Surprises of Pregnancy... Thus Far

So before becoming pregnant I probably read every book there was on pregnancy, watched every baby show on TV (a few times), and listened to a dozen (okay a few dozen) pod-casts.  I have learned however that reading/seeing/hearing about pregnancy is entirely different than feeling and experiencing it myself (which, yes, I did read/see/hear that I would feel this way!)  I will be 16 weeks along tomorrow, and I can only imagine what is in store for me for the next 24 weeks, but here is what I have been surprised by thus far....

1) I actually get embarrassed by all of the attention.  Who would have thought?  I am shy by nature, but I thought I would be so happy for the whole world (or my little world at least) to shower me with attention about me and my baby.  I do love it, but at the same time it embarrasses me.  Huh...

2) You don't just gain a cute baby belly, you gain everywhere (and it's not so cute).  I used to hear other women complain about weight gain during pregnancy and I thought "please, it is for your baby and your belly is adorable".  What I apparently didn't understand is that under that tent covering that baby belly is a whole squishy body.  I am still working out, but Ms. Estrogen is storing fat all the same.  Add that to my genetic predisposition to cellulite... and I am dreading bathing suit season!  It is so weird to be happy about getting bigger, but hating it at the same time. 

3) Feeling pregnant vs. baby (there really is a baby in there).  I am sure this will all change once I am huge and our baby girl is kicking my ribs, but there is this separation of "pregnant" vs. "baby".  Right now everything feels so focused on my body and pregnancy (symptoms, dos and don'ts, new clothes, aches and pains) that I actually have to remind myself that all of these things happening to me are really a cute, adorable, baby that will be here before we know it.  I have these moments sneak up on me that actually make me realize we are having a baby, when one would think I would feel that all the time considering she is inside of me causing all of these changes.... but it just isn't so.  When we purchased our stroller, when I received the first tiny clothes, when I see her move on the ultrasound..... I am absolutely elated and it becomes real!  It is so hard to explain....

4) Growing.  I never realized that something so small could reek so much havoc!  When thinking about the baby belly, I knew that it was going to rearrange my insides....someday.  Well, that someday starts really early. Everything inside has to rearrange to make room for baby... and surprise... you feel it.  You feel stretching, pulling, aching (and not just in your abdomen).  The human body is amazing, it just doesn't always feel amazing.

5) Emotions.  I feel like I have taken a trip back to puberty.  In the early weeks I would have those moments of reflection "did I really say that like it came out?  Oops - it sounded like that in my head, but wasn't supposed to come out that way!"  I mean - it is totally uncontrollable, thank goodness I think I have that under control again (Kris may have a different opinion) Now the crying has begun.  I can cry just like on TV - it just starts - instantly.  Some days are more emotional than others, but overall I don't think I've been too bad (Kris don't leave a comment). 

6) Looking forward to the future.  Since I was a little girl I have always looked forward to being a mom one day.  I could always envision it:  rocking my baby in my arms, feeding and bathing her, dressing her up in those tiny clothes.  Now that it is about to come true, what I am most excited about has shifted.  I am so, so, so excited about my future family.  All of my "dreams" include sharing her with Kris in a way I didn't even know was possible.  The thought of Kris holding her, hugging her, and being daddy's little girl brings tears to my eyes (see, here goes the crying thing again).  My husband, without a doubt, will be the most AMAZING father any mother or child could ask for.  I cannot wait, absolutely cannot wait until I can pass our little girl to her daddy.


One of those pesky little symptoms of pregnancy is donating my brain cells to the baby, so those are all of the "surprises" I can think of for now (I know I am forgetting some).  This next week will be an exciting one in the Carranza house:  thanks to some great guys from work our downstairs will be framed on Saturday,  we have our "big" sonogram on Tuesday, and we are checking out potential childcare too!  So check back for updated pictures and the name announcement (yes we have decided, but we want one more verification that she is in fact still a she.)