From the beginning

Alright, so we all know that there are already so many blogs and websites out there of each woman's personal journey through pregnancy. But you know, I have found, that as a pregnant woman, for the first time, I can never get enough of reading what other women are going through, and comparing it to myself. I love knowing that other people understand what my body is dealing with, and I love the fact that I am not alone. Assuming there are plenty of other pregnant women in the world who look at the situation similarly to me, they will appreciate the creation of another blog in the infinite abyss that is known as the internet.

My name is Heather. I am an American girl living in an Icelandic world. I am married to a viking man named Jónas, and I am 24 years old. I am just coming up on my 13th week of pregnancy, and all seems well so far. I hope to share with you the simple, the rough, the bad, and the random things that I am going through or just wish to put up here. I hope that I will be able to assist in comforting some other soon to be mommas.

Here is what has gone on so far:

8 week belly shot

12 week belly.

Here is my ultrasound, done at 12 weeks.

I was pretty lucky, I realized I was pregnant pretty much as early as a home test can give you a plus sign. I had noticed my super sore boobs before I had even missed my period. I took my first test too early by about a week, and it was negative of course. On a whim, the next week, I took the test again, and the plus sign was instant. Quite a happy shock, but this was a planned thing. Exciting news all around of course! So I found out just before 3 weeks (Although I thought I was 3 weeks at the time)

When I went in for my first appointment, at 9 weeks, I did not receive an ultrasound. I had my midwife check my urine, and my weight, take some blood, and measure my uterus. She found out that I was under nourished, and indeed, I had been having quite the difficult time eating. Now granted, I did not have too much throwing up involved in my morning sickness, but I sure as heck felt bad. Not to mention my never ending exhaustion. Sleep was my best friend, but I always had a hard time sleeping for long. I weighed 52 kilos during this visit, and this is with gaining a little bit of weight. She also said my uterus was measuring 11 weeks, and that there was a possibility for twins. Twins run in my family.

So I tried my best to eat more food, anything really. I couldn't be bothered to make sure it was healthy. Food was food. I did better and better, and felt more energetic as time passed. I went out walking when I could muster the energy, and got testy whenever anyone tried to tell me to exercise more. I still get testy when people tell me to exercise.

My 12th week came along, and so did my first ultrasound, and Jónas and I were super excited. Not only would we get to see our baby for the first time, and hear the heartbeat, but we would be certain of how many babies we were supposed to have. It went beautifully, nothing wrong in the slightest. Both of us got a little teary eyed, and the awe and shock set in. We were also informed that instead of being 12 weeks and a few days, we were 11 weeks and 6 days. Kind of sucks having to backtrack a few days, but at least the baby is healthy.

Tomorrow is my first day of 13 weeks, according to the ultrasound, and I have so much more energy. I have come to understand that when my tummy is really bothering me, I just need to eat something. Anything really. I have been adding more and more fruits and veggies to my diet, and been so much more aware of what I am putting in my body.

After hearing that this is the best time for pregnant women to take trips, or travel, I have decided to make a good long trip to California this and next month to visit my family. This is much deserved, as I haven't seen them in over a year now, since I moved to Iceland and got married. This is super exciting for me, as my cravings are stunted by Iceland's lack of anything I want to eat. Iceland is such a small country, and after having been so spoiled by living in the states and having any type of food I could imagine, it's hard to be without. So my little siblings (soon to be aunts and uncles) will get the chance to be involved in this pregnancy, and my parents and friends as well. It's so important to me, I've come to realize, to have them involved as much as possible.

So while this first blog seems to be a novel, the future ones will be a bit more specific, and not so much a catch up type thing. Please, comments and questions are so welcome, and I hope that my journey can help you through yours too.