Quick Takes: Tanzania and some pregnancy thoughts

Joining Jen for the usual.

1. This old J. Crew sweater has worked fortuitously well as a 1st-2nd trimester maternity sweater, but these skinny jeans are another story. Actually none of my jeans have felt comfortable since I was about six weeks, despite the fact that I actually lost weight during the first trimester (not a surprise considering my nausea but definitely a surprise considering my chest expansion and uncomfortable pants). Anyways, I picked up one of these at Target recently (Target's version of the infamous Bella Band). It stays put surprisingly well and is allowing me to wear the jeans I have on in this picture (although I still feel weird walking around with my pants undone).

2. I've replaced my morning cup of coffee with Tazo green tea and my nightly glass of Cupcake with Tazo mint tea. Surprisingly I don't really miss either one, but I have discovered a new love for Tazo.

3. Stephen and I received our first gift for the new babe this week, some adorable little tees from Tanzania from the physician who just got back. I had planned on still going to Tanzania even after I found out that I was pregnant (I figured that I'd be so early it would be fine) but after thinking/praying about it and talking to a couple OB/GYN friends (including the physician that I was going to go with) I just couldn't go. I felt like I was taking to many risks for the baby by taking malaria prophylaxis (which hasn't been well-studied in pregnancy) and the many infectious diseases that I would invariably encounter working in the Tanzanian hospital. Fortunately our plane tickets were fully refunded and the money went back to the church who sponsored us. I can't say that I'm not a little sad that I didn't go (it's been a dream of mine to work in Africa for a long time) but I know in my heart that I made the right decision.

4. Here's the little babe himself (Stephen is convinced that 'he' is a boy, to the point where I'm even saying 'he'). We had a repeat ultrasound yesterday to reassess the ovarian cysts that they saw in early pregnancy, which are now completely resolved. The baby looked perfect, he's measuring appropriately and was wriggling around everywhere while we watched the ultrasound. I still can't get over this little person that's growing inside of me.

5. I went through a little blog re-design this week. I wanted a theme that was more minimalist and less cutesy and I'm pretty happy with this template that I found on Etsy. I would love to change the header and the blog navigator, but with my minimal coding skills and minimal time it will probably be awhile. I also finally created a facebook page here.

6. I'll be off traveling the Midwest for interviews this next week and then standing in my brother-in-law's wedding next weekend (I'm trying on my altered dress today and could write a whole post on the travails of wearing a bridesmaid dress in pregnancy). Laura is guest-posting, so be sure to check back for that (her blog is one my favorites).

7. And I'm off to have my hair colored after 10 long weeks of waiting (I didn't want to color it during the first trimester). I can't wait to have my summer highlights finally covered, which definitely look un-classy after 10 weeks of growth and my dark dark roots. Happy almost-weekend!