8 weeks

I'm about eight weeks along now, which means I've entered the final month of my first trimester! As excited as I was to get pregnant, I think I will be even more excited to graduate to the second trimester. The main reason is because it means we'll officially be past the early, worrisome phase. But also because I am very ready to be done with the exhaustion and nausea.

I'm still not showing (but yes, still bloated all. the. time):


I keep expecting each day that I'll start to get my energy back... but no. I fought through some nausea on Sunday to go hiking. I woke up feeling great, and I'll admit that hiking was my idea. But by the time I'd finished breakfast, I started feeling sick again. I could tell Mike was anxious to start the day, plus I figured if I waited around until I felt great, we might never go. So I fought through the nausea and we drove up to Thunderbird park. By the time we arrived, the nausea had subsided for the most part, so I figured I was good to go.

Now, let me tell you: I have hiked Thunderbird a LOT. Much more than any other trail in Phoenix. I like it because it's not too long (maybe 30-40 minutes, depending on whether we trek up the second peak or not), but it's still a great workout. Everyone says pregnant women can do pretty much anything they did before they got pregnant, in terms of exercising (within reason, of course). If you were a runner before, keep running. If you were a hiker, hit the trails.

When I say I've hiked this trail a lot, I mean it. I know it like the back of my hand, and while it is a good workout, I don't consider it any sort of huge challenge. I did a 12-mile hike into the GRAND CANYON for god's sake. Proof: Here I am, just 9 months ago, 6,500 feet deep in the Canyon:


I can practically FLY up Thunderbird. At least, I USED to be able to. Now, this trail looks much more daunting than it used to:


After the first good incline, shown above, (where I'm usually feeling great and really get going), I had to stop and rest. I've never rested at this spot. Ever. But man, I was TIRED. I kept apologizing to Mike for holding him back, and by the end of the hike (which felt like about a week long), I was worn out. Actually, I felt very similar to how I did at the end of the GRAND CANYON hike! Yikes.

I was pretty worn out for the rest of the day after that. And yes, I fell asleep on the couch by 6:30 p.m., which is officially the earliest I've passed out. I'm going to try to make it to 7:30 tonight. I am pretty sure I can do it, although I find myself usually mumbling "Dang, I thought I'd make it later... sorry I'm so lame..." to Mike, as I lay half-asleep, curled up in the fetal position with my slanket early in the evening.

But anyway. Enough about me. I might have a hard time building my own muscles these days, but that's because I'm busy building the baby's muscles (they're developing this week). The baby can also bend its elbows and knees at this point (if only he/she had a nice slanket to wrap up in, too). And... here's the awesome part... the baby is now the size of an olive.

An olive! Doesn't that just warm your heart? Cuz it does mine. Mike coined the phrase of the week as soon as he learned that tidbit of information: "I-love Olive Baby!"