Micro Jake

Being married is surprisingly busier than being single.  Who'd of thought?  I haven't had much time or energy for blogging, but since it's Spring Break this week and Jake has to work, I have a bit of time on my hands.  I thought I'd describe my experience with pregnancy so far.

First of all, if anyone had told me that I'd be pregnant only 4 months after getting married, I'd have laughed in his/her face.  I always told myself that it was wise to wait at least a year before considering having a baby.  However, after lots of prayer, we decided to move forward.

Pregnancy began with sluggishness, slight nausea, and an insatiable appetite.  After a pregnancy test confirmed my suspicions, I went to see a doctor--just to be sure.  He let me know that I should be expecting a baby in August.  The nurses at the doctor's office were sure to give me loads of advice as they drew ridiculous amounts of blood for tests from which I never saw any results.  I was feeling slightly less enthusiastic as I wobbled away from the doctor's office with their assurances that I would eventually get used to needles and blood with everything coming in the next several months.

The next 4 months were full of evening sickness.  I felt so bad for Jake, because once 4 o'clock rolled around, I became deathly ill.  I would get home from work and collapse on the couch, not to move until dinner, which I ate because not eating would make it worse.  I felt nauseous.  I had headaches and even stomach cramps sometimes (according to the internet, my uterus was contracting and/or growing).  I couldn't stand the smell of canned chicken.  My toothpaste made me gag.  My pants went from overly snug to tight to uncomfortable.  I wondered why no one ever told me that pregnancy was so miserable.

Things started to ease up around 16 weeks into the pregnancy and by 18 weeks, I was feeling decent most days.  Around this time is when I first began to feel the baby move and when I went in for the ultrasound to determine the gender of the baby.  It was an awesome experience.  I still get tired very easily, and I need more sleep than usual.  Also, I still get acid reflux/heartburn occasionally.  When I don't eat frequently, I get very sick and this usually results in a headache.  However, the symptoms seem much more manageable and the kicking in my belly lets me know that there's a baby in there and that it's all worth it.