I'm sitting in the doctor's office awaiting my 30 week check up. I heard through the walls that the girl in the room next to me is going to have her baby today. What an exciting day for her! I'm so stinkin' jealous. I thought I'd be one of those people who "looooooves being pregnant," but as it turns out, I'm way too impatient for that!
I got some great gifts this year, but I can't help but think solely of the gift I'm going to get in 10 weeks! It sounds cheesy referring to him as a "gift," but I don't really mean it in the sweet, sappy way like that (even though yes, he is a sweet blessing, yada yada)...I mean it in a "I just got the iPhone 5/iPad mini/fill in other trendy/hot gift right here" kind of way.
When we were kids at Christmas, my dad was so anxious to start playing with his gifts that he barely made it to gift #2 if gift #1 was a something other than socks. So I guess you could say that when it comes to this baby, "I'm excited as my dad on Christmas morning!"
I know there are plenty of already parents out there who are thinking "be grateful for this time while he's in your tummy because once he's out there's no going back!" I understand those sentiments to a degree, but this being my first time I'm content to think that his arrival will be nothing short of amazing and I just can't wait to meet him and (sticking with the Christmas gift analogy) see what kinds of things I can do with him once he's "opened." That way you feel when you're a kid and it's Christmas Eve has and you just can't wait to see what Santa brings has to be the only way I can describe it! Come on, March!!
Friday, December 28, 2012
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
A Very Merry (and Slightly Uncomfortable) Christmas
Ever since I was a child, I have been the queen of comfort. There is nothing worse to me than being uncomfortable. I (like most girls) hated wearing panty hose when i was a kid and nothing felt better to me than coming home from a "panty hose" event, stripping them off, and trading them for comfortable pajama pants. I suppose I got it from my father who hated ties, jackets, and let's just face it - dress clothes (or just clothes, haha) in general.
My pregnancy has been very easy so far...very slow and steady. However, starting a few weeks ago my comfort factor has decreased somewhat drastically. I might be the most efficient person you will ever meet, so slowing down to properly get out bed or off the couch hasn't exactly been easy. I suppose no one tells you it's just flat out uncomfortable sometimes (especially after a big meal...like all these Christmas feasts!). Like I said in my last post, I know this time is teaching me that it's ok to go slow, have dishes in the sink, unwashed clothes piled up in the closet, and a longer than normal list of things on my to do list. I guess it's just a hard lesson for me to learn, so it's a good thing I have 10 weeks left to master it (73 days!).
Back pain, that squished feeling especially after eating, and a general slowness aren't the only things keeping me from going full force...I've always had a small bladder (needing to go frequently on road trips, etc.), but now things are at a new level. I've always known that this was a side effect of pregnancy, but I didn't know it could mean going 4 times in a 2 hour movie...yes, four times! I think the main reason this happens is so that pregnant women won't get used to sitting still too long...something sure to be true especially after baby arrives!
Those who know me well know how annoyingly positive I can be, but I'm not sure where all my positivity has escaped to right now. From now on, I'm making a vow to not be negative anymore. I always fuss at people when they're negative, but it's been a while since I've identified with those pesky negative thoughts that are hard to chase away. So do me a favor, if I complain to you tell me to replace that thought with two more positive ones! When I tried googling "ways to get comfortable during pregnancy" I found that the bottom line was there is really nothing you can do, but it will all be worth it in the end!
In my list of grievances, I forgot to mention that I've had one good side effect: strong, consistent moving. What's crazy now is that it's not just little kicks or momentary swooshes of movement. Now I cam feel his head, arms, and legs moving simultaneously. It's definitely obvious that there is a full baby in there. It is an amazing feeling! I have NO idea how anyone ends up on that I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant show (especially if they make it this far into their pregnancy).
