Yesterday I could not button my pants so I wore a belly band for the first time. It's like a stretchy band you wear over your pants to hold them up, and if it shows it just looks like you have a tanktop or layered shirts on. It worked pretty well. Well, after putting this in an email to my sister - here is part of the email I got back:
"I have never heard of a belly band. For God's sake, go buy yourself some maternity pants!"
This cracked me up. I have not started looking for maternity clothes since I don't really need them yet. And I dread looking for pants (which I wear more of in winter) since stores don't carry tall lengths - I'll probably buy from Gap online and then have to risk return shipping if I don't like them. My sister is a tad shorter than me, so I guess regular length pants worked for her. On me they look like a fashion faux pas - ending above the ankle. Too short of pants is a huge pet peeve with me can you tell.
So anyway, at this point it just looks like my stomach gut has grown some, still don't look pregnant.

Differences I can tell between the first trimester and the second:

1st: tired all the time - body would shut down on it's own if I didnt get a nap
2nd: now I can make it till at least 9:30pm w/out a nap :)

1st: water - couldnt get enough. Even throughout the middle of the night - If I didnt drink most of a glass I'd wake up with a bad headache I assumed from dehydration
2nd: I think I only take a few sips now throughout the night.

1st: I'd pee all the time, really about once an hour, and at least 4 times thruout the night
2nd: still pee frequently, but I only pee once or twice in the middle of the night.

1st: I was hungry all the freakin time
2nd: I still eat 2 breakfasts but can manage normal throughout the rest of the day

This weekend we got the bedroom ceiling painted white (it was tan before). And I got most of the dresser painted white. I'm still not sure what if anything I'll paint on the dresser. I may wait till we find out if it's a boy or girl. We bought low-odor paint and it definitely has less smell, but I still brought in the box fan and opened both windows. Maybe we'll do the walls next weekend.

Maybe I should quit reading the internet baby forums. I just saw several ladies talking about their boobs leaking as early as 15 weeks. OMG. I'm not looking forward to that!

Yesterday was the first day I really felt fat. I'm barely showing, but it's all in my stomach. So any shirt that was fitted now makes it look like I have a tire gut. I think I have another month or 2 of this just looking fat before I look pregnant. I'm not sure if my acne will go away anytime soon. So, other than some self image issues when I look in the mirror, I still feel great. :)

At 13 weeks the baby is about 3" long and weighs nearly an ounce. (For size, they compare it to a medium shrimp) All this is already formed. Fascinating! s/he even has fingerprints.

The other day I went to a couple furniture consignment stores. And I did find a dresser/changing table. (I love having a SUV - can buy it on the spot!) I was not crazy about the color (light birch maybe), but I kinda wanted a used piece of furniture that I could paint funky. So now I really have to figure out how I want to decorate the nursery. I'm still leaning towards cream and green walls and jungle animals. Ever since I painted a giraffe in my bedroom in highschool, I wanted to finish it somehow. I've saved plenty of animal photos and other examples of paintings, so I think I'm good there. Now I just need cooler weather (to open windows) so Jeff can paint the walls.

We paid the daycare fee that reserves our spot for the baby. I know a few people that have their kids in Premier and I really liked it. It's also very convenient for our path to/from work. I'm still not sure how long I'll take off work. Probably at least 8 weeks. I still need to go by the HR dept and ask questions.

Next inline is to interview pediatricians. I've already polled a few friends and got some good leads.

To My Father-in-Law,
A big thanks for the free toilet paper. My kidneys are truly working in serious efficiency mode, about every hour.

The dr appt went well. It took a second lady to find the heart beat, but she did and it was 160, which is good. I've still only gained a few pounds which is good.
So there is not much to speak of. If work stays calm, I'll meet Jeff at the 2 daycares we like and may make a decision.

Yesterday I took a half day off work and toured 4 daycare schools. I thought I'd do the preliminary look and then bring Jeff back to one or 2. The good part was that I do like the 2 that are on our way to work and I know people that have kids in both. Ofcourse these are the most expensive ones (we're talking $10K a year). Both are filling up fast, so we need to make a decision and get on the waiting list asap. Actually the one does not have an opening till June, so I'd have to use the other sister school that is just a little out of the way. There is one thing about one daycare that is so good I could foresee having problems later. They start teaching very young and have some kids reading by age 18 months. So you can imagine when they finish kindergarten there, most are reading on a second grade level. I always thought we'd use public school, but then if you have a kid that smart, it'd be like holding him back. but I guess that's years away, so maybe I shouldn't worry about it.

Friday is the 12 week dr appt to hear the heart beat. Jeff is going with me to that one. Then I guess I may tell the bosses at work. That way I can ask more people about daycares.