Amazing pregnancy journey continues

As of a few days ago, I was 14 weeks pregnant. According to my weekly updates from an online baby center, that means my miracle baby is now anywhere between 3 and 4 inches long and weighs nearly an ounce, and is starting to grow quite rapidly. His length is catching up with his slightly larger head, and his (or her) ears have started their move to the sides of the head, and the eyes continue to get closer and closer together.

I've learned my baby's neck will soon elongate, and its chin will start to rise up off the chest. Now, my baby should be receiving his nutrition directly from the placenta.

Yikes! I still do not feel very pregnant, and so reading about all the life that's developing within me is nothing short of amazing.

Since I learned I was pregnant about six weeks ago, I have only felt nauseous twice, and one time I'm certain it had nothing to do with a baby. I ate a few slices of pizza here at work last week and immediately felt sick. I figured my luck had run out and I was going to suffer some indigestion like most pregnant women -- until three others in the office also complained of stomach issues after eating the pizza.

I had some pretty bad headaches a couple of weeks ago, which I also attributed to pregnancy. Then I went to New York for a weekend and realized fresh farm air was a better cure than acetaminophen for any headache. I had more than my share of that last weekend!

At one point, my father and I were driving around the farm and, just as I was realizing how much I loved the fresh farm air, my dad asked me to jump out and help him herd a group of heifers into the barnyard from a nearby pen on the farm. (He was in the truck, I had to direct on foot.)

I don't know when I'll learn that flip flops and riding around with my father simply don't mix, but I had another reminder on this day. Pregnant me ran around the barnyard chasing these stubborn cows until it all came to a brief halt -- when I stepped in a pile of you know what ... yes, wearing flip flops.

My dad yelled at me and told me to use my brain ... why would I ever wear such inappropriate clothes on a farm (or on our way to breakfast, as I was told we were going.)

Fresh air is nice, but it comes with a high price.

When I returned to Tennessee, so did my headache. Like with the stomach ache, I learned I can't blame my headaches on pregnancy. I'm afraid Tennessee air is just fine, it's that furry white cat that has made a home on my front porch that's killing my head.

Through my readings, I've learned how important exercise is during pregnancy. And speaking of my cat named Fancy, she gave me a good workout a few days ago. I had skipped the gym so I could take her to the vet to be spayed. This cute, sweet, cuddly, loving, lap cat would have nothing to do with me, a vehicle or a pet carrier. I tried a few times, running around in circles trying to catch her and keep her in the Jeep, and then realized cat scratch fever was better as a song that an ailment from which a pregnant woman suffers.

I cancelled the appointment and pray I can get her into the vet before I have another six kittens to feed.

Speaking of feeding, food has become one of my favorite words, and after learning this week that my food intake is more important than ever before (since nutrition now comes directly from the placenta), I'm delighted.

If I've had one sign of being pregnant, it would be my ever-growing appetite. I must admit, however, I'm not sure if I'm actually more hungry than normal or if I have just now, as I write this column, used pregnancy as an excuse for chowing down three egg and chorizo breakfast burritos, hand delivered to me this morning by my nurturing friend Angelica.

I eat three solid meals a day and top each and every night off with a hot fudge sundae, or a soft serve cone, on a good night.

Yes, my belly is beginning to bulge quite a bit, but I'd be a bad mom already if I blamed it on my (1 ounce) baby.

On a more serious note, at this point, pregnancy fits into my life quite nicely. I really do feel great and I can feel myself changing daily -- mostly in the way I think, though. I worry less about my husband having too many vehicles in the driveway and a messy office and more about creating the perfect sanctuary for my newborn and giving it an appropriate name.

I also worry about how I'm going to survive motherhood with a husband who travels and a family so far away from my home here. I worry about work, about day care, potty training, teaching my baby important life's lessons, college funds, and a million and one other things at any given time.

People just keep telling me I'll figure it all out ... time will tell.

-- Sadie Fowler is lifestyles editor at the Times-Gazette. She can be reached at sfowler@t-g.com. This column is scheduled to publish each Sunday.