Our pepper is a perfectionist.....

We got our 2nd beta results today. They "like" to see it double in 2 days, but only require that it goes up 66%.

I had written all over that date on my calendar: "Double", "Double", "Double"......

My suggestion must have gotten through.

The nurse was laughing when she called. She said, "You must have a numbers baby."

I was confused.

She explained that our 2nd beta was: 394

394 - exactly double from Tuesday (197). She said that NEVER happens. Our pepper got the number right on the spot.

Already so obedient, at four weeks even. Must take after its daddy.

The nurse said my progesterone on Tue was 99 - which seems a bit high to me, but she seemed to think it was a good number. I will go in on Monday to recheck hormone levels and they will probably start decreasing some of my meds at that point.

Symptoms so far: (YAY!)

- breast tenderness that comes and goes (and when it "goes" I freak out and pee on a stick to calm my nerves - this could be a very odd coping mechanism I am developing. Anxious about something? Find a stick to pee on!) Also, my already very large breasts are only getting larger and heavier. My poor poor back. Speaking of my back.....

-low back pain - yep, that's pretty much it, pain in my lower back for no reason at all.

-sore muscles and hips - this one I don't "get" - but I have noticed that a simple walk around the park in the morning will leave my hips sore and achy by afternoon. And my muscles seem to get sore much more quickly. I am turning into such a wimp!

-veins veins everywhere - my chest looks like a road map of blue highways and my hips and legs are showing little growing "vein-maps" as well. And the nurse today remarked about how I had three prominent veins to draw from instead of the usual one. I think it is kind of cool. I look like a super-hero: Super Veins to the rescue!

-exhaustion that requires several naps during the day. I almost took a nap last night in a bookstore even. So so so so sleepy. Afternoons and early evening are the worst. I feel like I could sleep for days.....if only....

-peeing every 2 minutes - I am not a fan of public restrooms, but there is no "holding it" now. I have seen the inside of more public restrooms in the last week than I have in the last 2 years! Holy bladder batman!

-loss of appetite - although this one is quickly being replaced by "ravenous all the time, always, must eat NOW!" But food is still not greatly appealing to me - except for these organic smooshed fruit bars and basically any kind of condensed fruit.

- "morning" sickness? - this is new as of today and yesterday. I thought it was a fluke when I spontaneously, without warning, threw up in my mouth while driving yesterday. (sorry - TMI - I should have warned you) But nope, I have been queasy all day today and promptly began gagging and had dry heaves over the toilet after taking my vitamins tonight. I am a little bit nervous about morning sickness because I am really not a fan of nausea - I do much better with pain than with nausea. In fact, if I am not paying enough attention to my body when I am in pain, it starts throwing up so that I will have to finally do something. Yep, that will get my attention. BUT - since I literally was praying to throw up over the last couple of days just so I would know I was actually pregnant - I am not gonna complain too much about this. At least not just yet. If I become one of those women who throw up every 15 minutes throughout her entire pregnancy, well then I might complain - just a little.

-crazy realistic dreams - I am actually having a hard time discerning what has actually happened over the last three days, from what I have dreamed has happened - my dreams have been that realistic. I walk around wondering, "Did I send that email?", "Did that person actually say that to me?", "Did I really see two hot guys wearing tuxedos make out in front of me?" - the last one I am pretty sure was a dream.....I think.