GOODBYE 2ND TRIMESTER....

So I am finally in my 3rd trimester... and I decided to do a little re-cap.

1st Trimester:

 Once I hit 6 weeks, I didn't hardly move out of my bed or off the couch (special thanks to my in-laws for letting us live with them through-out the second and first trimesters!). I threw up several times during the day, and what I did keep down wasn't enough to keep me hydrated or energized. I lost roughly 10 lbs, and if it ween't for the expensive Zofran tablets and  Unisom pills I took (I was supposed to go in several times for I.V. treatments but insurance didn't cover them and it was about $1,000 for each one! Needless to say I never went in, which in hindsight was probably very dangerous!), I think I would have lost more. My sweet mother-in-law, Starlyn, was so helpful and kind to me through-out this stage. She was constantly trying to get me to eat, making me food, and simply being a shoulder to cry on; I hate to think how bad it could have really been with out her love and support! 

I had an especially hard time the first three months of pregnancy because I felt like I had lost my agency. I lost my dream career because I was so sick I couldn't function, I couldn't work out because when I did I got even more sick, and I missed my mom who was in California working. I did get the chance to go visit her at about 8 weeks along, and as much as I tried to be happy and upbeat I was too sick to do much of anything :( We did go to Stanford Mall and to a Giants game with the whole family, unfortunately the smell of those darn garlic fries at the stadium had me going to the bathroom at least 3 times during the game. 

I think another reason why the first three months were so difficult for me was because I wasn't sure how to cope with this life changing baby girl coming into our lives. I knew I had always wanted to be a mom, but I  wasn't sure I was ready yet. I was so afraid something would happen to her while in my tummy, I didn't want to talk about her much and when I did, she didn't seem real enough to get excited about (which made me feel extremely guilty). Looking back, all of those feelings and emotions are totally normal in my eyes and I've heard many women have them. I learned a lot about myself in those first few months and about how important it is to stay close to Heavenly Father during times like those. It really made a difference when I prayed about my sweet little baby girl, I always had this overwhelming feeling after I prayed like it was all going to be okay, and I didn't need to doubt wether or not I was going to be a good mother because I have had so many gifted, loving, and wonderful motherly examples in my life to draw knowledge and inspiration from. By the end of this trimester I began to understand how truly a divine calling and blessing it was to become a mother. There is no greater work than raising children, and I feel truly blessed to have an opportunity to bring Payton and other blessed children into this world.

2nd Trimester:

By the time my second trimester hit I had slowly started to feel better; however, I was 16 weeks when I didn't have to take Zofran anymore and worry about throwing up three times a day;however, I still took my Unisom because it helped take off the queasy edge that I still get, plus it helps me sleep through the night (sort of). At about 15 weeks we found out we were having a baby girl, and I was ecstatic! It was a very special day because both my Mother and my Mother-in-law were able to come with Shaun and me to the appointment.  The room was full of happy smiles and tears. 

This trimester was full of growing appetites and a growing belly! I gained about 25 lbs, which meant I was about 15lbs. more than my pre-pregnancy weight. I absolutely loved the way my belly looks with little Payton inside, especially when she moved around and I could feel her. (I still do) Feeling her move inside me and seeing her move at the ultra-xound appointments made her seem so much more real, and with each passing day I found myself more and more grateful and excited to have her in our family.

Since I was so sick during the first trimester, I wasn't able to go to the temple, but at roughly 23 weeks I finally made it to the temple for a session. I can't even begin to describe how sacred and special I felt walking into the Lord's House. I was overwhelmed with the spirit, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Heavenly Father wanted this little girl to be a part of Shaun's and my family. I loved being in the temple with her and I felt so peaceful about everything that had been stressing me out, in fact, it made all my stresses seem insignificant and I kept feeling like the Lord would provide blessings and opportunities for our family as long as we were doing our best to be rightous.  I went several more times to the temple after that first experience, and each time I went in I would leave feeling peace and comfort. It's so weird to think that the next time I would be doing a session with Payton would be when she took out her own endowments before she got married. That brought tears to my eyes to think that one day she could meet a man who loves her enough, just as her daddy loved me enough, to take her to be sealed and married for time and all eternity in the temple.

