So Long 2nd Trimester

After the nausea and exhaustion of the first trimester finally petered off, this pregnancy has really flown by.  The 2nd trimester is gone and I'm entering the last 3 months of pregnancy!  I did think it was going by quite fast until one day last week when 3 separate people asked me how much longer I had to go.  They didn't say it in so many words but I could see in their eyes what they really were thinking - that they figured I must be "nearing my time."  It feels quite humbling to reply that, "No, I'm only in my 2nd trimester...  I still have 3 months to go."  In truth it's probably more like 3 and a half months with my track record, but I figure most people don't need to be bothered with those details...

(26 weeks)

The other question I'm getting asked these days now that I'm very visibly with-child is: "How are you feeling?"  The quick answer is "Great!"  Because compared to the gagging, nauseating, exhausting first trimester, the second one is a breeze.  I'm not sure how much detail people really want when they ask the question, but I did think of some other possible responses...

1. "I think I've developed a food addiction." - This happened sometime in the last 3 months when the need to eat to stifle nausea turned into a plain need to eat.  I'm pretty sure I spend about 99% of my day thinking about food.  When I'm not eating I'm thinking about when and what I'm going to eat next.  And when I am eating, I'm thinking about what I'm going to eat after I finish what I'm currently eating.  Trips to the grocery store result in multiple impulse buys that are usually polished off within a day or 2.  I can't follow the old adage to "not shop when you're hungry" because it simply is never the case.

(26 weeks, 5 days)

2. "I feel like a whale." - I suppose this response and the last one go hand-in-hand.  No matter how much I determine at the beginning of each pregnancy that this time will be different, it just is what it is.  I don't know whether it's my habits or just my body type but I've come to the conclusion that when I'm pregnant, I'm pregnant all over.  The first time I was pregnant I was completely enamoured with the whole process and fully embraced the burgeoning belly.  I was totally oblivious to the fact that I was burgeoning everywhere else too.  I remember seeing a picture of myself in my 3rd trimester and wondering why it looked like my eyes were disappearing when I smiled.  Now I'm annoyingly aware of my rounder pregnant face every time I look in the mirror.  This pregnancy we have a digital scale - the jury's still out as to whether this is helpful or not - but I just can't seem to stop myself from stepping on it every single morning.  When the second trimester hits they tell you to expect to gain a pound a week.  But between 20-26 weeks I'm pretty sure I saw the scale jump up a pound every couple of days.  I figured at this rate I might literally be a whale by the beginning of August.  Thankfully the increase seems to have finally slowed down.

3. "Tums are my new best friend." - Some days, no matter what I eat, I feel that uncomfortable burning in my throat.  Who knew water could give you heart burn?   Needless to say, my staple bedside snack in the last month has routinely been a couple of berry flavoured antacids.

4. "I'm considering adult diapers." - Let's face it.  After 3 natural childbirths and the weight of a 6 month belly, it is nearly impossible to retain the contents of one's bladder.  When the urge strikes, a bathroom must be found.  And fast.  I'm thinking a pair of Depends might just save me some time.  And some laundry.

5. "I'm getting practiced up for sleepless nights with a newborn." - Besides getting up multiple times to go to the bathroom, I've started experiencing a bit of pregnancy insomnia. If I get woken up for any reason after 3 am I might as well just get up for the day.  In fact, I started writing this post in my head at 4 in the morning and finally decided to just get up and actually type it out.  It is nearly 5:30 now - the sun is almost up, the birds are wide-awake and apparently I'm wide awake as well.  At least I can look forward to an afternoon nap... :)

6. "My belly has a life of it's own." - Feeling the baby move has got to be my favourite part of pregnancy.  Hands-down.  So this isn't so much a pregnancy complaint as an observation.  All 4 of my children have been very active in-utero, making the idea of laying down to do a "kick-count" seem quite ridiculous.  Already I can sit and watch my belly jump and vibrate - usually when I'm sitting down in the evenings.  The kids have each had a chance to feel the activity of their little sister.  Silas has the least patience to sit still and wait for a kick (often he'll put his hands on my belly quickly and tell me that he feels her moving even though I know he can't feel anything).  But the other day he had his hand in just the right spot when his baby sister gave such a big kick that it startled both of us.  He's felt smaller kicks before, but this time his eyes got really big with the realization that there truly is a little person in there!

Despite all the discomforts and annoyances of growing a child, I still enter each day with a deep sense of thankfulness for this amazing gift.  This is a child that, at one point, seemed like an unlikely possibility.  I grieved over the realization that our family might be complete with 3 kids; I felt so sad at the thought that I would never again feel a little one moving inside me or hold my very own newborn again.  I am so, SO grateful to get to experience all of this just one last time.  It really feels like an undeserved blessing.  And the fact that it's a girl - a sister for Keziah and the perfect fit to our family's puzzle - is equally amazing.

Erik joked the other week that now that we're having 4, we might as well just keep going.  Why stop now?  And Silas likes to talk about our next baby or when Mommy's pregnant the next time...
Sorry boys, but I think after this one we are really and truly finished!