Week 13.
To start out on a positive note, I feel SOOOO much better. I have energy most of the time (can still use a daily nap, though!), I haven't felt nauseous for 3 days (knock on wood), and I even felt the baby move - like little fizzy carbonated bubbles in my uterus. I over-did it on Friday & Saturday, so Sunday I spent the day in bed to rest & re-hydrate. Totally worth it, and by Monday morning I was up and ready to rock. I did make sure I took lots of little breaks & drank plenty of water, so I didn't end up back in bed today!

On the less positive side, I saw my accupuncturist again today, which was wonderful except we were trying to isolate the rest of my food allergies. Awhile back, before I got some of my health issues under control, I was allergic to everything. But that was because my body's systems were so screwed up they were rejecting everything. I'm still having skin issues, so we decided to test things again and see what I am actually allergic to at this point. Here's the current list:

Wheat
Peanuts (these two we figured out 2 weeks ago, taking them out of my diet did nothing for my skin)
Beef
Pork
Bison
Veal
Fish
Shell-fish
onions
garlic
eggs
pepper (including the seasoning, which I hate anyway)
cilantro (known this one for awhile)
apricots
cherries
plums
peaches
apples
bananas
oranges
lemons
limes
grapefruit
pineapple
berries
grapes
etc... name a fruit, I'm allergic. except avocados.

So basically, I am left with protein powders & chicken, dairy (thank the goddesses for that!), avocado,  brown rice I can't digest white rice), nuts except peanuts, and vegetables. Did I mention that I'm pregnant and starving??? Not to mention that it's summer & all the yummy fruits are starting to come in - I've been eating cherries off the Sego Lily tree like mad! I can't eat my normal Luna Bars that get me through the day because they all have berries or lemon. I'm going to be living on plain yogurt and celery with almond butter. Fortunately we are going to try some allergy elimination next week, starting with the fruits, to see if we can clear at least some of that up. Cross your fingers for that one, I can't live without my fruit!!!!

The other thing I am noticing is that I really dislike this stage of pregnancy. I'm showing, but just barely; I no longer 'feel' pregnant because I am not throwing up, my boobs don't hurt, and there is no baby kicking me in the ribs yet. It's my worry period - until I have heard a heart-beat (hopefully next week!), and then get to the stage of feeling baby moving around in there all the time, I start to question if I'm actually pregnant, or if I just had a REALLY bad flu. I know that's silly - I have pictures of the positive pregnancy to test to prove otherwise - but I went through this same thing with Gabe & Athan (With Corbin I threw up way into month 5, when I could already feel him moving, so I didn't experience this 'dead zone'). It's the ONLY thing that makes me want an ultra-sound - just to prove to myself that there is an actual living creature in the extra bump on my belly. I won't get one unless there is some concern & real need for it (like when we thought Athan might be twins because I was measuring so huge!), but right now, in these few weeks, I want to see this baby. But only while s/he is still inside me, of course!

That's about it for an update today. I am excited that my 'baby' turns 6 tomorrow, so there will be much celebrating, I am sure! Hard to believe there will be such a gap in my kids' ages. It's nice though, no babies to chase while I am raising this baby!