Random facts about pregnant Ali

1. My sense of smell is ridiculous. I can smell everything. Smells I used to like smell too strong or just plain unpleasant now - hoping this is not permanent. I can smell the water coming out of my faucets. And it's Florida water so it smells a lot like Arizona water only less like dirt and more like mildew. This makes brushing my teeth extremely difficult.

2. I now have a gag reflex. I've never had a gag reflex and I hardly ever throw up. I can't make myself throw up, I've tried for various reasons over the years and no matter how far down my throat I stick the spoon or toothbrush or my finger or whatever, it just doesn't do anything (insert dirty jokes here). Now everything makes me gag. Smells. Taking vitamins. Hoping this is also not permanent. And it makes brushing my teeth extremely difficult.

3. Morning sickness is false advertising. I'm sick all day long. It actually is worst at night. Throughout the day I'll feel nauseaus but usually get some relief when I eat. But by the end of the day, usually right after work but before dinner, it is terrible and I still feel sick after eating dinner. I never puke, I just am in a constant state of seasickness. I'm lucky because it didn't start until the 8th week and is supposed to end next week sometime. Drinking Coke helps but it bugs me because I don't normally drink soda. If standing on my head underwater or cheering for the Flyers made it go away I'd do that too.

4. All I want is cheeseburgers. I am constantly craving cheeseburgers. Normally I don't eat fast food but now I find myself at Wendy's once a week. I'm wondering if I might not be anemic (since I have issues with iron anyway) but I don't crave steak or spinach, things I normally crave when my iron is low. Just cheeseburgers. Specifically Wendy's jr. bacon cheeseburger with no onions or mayo.

5. The cat loves sleeping on my stomach. I don't know if he knows somehow or has some weird bond with the bean already but even before I found out he had switched from his usual spot laying on my legs to laying right on my stomach. If I'm on the couch, the baby is laying right on top of my belly. I wonder if the bean can hear/feel the purring?

6. I go from 0-tired in no time. And not just tired but a level of exhaustion that I did not previously know existed. I've fallen asleep on the couch in the middle of things and Mike has had to actually put me to bed on occasion. Other than on nights when I work games (or we have a family function), I can't remember the last time I was up past 9pm. This kid is sucking every ounce of my energy and apparently this will continue for the next 18 years.

7. I have a whole new appreciate for pooping. I think that's all I really need to say about that.

8. Love songs make me cry. I haven't really experienced a ton of hormones (I hope I didn't just jinx myself) and any crankiness I exhibit is due to constantly feelng like I'm going to puke and being really tired. But hearing a sappy song on the radio brings me to tears on a regular basis. I'll take the exagerated sense of smell if I have to but I really hope this isn't permanent. 

9. Mike is the most amazing guy EVER. He has put up with every change, every minute of crankiness, every mess I haven't had the energy to clean, every meal I've had a craving for even if he doesn't like it, every night we could have spent time together but I passed out within seconds of sitting on the couch, and the list goes on. He has been so happy about this pregnancy from the minute we found out. He's come to every doctors appointment, even if it means he is missing out on sleep.  He's taken over cleaning the litter box of my cat, as well as keeping the house clean when I'm too exhausted to do it (luckily I'm too exhausted to make much of a mess but still). I just can't say enough good things about this man. Watching him talk to the bean and kiss my belly is the sweetest thing I've ever seen and I know he is going to be a fantastic father. I'm so lucky to be starting a family with such a wonderful guy.