There are certain faithful blog readers out there asking me why I haven’t posted in a whole week? I am sorry to all of you faithful readers that have been checking daily for a post… here goes… hope it will satisfy!
I will begin this week with a hilarious comment from last week’s post... I think all of you mother’s out there will greatly appreciate it…
One faithful reader stated: “The meconium is the grossest thing ever. It is seriously like trying to wipe thick, black tar off the baby’s butt. It is sticky and gross and you’ll end up using about 15 wipes per diaper until it’s all gone.”
Does anyone second that statement? Ask me in December if I agree…
Week 21 – What are my thoughts? My fears? My joys? Be prepared for a completely honest post where I will bare my heart!!! I don’t like it when people are fake and say, “Oh, everything is just wonderful” and inside aren’t feeling that great! I want my readers to know the real Allyson, not a fake, ideal Allyson.
As I embark on week 21, I have many mixed emotions. Thankfully Peanut is a pretty active “little fetus,” so some of my worry has diminished. Notice, I did say “SOME,” not all. I love feeling Peanut kick and I have to say, I think that might be one of the few things I enjoy about being pregnant! I have talked to so many people that say, “Oh, I just absolutely LOVED being pregnant. It was the best thing in the whole world!” My first thought is, “Are you kidding me?” I just have a hard time understanding that statement.
Now, please don’t get me wrong – I am very thankful to be blessed with a child growing inside me and the end result is priceless and worth it 100+ fold…I am not complaining… just sharing some honest feelings that are going through my head right now. I am praying that God will change my heart towards these things. I have determined that the medical state of “pregnancy” just doesn’t agree with me! Here are a few reasons why:
- I don’t use pregnancy as a license to “sin” and eat whatever I want – b/c I know how hard I will have to work to get it off in January. Therefore I am not indulging in everything under the sun! I don't want to spend any more time at the gym than necessary!
- I am not a bucket full of energy as some have suggested for the second trimester! Can’t imagine what my energy level will be in the third trimester? Poor Nate, good thing he is always willing to help out around the house or do anything I ask of him! (I have such a wonderful husband!)
- I am short of breath walking up stairs or hills which is new for me! Gotta love the doubled blood volume!
- I know weight gain is necessary, but it is honestly a struggle to get on the scales and watch the pounds just creep up each week! For those of you that know me well, you understand why I say this. (Maybe the solution is to stop getting on the scales???) Maybe some of my issues are hormonal too????
I am praying that God will be gracious and grant me peace in the midst of my own personal issues with being pregnant! I want to grow and mature in these areas and not have these thoughts or feelings!! I desire to "love being pregnant!"
Those of you that “love being pregnant” – feel free to comment and tell me what you love about pregnancy! I would love to hear them!!
Onward to the baby updates for WEEK 21….
Week 21's email started off like this: “Chances are good you're feeling someone performing a round-off back handspring in your uterus by now.”
I second that thought and say, “Go team USA Gymnastics – (PS) Give Nastia Liukin the GOLD medal b/c she deserves it too!!” Maybe our little peanut will be a gymnast if she is a girl!!! Hum… she will probably grow to be too tall to be a gymnast with mommy and daddy both taller than the avg bear!
- They tell me that Peanut looks like a mini-version of what he/she'll look like when he/she's born. Isn't that a crazy thought?
- All Peanut’s facial features are formed and hair is growing on Peanut's head.
-Peanut should even be acting like a baby and occasionally suck his/her thumb or yawn. Aww ...isn’t that sweet!
-Peanut’s heartbeat is getting stronger and should be able to be heard using a good old-fashioned stethoscope. I will have to try that tomorrow when I am at work with my own stethoscope.
-Peanut’s fetal bone marrow is starting to make its own blood cells (which was previously done by the liver and spleen).
-Peanut’s uses his/her amniotic fluid to "practice" chowing down. Kind of interesting/weird picture huh?
-The intestines are finally developed enough that he/she's absorbing small amounts of sugars from the fluid.
-Peanut weight continues to increase and he/she is approximately 7 inches long—the size of a delicious, cold, frothy bottle of root beer. (What?? They pick the weirdest things!)