Other than adjusting to this new way of life, this Christmas break has been wonderful so far. Lots of time to relax and hang out with the family. It's also been our (Brandon and my) first Christmas Day together ever. That's right, in five years we haven't managed to swing it, but we finally did this year! We enjoyed it very much ;)
My pregnancy has been very easy so far...very slow and steady. However, starting a few weeks ago my comfort factor has decreased somewhat drastically. I might be the most efficient person you will ever meet, so slowing down to properly get out bed or off the couch hasn't exactly been easy. I suppose no one tells you it's just flat out uncomfortable sometimes (especially after a big meal...like all these Christmas feasts!). Like I said in my last post, I know this time is teaching me that it's ok to go slow, have dishes in the sink, unwashed clothes piled up in the closet, and a longer than normal list of things on my to do list. I guess it's just a hard lesson for me to learn, so it's a good thing I have 10 weeks left to master it (73 days!).
Back pain, that squished feeling especially after eating, and a general slowness aren't the only things keeping me from going full force...I've always had a small bladder (needing to go frequently on road trips, etc.), but now things are at a new level. I've always known that this was a side effect of pregnancy, but I didn't know it could mean going 4 times in a 2 hour movie...yes, four times! I think the main reason this happens is so that pregnant women won't get used to sitting still too long...something sure to be true especially after baby arrives!
Those who know me well know how annoyingly positive I can be, but I'm not sure where all my positivity has escaped to right now. From now on, I'm making a vow to not be negative anymore. I always fuss at people when they're negative, but it's been a while since I've identified with those pesky negative thoughts that are hard to chase away. So do me a favor, if I complain to you tell me to replace that thought with two more positive ones! When I tried googling "ways to get comfortable during pregnancy" I found that the bottom line was there is really nothing you can do, but it will all be worth it in the end!
In my list of grievances, I forgot to mention that I've had one good side effect: strong, consistent moving. What's crazy now is that it's not just little kicks or momentary swooshes of movement. Now I cam feel his head, arms, and legs moving simultaneously. It's definitely obvious that there is a full baby in there. It is an amazing feeling! I have NO idea how anyone ends up on that I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant show (especially if they make it this far into their pregnancy).
Other than adjusting to this new way of life, this Christmas break has been wonderful so far. Lots of time to relax and hang out with the family. It's also been our (Brandon and my) first Christmas Day together ever. That's right, in five years we haven't managed to swing it, but we finally did this year! We enjoyed it very much ;)
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Who doesn't love Christmas time? It's just a magical time of year. When I was younger, to say I loved this time of year is an understatement. My sister and I mourned the loss of Santa for a long time - even though we (embarrassingly) continued to receive "Santa" further into our twenties than we would like to admit. I have enjoyed Christmas even after the magic of Santa was long gone, but there has been something missing. We don't have any other youngsters in our family so once we grew up, the excitement that accompanies children at Christmas has ceased to be a part of our Christmas world.
Now with a baby on the way, I'm realizing that the really exciting Christmases are just around the corner. Plenty of grown ups love Christmas, but no one loves Christmas like children. I remember the excitement being unbearable sometimes and I can't wait to be a parent during this time of year!
You'd think from reading this that I would really be soaking up this Christmas-y stuff right now, but actually I'm not. In fact, we just now got our tree up and I have no plans to decorate any further. Buying presents and decorating just seem secondary to the really important stuff I wish I was doing now like decorating the nursery. It's like I have tunnel vision and the only thing I can think about is getting prepared (nesting is no joke). Once I go back to work after Christmas, I'll only have about 8 weeks left. I'm sure we have more than enough time to get ready, but I am now very thankful for the 40 weeks that pregnancy provides you to prepare. We certainly wouldn't be able to get by with anything less. I also now know why people say to do the most work in the 2nd trimester - how true! By now, I am tiring out more quickly, but more importantly I just feel like my stomach is in the way and it can make what should be easy tasks slightly more challenging. All that being said, I am thankful that Brandon and I have one last Christmas together pre-parenthood. We'll take it easy and relax as much as we can...it's our last chance for at least 18 more years!
Now with a baby on the way, I'm realizing that the really exciting Christmases are just around the corner. Plenty of grown ups love Christmas, but no one loves Christmas like children. I remember the excitement being unbearable sometimes and I can't wait to be a parent during this time of year!
