Chapter -1 (Pregnant+)
No one tells you when you have a baby that you're going to not only be changing their diapers you're going to change you're own. This is a journey that so many women before you have gone through its an adventure some people are thrilled for and an adventure some are afraid of. There are no black and white rules, everything about motherhood is kind of a gray area. From the moment the thought pops into your head that you're a little late or your boobs hurt a little, thats the moment you begin this adventure.
An adventure that is so different different for all the some odd 6.2 million women each year that get pregnant. It all starts with the initial reaction. The moment you see the second line on the pregnancy test or the little digital “PREGNANT+”, i think even some of the test have a little smiley face on them.
Honestly it was just shocking to see, this thing that happens when you find out your world will never quite be the same. I wasn't jumping for joy like some moms do, I wasn't crying tears of joy or tears of sadness. I was in pure shock, I don't have a great story about the day I found out. I threw up after handing the test to Justin and sitting on the couch. I felt dizzy and afraid of everything that was happening. I am a young mom so even though it was all I had ever wanted and my dreams were coming true it was certainly scary.
All the time that you had grown up with everyone telling you “this is the right thing to do” or “no, thats the wrong thing to do”; those days are over my friend. You know choose, you have the be the one to make decisions to tell someone else what is right and what is wrong. Believe me when I say in a world where everyone is so judgmental, no one will agree with the things that you want to do with your child or the things you feel are thing right thing to do. So you get the ultrasounds and you take your prenatals and you remember to drink as much water as you can and you just try to maintain a normal life. Oh, but don't forget that you can't go through a day without strangers asking “Are you sure there aren't two in there?” or “You're about ready to pop, huh?”. The nine months that seems to drag on forever and completely takes over your body as a walking and talking incubator. This Chapter of your life ends so abruptly with quite possibly the most dramatic event of your life.
Looking back at my pregnancy it was such a short period of my life. It didn't even take up a whole year and I didn't even know for the first 4 weeks. I miss so much of it now and I miss feeling my son moving inside my belly and I miss not caring what my body looked like because I was creating the miracle of fucking life. Enjoy everyday of your pregnancy.
Good Luck and Welcome to Parenthood