Everything considered, I can now (almost at the end) say that I've had a pretty happy, uneventful pregnancy (*knock on wood*).
I mean, there were some rough days, especially in my seemingly never-ending first trimester (with nausea lasted till 18 weeks, ugh). But after hurling spectacularly just after walking out the gate at SFO some time around Week 18, I started feeling the baby kick like the very next day... And from there, I was generally happy and content with the way things went, all the way till about 35 weeks when all the aches and pains and anxiety reared its ugly head...
We didn't want to "jinx" things earlier on, but as they say "picture says a thousand words" (or something like that), here's a pictoral chronicle of my journey through pregnancy (or more like mid-pregnancy on):
1. Week 21, 2. Week 22, 3. Week 23, 4. Week 24, 5. Week 25, 6. Week 26, 7. Week 27, 8. Week 28, 9. Week 29, 10. Week 30, 11. Week 31, 12. Week 33, 13. Week 34, 14. Week 35, 15. Week 37, 16. Week 38
Can you tell there are some good days and there are some not-so-hot days (just love those when I'm still in my jammies at 3 p.m...)?
I remember just feeling horribly fat for a long time, then one day during my 6th or 7th month, I looked at the mirror after shower and saw my belly "heave" from one side to the other, and felt like I was hit by an internal earthquake (literally)... that's when it really hit me that our little baby is living inside that dimply, itchy bump. I mean I've long embraced the fact that I'm pregnant (not just fat), and I felt like I've already developed strong emotions towards our unborn child, but that was the day that I've really started to LOVE the way my pregnant belly looks.
I know, it's strange and hard to explain. But I think this is one of those things I'll miss about being pregnant...
Plus the daily bedtime massage by Masseuse Hubby (you won't believe the swelling that starts in the last month)...
Plus having Hubby rub lotion on my feet every day after shower (coz I can't reach) and belly (coz he loves massaging us "both" at the same time)...
Plus the extra special attention you get wherever you go ("sorry but I really can't sit at the counter, how about that booth by the window? Oh, thank you so very much")...
Plus being able to "play" with your baby's foot from across your belly (I know, sounds totally strange, but oh-so-fun; I swear I almost "caught" it the other day)...
Plus the excitement and anticipation that only meeting your first born could bring...
Plus all the icecream you can eat without feeling horribly guilty...
P.S. I'll save all the things I WON'T miss about being pregnant for another day.
