A Pregnant Pause

Tonight I started thinking about pregnancy and what makes it so fascinating and miserable all at the same time. So, I decided to make a list of woes and triumphs. Feel free to add.

First Trimester: I have been blessed to never have much morning sickness during this period, and I've only ever barfed twice in the 8 years of child bearing I've experienced. But, I did have horrible fatigue from time to time. One day I admitted to Curtis I had spent 14 hours that day in sleep. I get impatient during this period. I just want that first 13 weeks to pass quickly so we can get onto the good stuff. Instead, I spend it waiting to get big enough to wear maternity clothes, but am big enough that clothes are getting snug, don't look right, and generally, this starts the trend of frumpiness for the next 6 months. Half the time I want to rip my clothes off because they are too small, the other half of the time I'm sweltering because I've donned clothes that have entirely too much fabric about them.

Second Trimester: I start eating my weight in food. And, it's nothing good. Hoho's, coke, chocolate, cookies. Normal, healthy food is not helpful. I'll eat it, wait (like they tell you to), and then find myself raiding the cabinets for something more substantial...like hoho's, coke, cookies or chocolate. Now I finally have a belly that starts to show something (not entirely because of baby, but because of all the food I've eaten), and I think I look pretty good. Until I look in the mirror naked and see old purple stretch marks. And the double chin appearing. And the fact that I'm losing site of my toes. Night time acrobatic stunts are fun to watch though, as the baby jumps around and stretches.
*Snicker* When I in the second trimester with Hannah, I had read that the baby could see light now, so one night in bed we decided to try this theory out. I bared my belly. Hannah was awake and squirming around in there. Curtis pulls out the flashlight and sticks up against the side of my belly. My entire belly shifted to the side as if she was trying to get away. I wonder if the bright lights bothered her when she was born?

Third Trimester: Clothes now look ridiculous. The shirts are too short, the pants too short and tight, the underwear roll down under the belly, or ride up over it. Sorry, Mr./Ms. Maternity Designer, but we don't all have perfectly round, airbrushed bellies we want to show off. Food: I made up for the lack of it now in the 2nd Trimester. Hungry, but too miserable to eat. Hot. Hot at night, hot in the day, hot in the car. Mercy be on the poor women that are pregnant through summers. Moods: grouchy, angry, unsatisfied, weepy. Um... a good visual example might be a volcano. I've not seen my thighs in weeks, so I have no idea what the leg hair looks like. Oh, and on a whim, we think swimming would be a good idea, relieve some pressure, help with the horrendous heat (even though it might be November). You have to have a special suit for this though, and Mumu's don't count. I squeeze into a maternity swimming suit that gives no support the voluptuous girls upstairs and throw caution to the wind as I bravely step out into the public pool area. One time, a woman actually told me in disgust, that pregnant women should not be allowed in public in swimming suits. If I hadn't been so miserable, I might have actually said something...instead, I trounced around the pool in all my big, pregnant glory just for her pleasure. I hope she got a good look. Swimming actually feels really good. It relieves pressure on the hips, actually, in places you had no idea were under pressure. Sleep is somewhat okay at this point, if you can handle the nightly bathroom trips and have enough pillows and have kicked your husband out of bed because there is just not enough room for me, myself, and my womb. I'm tired, but there is not rest for the weary with 1-4 other children running around the house.

The last month: Nesting. Everything must be clean. Just before Simeon (#4) was born, I cleaned the fridge, the floor, the cabinets, organized the pantry, alphabetized all my canned goods. It was the best I had ever seen. Walking. Desperate to get the baby out I start walking, climbing stairs, contemplate jumping on trampolines and beds. There is no room left on my lap to hold other kids. I have a constant stain down the front of my belly. It does however make a good shelf for plates, drinks, remotes, and books. Clothes are ready, bags are packed, carseat is installed. Now we just wait. And this, my friend, is the pregnant pause. That heavy pause you have till your life changes forever. Till you meet this baby. While you may know the sex, you don't know really know what color of hair or eyes it will have. You are anxious. You want to see the baby, hold it, love on it and smell it. You NEED this baby. So, take a pause at this point. It maybe your first, your last or somewhere in between time to be this way again. Appreciate it, and all you have gone through to get to this point.