I can't really tell if I'm getting energy back, or if certain sleeping patterns/ activities being changed are helping, lol. I can honestly say that I am finally able to keep most of my food down - I've even had two days without getting sick! This is so great for me, because I'm hoping and praying I stop losing weight ASAP. I just want a happy healthy baby! Thanksgiving was really difficult on me, because I was unable to keep anything down. It was really uncomfortable. So I'm thankful for the progress, if ever so slight!
I'm also finding that my appetite comes and goes. There was one day that I honestly hardly ate anything, but not because I felt sick - I just wasn't hungry. I'm trying to pay attention to stopping when I'm full and eating when I'm hungry, because too much or not enough of one or the other sends my hypoglycemia into crazy swings for days. (A little side note: for those of you who are under the impression that hypoglycemia is either "the same thing" as diabetes, or always leads to diabetes, that is incorrect. My doctor said he would be shocked if I end up as a diabetic, because I'm reactive-hypoglycemic).
As far as cravings go, I haven't really had anything too crazy, although I must say that watermelon sounded amazing the other day - and of course, it's not in season. :) Although my wonderful husband offered to go to as many stores as it took to find me some, I really wasn't interested in spending the money on it - go figure. I settled on a banana instead, lol.
Naps are still a necessity for me right now. I usually take a nap every other day during the week, and a nap on Saturday afternoons. Robert usually has me lay down for a "rest" on Sundays after church (seriously, it's like I'm 4 years old again, because I never feel like I need to sleep, and I'm always out for hours!) But I need the down time, and I'm well aware that our new little sweetheart is going to change the availability of that!
Which brings me to an important point - the baby! :)
Everyone seems to have such amazing advice to give, and while we welcome it, sometimes it's just too much to take. Don't get me wrong; we are not ungrateful for the gestures of kindness. It can be overwhelming, though. I've posted some below that have been known to hurt my feelings lately. (Personal note: I'm also keenly aware that I'm hormonal and sensitive right now, so please don't think I'm angry or upset.)
- "Your life is over as soon as that baby is born." No, it is not over. It will be different, and in a good way - and we are so excited for this awesome change!
- "Oh, you have no idea...." Well, the truth is we are first-time parents. So sometimes "duh" might be more effective than that statement, although neither are very kind, lol. We know there is no perfect way to raise a child, and there is no such thing as a perfect child, either. We'll simply do our best, and in the meantime, we're learning.
- "You'd better," and "You'd better not..." Meh. It is what it is. We'll do what we feel is best, and if we make a mistake, we'll learn from it.
- "You will have no social life, dates, etc. when your kid comes." Yes, we will. It will be different, but we will still have the same lives. We have priorities, and they will change, but not disappear. (Refer to the first phrase).
We don't have a perfect plan. We aren't perfect people. But I'll tell you what we've got and what we are: We have undeniable, unconditional love for each other and our baby. We have faith that could move mountains, a God who loves us, and a Bible to guide us. We've got amazing jobs that we both love, a nice house, nice vehicles, fantastic insurance, and family and friends who love and support us regardless of what we have and what we don't.
But in reality, all of that fades right now. Our baby doesn't need our stuff. They need love, shelter, food, clothing, and we intend to give them everything we can! I feel like we're doing alright, and I've got some thoughts on how this is all shaping up.
We're grateful and thankful that we waited a few years before starting our family. It was the right decision for us. We're so excited to be parents that it's still weird to think about sometimes! We're glad that we prayed and had a direction for our marriage and this little sweetheart. I'm finding myself scribbling in my prayer journal often "thank you, Lord, for blessing us so quickly with this little baby...." I know that not everyone gets pregnant right away when they start trying. We count this as a divine blessing!
On to a little fun.... some of my friends are asking if I still have a feeling that the baby is a girl. Yes, I do! But it's just that - a feeling. I'm a first-time mom, so I have no idea, lol. But that does not change our perspective on this little baby: We would be thrilled to have either a boy OR a girl. We have no preference in the sex. We are praying for a happy healthy baby, and that's really the only idea we are entertaining at this point. :)
My boss asked me today if I'd felt baby move yet - yes, I have! Several times now! On November 21st, the baby actually woke me up for the first time. All I'm really feeling is fluttery, light movements, but let me tell you - when you're sound asleep on your side and you feel that movement, it is undeniable, lol! We felt the baby moving around a lot on Thanksgiving weekend. Most of the time, I have to put my hand on my lower abdomen to really feel it, because it's usually impossible to feel internally unless I'm laying down, but it's so cool! It's forever amazing to me!
Some of our friends and family have asked what our plan is for work after the baby (especially for me). Currently, we are planning for me to return to work after the baby is here, but I will definitely be taking time off from work. Robert will most likely not take very much time off of work, but we both plan on continuing our same professions. As far as H&R Block, I'm definitely returning this year. Robert is still deciding what he'd like to do. To be honest, this might be my last year there, and I only committed to working through March (babies have been known to come early!) My mom was a little sad when I told her I might not go back next year, because she said, "Aw, man! Nana was looking forward to having the little one here in the evenings so you could work!" Hehe. We'll just see what happens. We're not planning anything for that far in advance just yet.
I'd like to interject here that I'm very, very thankful for an amazing job that I absolutely love more and more with each passing day, a fantastic and understanding boss, and incredible co-workers. God really brought us through the storm of jobs that were just not the right fit for me, before we were blessed with this one! It's a little nerdy, a little different and a lot of fun - perfect fit. And Robert and I have worked so hard to have me working just part-time - I always thought I'd work full-time forever in dead-end jobs that I hated! God's provisions are always perfect, even if they include teaching me about how to determine what the perfect job is. :)
For the few people who have been emailing and posting on Facebook that my "transparency" on this blog is refreshing and appreciated, thank you. I like to post honestly, and I tend to type like I talk. :) I'm just writing about life, and praying I can encourage and relate to some of my readers!
Anyway, this post is way longer than I wanted it to be, and I'm still not tired, so I guess I'll do some reading before bed! :)
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