I forgot...

The beginning of this pregnancy was no fun. I was sick, tired and chasing around my very active 2.5 year old. At one point, I was complaining so much that even Gia started to randomly say, "I don't feel good."  When I'd ask her what didn't feel good, she didn't have an answer for me. It took me a few days to put two and two together and realize that I was, in fact, the reason my kid was going around saying she didn't feel good. (There were a few times in there when she'd say and actually mean it. Like the day she had a fever.)

Gia with a fever.

Suffice to say that was enough to shut me up and cut way back on the complaining. That and the fact that I know I don't have it that badly. In the grand scheme of pregnancy issues, a little morning sickness and nausea is not a big deal. At all.    In the middle of all my moaning, I kind of forgot about all the good pregnancy stuff. I didn't totally forgot (check out THIS POST), but it was definitely on the back burner.   Well, so far the second trimester has been really, really good to me. There's so much less nausea and so much more energy. So many more foods sound good to me, so eating healthy has been much easier the past few weeks.   

And then, last night, it happened.   I felt the baby move!   It was an awesome moment--one I had forgotten all about. I remember the kicks and jabs and dance parties Gia used to have in my stomach (she was active even in the belly), but I forgot about that special moment that is the very first time you feel movement from the little person growing in there. To me it feels like popcorn popping on the inside. Or like a butterfly flapping its tiny wings. I felt it three times last night (after drinking a cold glass of water) and then one time this morning after some juice.   This is like the icing on the cake that is the 2nd tri. I'm already feeling good and now I get to experience this.  And I know there are so many more amazing moments to come, like when Jon and Gia can feel the kicks from outside my belly, and when we find out if this baby is a boy or a girl. Ahh the miracle of life is alive and well in this house!

Dreams

Being pregnant is such a dreamy time. You dream of the little person inside of you. Is there a boy in there, or a girl? What will he or she look like? Will she be calm, easygoing, someone who goes with the flow? Or more will he be demanding, someone who needs your attention and needs it now? Will he be like his siblings? Or the total opposite? What traits of mine will this little person have? What traits from my husband?  

Photo credit: Sara Eden Photography

    Every morning, when I wake up, the first thing I see is this gorgeous wedding picture of Jon and I. It hangs on the wall of our bedroom. It's a simple pose and picture, one that most brides and grooms probably have. In it, we're looking straight at the camera, smiling. It's a full body shot but it's relatively close up, so you can see my dress in all it's glory. We got married in the fall, so in the background there are brightly colored leaves on the trees and you can tell the sun is about to set, off somewhere in the distance.    Over the years I've grown to love this picture even more that I originally did, but not for the reasons you might think. Yes, we look wonderful in it, but that's to be expected. It was a perfect day: we were so happy, in love, and we were dressed and made up to nines.   But now I look at that picture and I see two people who had no idea, on that day, how much love and life was ahead of them. The girl in that picture couldn't have dreamed that, less than five years later, she'd be here. Here in her dream house, with the amazing husband, a two and a half year old angel of a daughter and another on the way. Here is so much better than anything I could have dreamed up.    And this baby inside me is the same thing. I know he or she is more--more adorable, more loveable, just more -- than anything I could possibly dream.  

How We Found Out

I wrote this post on Saturday, February 16, 2013.

 

We just found out that I'm pregnant and we are so so excited.    We'd been trying so it wasn't a total surprise like Gia was, but it's still so exciting. In fact, this time around is such a different feeling, it's really incredible.
When I found out I was pregnant with Gia, it was a shock. A very happy shock, but nonetheless, Jon and I weren't trying and we were so so surprised. We were both nervous. One of us may have asked to go to the gym upon hearing the news.    So this time has been a whole new experience. Although it took a few months longer than I thought it would, we still got pregnant relatively quickly. And it was well under the "it takes a healthy couple up to a year" time frame that's so popular with the trying to conceive crowd.   On February 15th, Jon was up and getting ready to work and I knew that it was early, but that I could probably take a pregnancy test. I used a cheapie test because I wasn't too hopeful. (There's a brand called Wondfo you can buy on Amazon. For $20 you get 50 ovulation tests and 20 pregnancy tests. Usually 1 pregnancy test is around $15 alone.)   I took the test and hopped in the shower, certain I'd only be seeing one line.    Five minutes later I stuck my head out of the shower to peek at the test and I thought I could see a shadow of a line. I never finished a shower so quickly before!   Upon closer inspection, there was definitely a very very faint line.  Jon was downstairs giving Gia breakfast and I called him up to the bathroom.   "I think I'm pregnant!" "Really?"  big smile "Yup! Look at this test." I shoved the test in his face. "Do you see that right there? That line?" "Yeah I see it. It's light but I see it!"   We were cautiously excited all day. At dinner we discussed the fact that I was, quite possibly, pregnant. We asked Gia if she wanted a brother or sister and she said "Brother!" with the biggest smile on her face. And then we asked what we should name him and she said, "Bobby!" in this goofy voice. Jon and I looked at each other and burst out laughing. It was a perfect moment.   The next morning  I woke up and took another test, this one a regular one I picked up at the food store. Within the 3 minute time frame there was a 2nd line, this one much clearer and more noticeable than yesterday's.    I said to Jon, "Looks like I'm pregnant".  He gave me a kiss. "Much better reaction than last time, right?" he asked.   Yes. Yes, indeed!

I can't wait to do this all over again!