Worry, worry, worry, worry, worry

On the one hand, I'll be glad when I don't feel nauseous mulitple times per day.  When I don't nearly jump back in pain every time I hug some one.  On the other, I'm sure it will all just make me worry unless it happens after 12 weeks.  My body is definitely changing.  On Monday, Dave looked at me and said "You have a completely new profile."  I'm much rounder in the top and much rounder in the belly.  The books keep saying that my waistline should be expanding, but it looks more like my belly to me.  And it is definitely poking out.  I've gained 2.5 lbs already and I'm hoping that's all for the rest of this month.  Most books recommend between 2.5 and 3 lbs for the first trimester and I have 3 more weeks to go until the end of this trimester. 

I had been feeling more calm lately until Dave tells me that one of his colleagues (younger than I am) received "bad news" from their tests.  And then I heard of a person on Babysnark who went back for her 3rd month checkup and the baby had died one day after her last checkup.  And, after binging on cookies that I brought for a student meeting, reading that sugar consumption can cause spina bifida.  YIKES!  Dave did further investigation and found that there are not really any good studies on the relationship between sugar consumption and spina bifida, and in fact one study with 2500 or so Irish women is underway to examine this "problem."  I've definitely had a bit of a sweet tooth for the last few weeks and now I feel like a bad mommy.  An old bad mommy.  Yay for my wonderful husband to check that out.  But I'm planning on swearing off sugar for the rest of the pregnancy.  It's just did I do the damage already??  I eat healthy otherwise--could cookies and mini-twix bars really cause spina bifida?  BTW, the Spina Bifida Association only talks about folic acid, not about sugar.  Bleah.  Nonetheless, I believe I shall find plenty to worry about over the next 20 or 30 years.  Hopefully. That's the good/bad part.  I hope I get to worry for the next 20 to 30 years.

On a lighter note, today is our departmental holiday party.  We don't have regular company parties because we are a state university and have no money!  Instead, we have a pot luck at lunch, which I have to say is actually quite fun!  Each year one of the social psychologists puts together  a little puzzle along the lines of "Did you know this about your colleagues?"  These are listed anonymously in the break room and then everyone has to guess  who said what.  Last year it was something about revealing something about yourself that would surprise your colleaugues.  We ended up with a suprising number of public naked stories in that one. This year, we had to list our most watched movie, our favorite book, our favorite band, where we'd like to live, what living or deal politician we'd like to have lunch with, what celebrity we'd like to have lunch with and a few other things.  I know this sounds geeky, and since we're all psych profs, I guess it is.  But it's a lot of fun.  Certain things stand out and seem like you ought to know who likes it.  For instance:  Confederacy of Dunces.  Great book.  That should denote a certain personality type who likes it.  But who?  And whose most watched movie is Killer Clowns from Outer Space?  That seems it ought to narrow it down but it really doesn't!  (maybe that says something about my colleagues!) 

Well, today it is revealed who answered what and who guessed the highest number of people correctly.  (I heard that I was in the lead for guessing the answers!  WOOHOO!)  As someone who studies feelings of community, I believe this has a good effect on our "community" with each other. It's a great ice breaker for when the ice is already broken.  And I'm shocked at the number of people standing in our breakroom for a long time trying to guess who answered what.  And those sneaky people trying to subtley find out answers:  Seen any good movies lately?  What's you favorite book?  What's that CD you're listening to on your PC!? 

I also have to make a three bean salad for the potluck and finish grading papers this morning.  I really need to jump in the shower.

And how was that last hour for you!? 

8:49:22 AM