When the time came to announce our pregnancy (I say “our” because it takes two to tango, but believe me I know it was “my” lol) to our families we decided to do so on Christmas Day. We found out I was expecting in early October and didn’t want to tell anyone until we were in the “clear” 8-week mark. So, the timing worked out perfect for a little Christmas Miracle. That Christmas day we wrapped different bibs for each family member to open at the same time on Christmas morning at my parents home.
For my sisters I found “My Aunt is Hot & Single” and for my brother, there was “My Uncle is Hot & Single” For my parents, “Grandpa Loves Me” and “I’m Telling Grandma” Luckily all of my siblings were single at the time.
They were perfect. My family was so excited and it was a great surprise. We did the same with my husbands family that night with similar bibs and it was just as fun.
In the first few weeks of pregnancy, nausea and headaches were the only things I knew. I laid in bed most of my days and couldn’t keep any food down. Taking a shower felt like running a marathon.
I tried crackers, dry cereal, ginger ale, you name it. I googled, I cried, I begged for help. I was recommended a prescription to stop nausea but I was skeptical of its safety for my child and chose not to take it. (I’m one of those organic, drugs are bad for you type of people)
Every doctor would say “Right after the first trimester it will go away, and all your energy will return” boy, were they wrong. Hatred filled my heart for them and everyone in my path. It was hard to stand on my feet long enough to get dressed, so I had to leave my job at Saks fifth avenue where I worked as a sales associate. Bye, bye discount :(. Four and a half months in, everything was getting back to normal. We had a gender reveal party and I was starting to feel like my old self again.
When we found out I was having a girl I threw myself into decorating her nursery and filling her closet. I went back to work, for my previous employer before Saks because they were more flexible with me needing to sit down often. Everything was great. Until I started to get bigger, and bigger. First came gas, then the heart burn, and I couldn’t reach my legs to shave them anymore.
Towards the end, I was so uncomfortable and HOT. My daughter was due August 4th, and it seemed like every event we were invited to was outside on a 90 degreee day. Pool parties? No thanks, not getting into a bathing suit with this belly. God Bless all you moms who rock those two pieces. Aliens and my dad could have pulled those off better than me. It just didn’t work.
The one thing I did like, was all the “you are so cute pregnant” comments from everyone. I loved it.
Tell the pregnant women in your life they look beautiful. I’m sure it will make their day!
Most of my weight gain came in at the final weeks of pregnancy.. but before then I must say I was pretty much all belly so I didn’t really have it too bad. However, I am very much a control freak and I think most of my experience was dreadful because it was literally out of my control. Stretch marks didn’t appear until one of my final doctor visits when a nurse said “Wow no stretch marks, that’s great”. The next morning, they appeared. I will forever blame her, and she’s lucky I don’t recall her name! lol Cocoa Butter deserves all the credit for taking me almost all the way with zero marks.
Pregnancy is truly one of Gods greatest gifts, and blessings. I know how fortunate I am to have conceived naturally and I don’t take it for granted. After all, I did it twice. I must have said I wouldn’t 100 times during pregnancy, and 1,000 times after giving birth.
My pregnancy with Scarlett (2013) was just about the same as my pregnancy with Savannah (2011) My belly “popped” a bit sooner, and my morning sickness was the same. Only difference was having to feel like death and care for a toddler at the same time made things a bit harder. I gained less weight with Scarlett, and I credit that to chasing Savannah around. My girls are 22 Months apart.
Check out my posts about the “Introductions” of my girls to read bits of their birth stories!
xo
Jessica
P.S. Since starting this blog, I have realized I am always taking photos of others, and not having very many taken of myself. Here’s what I could find of my pregnancies…
