My Second Puberty

I'm loving this time of my pregnancy. It's when everyone can actually see I'm pregnant and not just fat. HA! Also the baby is moving around like crazy. I love that he or she is active all day and seems to have a strong case of the hiccups. I took the glucose resistance test a few days ago and ever since it seems like my little one has had the hiccups. Weird! I'm starting to notice bodily changes more now. For example, my boobs are starting to show strong veins. Not colored ones, just one here or there that looks like I lift weights. I wonder if those are the ducts or whatever that will deliver the milk? I'm also seeing super strong veins on my wrists. My hands have started to feel like I have some sort of arthritis. I crack my knuckles every 10 minutes or so and I have done for many many years. But now it hurts when I do it. Or I should say it feels sore, it doesn't hurt at all. My fingers just feel really really stiff. It's hard to fall asle...

Oh my goodness, I'm 26! Time is flying by. In 14 weeks, I'll be a mommy! For now, baby is growing and growing. He or she is listening to our conversations now more intently and is putting on weight. And I can tell that they're swallowing amniotic fluid because I've felt the hiccups all day! What a time to be mom. Some days I feel really prepared and like I've waited for forever, then I suddenly panic and think what the heck am I doing here! I'm most worried about delivery these days. I'm really nervous about the pain I'm going to experience. I want to have a natural birth if I can, but it seems like it's going to be very difficult. Hypnobirthing and waterbirth are two things I really wish I had the money to invest in. Even more, I wish I had a doula. Lately, I've been trying to keep my financial anxieties to a minimum so that I don't pass them on to my child. Everyone deserves to feel like they can have anything they want in this wo...

I'm walking around with a bowling ball in my tummy. I quite like the waddle I'm doing now. It's pretty funny. My pubic bone is hurting loads, but I'm trying to ignore it. My back is also trying to start hurting, but meh. Hubby and I went for a walk tonight on one of the most gorgeous nights in Dubai. Perfect temperature, nice breeze, and beautiful scenery. If I were to describe my perfect day, it would include tonight's walk. Then we stuffed our faces at Texas Roadhouse eating our favorite meal - Buffalo chicken burger and fries. I also got a job offer today and maybe another one on the way. My emotions are all over the place but mostly in the top right side of a xy chart. xo Jenea -Everything is always okay in the end; and if it's not okay, then it's not the end.

I can't believe I keep missing these check-ins! And I've not taken a photo in three weeks. Been pretty tired and unmotivated these days. But I've made it to the six month threshold, woooohooo! Time is flyyyying by. The baby is now starting to plump up which is good. He or she has discernable hair on their scalp and is more and more active every day. I love feeling the kicks and punches from my little one. I love dancing around the house with them and imagining they're having a wail of a time inside! I fantasize about all the cool things we'll get to do once they're on the outside, but I also know that these last few months are important for getting my sanity and strength together, as well as my purpose and inspiration. I realize that I can't force anything to transpire, but I will ask the universe to align things for me so that my family can have a sense of peace. I am proper pregnant now; there's no turning back! xo Jenea - Everything is ...

Today is the beginning of the end of month five! I can't believe how fast this whole thing is going by. Before you know it, the little one is going to be in our arms and with us forever. That thought both inspires and haunts me. Week 24 brings new activity to the baby's brain. It is wiring to the rest of the body so that the organs can talk to each other. His or her inner ear is formed to its adult size and he or she is practicing moving its facial muscles by raising the eyebrow. Cute! The lungs are also developing some sort of thing they need for the baby to breathe once it's on the outside. As far as I'm concerned I feel great. I am still having a kind of stiffness in my pubic bone, but I suppose that'll be there til I give birth. Hubby and I went for a walk today and that was nice. The weather in Dubai has been formidable and the cloudy sky made the walk bearable for hubby's sensitive Scottish skin. The baby was rather active today. I felt kicks and...

Today I'm 23 and feeling great!  . . . sort of. My health is doing fine. Everything feels normal and strong except my pubic bone is killing me. It really hurts to get out of bed when I'm lying down. I asked some women on Facebook if they were having similar issues and many of them suggested I see an osteopath. I've never been one to run to the doctor when something doesn't feel good, but with a baby in tow, it's tempting. I had a nice workout yesterday - did cardio and some back and arms training. I've noticed my back and arms are my least favorite part of my body. Every time I look in the mirror I don't like what I see. Decided I better do something about it then. Anyway, about the baby. It's now moving its eyes under its still-shut eyelids. It can hear loud sounds like dogs barking or the vacuum running. As well, it can apparently feel my movements - particularly when I dance. I think that's my favorite fact from this week's reveal. I...

You know, I know there are so many people out there who are going through really bad pregnancies. I'm not one of them. My little baby has been chugging along with absolutely no issues. To that, I might add, I have been mostly fine. Aside from a tiny bit of nausea here and there, and what I now know were dehydration headaches, I've been great. But one thing that is really pissing me off is the lack of support I'm getting from my mom. I realize that she's 8000 miles and 8 time zones away, but I'm not talking about physical support. I need emotional support. And not even the cry-on-your-shoulder kind either. Just a little check in here and there. Mom has been really hard to please this whole pregnancy. First she got angry because we wanted to wait until Christmas day to find out what the sex of the baby will be. She was angry because she'd miss all the baby sales!!! Are you fucking kidding me? I didn't respond with are you fucking kidding, I simply said...