The Good, the Bad, and the Pregnant

After 2.5 years of dating and 5.5 years of marriage, we are finally onto the next big step in our relationship, starting a family.  Already over halfway through, I am now 21 weeks pregnant.  I have been extremely blessed; my first trimester went very well.  I was a little tired and nauseated but nothing bad considering the horror stories I have heard from friends.  Now, I’m well into my second trimester and things are continuing to go better than expected.  Last week I had my level II ultrasound and found out we are having a girl!

This being our first child, we were not really sure what to expect.  Like most major life changes you hear all about it, but until you are experiencing it for yourself, you truly have no idea all that is involved.  Pregnancy is a crazy roller coaster, a whirlwind of mixed emotions.  There are some tough times, but this is a wonderful, miraculous experience that I wouldn’t change for the world.

Since people keep asking me when I’m going to start writing about the pregnancy, I’m now taking a light-hearted look at the last 5 months.  Here are The Good, the Bad, and the only way to describe it is just “Pregnant” aspects of expecting a child.

 The Good

• I’m a veritable ninja now.  If something slips out of my hand I can snatch it out of mid-air, every time
• Finding energy and ambition to do things I would have never dreamt of before, like cleaning toilets at 7am
• Having a valid excuse to go shopping for cute baby stuff
• Always experiencing something new and exciting: from first finding out we were pregnant, then going to the ultrasound and hearing the heartbeat, finding out the gender, now feeling the baby move, watching her grow, and soon seeing her for the first time
• Sharing all of the joy with our friends and family; everyone, even strangers, are happy and offer their congratulations and well wishes when they hear I am pregnant
• Motivated for not just me but the baby too, I have that extra inspiration to exercise everyday and try to stay healthy, get plenty of sleep, and improve my daily habits (watching what I say, how I behave, and what I dedicate my time to)
• No one ever questions me if I ask to get ice cream, even if we just ate or it’s late at night. Not many people argue with a pregnant lady in general (no one in their right mind anyway)

 The Bad

• I feel like a newborn foal staggering around, my balance and coordination are way off
• My memory seems to have disappeared, as well; it’s in there somewhere, it just seems to be buried much deeper than before
• I’m thankful we now know the gender because the wives tales were getting pretty annoying
• My skin rivals that of an acne-prone adolescent boy and I have the appetite to match
• I’m not quite at that stage yet where I really look pregnant, but just like I’m doing a documentary on the ill effects of fast food consumption
• Confused with all of the different options and products; just for bath time there are 20 different vessels to put the baby in let alone body washes, shampoos, towels, the list goes on and on
• Feeling like there is no right answer for choices such as cloth versus disposable diapers.  Everyone has their opinions and pros and cons for both
• Already needing momentum or a helping hand to get up off the sofa
• Thinking and worrying about things that are years away like not just kindergarten but also boyfriends, prom, and college
• Apparently my unborn daughter thinks my bladder is a trampoline

 The Pregnant

• Stretchy pants are now a necessity
• If you come to visit, don’t eat the pickles; I will admit I have drank the juice straight out of the jar
• Hormones are out of control, I’ll be crying at an animal rescue commercial one minute and then yelling at driver on the road the next
• I now take more naps and go to bed earlier than my grandpa did
• Bra-extenders and rubber bands are my new favorite fashion accessories
• Literally everything in my body is changing, from the tips of my toes to the top of my head; there is no part too sacred. So much for thinking it just stretches out your tummy
• The sad realization that the cravings may have gotten out of control when I found whipped cream in my hair
• Leaving the grocery store with chips, olives, baked beans, jelly, raisins, frozen peas, and pudding with absolutely no coherent idea for dinner
• A small sip of my friend’s Diet Coke is like the nectar of the gods
• Coming back from another trip through the brunch buffet with barbecue ribs, flan, and a chocolate dipped cannoli on my plate, my husband just smiles and takes a picture to text to the family

Not many other people can get away with what a pregnant lady does (or eats), but no one else is going through what she is experiencing either.  This has been such a blessed time for us.  It seems like every day and every new stage is more exciting than the last, and I cannot even comprehend the abundance of joy we will feel when our daughter finally arrives.  I am overwhelmed by how honored and humbled I feel to get to be part of this miraculous process.

My creative juices have been flowing and I have several projects I will be starting soon anticipating her arrival.  I will do my best to include you in the process as we continue on this incredible adventure.

What were the best and worst things about your pregnancy? Do you have any great advice for surviving the next several months until the baby arrives?

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