On Being Pregnant

I've come to the realization that there really isn't just one book for new mothers. In fact, I have about three different books. When Matt and I found out we were going to have a baby, it was Matt that bought the book What to Expect When You are Expecting. I've enjoyed reading the book mainly to learn the little milestones that the baby is making each week. Reading the book has been a cinch since I basically skipped hundreds of pages because they did not apply to me.

Currently, I'm 28 weeks along, and I've realized that the only book that will detail what I've gone through is one that I write. So here's to detailing my pregnancy so far.

1. In the beginning, I gained all my initial weight in my hips. Whoever said they could wear their regular clothes well into their sixth month was insane in my book. Maternity clothes became the staple of my wardrobe at around 8-10 weeks.
2. The best maternity clothes can be found at Ross. I paid $8 for my favorite pair of jeans with an elastic waist.
3. The books do not talk about itchy stomachs until much further along. I felt like I needed to swim in Calamine lotion starting in the third month. Also, the books do not tell you what products works best for the itchies. I learned that Palmer's just makes me itch more, but Aveeno Oatmeal lotion rocks.
4. No books tell you that waiting to recognize the first kicks is unbearable. I felt like I was the only one on my birth board who hadn't felt the baby move. I felt like something was wrong, even though I knew everything was fine. I felt my little girl move in the 21 week while watching the movie Twilight. Matt finally felt her move in my 25 week on December 27. I had a stomach virus/flu the day before, so she was overly active on the 27th. She never stopped moving. I wish we could have captured the look of awe in Daddy's eyes.
5. Back pain is discussed at great lengths in the books, but nothing is mentioned about hip pain until much later. Once again, I felt like a weirdo. Let me just say this: the movement of joints, bones, what have you in the hip area is extremely painful. There were times that getting up out of chair made me want to cry. Sitting, standing, lying down....nothing helps this pain except......MEMORY FOAM MATTRESS TOPPERS. Love it!
6. This little one does not like porketta sandwiches. Oh, how I wanted porketta when we were home for Christmas. My mom had it at my baby shower, but with the stomach virus, I was just not up to eating anything other than toast. I ate some the next day and had heartburn for three days. Heartburn is another not so fun part of pregnancy.
7. Preggo brain makes you forget even the simplest of things. Yesterday I was typing on the computer and wanted to respond to someone. Well, I had to go the bathroom, and when I returned to the computer, I had completely forgot what I was going to say. Just a little example. I've forgotten plenty of things
8. My new belly throws me completely off balance. One of these days, I am seriously going to just topple over. Early on I kept tripping over the cord to the overhead projector in my classroom, but now I just tip for now reason whatsoever.
9. I'm not going to go into the details of some other not-so-fun aspects of pregnancy.
10. Being pregnant is a BLESSING!
11. I love lying in bed at night feeling her punch, kick, dance, flip-flop, and head butt me. I also love feeling her move in the early morning as well.
12. I love being able to 'see' my belly move when she moves.
13. Seeing her for the first time on the ultrasound was the most amazing thing for Matt and me. No words can express what it means to see her heart beat.
14. Learning she was a girl sure helped us in the baby name department. I'm not too keen on Hamish, Arn, or Onsted. I'm definitely putting them in her baby book though. We are still working on her name.
15. If they give you a choice between fruit punch or orange glucola, pick the fruit punch. It wasn't that bad at all.
16. Sometimes the baby wants an extra doughnut! Haha...and I don't feel guilty about eating it either.
17. I love my belly.
18. I love shopping for everything baby. Well, we haven't had to buy many clothes thanks to the generosity of others, but cloth diapers are the cutest things ever made for babies. I can't wait to see her little bum in one of them.
19. I love how my soon-to-be obsolete belly button freaks Matt out.
20. Did I mention that I love being pregnant?