No One Ever Told Me...

This is going to be a recurring blog post, updated as I experience more wonders of pregnancy. Everyone tells you the main things, "you're going to be uncomfortable, all the time!", "you won't have anything to wear", "heartburn", "swelling", etc., etc. But then there's the things that no one tells you about. My friend recently had her baby and I of course probed her for details. She tells me that the birth itself was no problem, "it will be easy for you", it's the after the birth part no one tells you about. So there it is, the stuff no one tells you about. So for those of you who read my blog, and will someday have babies of your own, this is for you!

- That I won't be able to put on pants or tie my shoes. Now keep in mind, I'm only 6 months along. I have a whole lot of growing to do yet. I was at the gym and nearly fell on my face trying to put one leg in my pants and then the other. Then I put my shoes on and attempt to lean over to tie them, nope! That won't work. It becomes a game, how can I tie my shoes? I take a deep breath, plunge over and tie as quickly and inefficiently as possible and bound up to get some air. Yeah, that's fun!

- That I can't stand up, sit down, rollover or really move without making a grunting noise that certainly was adapted from a wild animal.

- That eating a meal, I mean a real meal, will become something of the past. I eat like a bird (that's what my husband says). I literally do not have the room to eat. I have to eat small amounts of food throughout the day. And if I do decide to sit down to a full on meal, I will pay for it miserably afterward.

I found this on a blog that I read, thought it was appropriate. :-)

23 Weeks

Today was a great day. We went to the hospital to visit two of our close friends who just had their babies. Reznor and Charli were born only 40 hours apart. Both moms and babies are doing well. I was so excited to go visit them and meet their little ones. It's so crazy, they've been growing for so long and then we finally get to meet them. I enjoyed every moment I was able to spend with both sweet little babies.

We also had an appointment today with the doctor and we were able to check in on our little one. Everything looks good! I'll never get tired of hearing that! Visiting the babies today made Danny and I very anxious to meet our baby girl.

Here are some recent photos taken this past weekend. 23 Weeks!!!!

Daddy's Home

After a rather difficult journey, Danny finally made it home. He was supposed to be home Saturday around 4pm but didn't end up getting home until Sunday around 10pm. So we didn't get to spend any time together this weekend like we hoped, but at least he made it back safely. I'm pretty sure I'm not letting him out of a 20 mile radius for the next 4 months.

I have started to really feel She-ra kick! At night when I'm laying in bed, reading or watching TV, she gets pretty active. It no longer feels like bubbles, it now feels like an alien inside of me trying to get out (like that movie that I can't remember the name of). It is definitely the strangest thing I've ever felt. I can actually see my belly move when she kicks. It made me laugh out loud to myself. I can see how it is going to take some getting used to though. Hard to sleep when you have a party going on in your belly.

The heat is unbearable, and I hate every moment that I am forced to be outside. I think about my friends who are in their final weeks of pregnancy, and feel so sorry for them! If it's bad for me, it's dreadful for them.

Exhausted

I'm exhausted. It's actually painful trying to get the energy to be at work. I've been sleeping "okay" but I get really tired now during the day. I hope this is a phase that will pass, but considering how close I am to my third trimester probably not. All I can think about is coffee, I would love a strong cup of (fully caffeinated) coffee. :-(

Danny is coming home tomorrow! Yeah! This was probably the longest week of my life, I am so happy it's almost over. We're going to make working on the nursery a priority now. I am so excited to get started with the design, I've been waiting so long. We're keeping the colors somewhat neutral with a little bit of mauve added. I want the nursery to be calming so we're not going to drench it in bright pink (we'll save that for her clothes).

This is the crib set we got:

21 Week Ultrasound

Every time I go to the doctor, they look at my sweet baby girl and I see that little heart pumping away, I try to really absorb it. But truthfully, it still seems surreal. My belly is growing, I feel something in there, and I have pictures to prove it, but it's still so hard to believe. I wonder if one day I'll wake up and it will hit me, we're having a baby!

I love being able to tell you all that everything looks good. Doctor is very happy with my progress and we're just plugging along. She mentioned how next time we'll discuss pediatricians and registering at the hospital (wow, already?). Above photo was taken today, she had her hands up by her face. I bet that thumb will make its way to her mouth soon if it hasn't already. Awwwwww.

I miss my husband a lot. I really miss talking to him during the day. All we can do is send emails back and forth. He's been really busy since he got there, and he's off to Korea today.

I've been taking pilates classes and I love it. I can't do everything I used to be able to do, but I can do most of it. I love being sore, I miss that feeling. I am sure though, that me doing pilates is a hilarious site to see. lol

Without My Hubby

I survived my first night without my man. I'm staying at my parents house so at least I'm not alone. My dog is acting funny too. When Daddy is home she snuggles up at the end of the bed. With him gone she curls up next to my head on the pillow next to me. I think she misses Daddy, too!

She-ra has been kicking and moving around. I hadnt felt her much recently so I enjoyed the flutters today. I have been craving cheese lately, any kind. I love it and I think about it often. In writing this, I am drooling over the thought of it. Yummy!

I went to the mall yesterday and bought a new pregnancy book, The Hot Mom to be Handbook. I like it so far, she gives a lot of great websites to check out. She was very passionate about not drinking during pregnancy, not even red wine! It just makes me wonder why some people say it's ok and others say its not. I guess in the end it's all about risk, and it's not worth the risk.

Minnesota Trip

I went to Minnesota for the 4th of July and to spend some time with my family. We had a great time and the weather was amazing. A little hot and humid, but the sun was out and the rain stayed away. My relatives threw me a surprise baby shower on the 4th which was so fun, my first one! Unfortunately, I think that was the last trip I'll be taking during my pregnancy.

The flight to MN was bad. I had really painful, achy restless legs. Now I'm not sure if this is something other women experience while pregnant, but I get this symptom pretty often. It's made worse when I am wearing jeans, or constricting pants. It feels like my muscles are going to jump right out of my legs. Having to sit on a plane for that long was awful. I got a little bit of motion sickness but I was able to work through it, unlike my flight home.

On my flight back to AZ, there was a ton of turbulence. I was sick the entire flight, fighting the urge to throw up in the little baggie shoved in the back of the seat in front of me. I was so miserable that I wanted to burst into tears but instead I held it in and waited til I got off the plane. Upon seeing my husband who was waiting for me, I couldn't hold it in anymore. :'-(

So as of now, I don't see traveling by plane in my immediate future. My husband leaves for Asia on Saturday and now I am thankful we decided I shouldn't go this year. I am going to miss him so much and I am sure it will be a tough week for me and She-ra without Daddy around.