21 Weeks

So, at 21 weeks today, I figured I should post some more pictures and also share some thoughts and surprises that I've had through this experience.  And please excuse the fact that you will likely notice me in glasses and pajamas in a lot of pictures these days.  I tend to go more casual when I stay at home ;).

Jeremy and I watched Desiree and Emily on New Years Eve.  Rather than worry about having Christina come pick them up late after the movie, I just told her to let them stay the night.  Overall, it was a good experience.  Bed-time was a little bit difficult, but it eventually worked out.  So here are the girls in the spare room (which will eventually be a nursery).

And here is Emily, very proud of her ability to stand on the filing cabinet.

Brad was in town for a few days to see his kiddos, so I had them come over for a movie.  We watched The Legend of Johnny Lingo and ate popcorn. 

And I got them all to smile at me for a moment :).

And here I am today, at 21 weeks.  I don't think I look all that different from week to week, but I'm sure -- to look back at my 15 week picture, I'd notice a big difference.

So as for the things that have surprised me about pregnancy:

1.  I can't believe how often I have to pee.  Good grief.  And probably it depends on where baby is sitting.  But sometimes I feel like I'm going to explode if I don't go right now.  Then I get there and it's like barely a teaspoon!  Crazy.  Additionally, I am considering doing more kegels.  Who knew?  Heehee.

2.  Exhaustion.  Seriously.  I went to the County yesterday to pick up my Pampered Chef can opener and spent a couple of hours visiting my former co-workers.  Additionally, I went to the funeral home to drop off a dessert I'd made (I make them so Jeremy and I can have a bit and then take it away so we don't eat too much...) and visited there.  Plus I went to mail a package to my dad.  Oh, and I went to Wal-Mart.  By the end of those few hours, I was exhausted!  I remember when Julie was pregnant with Callen, and I went to visit her.  She took a nap every afternoon -- and now I understand completely why!  

3.  Baby's movement.  So I guess I always had an idea of what feeling the baby move would be like.  And maybe that will be exactly how it is later, once baby gets bigger and stronger.  But for now, it feels more like hollow bumps randomly inside of me!  It's definitely gotten more noticeable in the last week -- so that I can feel it even when I'm sitting in the car driving or on the couch blogging (like right now!), whereas before, I had to be lying down and looking for those bumps and wiggles.  It's been really cool.  And also reassuring.

4.  Overwhelming feelings.  They come out of nowhere.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm excited.  I think about loving a snuggling a little baby.  But recently the reality of it all has set in.  How do I go from Aunt Hila to Mommy Hila?  Unreal!  32 years, and I've been my own person.  Done my own thing.  This is about to change completely.  I will still be me, but a different me.  I will have these massive responsibilities.  I will be summoned by cries of hunger about every 2 hours in the night (good-bye 9:00 sleep-in!).  And so sometimes I feel overwhelmed and astounded at all that will change.  But then I remember that people do this all the time.  And it will all be okay :).

I have to say that I have also been surprised at the ease I've experienced through this.  Mostly the worst part has been the stuff I've put on myself -- the worry.  Haha...  I am thinking things will get a little less comfortable from here on out as my belly grows bigger (a la Santa).  I'm sure leaning over will become less enjoyable and there will be sleepless nights where I can't get comfortable.  But for now, I am thankful that things have been physically easy.  And I'm thankful to be experiencing this whole thing.  Even when things are a little tougher, and the kicking maybe keeps me up at night, I hope I remember how much I have wanted this my whole life -- and just how much of a blessing and miracle it is to have this life growing inside me.