First Trimester "Fun":

So, as anyone who has been pregnant knows, the first trimester is an exciting ride thru new areas of uncomfortability and exhaustion.  Also peppered with occasional bouts of insanity and emotion.  For me, the fun began the morning of week 6.  I woke up feeling much like I felt the first time I experienced sea sickness.  My stomach was pitching and turning.  I was just waiting for the blessed moment when the gag reflex would trigger and I would get the strange 'relief' that comes when nausea turns to release.  But, alas, that moment would never come.  Not at all for the entirety of my nausea.  Everyday began the same, opening y eyes and waiting for it to hit, reaching for whatever snack I had put near the bed and slowly trying to chew the nausea away.  It would take me about 30 minutes each day to get to a place where I could get out of bed.  Needless to say, I wasn't taking to well to this whole pregnancy thing at the start.  I was getting at least 9-10 hours of sleep a night, between pee breaks, yet, I was exhausted to the point of tears by midway thru my shift at work.  I would come home and collapse on the couch as if I had just worked a 12 hour sift doing heavy construction.  Mind you, being a bartender is no easy business, especially since most days I am on my own, but this was a bit ridiculous.  The days crawled by.  I just kept hearing, "the second trimester will be better."  Well thats all well and good, but I'm miserable NOW!  But, as you can tell, I made it thru and am here to report, it actually wasn't so bad.  I'd rather my version than some I've read about.

As for the rest of the stuff that went on.  As I have a job that requires a bit of physical labor, I had to tell my immediate coworkers pretty much right away.  There is a bit of heavy lifting and a lot of running around that I need to do.  And, not to mention the new diet restrictions and the need to eat small meals more frequently to help with the nausea.  I had to tell the chef and my manager.  Then, the chef went on holiday, so I had to tell another cook.  Then, I work with others on 2 days, so I had to tell them, so they didn't think I was lazy and just sitting down and eating bc I'm a fat slob.  Then, I thought that another person overheard me talking with a friend of mine, so I thought it wise that the owners heard it from me and not the rumor mill.  So by week 6-7, pretty much most people in the pub knew.  That wasn't so bad.  I know why they say not to tell people right away in the beginning, and I was willing to take that risk.  The only bad thing that came out of telling people is that it feels like I've been pregnant forever already, but don't really have a lot of time under my belt.  (A lot of belly, now, though!!)

Slowly but surely the I expanded the circle of people who knew.  In the first week I emailed my familt back home.  I told my closest friends.  I wanted to tell each person individually.  I told my girlfriends who are also pregnant.  Then as the time went by, I told another person here and another person there.  Then it got to the point where I am now where I am ready to tell the world, but don't really have the time to tell each person individually, so I figured I would do this instead.  That way, I can keep my friends and family back home updated with me and they can read about it at their leisure.  Then I'm not announcing on Facebook every little detail of my pregnancy.

As for the healthcare side of pregnancy here, I am not an expert.  Most of what I know I have heard from other people.  I am far from being fluent in French so I can't even read the websites.  But I can Google translate them.  For the most part, I am winging it.  First and foremost, I made an appointment with my GP.  She sent me for bloodtests and we went from there.  In France, every woman gets screened for toxoplasmosis.  The incidence of toxo is very common here, so they test everyone.  I was 'lucky' enough to somehow never have come in contact with it, so I get the pleasure of monthly blood tests and an even more restricted diet.  No big deal, so long as I avoid fresh fruit and veg I haven't washed myself, I should be good.  And no gardening or cleaning up cat poop.

So, next step is to get the declaration of grossesse (pregnancy).  This is an official sheet of paper that states you are pregnant.  You take said piece of paper to the insurance office, so that they know, and you take it to the CAF, which is similar to ......the welfare office, I guess, but without all the bad connotations.  It is my understanding that once pregnant, everything that is required for your pregnancy is 100% covered.  The state insurance normally covers a percentage, and you can have a mutuelle (you pay for usually thru work) that covers another percentage of health care costs.  Robbie has such a mutuelle and his is very good.  Most things are covered 100%, like prescriptions, lab work, blood work, etc.  The CAF, they give you money once you are in your 7th month.  This is available to everyone, not just people who make under a certain amount.  I believe there are benefits from the CAF that are dependant upon what you make, such as housing assistance, but the mother and child coverage is standard (I think).

