Some women claim they LOVE being pregnant, and while I don't think that will ever be me, there are definitely some good (and bad) points that I've noticed the last 9 months.
1. Baby movements. This is by far the best part. I love feeling Natalie kick, move, squirm (and squish me). She frequently gets the hiccups and while sometimes annoying, I think she's reminding me that she's still there and doing well.
2. People. The pregnant belly sure does make people friendly. Complete strangers are not afraid to ask about gender, names, due dates, etc. The past few months I've also had women let me go first in the bathroom line and a man give up his beer drinking table for us to eat dinner (Firestones, mmm!). People are just genuinely nice to pregnant women.
3. Bathing Suits. This summer was the best for wearing a bathing suit! No need to be self-conscious about what I looked like in my suit - because it just didn't matter.
4. Hair & Nails. I normally have strong, thick fingernails to begin with, but all of the added baby hormones and vitamins have really made them into super-nails. They grow long and don't split or break - almost to the point that it is difficult to cut them! As for my hair, I thought maybe it would get curlier or straighter - but no such luck. However, while I'm normally a heavy-shedder, the past few months my hair has really been holding strong. (I've been warned this will shortly come to an end).
5. Morning Sickness. I have been one of the "lucky" few that have experienced this side-effect longer than usual. Thru week 26 the nausea and sickness was constant and since then it has tapered off significantly, but is still present. I never expected it to last this long, and am very much looking forward to waking up "normal" without the nausea. That day can't come soon enough.
6. Cravings. The common stereotype of craving pickles and ice cream never hit me. (thank goodness because I really don't like pickles! and the weight gain would have been more out of control had I added a tub of ice cream each night!) Lucky for David he never had to make midnight runs in search of some bizarre food combo. Very uncharacteristic for me, I noticed I didn't crave anything sweet the first 4 months or so (probably because I was so focused on keeping toast down!).
7. The body. It amazes me that our bodies naturally change and adjust to accommodate a 6 - 8 lb baby! I still can't quite fathom how she fits in there! While I wish I had been able to continue my workout routine (morning sickness and fatigue wiped me out early on), I think our bodies just do what is necessary to make the baby healthy. Quite amazing to know that our bodies tell us what nutrients we need (hence the cravings) and how much sleep we need (hence the 1st and 3rd trimester exhaustion).
8. Forgetfulness. I typically remember most things I've read or heard, but pregnancy has definitely effected my memory. I'm going to have to write down birthdays (not only am I forgetting them, but our families keep growing and it's going to be impossible to remember them all!). I find myself writing more and more notes at work so I can go back and refresh my memory. Hopefully some of the sharpness returns after baby, but I have a feeling it will only get worse!
These are just a few of the things I've been thinking of lately - and didn't want to forget them!
Here's some picture updates too. What a difference 5 weeks makes, huh?
32 weeks (Aug 21)
37 weeks (Sept 25)
9 more days until we meet Natalie!!
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