Yesterday we started our second trimester, and I cannot even begin to express the sigh of relief that exhaled from my lungs as I woke up. I know we’re not out of the woods completely, but we’re through the thick of it. I won’t consider us out of the woods and 100% until this little monster is at home with us, and I’ve counted all of the appendages ten times.

But, this post is not about the second trimester, it’s about the final week of our first trimester. Week 13.

I spent Sunday-Saturday in NYC. It’s a trip I take three or four times a year for work, and one I always look forward to. I work at home, so my days are spent with me, the dog and my laptop. I work with the best group of guys and I thoroughly enjoy getting a chance to work in the same room with them. And have real conversations.

On any other trip to NYC, I come home completely exhausted. It’s a completely different pace out there and I’m gung-ho and ready to take it on the first half of the week, but by Thursday I’m fading fast and the airplane never delivers me home soon enough. So I had my apprehensions about taking on this trip pregnant. I have more good days than bad days, as far as how well I feel. But good days can turn on a dime and I knew we didn’t have time for me to be laid up in bed. So my first plan of attack was to take my anti-nausea pill each morning with my pre-natal. And I like to think it worked because I didn’t get sick once. (Well, once, but completely unrelated.)

We also do a lot of walking. A lot. And I have days where a lap around the grocery store can send me in to a three-hour nap. Fortunately, I now stay in Brooklyn, rather than Upper East Manhattan, and the pace is slower. It probably also helped that I didn’t drink every night I was there.

I managed to stay well fed. And if you keep up with my pregnancy story at all, you know that that is a must because I eat round the clock. I took a trip to the grocery store and stocked up on healthy snacks. And then made sure to get my breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. The food there is always amazing and so delicious, and I love how each restaurant seems so authentic, handmade and like they really put their hearts into the food.

I did have one lunch that could have gone badly. On the walk to the restaurant I could feel my blood sugar crashing. I was getting the shakes, so I reached in my bag and started munching on some almonds. By the time we arrived at our table, I was sweating and light-headed. I asked the waitress to bring me food, anything, now! She did and I inhaled the chips, salsa, bread and butter that she delivered. Then I plowed through my lunch and felt back to normal. I hate, hate, hate that blood sugar crash feeling. It’s like there’s not enough food, soon enough that can pull you back to safety.

This past week I also discovered the club soda & cranberry juice. When everyone around me had glasses of wine and beer, and I jealousy smelled the aroma in the air, I got to sip on a fun-having drink, too! (I’ve since named this the Mama Cocktail.)

I returned home Saturday evening, in time to see my Sooners beat the Jayhawks!!!, and I collapsed. I rolled up into a corner on the couch and I didn’t move the rest of the night. I’ve also been home for two days now, and knock on wood, I don’t seem to be getting sick. I was concerned with flying in the germ tube that I’d come home with some horrid strain of some disease. I feel like I’m in the clear, and I’d like to thank my incessant handwashing (my hands are so dry they hurt!) for keeping me healthy.

I also brought a little more home with me than I left with. My belly. BIG changes in that this week and Shelton was just awe-struck when I lifted my shirt to show him the expansion project I underwent while in Brooklyn.

Now that I’m home, I’m starting to feel better and things feel like they’re slowing down from the insanity of the first trimester, I’m so anxious to get back on track with my eating. I went WAYYYY off the deep-end and I can’t even tell you how much I’m looking forward to salmon, brown rice and veggies tonight!