The Mom I Want To Be

Yes, this Willow Tree figure called "New Life" is just one of many things that made me cry this pregnancy. I have to admit, the second trimester isn't quite as frustrating as the first one. There are no more secrets to keep. There is no more nausea. I don't feel quite as tired anymore (but I still nap more than I ever did before). And even my acne has managed to calm down (Knock on wood! Knock on wood!). There are still some complaints present, however, and if I'm going to be documenting my pregnancy I regularly have to post both the good and the bad. There is still plenty of itchy skin. There is still plenty of random growth pains. I still have to go to the bathroom every time I stand up from the couch. Oh, and there's those lovely hormones that control my moods. I thankfully haven't had anything even close to depression so far this pregnancy, but that doesn't mean I've escaped the crying-for-no-reason stage (or crying for perfectly goo

Christmas has come at last, and with it came holiday parties, feasting, and three relatives now who have rubbed my small but growing bump (I don't mind if it's relatives--it's strangers touching my belly where I draw the line). Being pregnant for the holidays is fun because not everyone gets to experience that, and there are many fun activities that can be incorporated for you and baby. I bought myself a holiday-themed maternity shirt and went out to take baby's "first" picture with Santa at our local Ethel M's Chocolate Factory. I went shopping at the Downtown Summerlin outdoor mall (scoping out baby items in the midst of holiday shopping) and mailed baby-themed Christmas cards to our relatives ("Have yourself a merry LITTLE Christmas" they proclaimed, with a photo of Hubby stroking my belly next to me). There were also plenty of baby gifts to get me ready for baby's first Christmas on the outside next year. Seeing the a

I've made it to 14 weeks! That means I'm officially in the second trimester! Here's a quick recap of what pregnancy feels like right now. The Good: No more nausea! That nauseous feeling but never quite throwing up left weeks ago and hasn't really come back, which is definitely a relief! No crazy food aversions or smells that drive me crazy, though the super sniffer can still detect smells a little more strongly than normal. Baby bump! I finally have enough of a bump to be visible in photos, which makes me feel more like I'm actually pregnant and not just getting pudgy. Although when I wake up in the morning or look down at my belly, I still feel like I'm just getting pudgy. It will be a few more weeks before the belly completely forms into the kind of bump usually pictured with pregnancy. But that's at least something to look forward to about growing bigger by the day! Still hungry, still get to eat! Most foods taste delicious, and while I don'