Love/Hate Relationship

Ric asked me last night what I liked about being pregnant. Hmmm.... he caught me on a day that I was fighting a head cold (that HE gave me!), on one of those emotional "down" days, and on a day that I had almost run out of patience with Ryan. Could I think of anything I liked about it?

What do I like about being pregnant? Well, it's a LOVE/HATE relationship...here's what I came up with...

THINGS I LIKE/LOVE ABOUT BEING PREGNANT

• The first thing I thought of was that I love to feel the baby move - but there are times that I don't like it either! (Especially when "someone's " toes tickle - HA -my ribs!)
• I also love knowing that our family will be even more complete than it already is!
  
• I'm especially excited that Ryan will have a little brother or sister to torture and love! :)
  
• I love the fact that for me, I lose weight when I'm pregnant! (Yes, I know...it's a little strange, but it's true! It happened with Ryan too!) My doctor asks me every week if I've changed my eating habits, which I haven't. The baby just sucks the fat off of me! (Woo Hoo!) As long as the baby is healthy and growing, my OB isn't concerned - and neither am I! (Now...if I could only figure out what it is that makes this happen and do the same thing when I'm NOT pregnant!)
• I love how Ric thinks it's just the coolest thing that my belly is getting so big! (Some days I don't think it's so cool, but Ric still does!)
• I love it when we ask Ryan where the baby is...he knows. He kisses my belly all the time. Of course before he does that, he pulls my shirt up and insists that I have my stretch marks showing!
  

THINGS I HATE OR COULD DO WITHOUT

• I have to PEE WAY too often! Especially this 2nd time around! And when I do, hardly anything comes out! And forget it if I sneeze or cough! Some have said that Kegel exercises would help, but I haven't had any luck with them!
• It's almost impossible to turn over in bed at night. I feel like I need a crane to help me over! When I don't turn over, my hips and legs ache from not moving all night!
• Mood swings...enough said.
• Breaking out.
• Being SOOOO tired! (Maybe that's just because I have a 17-month old to chase around all day - at least that contributes to it!)
• Baby Brain COMBINED with Mommy Brain. I don't know what happened to my otherwise "sharp" brain! *sigh* I used to be so...."with it!" :)
• Clumsiness - we are looking for a new laser printer because of my "graceful" nature lately.
  
• Forgetfulness - what did I come in here for?
• Stretch marks - on top of the stretch marks I had from Ryan! Eeeek!
• Being out of breath - ALL the time! It's so funny when I answer the phone lately! So many people have asked me if I had just run in from outside (or something like that) - nope, I just got up to get the phone! hehe
• A gag-reflex that is intensified because of this baby! (Yes, I already had one - always have, but this time it's MUCH worse! Maybe it's just because Ryan's diapers are much worse!)

But you know...even though these things are annoying (some more than others), I wouldn't trade it for anything! My only anxiety (and it's a small anxiety) right now is how this baby will come into the world. Even though I was not too happy about the intense pain with Ryan because he was so quick there was no time for any drugs, I think want it to be the same way the 2nd time around! Once it was all over - I felt great! (Relatively speaking....) I didn't have to recover from an epidural, or C-section. The nurses were only concerned about hemorrhoids and not how a scar was healing. I was up and about shortly after it was all over. Yes, it was intense, but I hope that this baby experience is just as quick and wonderful. :)