Quick update (8 weeks)

Eight weeks and six days by the calendar we are currently following (it may change if we are able to have a dating scan around the twelfth week) and baby, who has now graduated to foetus, is approaching the size of a prune. We've had a letter through in the last couple of weeks to confirm our booking appointment on the 9th June with the community midwife at our local health centre.

Symptoms vary from day to day.  Some days I don't feel pregnant and others, I'm dragging myself out of bed (with ill humour - poor A) at noon, wondering if I can manage a round of toast.  I have only thrown up a few times but the nausea and dry retching that follow making myself eat something I don't fancy, just for the nutrients, isn't worth it.  This has eliminated eggs from my diet (and limited them in A's to when I'm not at home and she has time to wash the dishes and air the place out)  I think I read somewhere that baby's nutritional requirements at this stage are relatively small and that I should focus on choosing the best of what I can keep down and plan to make up for it once the nausea has worn off. To this end, my diet has consisted mainly of smooth porridge, lightly buttered toast, smooth soups and toasted cheese sandwiches with the occasional Peruvian dish when my stomach is feeling brave (the spices in our favourite Peruvian condiment, 'Tari,' hit the spot just right)

And a shelf in our home office corner has now been officially designated 'the pregnancy library.'  We only have a couple of books at the moment, since we don't want information overload. The ultimate guide to pregnancy for lesbians by Rachel Pepper and What to expect when you're expecting by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel are books I have been reading from cover to cover since before we began actively trying.  I enjoy the open, honest style of Pepper's 'Ultimate Guide,' and find her inclusion of personal anecdotes a friendly, inviting touch.  And whilst I find 'What to expect' a little dry (not to mention hetero-centric) I've found it makes for a good bare-bones quick reference guide.  we're also keeping a folder of articles cut out from pregnancy and parenting magazines that range from pregnancy complications to fun ways to announce you're pregnant and from attachment parenting to raising resilient children. These provide great starting points for conversation as well as making for some interesting and enjoyable reading.