Having a Baby Changes Everything

In my last post, I briefly alluded to a huge surprise that graced us with its presence in November. That life-changing surprise was this:


I'm currently 19 weeks pregnant with our first little bundle of joy! The journey to this point has been a sharp contrast of happiness and struggles, but I couldn’t be more content. As the idea of being a mom continues to sink in, my enthusiasm for our baby grows by the minute, while the nervousness, worries, and uncertainties fall further to back of my mind.

The baby came as a surprise at a time when growing our family was still a year or two away in our minds. Being avid planners, my husband and I took our time adjusting to the unexpected change. As we worried over our finances and a million other little things, we couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed and ill-prepared. But does anyone ever feel 100% prepared to parent their first child? It’s a learning experience, and I’m open to the ride it’s about to take us on. I know we’ll be just fine. I find comfort in believing that God wills things to happen when He feels the time is right, and I can’t help but feel truly blessed that we’ve been given this precious gift.

Since I'm almost to the halfway point of this pregnancy, I wanted to give a little summary of my first 19 weeks:

Day to Day Life: It’s shocking how much your lifestyle changes when expecting a baby. My normal routine was flipped completely upside down, and things that were once foreign to me became the norm. I was used to spending my days running errands, maintaining our household, cooking and baking, writing, and exercising. Shortly after finding out I was pregnant, I was stricken with morning sickness that lasted all day, every day for over three months. It was a struggle to get through routine tasks - even things as rudimentary as showering and brushing my teeth - without feeling nauseated and upsetting my stomach. I was miserable, drained dry of energy, and spent the majority of my time as a couch potato. Around week 14, which fell at the start of the New Year, things started looking up as I began to feel more energetic and a lot less nauseous. I've now found my way back to most of the hobbies I enjoy; I've gotten out of the house nearly every day; and I started practicing prenatal yoga.

Weight: My growing baby has netted me 8 pounds so far. Much to my dismay, my back has already started to ache from the extra pounds, but thank goodness for my husband, who’s always willing to give me a massage to ease my discomfort.

Fashion: For the first half of my pregnancy, I got by with yoga pants or my regular jeans, unbuttoned and paired with a belly band. But in week 19, the day finally came where my jeans no longer fit comfortably around my growing belly, and I was forced to purchase maternity jeans (which, to my delight, are extremely comfortable). I have yet to buy any other pieces, and although I’m outgrowing my clothes at a considerable pace, I’m hoping that I can get by with minimal maternity clothes. Since my belly will be the largest in the spring and summer (the baby is due on July 7th), I plan to rely on loose-fitting sundresses.

Sleep: I used to be a “late to bed, late to rise” kind of girl, but now, pregnancy pulls the plug on my energy at the most inopportune times. I’m lucky if I can keep my eyes open the entire day, let alone past 10 p.m. Despite how tired I feel, it’s a rarity that I sleep for an extended period of time. I wake up multiple times to groggily find my way to the bathroom to relieve my bladder (which has either shrunk to the size of a peanut or is being used as a trampoline by the baby), to soothe cramps and backaches, or to cope with congestion.

Cravings: In the first trimester, my appetite was nonexistent, and even meals I loved were enough to make me cringe. The only things I craved were oranges, because the tart citrus flavor never failed to calm my nausea. When the morning sickness subsided, food became much more appealing, and I’ve gotten a good portion of my appetite back. There are only three things I seem to crave repeatedly: fresh fruit, fruit smoothies, and Philly cheesesteaks. (I’m not sure where the cheesesteak craving came from, since I rarely ate them before I was pregnant. But my tummy wants what it wants, and I had to laugh when my husband got me a cheesesteak as my Valentine’s Day gift!)

Movement: For many weeks now, I’ve felt a lot of “fluttering” in my belly, especially at night.

Milestones: Last Thursday, Leo and I toured the hospital where our baby will be born. We got an overview of check-in procedures, and we toured a spacious birthing suite (where I'll be for labor and delivery), a mom-and-baby room (where the baby and I will recover), and the nursery. Even though hospitals make me a little queasy and I'm already nervous for the birth, my first impression was that I'll be taken care of and as comfortable as possible.

This Thursday, I'll officially be 20 weeks along, and we'll find out the gender of our little one! Leo feels certain that it's a boy, and we're already in agreement on a name. If it's a girl, we're back to square one in the name department, because we have nada by way of ideas!