Friday, April 30, 2010

The Pregnant Glow

I am very tired today. All I did was take a long walk, and I ended up collapsing on the couch and falling asleep with Eli while watching Maggie and The Ferocious Beast. I even slept a good eight hours last night, too. Unless you count waking up to pee, and oh my gosh is that getting old fast. Good thing that little pregnancy side effect will be over soo- oh wait! Ha ha!

The Braxton Hicks are getting stronger lately, some honest to goodness painful, so I suppose I'll have to mention that to my doctor on Monday. I'm kind of dreading it, because I'm worried she'll start checking cervix status and all that and somehow I'll end up on bedrest ALREADY. It would totally be worth it to ensure the baby's safety, obviously, but I'm feeling so good lately and I so want to have a fun summer with the kids before the baby arrives. So all of you who've had multiple kids can just feel free to chime in about how frequently your belly felt tight and crampy when you were pregnant with number three.

Other than the peeing thing and the crampy thing, I've been feeling more or less great lately. It's that mythical "good trimester" thing that I never really experienced the last time around! Given the Braxton Hicks, though, I'm trying to take it easy and not go too crazy with projects just because I feel better, so the house is not as clean as I like it, and I haven't done a darn thing on my nesting list. Still haven't really thought about names, and the only planning and dreaming I've done is for the summer: multiple cottage trips to Canada, possibly a twelve hour road trip to Charleston to visit my older sister (with both kids! I know! I know! I'm out of my mind, clearly,) gardening, sitting outside on the deck while the kids play. Grilling. Enjoying yummy summer food. I practically start drooling thinking about corn on the cob and watermelon and REAL tomatoes and ice cream cones and... Well. Can you tell I'm not really nauseous anymore? And also really really hungry?

I think that I'm still in a pinch-me, I'm actually, really pregnant! phase, AND I still can't wrap my head around the reality of three kids in the fall, so I'm just trying to anticipate the next bend in the road and not freak myself out thinking too far ahead! I do find myself noticing cute little babies more than usual, though. I saw a little girl in a sunhat today, about six months old, that nearly slayed me with her adorable-ness. I wanted to walk up and ask her (perfect stranger) mother if I could hold her for a minute. MAAAYBE pinch a cheek, too.

Is it normal to be feeling not all that impatient for the baby's arrival? Because both other times, I felt like every single day was a grueling test of my patience, and this time I just feel so happy, most of the time, and perfectly content with where I am in terms of gestation. It seems strange to me because this is the pregnancy I have worked the hardest for, wished for the most fervently, so wouldn't I be just DESPERATE to see the baby already? Or maybe because I wanted to maintain a pregnancy so badly, I'm just ready to enjoy being pregnant for once instead of being so anxious to move on to the next phase?

12 comments:

Hillary said...

That is exactly how I felt with The Lad. Just peaceful and patient and happy. Maybe it's a sign you're done, because I'm pretty sure we are.

Jess said...

I am so glad that you're feeling this good. I don't know if it's normal or not, but I say enjoy it!

Fingers crossed that your OB gives you the all-clear and there will be no need for bed rest!

Fran said...

My worst BH were with #2. With #3 it was more of an all over tightness, nothing that made me stop what I was doing. I remember being scared of them though since I had two occurences with #2 that had me PANICKING!!
I think maybe Hillary is onto something with the whole "sign you are done" because I knew that going in to #3 and it was the one were I gained the least weight and has the least problems.
I also think that maybe because you have waited and hoped and wished for this baby so fervently you just want to revel in the pregnancy now that you aren't feeling so yucky.
That's my 2 cents, I hope no bedrest will be needed and you have a wonderful easy breezy time with the rest of this pregnancy. (((hugs)))

Pickles and Dimes said...

Like Jess said, I'm glad you're feeling good. Enjoy it! You'll have plenty of time to enjoy the baby once they're here, but only a few short months to enjoy this.

Elizabeth said...

I wasn't all that excited for number two to get here, and then the other day I saw a dad holding a tiny tiny tiny little girl and I thought "Oh my goodness, we're getting a BABY" and now I CANNOT FREAKING WAIT.

Also, I had TONS of crampy contractions and Braxton Hicks starting at around 26 weeks or so. I would just lie down on my left side and pound water and they'd go away before I got to that "six in an hour for two hours" stage where you have to go in and be monitored.

Marie Green said...

So glad things are looking up for you. I hope you can continue to savor this pregnancy- you deserve it!

Unknown said...

I love love love that you're pregnant!

I'm not on baby #3, but I can tell you that I noticed BH earlier and more frequently with #2 than with #1. Although, with my sordid history, perhaps I'm not the best example : )

Lise said...

I had a ton of Braxton Hicks with babies three and four. Both were quick labors (2.25 hours and 4.5 hours, with active labor only being about 45 min of that) and both babies were overdue.

d e v a n said...

With #3 and #4 I had annoying amounts of BH ctrx. The doctor said as long as I didn't have more than 10 in an hour that I didn't have to call her. That is, of course, as long as they're not REAL, painful ctrx that are progressing. :)

So glad you're feeling happy. I felt that way in the 2nd tri of my last 2 pregnancies and it's so nice. Not so patient in the 3rd tri. hehe

Mommy Daisy said...

Such a good place to be in. That's pretty much how I felt about my pregnancy (I know I only have one, but still). I just enjoyed each moment of it. I knew the baby would arrive soon enough, but I wanted to just sit back and enjoy what I had...a few months with my husband all to myself, time to take long naps, etc.

Jen @ Rolling Through Looneyville said...

Maggie and the Ferocious Beast!! I LOVE that show! Where did you find it on TV? We totally watched it in college... Mmmm, Cakeland.

Ahem. Why yes, I am an adult.

I was totally patient with my last two... but that's mainly because I had that total crazy anxiety about having one more kid added to the mix. and dude, I was drinking in the last few days of just being one kid (or two). It's a good thing :)

Astarte said...

I think it's good that you're happy with where you are. Don't make yourself unhappy worrying that you're not unhappy enough! :) I'm glad to hear that you're feeling good, and able to enjoy everything so much. You sound really content.