring to nonsense about my 'body-type' and 'height', blah blah blah. All I heard was 40 pounds. How the heck am I going to lose 30 more pounds when the baby is born? What are those 30 pounds needed for? Good lord. Someone pass the oreos. I suppose I have to start somewhere.