Next, you have to pick where you want to give birth and register there.  Yes, I essentially had to pick a good place and make a reservation.  It sounds weird, but its how its done here.  You can choose any hospital or maternity center in the city, or outside the city.  If you already have a gyn, you can go to one of the places they work with.  Or, you can do what I did, and pick the place and let them decide on the doctor.  I only have the one GP and she won't be deliviering the baby, so i decided not to go to the 2 places she recommended.  She is very nice, but I had my own ideas (sound familiar!)  RObbie did his research and I had my ideas and together we decided to start with one of the best children's hospitals in the city, Necker.  Its the place where, God forbid, if any thing goes wrong, you and the baby would be sent to anyway.  They are actually bulding the maternity section as we speak, so it will be all shiny and new for me.  (Because that's why they are doing, it right?)  We figured, worst case, there wouldn't be a spot and we would go to the other places on our list.  Luck would have it that we got in and registered there.  Now, seeing as how there is no where in the actual hospital to go right now, all my appointments will be at another facility.  It actually works out better for me, as the other facility is easier to get to from our current apartment.  So, we booked our first scan and the first appointment iwth the sage femme (literally wise woman) or midwife , as we know them to be called.

The scan was set for Augusrt 3rd.  Robbie is really excited to be present at everything, and it works out that he works half days on Fridays, so we can make all our appointments for Friday afternoons.  Except this one, we somehow made it for 9 am.  But we made sure everything else was put on hold.  We were going to see Spud for the first time!!  Robbie missed work and I ended up being a bit late, so be it.  Nothing in the world could have prepared me for what I was about to see.  I've seen dozens of thee on Tv.  I was even there at one of Jennifer's scans.  But once it is your baby up on that screen....... I don't have words.  The tears were straeaming down my face.  To see our baby...... and with the hiccups to boot!!  Robbie tried to make me laugh,but I only got yelled at for that by  the tech.  She also noticed, by the poor quality, that I had been using lotion on my belly.  I didn't know not to for the week leading up to the scan.  Not to worry, she says, I have another way to see your baby (I'm sure she didn't say that, but I wasn't even trying to translate at this point)  Out comes the wand, on goes the condom and in goes to other method.  Remember to breathe and not tense up is all I can think, over and over.  Well, the fun really started, as this method does not provide the best angle for her to view Spud.  So, she begins to tap my belly quite hard to get Spud to turn around.  Well, being the product of Robbie and I, he was a bit stubborn, so she continued to tap.  I bagen to worry about the possibility of her giving my poor fetus brain injuries, as gentle she WAS NOT!  But, alls well that ends well, it turns out we are having a human!!  Spud has the correct number of arms, legs and heads.  Spud is big for 'his' age, fantastic.  Hope that doesn't keep up!  And we do not know the sex, nor are we going to find out.  Yes, yes, I hear the groans of "what  about shopping?"  But you only get one great surprise in life.  And I am 100% percent certain that my baby will not be adversely effected by wearing the wrong shade of any color onesie or blanket.

Now, I would like to introduce you all to my baby, Spud:

So it looks like we are having a baby!!

Some time last year, I got an idea into my head.  As most people who know me know, we were VERY decided that we were not going to have kids.  Nope, not us.  No thank you.  But then, I started to approach 35.  I am here in France, with health coverage, and an idea came to me.  So, one night as we were laying in bed, I mentioned to Robbie "Maybe we could think about possibly thinking about maybe having a baby in like 3 years...."  Well, that went over like a ton of bricks!  There was a big huff and puff discussion endimg in a near heated discussion, so I let it rest and went to bed.  3 days later, same situation, sitting in bed.  Robbie looks at me and says "Right, so we will get you pregnant in April and have the baby in the beginning of 2013....."  WHAT?!  So I go from possibly being divorced, to being told when I will actually conceive?  Who are you and what did you do with my husband?

