Pregnancy "Best of" Moments

I haven't been that great at tracking the various stages of my pregnancy (as I intended), but I'm taking a moment now to record some things that stand out to me before it's all over.

Day 1 - we find out we're pregnant!
After months of buying and wasting very expensive pregnancy tests, and getting in trouble with Erik over the expense of my anxiety (which I excused by saying that I needed to know so that I could drink wine or not), there was finally a faint DOUBLE line. Just when I was positive that I was not pregnant (but testing to see if I could drink that weekend), there it was: the faint double line. However, it was a test with a very faint double line out of a box of THREE peed-on tests that were defective and showed nothing. I had taken those defective tests much earlier that morning with my precious first morning pee (it has the strongest detectable hormones), and I was very upset that the tests were defective and I had wasted precious AM pee on them. But to my surprise, without drinking water or anything, I awoke again an hour or two later with a full bladder ready for more tests! So after I gently woke Erik and broke the news that I had taken all 3 pregnancy tests (when I was not supposed to...), and that there was a faint double line on only one, it was off to CVS to buy more (with permission this time!). The more expensive tests confirmed the double line that only got darker with another try on the following day. This was it - Firecracker was on the way (and no more drinking).


Morning Sickness Sets In
One day it was a Whataburger with everything but the meat (shake and fries included). The next, it was fried anything from Long John Silvers (as long as it had tarter sauce on it, and lots of it!). Then BBQ. Everyday. EVERY day. And Chipotle once the BBQ began to make me sick. And then I couldn't get enough Pho - noodles, noodles, noodles. And then the infamous pot of chicken soup. Erik quickly learned that when I said I wanted something and that I wanted a HUGE quantity of it (for instance, a huge cast iron pot of chicken soup), that he should ignore my request and make very little to nary a serving or he'd be eating it for weeks. Many beautiful greens died in our fridge trying to make it into this pregnant woman's diet... Swiss chard grave yard. Popsicles, lollipops, Pop Tarts, lemonade, ginger ale, wrist bands - NOTHING helped my morning sickness but sleep (if I could fall asleep), and sometimes the distraction of a movie. But the more sour and cold a food/drink was, the better. I think I stopped by Casey's Sno Cones everyday for months, waiting for them to open for the spring so that I could have a lemon sno cone. Once they opened, I never went back. Such is the life-or-death pregnant craving.


Second Trimester
GREAT for your marriage...


Sneezing and laughing to the point of...
Peeing. It happens. Anywhere. I'll not say any more about that.


Realization of My Actual Body
Trying on a skirt at Whole Foods (yes, the original Whole Foods mother ship with clothes and all...), and seeing my whole self for one of the first times since we don't have a full length mirror at home. I hadn't done that typical pregnant-thing before where you stand naked in front of the mirror often in awe of what's happening. Instead, I did it at Target and Whole Foods (once at each place) before I quickly learned not to look in the mirror when undressing to try on clothes. I must have stood there for 5 minutes straight with my mouth wide open, not believing what had happened to the rest of my body (forget the stomach!). I still can't look at that skirt hanging up at Whole Foods.


Shaving
We have what's referred to as a "weight-watchers shower", certainly not made for pregnant women. I literally have to open the shower door and stick my leg out to bend over and shave. There is barely room for me and a razor in there. Oh, and speaking of the shower, now cleaning the shower consists of me spraying it down and leaving the cleaner on it as if it will magically scrub itself. I physically cannot get in there to do it. Too bad I use all-natural cleaning products because just spraying it down with Tilex might actually work.


Erik Singing to Baby
Erik wrote a bedtime song/lullaby that he sings to Firecracker every night. While Firecracker is an active baby, the activity really raises when it hears Erik's voice. It's kind of funny to be laying there peacefully and Erik pulls up my shirt to sing and then Firecracker goes crazy, making me wince all the while. But it's so precious to see Erik's face while singing this sweet song, stroking my belly and kissing Firecracker goodnight.

Lyrics:

Oh, Darlin'
If your heart grows weak,
As you lay alone tonight,
Just dream of me.
I'll hold you close now,
I'll caress your head.
I'll whisper my love to you,
As you lay in bed.

Oh, Darlin'
Your mother and I,
We love you through and through,
A love never to die.
We wake up each morning,
Our hearts open anew -
Our love for each other
Only passed by our love for you.


Realization that it's Any Day Now (and it's really happening)
Actual excitement kind of hit me in the car for the first time the other day. You'd think that strong contractions and washing baby clothes would make my brain excited and think, "Wow, we're having a BABY!". But honestly, those things don't always make the reality click in my head. Even feeling Firecracker move and watching it roll under my skin doesn't always make it more real. It's real in that I completely expect it and I obviously know what's coming, but every great once in awhile it hits me in a different way, like I can actually experience our baby in my mind for a split second, and then it's gone. I seem to get more excited about picturing Erik as a father while also trying to hold onto this pre-father image of him that I have known so long. I've seen so many babies and kids play with him, taking his glasses off and laughing when he makes funny faces. But I've never quite been able to imagine it with his own kids until recently. So gentle, so good-natured - he will continue to blow me away.