Now, to tie in the title – another faithful blog reader (LM) suggested that since Nate and I first met at Starbucks, I need to incorporate Peanut’s size with Starbucks cup sizes. I am thinking that Peanut is about ready to grow out of the Starbuck Vente Cup – Peanut enjoys drinking Wild Sweet Orange Hot Tea from his/her Vente cup, but will soon (if he/she hasn’t already) pop out and move on to a ½ gallon jug of apple cider fresh from Beasley's Orchard!
Interesting side note (and final note) – my weekly email proposes this question… “Did you know that your growing belly is directionally proportional to your sex drive?”
Hummmmm….. my question is (A) Who says this? (B)Do they have evidence of this fact or did they make it up? (C) Why would they leave me with this random and strange fact? (D) Who compares sex drive and a growing belly?? Are you kidding me????????
Well, all for now... more later...
Allyson and Peanut
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4 comments:
Yeah for your new post! I think that part of the "not loving pregnancy" is how you felt at the beginning (and up until very recently). I was fortunate enough to never really feel sick, therefore I never had those negative feelings at the start. Other women that I've known that have had a rough start never really loved being pregnant. What I loved was seeing my belly grow knowing that this was truly God's gift and I was lucky enough to be blessed with the opportunity to experience life's greatest miracle. I know it's difficult to watch the lbs go up and your body change(when I got pregnant I had just recently gotten to a weight that I was happy with), but I always reminded myself that if I was growing, that meant the baby was too, which made it exciting for me. I loved seeing and feeling my belly move with the kicks and acrobats Olivia was doing. Each movement just made me that much more excited to meet this little person. Just remember that even if you finish your pregnancy not loving it, that's okay! I know many women who hated almost every aspect of being pregnant. It doesn't refect ANY on what a wonderful mommy you will be in just a few short months. Don't feel pressured to love it just because you feel like you should. Looking back on it, you'll probably think that it really did go by pretty quickly (I know that's hard to imagine right now)! Also, hate to burst your bubble, but I NEVER had that energy that you read about(I kept waiting for it) and I never got the nesting instinct either. See you tonight!
I am with you girl, I never enjoyed being pregnant. Each time I told friends/loved ones that I would rather go through labor everyday for nine months than put up with being pregnant for nine months. I agree with your friend Apryl when she stated that if you feel ill in the beginning you most likely won't enjoy any of the pregnancy. I never had the energy either (or an increase in sex drive due to additional blood flow like all the books say) or the nesting instinct. I think you will be just fine, being pregnant just stinks sometimes, but when you see that baby for the first time you will never again think of the pain, sickness or how uncomfortable he/she made you; just how much you love him/her:)
P.S. And make sure you tell the nurse that you want to hold your baby before everyone else, Owen was passed around like a sack of potatoes before I ever got to really see his face!!
When I was looking for pregnancy books at Walden's I saw one titled "Pregnancy Sucks". It looked both informational and humorous. It might be right up your alley. :) Obviously I can't yet empathize but I have to believe that it will all be worth in when you're holding Jacob or Sophia in your arms.
I have to agree with the other commenters, as well as add in my own opinion (of course). I had also just reached a point where I was happy with my body when I got pregnant. I had terrible sickness and fatigue all through the beginning, which made it impossible for me to keep up my activity level. I also never had the burst of energy. Still I cringe when I go to the doctor and have to get on the scale.
I certainly have not "enjoyed" being pregnant, but I think that's okay. This may be a natural thing for women to do, but it is NOT NORMAL. Especially for ambitious, driven people like us, this takes us way out of our comfort zones and requires that we put ourselves second to someone else - all the time. That is not an easy thing to deal with, but we recognize the importance of this time and carry on. You are doing a great job and already are proving that you are a great mother.
I personally take great comfort in talking to friends who have been pregnant, had children, and are planning to (or already have) done it again! On purpose! At this point, I can't imagine voluntarily doing this again, but I also can't believe that so many women would do this - on purpose - so many times if it weren't all worth it!
Thinking of you lots and hoping that you are doing well. Lots of love to all of you!
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