You'd think from reading this that I would really be soaking up this Christmas-y stuff right now, but actually I'm not. In fact, we just now got our tree up and I have no plans to decorate any further. Buying presents and decorating just seem secondary to the really important stuff I wish I was doing now like decorating the nursery. It's like I have tunnel vision and the only thing I can think about is getting prepared (nesting is no joke). Once I go back to work after Christmas, I'll only have about 8 weeks left. I'm sure we have more than enough time to get ready, but I am now very thankful for the 40 weeks that pregnancy provides you to prepare. We certainly wouldn't be able to get by with anything less. I also now know why people say to do the most work in the 2nd trimester - how true! By now, I am tiring out more quickly, but more importantly I just feel like my stomach is in the way and it can make what should be easy tasks slightly more challenging. All that being said, I am thankful that Brandon and I have one last Christmas together pre-parenthood. We'll take it easy and relax as much as we can...it's our last chance for at least 18 more years!
Sunday, December 2, 2012
How are you feeling? Part 2 & Nursery Update
So a while back I had a post entitled "How are you feeling?" At that
point, I was feeling somewhat guilty that so many people were asking me
how I was feeling when I actually felt quite normal. Well....that was a
few weeks ago. As of Friday, things became considerably different. It's
like I became "officially" pregnant overnight. Friday night I had a
terrible time sleeping. Until then, I'd been able to make a modified
stomach position work for me. However, Friday night I think I squished
all my organs by trying to make this work one more night. It's literally
like I'm sleeping with a basketball strapped to my stomach. I woke up
Saturday morning feeling quite crammed and uncomfortable. I thought
maybe it was just my sleep position the night before, but it's still
going on today so I think it's safe to say that the crammed feeling I'm
feeling is just that...where oh where will my organs go?? So Saturday
night we went on a quest for "The Snoogle." This pregnancy pillow is
just what I needed and last night's sleep went much better. P.S. Brandon
& Sam also enjoy the Snoogle:
Aside from sleep troubles and running out of space for organs, I think that mobility (I fell out of my desk chair at work trying to reach a piece of paper in the floor), hormones (I've cried three times today already), and pregnancy brain (last week I bought groceries, forgot about them, and my ice cream melted) are my other main issues (aside from the significant increase in bathroom breaks).
I really am not complaining...I'm actually quite grateful for these symptoms. They're a reminder that I am blessed enough to be sharing my body with another life. They not only give me comfort that everything is going right, but I also think they're preparing me for motherhood. I typically live my life in a fast, efficient pace. Pregnancy has caused me to slow down a little bit, think longer about things, and take more care. It's crazy how nature prepares us for motherhood: losing sleep & abundant bathroom breaks will prepare me for the long nights ahead, adjusting to being forgetful (typically not my personality at all) will help me prepare for being more forgiving with myself, and loss of mobility will help me to prepare for the first few years of life where he'll be attached to me in some way (whether it be in a Baby Bjorn or just on my hip). I may not be my old self anymore, but I'm just going to settle in and try to enjoy the upcoming 3rd trimester.
One thing we will definitely enjoy in the 3rd trimester is putting together the rest of the nursery. Here is the newest stage:
Aside from sleep troubles and running out of space for organs, I think that mobility (I fell out of my desk chair at work trying to reach a piece of paper in the floor), hormones (I've cried three times today already), and pregnancy brain (last week I bought groceries, forgot about them, and my ice cream melted) are my other main issues (aside from the significant increase in bathroom breaks).
I really am not complaining...I'm actually quite grateful for these symptoms. They're a reminder that I am blessed enough to be sharing my body with another life. They not only give me comfort that everything is going right, but I also think they're preparing me for motherhood. I typically live my life in a fast, efficient pace. Pregnancy has caused me to slow down a little bit, think longer about things, and take more care. It's crazy how nature prepares us for motherhood: losing sleep & abundant bathroom breaks will prepare me for the long nights ahead, adjusting to being forgetful (typically not my personality at all) will help me prepare for being more forgiving with myself, and loss of mobility will help me to prepare for the first few years of life where he'll be attached to me in some way (whether it be in a Baby Bjorn or just on my hip). I may not be my old self anymore, but I'm just going to settle in and try to enjoy the upcoming 3rd trimester.
One thing we will definitely enjoy in the 3rd trimester is putting together the rest of the nursery. Here is the newest stage:
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