Apparently, after some careful consideration, Robbie had come to a few conclusions.  And it looks like it was all systems go for operation Baby Dever in the spring.  I was so excited!  The idea is so fun.  We would talk about all the things we would do.  All the things we need to get ready.  Where we would want to live, in Paris of course.  The time seemed to pass so slowly.  Let's get to this baby making business!

Then along comes April.  I have an app for tracking my periods on my phone and it also tells me when I'm fertile and when I'm ovulating.  So using this as our guide, we set to "work."  We did all the things you are supposed to do and then waited.  We even did things you don't need to do.  Such as go to the cemetarie Pere Lachaise and visit the grave of one Victor Noir.  Now, I don't remember the story as to why, but the statue on his grave marker is said to help women who are trying to have a baby.  You rub his member for fertility and then rub his feet for .... I don't know, but I just did it, as pictured below.

My aunt Deb and her husband Bill were visiting at the time.  They then head off to Rome for a week.  Upon returning, they brought me a charm they found in Rome.  It is a gorgeous glass charm with a tree in it.  The detail in it is stunning.  Its Italian glass.  The tree is said to promote fertility.  I'll take it!! I'll take all the help I can get!! So then we wait.  The time comes, I am 2 days late, excitement ensues.  Then, no.  Not this time.  That's ok, its fun to try!

So May comes.  Perfect timing, our wedding anniversary falls during the week of fun.  We take no prisoners and step up our game a bit this time.  I go buy a proper necklace for the charm my aunt gives me.  I tell, the minut i put that chain over my head, I felt something.  I am a mildly superstitious girl.  I buy into those pit of your stomach type things.  And when I tell you I felt something, I mean it.  So, we go about this round and continue on with life.  We take a long weekend and visit Barcelona.  I am potentially due for my monthlies, so I stock up like it was going to be the worst.  We have a blast, I let down my guard about the whole lower caffeine intake.  Then I'm 2 days late, then 3.  We get back to Paris, I think maybe its nerves or just readjusting to life after birth control.  I go back to work on the Mona=day and end up working an 11 hour shift.  I'm tired.  Delirious, even.  I had bought a test that morning so, at midnight, I go in to pee on the stick.  That bad boy turned purple before I had even really hit it!  It couldn't say positive fast enough.  It was too much for me at first.  I couldn't even call Robbie into the room.  I was afraid if I stopped looking at it, the color would change.  As if it was positive simply from the sheer force of my will.  So I eventually call him in.  We just look at each other.  We look at the test and back at each other.  Oh My God We Are Having A Baby!

At this point we don't know what to do.  Who do we call?  Do we call anyone?  What do we do?  SO, we take pictures with the test:

                                                                                             

Then we decide to call his parents.  We tell them the good news.  They are delighted! We then go to bed and start to make all the plans that you do when you find out.  We download the Babycenter app to find out the due date and all the fun stuff that they have to tell us about the baby growing inside of me.  We get our projected due date of February 13th.  So now shit just got real!

Follow up:

So, as a follow up to my post about the French administration, I did eventually get my carte vitale and my carte de sejour.  I am good and legally covered to live here and receive health care for at least the next 5 years.  I am currently working on transferring my US drivers license for my French one.  I am all good except for one, pesky little detail.  I had laser eye surgery in 2004.  Seeing as how most of my life I had worn glasses, my license says I need corrective lenses to drive.  Not thinking at all about this little detail after the surgery, I never thought to change said item on my license.  Well, it came back to bite me in the ass.   Not too bad, I just have to wait (the KEY to administration here) for them to make an appointment for me to see their doctor.  Then, I should be good to go.  Since nothing occurs in the administrative world from the middle of July until September, I just have to trust that I will receive a letter with an appointment.  I beat them once, I will do it again!!