I never realized how spiritual having children could be. Its such a wonderful emotional and spiritual journey. I feel bad for women who decide not to have children because, no matter how scary or life changing they are, there is nothing more rewarding in my eyes.

This is what I looked like at the end of my Second Trimester, 27 weeks

3rd Trimester:

I am currently almost 30 weeks, only 10 1/2 left to go. I'm about to move into Shaun and I's new house at the beginning of March and I CANT WAIT!! Its about 2200 sq. ft. and I already know what I'm going to do with all my furniture! I have been dying to nest and my mom just got some adorable new furniture for Payton's room (thanks momma! you are the best!) that I can't wait to put up! She will be one spoiled grandchild if my Parents and Shaun's Parents have anything to do with it ;) 

I have a new 3-D image my doctor took at 27 weeks I can't believe how much she looks like me!! That must come off funny, but I seriously think she has my nose (she is a little squished up to my placenta wall) I love it I just want to hold her so badly!! I cant wait to see how much more she grows!

I have been having the usual symptoms associated with the 3rd Trimester like, cramping, fatigue, HEARTBURN!, constipation (gross but true), a much smaller bladder, back aches, swelling in my legs and feet, and lets not forget the tossing and turning at night! ha ha I'm truly not complaining though, I couldn't be more grateful to feel all of these new symptoms because with each one I know more and more that my pregnancy is Normal, and nothing is better than normal when you are pregnant! Especially when three of my sisters lost babies at around 20 weeks. I think that seeing their sadness and pain over losing their children had made me more cautious and more grateful for this little bundle of joy. I couldn't imagine losing her, I don't know how I would cope. I have such strong sisters and they have taught me a lot about what it means to be a mother, in my eyes, they have the most important job in the world.  They taught me that its not how many tasks you have on your list for the day or how important they may seem because wether its changing diapers and doing grocery shopping, or it's creating marketing plans and doing accounting for a high powered company, as a mother you are someones hero, their everything. How great the work of a mother truly is.

I love that song by Jamie O'Neal call She's Somebody's Hero, it totally describes a mom to the "T"

Here are the lyrics:

She's never pulled anyone from a burning building
She's never rocked Central Park to a half a million fans, screaming out her name
She's never hit a shot to win the game
She's never left her footprints on the moon
She's never made a solo hot air balloon ride, around the world,
No, she's just your everyday average girl (but)

She's somebody's hero
A hero to her baby with a skinned up knee
A little kiss is all she needs
The keeper of the cheerios
The voice that brings Snow White to life
Bedtime stories every night
And that smile lets her know
She's somebody's hero

oh oh
She didn't get a check every week like a nine-to fiver
But she's been a waiter, and a cook and a taxi driver
For twenty years, there at home, until the day her girl was grown
Giving all her love to her was her life's ambition
But now her baby's movin' on, and she'll soon be missin' her
But not today, those are tears of joy runnin' down her face

She's somebody's hero
A hero to her daughter in her wedding dress
She gave her wings to leave the nest
It hurts to let her baby go down the aisle she walks right by
Looks back into her mother's eyes
And that smile lets her know oh oh oh
She's somebody's hero

Thirty years have flown right past
Her daughters' starin' at all the photographs
Of her mother, and she wishes she could be like that
Oh, but she already is

She's somebody's hero
A hero to her mother in a rockin' chair
She runs a brush through her silver hair
The envy of the nursing home
She drops by every afternoon
Feeds her mother with a spoon
And that smile lets her know oh oh
Her mother's smile lets her know oh oh
She's somebody's hero

I Cant wait to meet this beautiful little girl, she will be so loved by all who know her, especially her Mommy and Daddy.