Sugar and Spice...

Peaches' Stats:

*10 inches
*3/4 lb

We had our 20 week ultrasound on March 22. What a cool experience! Scott's face was the best part; utterly joyful and awe-struck. Towards the end the tech told us that Peaches is a girl, but neither of us were very surprised! Now I can say 'she' and be sure. I told mom by sending this recipe:

We told the Applegates by putting pink confetti in black balloons and letting everyone pop one. It was great because all of them predicted boy, so it was fun to have a surprise.

At 20 weeks I am feeling nausea-free (the best feeling EVER!) and have a little more energy than before. My belly is expanding rapidly and I'm getting excited to buy maternity clothes. Peaches has started moving enough that I can feel her; it feels like she's turning circles and occasionally jabbing a little fist. We are happy and healthy and ready to get big!

St. Patrick's Day

For some reason I have always loved St. Patrick's day. I'm Scottish, not Irish, so I shouldn't get so excited but I can't help it. For some reason it's just so fun to plan my green outfit and I get a kick out of pinching unsuspecting people, but the best part is the food. Ever since I can remember, my mom made our family a traditional boiled Irish dinner including corned beef, cabbage, baby potatoes, and carrots. We also usually had green jello and a green drink of some sort. Luckily, when I introduced Scott to this tradition he loved it too. In fact, this year he began reminding me about our Irish dinner in February! Sure do love my leprechaun. This time I made the dinner on the stove instead of in the crock pot, and we agreed that it was much more flavorful. Yum! Thanks St. Patrick!

Hunger Games

In honor of the Hunger Games movie coming out this month (18 days!!) I thought I’d write a bit about food.

Before I was host to Peaches, my eating habits were probably less than ideal, but I wasn’t too concerned. I ate a lot of sugar, an occasional 32-ounce Mt. Dew, and would sometimes go hours between big meals rather than ‘grazing’. I was able to eat what I wanted, when I wanted. It was great. Since becoming pregnant however, that freedom has changed drastically. I can’t sugar binge, I have to eat something every two hours, and soda is completely out. I wish I could say this is due to my motherly instinct to get healthy for baby, or even a selfish new year’s resolution. But alas, this is not so. My fetus, while still unable to open up her eyes or shake a tiny fist, has asserted complete control over my body. If I do (eat) anything she doesn’t like, I am sick. I feel it almost immediately and with a strength that would be quite impressive if it weren’t so misery-inducing. And I have completely bended to her will. I resist anything she doesn’t want because it just isn’t worth it.

So what does the dictator desire? So far I haven’t had any intense cravings, but I have noticed that she really likes salty foods. Pre-Peaches, I never bought chips for myself; now we keep tortilla chips on hand at all times. I was impartial to cheese; now it feels like we’re keeping Tillamook in business. Saltines and tuna have always been a favorite and luckily she allows this on occasion (tuna is only ok once a week per doctor). Soda is never ok unless I want to spend hours laying down but she allows me to continue loving OJ. And the most comforting thing we can agree on is chamomile tea- a staple for calming a sick tummy, helping us stay hydrated, and also good for digestion!

Fortunately, since first-trimester nausea has declined I am slowly broadening my food horizons. But I taste tentatively because Peaches and I both know she has my stomach wrapped around her tiny, barely-formed finger. Let the Games begin!