So How've You Been Feeling?

This must be one the most commonly asked questions following the announcement of a pregnancy. Morning sickness is notorious, and everyone always wants to know if the dreaded queasy, pukey, yuckiness has graced your doorstep. And I'm sorry to say that, yes, the vicious MS has come my way. I have, however, been very lucky in that my experience has been limited to only 3 pukes and a chronic state of nausea. All in all, manageable. Not fun, but it could be worse.

The worst thing, for me, was the fact that within the first few weeks of pregnancy my appetite just disappeared. I mean, VANISHED, people! Now if you've been reading this blog for long you know that one thing is true of me...

I. LOVE. FOOD.

I love to shop for it. I love to cook it. I love to eat it. Bring it on!

But for the past three months, the sight/smell/thought of most foods has been met with either an "Eh" or a "Bleh." Not actual vomitting, but just the watery mouthed, stomach turning, gag reflex feeling that if I were to eat that food I would die on the spot.

Poor Jonathan. I attempted to go to the grocery store at about 6 weeks, just as the food aversion was beginning. All of the items I would typically buy (whole, unprocessed, healthy food) looked positively revolting, while all of the things that I almost never buy (processed, packaged junk) looked somewhat palatable. And don't even think about putting meat in that cart! I returned home with bags full of Ramen noodles, macaroni and cheese, several frozen things in a box...you catch the drift. Jonathan browsed through the bags with a puzzled look on his face and, in his sweetest voice, said "Um...Honey? We can't do anything with any of this..."

And that is how Jonathan became the chief grocery shopper in our family. Each week he would call me from the grocery store and say, "What sounds good to you right now?" I would proceed to rattle off my list of random things that did not make me want to curl up in the fetal position. The poor man has consumed more cereal and scrambled eggs in the past 3 months than any human being should reasonably allow.

Then, around 11 weeks, my old friend Appetite slowly began to return. I suddenly had the urge to go to the grocery store and maybe, just maybe....cook something! Just as a precaution, I made sure that Jonathan accompanied me to the store to talk me out of buying a two pound jar of saurkraut again (guilty).

That week, I actually made a few meals! And ate like a normal person! And one morning, I even made Jonathan coffee and packed him a lunch before he had to go to school. As he walked into the kitchen and saw his to-go mug of coffee and bagged lunch ready to go, his shoulders relaxed, his face grinned, and he proclaimed,

"You're BACK!"

And now, wrapping up Week 12, I do feel as though I am slowly but surely getting back to my old self. My energy is returning, the list of foods that sound appetizing is increasing, and I can manage cooking a few meals a week. But don't you worry, I am still milking this preggo card for some yummy meals out, scrambled egg and cereal dinners on the couch, and extra sleep!