A Page from the Pregnancy Diary

Last night I had a terrible bout with the nausea demons. On a rare night off from housework, Nelson and I took time to actually go out together. Just dinner and a movie, but it felt like heaven just be with the man I love for a little while.

For dinner we went to a local seafood dive where I indulged in some crab legs. I sat across a picnic table from Nelson and cracked away. I ate nothing else - not even Nelson's garlic bread that seemed to be screaming out to me. I didn't want to risk being sick on my night out. I figured boiled crab legs with nothing on them. How much more innocent can you get?

Then three-fourths of the way through Spider-Man 3 it happened. My stomach started to rumble. The bubbles started to brew. No matter how I sat, I could not make it go away. Walking to the car made it worse. Driving home slowly on the interstate that is under construction, I thought I might lose it. I willed it away. I did not want to throw up those crab legs.

I was up for several hours trying to feel better. It's funny, but laying down does not help at all. I was exhausted, frustrated and sick.

Today, I decided to take it easy. I did not want to rush anywhere. I took the kids over to the house to eat lunch with Nelson and then we all came home and took a nap. All I wanted to do was to vacuum and mop for the first time in two weeks but I just couldn't do it.

When we all woke up I felt like such a louse. Why is it so hard to be pregnant? I thought the whole pain during childbirth was our punishment. I made a decision that something was going to get done if it took me all night.

Now I sit here with the kids fed, bathed and in bed; the floors swept, mopped and vacuumed; and two loads of laundry going. I feel accomplished. Actually, I feel better just feeling bad in a cleaner house.

I told the baby this morning not to take any of my emotions personally. All this yuckiness is a result of my body dealing with the turmoil of the changes going on inside of me, not because of the precious soul I'm growing. I assured the baby that I am happy he or she is here.

Hopefully, through this awful process of the first trimester, I will not do any permanent damage to the baby inside of me, the ones I already have or my poor husband who has to live with me.

Eight weeks and three days down. Only 31 weeks and four days to go.