Skip to main content

The Bump

I'm not as good keeping my own secrets as I am at keeping other people's. When it's a secret that can only be hidden for a few months that kind of throws some wrenches in the as well. Plus, I'm bursting with joy inside and that is something worth sharing.

On 9.12.17 I fell head over heals in love, again. Matthew and I found out about 7 weeks that we are expecting. I can't say it was planned, I can't say it wasn't planned. It was a welcomed surprise, that we honestly weren't expecting. While we had been trying we were not doing like they show in the movies, ya know, tracking my body temperature and the time of day I was most fertile. I don't know how people have time for that business, but good for them! So anyways, it was on a weekend when we found out and for that reason I peed on several different brands of pregnancy tests to just make extra sure. I did not have any of the typical symptoms (morning sickness) but I will say, my boobs have never hurt so bad in my entire life. And that's still the case! Anyway, I went to the doctor on July 31st and that is when it was official. We're having a baby! I had an ultrasound to determine how far along I was, a day short of 6 weeks. Two weeks later I had another ultrasound and we got to hear the heartbeat. We got pictures of both of those ultrasounds, but unless you know exactly what you were looking at you could not tell it was a baby in there. On Tuesday of this week I had my 12 week ultrasound. And there it was. A baby! A baby with two arms, two legs, a full brain, a developed heart with a steady beat of 162, a nasal bone, and the hiccups!!! A healthy, growing, baby. Inside of me. My health growing baby. Matthews healthy growing baby. Our first offspring. What a miracle!

That was the moment I fell in love. I couldn't believe how much that little human inside of my tummy had grown in just 4 weeks. People talk about this stuff all of the time but I've never been interested because I couldn't relate. Now I know what the buzz is all about! I'm constantly checking my baby apps to see how baby is changing and growing, and it truly is amazing how quickly everything happens. Not only did we get great pictures of the little nugget, but next week we will get the results of the DNA test showing it's gender. For some reason more people feel like it will be a boy, as for me I continue to think pink.

Now that the secret is out, my baby bump is protruding, and people seem to believe I'm going to be a great mom, it's time for me to soak this all in. Of course I have a ton of anxiety about all of this. Am I going to be a good mom? Will this baby love me? Will I do good by it, even when it's hard? Will I bond and attach with it right away? How long will it take Matthew to change a diaper without gagging, so I don't have to do it every time? How will I adjust to not getting enough sleep at night? (You don't have to tell me, I know I will figure it out and get used to it) How do I ignore unsolicited parenting advice? Will I struggle with Post Partum Depression and/or Anxiety? Who will support me if I do? Of course I will continue to see my therapist, but with having no close family members near, and an extremely small to non existent network of friends down here, it makes me worry. That's what I'm good at. I'm great at doubting myself when everyone else is rooting for me. I'm going to work on accepting everyone's encouragement and belief in me to be a great mom. Deep down I know I have the capability to be a great mommy, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to be whatever great means.

Since finding out his amazing news, I have recoiled and become much more isolated. I have this idea in my head that I have to be brave, and be strong. I can't have bad days or feel sad or unworthy, I'm having a baby! THE GREATEST JOY IN THE WORLD!!! Don't admit the bad days, don't cry. It's all impossible. Which is why I really had a hard time finishing my last blog post and actually going public with it. The last thing I need is to revert back to old ways and end up driving myself crazy. I refuse to let that happen, so it's going to take a lot of work on my end to be mindful of things that I maybe don't always have to pay so much attention to. It will all be worth it in the end. And beyond that.

I feel so much love for this 12 week old baby already. I believe my heart is going to explode with more love than I thought imaginable on the day I give birth.


                                 Organic Cotton Muslin Swaddle Blanket - God knew my heart needed you – Modern Burlap

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Lost.

Life lately has been hard. I had a rough week and it seems to have carried through the weekend as well. I hate to even admit that because I'm trying to make some changes in my brain. I'm trying to hammer out what a bad day really is. I'm trying to learn what makes a bad day in Meghan's world. I've been down on myself lately and I don't even understand why. Nothing has changed. My anxiety is constant and I feel like I don't even remember what it's like to not be hyper vigilant. I am in this state of constant worry with "what ifs" running rampant in my brain. It's been having difficulty concentrating on my job, being present in conversations, and even caring about myself in general. I've been irritable and tired.  I just haven't been myself and because I don't know what the real issue is I don't know what to do to bring myself back. I'm stuck. I'm full of doubt and worry and none of it is worth the time I spend thinkin...

Word Vomit

This world and the people in it have gotten so.....delusional. Somewhere along the line people forgot that kindness is free. I'm not talking about helping someone who can't reach the top shelf at the grocery store (although this is something I often do!), or holding the door (common decency) but the kindness that comes along with listening to people who have different opinions than your own. Treating them with respect even if you don't agree with what they're saying. Not making assumptions based on what someone does or does not do. And quite frankly, I'm tired of it. Perhaps I'm in the minority with my thoughts and opinions and morals and beliefs, but even so I shouldn't feel so afraid or sharing them. I try to keep my mouth shut and my thoughts to myself to avoid being attacked by the keyboard warriors, but I realize that this is part of the problem. As tired as I am of the news and the debates and arguments and name calling and judging over COVID 19, BLM, ...

"The" and not "My"

I started this post a few weeks ago, and just couldn't figure out where to go with it. In the time between when I started it and now I have been extremely mindful of this and my wording around how I am feeling. And I can tell you that I feel exactly how I was hoping I would. It's almost a feeling of freedom. It's really amazing what a shift in thought patterns can do. It's not to say that I am not experiencing the crippling anxiety and all that goes along with that; but I feel much more confident in my ability to fight. Something that I say all of the time when referring to how anxious I am or what I'm feeling is "my anxiety is super high." I never realized I was even saying that but I've definitely been more mindful of it as of late. I noticed that when I own the anxiety as if it is part of me, it makes me feel less empowered. Less empowered to fight through it, accept the feelings that come with anxiety, and much less motivation to be so resilie...