I love being pregnant, not the symptoms.

While I was pregnant with Jayson, I had the most horrible heartburn. I had never experienced heartburn this bad. I remember Staci (my sister) and I eating those Rolaids soft chews like they were candy while I visited with family when I was 6 months to 8 months pregnant. With Jayson, I didn't have much morning sickness. I got sick ONCE after cleaning up a friend's child who spilled a Danimal's smoothie yogurt on himself. I'm not a fan of yogurt so it made sense to me. Other than that, I had an upset tummy a few times but never really got sick. With Eli, the first trimester was a whirl of crazy hormones and morning sickness. I had the insane heartburn again but coupled with nausea and vomiting I lost approximately 20lbs in the first 12 weeks. I had morning sickness like it was my JOB. 

After reading all of that, anyone would assume that I HATED pregnancy, but I didn't. There is so much more to pregnancy than morning sickness and heartburn. There is the growing belly, feeling the miracle of life as the baby kicks and twists inside of you. I had this connection with both children that was borderline psychic. I loved shopping for little baby things and doing research on what had the highest safety ratings. Just spending hours upon hours of laying around, feeling the baby kick and reading through popular baby names made me blissfully happy.  The cravings. O-M-G the cravings. They were insane and intense. While pregnant with Jayson, my biggest craving was nacho cheese. Sage and I would go to the bowling alley for nachos or chili cheese fries, or to the movie theater for the pretzel bites with cheese (or of course, nachos). I HAD to have that cheese. I was obsessed with it. Other than that, I didn't have any big cravings that stood out, until I became pregnant with Eli. Eli was my Mexican child. Well, by that I mean I had to have mexican food. I ate Taco Bell like crazy. The nacho cheese was still a craving but more often than not I wanted Taco Bell. I probably ate more Taco Bell during that pregnancy than I ever did before hand, and I love me some Taco Bell! 

As I got bigger, I would become a little less comfortable and towards the end of the pregnancy I would get anxious and ready to have the baby, not necessarily because I was uncomfortable and hating life but because I wanted to see my baby! I was ready to hold him, love him and enjoy life with him. I wanted to watch him grow, learning new things and becoming an individual right before my own eyes. Anyone experiencing anything for 9 or more months would start to get tired of it and become ready for the next phase (or challenge) in life. That was the same thing with me. I wanted to experience child birth and being a mother. I was ready for my life to start after waiting for 9 months for someone else to become ready. 

After being pregnant twice and experiencing the good and bad that comes with being pregnant, I have to say I LOVED being pregnant. I didn't always love all the symptoms that comes with being pregnant or the circumstances I found myself in while pregnant, but I love the process of growing a child inside of me. 

 

October 2nd, 2006 (see Sage sitting in her car?? Hehe)

<3 Traci