small sacrifices

The day after we found out we were expecting, Stuart went to Joseph Beth and bought me two "What to Expect" books...one, the original What to Expect While You're Expecting, and the other is an entire book dedicated to nutrition during pregnancy.

I have not had a coke (or any other caffeinated beverage) since Saturday. I am definitely jonesing for a coke, or a mountain dew, or a grande white mocha...and according to my book, you can have up to 200 mg of caffeine per day with "very little chance" of harming your growing baby. To put things in to perspective, I did further research and found the following caffeine content of some of my favorite pre-pregnancy beverages:

Grande Starbucks brewed coffee - 320 mg
8 oz. brewed tea - 40-120 mg (varies by brand)
12 oz. Moutain Dew - 54 mg
12 oz. Coke - 35 mg

Not too bad, but for some reason I can't bring myself to put a caffeinated beverage to my lips. Excessive caffeine consumption leads to low birth weight... so what does moderate caffeine consumption do?  Maybe nothing, but I'm relatively sure that it won't HELP my growing baby, either.  Instead, I will stick to milk, juice, and water. And the occasional Sprite. :) 

I have also been avoiding artificial sweeteners.  I ate a regular fruit yogurt the other day, and WOW! it was yummy...all 170 calories of it. :-/  I am trying my hardest to eat a more balanced diet, and it's actually easier than I thought it would be.  Knowing that what I eat is what the baby eats makes a huge difference.  :)

We are heading to Nashville this afternoon.  Originally, Stuart and I (Team Pugalicious) were going to compete against Brad and Melissa (bro and sis in law, and Team Stack o Pancakes) in the Muddy Buddy, a 6.6 mile bike/run.  At the end, there is a huge mud pit you have to crawl through.  You end up looking something like the two in the middle:

After alot of talking to other mothers, doctors at work, and scouring the internet for advice, I decided to bow out of the race.  The general consensus was that I can maintain my usual activity level....here's a little secret: I RARELY run and bike 6.6 miles, or crawl through mud pits.

This is a small sacrifice for such a wonderful blessing, and although Stuart and I are both a little bummed that I don't get to compete, Stuart's friend Drew is going to represent me in the race.  Me and Norah junior will be cheering from the stands. :)