Pregnancy Reflections

We are on the countdown to October 26th...

Wait, what?! When did it get this close to our big day? How did this sneak up on me?! Sometimes I can't comprehend the fact that it will be happening soon.  I think, "Okay, really? Like, really? I am going to bring a child into the world soon?! Is this really happening to me?!" 

That's a huge deal!  After being pregnant for so long it can kinda seem like it wont ever end. And realizing that the end is very much in sight has been somewhat of a shock to me. I'm on the brink of going through this life changing experience, and here I am sitting here all shakey with my nerves going through the roof. 

But, I am SO happy! No level of hormones or nerves can reduce the overall happiness I feel of being a soon-to-be mother! I am thrilled to think that soon I will be sitting on a hospital bed with my new baby in my arms. I have been picturing that moment in my head over and over again the last couple of weeks, and I can't wait for it to really happen! I can't imagine anything more fulfilling than being a mommy to this sweet spirit. I already love him so much :) 

Trimester Experiences:

I haven't written down much of what my life has been like while pregnant, and I don't want to regret it later! So going through each trimester seemed like a good start to fix that problem :) 

First Trimester was so so. I experienced a lot of nausea, loss of appetite, carpal tunnel (weird huh), and a good amount of fatigue. Those symptoms may have set my mood at a "less than thrilled" stage, though I was still incredibly happy. My tummy didn't grow much in the first trimester, but I did feel bloated and kind of uncomfortable. Which left me in suspense of when I would notice any sort of bump! If there was any growth there, it was hard for me to notice, and certainly unnoticeable to anyone else. The first trimester was exciting! Though I was ready to move on to my second trimester because I heard all sorts of wonderful things about it!

They say the Second trimester is a dream...and it is! I had so much energy! I would exercise almost every day if I could, and I was running pretty long distances still! It was amazing how my appatite came back so fast, and how quickly that changed my mood back to normal! (I have a feeling food is in control of your happiness when your pregnant haha) I felt like myself again but with a slowly growing tummy! And it did grow a good amount this trimester! From "bump" to "belly" is a good way of saying it. We also found out the gender of this baby, and I felt him move for the first time ever! I was SO curious as to what it felt like, and I was trying to pay attention really close to any possible movement. I had a moment on my family cruise when I thought I felt something, and I asked Mom and Brittany about it but I still wasn't sure! It wasn't until we were at the 20 week ultrasound to find out the gender. As Steve and I were watching the monitor we saw his leg pull back and kick hard, and I felt it!!! It was amazing! He did it more and more throughout the visit and I was able to feel each one! Little did I know, on the cruise I really did feel him move. I just didn't know what it felt like, until I saw it and felt it at the same time. It almost felt like there is a bubble that is bouncing off the walls of your tummy. By the end of the second trimester, I knew I was transitioning into the third when I started getting a little more tired and out of breath. But it was a nice time for me and I was able to do a lot during those months :) 

Which brings me to my Third Trimester. Where I am now. And oh my goodness it's unforgiving!! I'm not on bed rest or throwing up every day, and I still think that I have it pretty good. But I can't say it isn't a tough one! Symptoms include extreme heartburn/slow digestion, loss of breath (constantly), uncomfortable nights sleep, back pain, hip joint pain, rib cage burning (either it's expanding, or he is pressing really hard against it), weird spells of nausea, and pretty bad fatigue. My loss of breath is what mostly worries me. I have always been one to freak out when I don't feel like I can breath. And with my belly growing into my ribcage, it makes it hard for me to breath normally sometimes. I just have to sit up straight and focus on my breathing to make it less of a worry. But it has been weird and difficult to keep that up for the last 8 weeks. I also have been able to get my heartburn and rib pain under control with Tylenol and Pepcid, and that is such a relief. Even if it doesn't take all the discomfort away, at least it helps! All that added together basically means that I have zero motivation to do anything right now haha! I tend to get on my own case for not being as productive as I was before. But Steve is so good about reminding me that I am pregnant and I can't expect to do as much. Seriously, he needs to remind me that I'm growing a person and I need to give myself a break! Although I still manage to get some things done, and it's a victory every time :) Well, enough with that. Now on to the good stuff! My belly has grown a TON this trimester. More growth the last 8 weeks than any other period of time. What clothes I did have, started not fitting right weeks ago. Even some of my maternity pieces of clothing started to feel a little snug.  More growth means more movement though! And what felt like a hard kick in the second trimester...is merely a slight shift compared to what it is now. He is literally ALL over. He  is running out of room with each week and he is all scrunched up in there. So with any move, however small, I can definitely feel it. It's crazy when I look down at my belly and see it move....ah!! So cool! He also has the hiccups! Just barely noticed those. Sometimes I notice him pressing his foot out against my stomach, and I look and see my belly has changed shape. As if something is pressing out from inside.... and well, there is! My exercise schedule has pretty much depleted at this point.  Not having energy has been a weird thing for me to experience, because I usually have a lot of it.  Keeping myself active has always been something that makes me happy, and I really enjoy doing it.  So not being able to get myself motivated enough to muster up what energy I have to exercise, has been a difficult inner struggle for me *sigh* But it's okay with me. Everything is SO worth it! 

Reflections:

The body is a crazy thing! It amazes me that it just... does the baby growing for me.  It's not like I'm proactive in telling my body what to do, to make my baby grow. It just...does it? Women are so neat! 

Which brings me to say how grateful that I am to be able to go through this experience. I know it is difficult for some couples to get pregnant.  Not saying that I know what it's like, but I can kind of share those moments of when you want it to happen to you, after seeing it happening to others.  I just thank Heavenly Father so much for Him blessing us with this experience and for trusting us with this innocent spirit. It's really an honor.

Steve's reaction to this pregnancy has been one of, if not my favorite part of pregnancy. He is SO excited and it's just about the sweetest thing ever. He makes me fall in love with him all over again when he talks about how we are going to be a little family soon. He is especially excited that it is a boy! Steve is so cute with our little nephews, and he loves to get them all railed up and play with them. We'll see how much railing up Graham gets from Steve when he's the parent and not the crazy uncle! Haha love ya babe. But I am very excited to see Steve with our child for the first time!  Graham has an amazing example of a man to look up to. 

First sign of "pregnancy brain": I have a really funny story that shows how scatter brained I have been! I was really really hungry one day as I was out running errands. I decided to go to Taco Bell and get a warm delicious 5-layer beefy burrito (my mouth is watering right now).  So I go to the drive thru and sit there in line ready eat my yummy burrito. As I drove up further in line, closer to the window, I was more ready than ever to have my food.  Until I actually GOT to the window and realized that I had waited in line all that time, and didn't even stop to actually ORDER my food. I just drove to the pick-up window to receive my food, that I didn't even order. And the girl inside the window just looked at me like I was crazy! I didn't even say anything to her, I just laughed super hard and drove back around to get in line again to actually order. Haha and I got a pretty good kick out of it.