I'm now at the stage where I've moved from being in the first trimester to the second trimester - the bit where the nausea subsides and the bump begins. It's also (so I hear) the point where you start "glowing", and have the fun of being pregnant without the huge pressures associated with the final trimester.
Looking back over the past three months, the main things I have noticed have been the damn nausea (which affected me for about 6 weeks in total), and the significantly increased hormonal response to stimulous. I've lost track of how many times now have I had to clench a fist under the table, take a deep breath, or just pop to the ladies for a bit to re-gather my composure at work - poor James has suffered from my very random mood swings - the most recent symptom has been collapsing in fits of laughter at the simplest of things until tears stream down my face (Lego Star Wars is just far too silly). Aside from those symptoms, a few specific aches and twinges, and having to pop to the loo at least once in the middle of the night, it's been fairly in line with expectation... though I think I only really felt truly pregnant after I had my scan, when everything suddenly made a lot more sense. For those of you who have only ever seen other people's pictures, it's hard to grasp just how amazing those scans are - the complete emotional upheval of seeing a little person moving about, waving tiny arms and legs - and you can't feel a thing! So strange, and so amazing.
So, on to the next stage... Well, I can certainly say that the nausea has subsided, and has been replaced with a considerably improved appetite, though I have yet to have any specific cravings. Thing is, if it wasn't for my milk allergy, I bet I'd be craving cheese. How do I know this? Well, I got caught out by an advert for pizza hut or some other pizza retailer, and the massive immediate response of "I NEED cheese" that came into my head was a bit of a clue - the fact that I almost shouted this while simultaneously gripping James's leg so hard that he yelped was another clue. I get this sudden urge to want to eat things quite often, whether it be walking past a hotdog stand and really REALLY wanting a hotdog with onions, or just looking at someone elses food and salivating... none have been quite so strong as the damn pizza advert. It's so tempting to sod it all and stuff my face with a gorgeous pizza and face the consequences later... but then if I have a reaction then I'm really stuck, since I probably shouldn't be subjecting baby to an allergic reaction like that, so head wins over heart yet again, and I abstain.
Aside from the food craving (and damn it's hard to be healthy in an office with a sweet shop next door and a limitless supply of biscuits), I'm starting to notice that my clothes ain't fitting any more. And I'm pretty sure it's not due to extra eating, since I have considerable experience of putting on weight, and I can certainly say that with waist expansion like this, I would normally experience other things too, like swolen fingers, puffy face, etc. Having weighed myself recently, I think I'm keeping on top of the situation, and I think I'm staying in line with expectation. At least, I hope I'm right so I'll have some clothes to get back into after this is over!
So, with a holiday in September to look forward to, I've bought some clothes in the July sales in anticipation of a bump - I'd better have a decent sized bump by then or I'll have spent money on summer clothes that I'll not really be ready to wear!
[Listening to: Pineapple Head - Crowded House - Together Alone (03:27)]