You Almost Forget Sometimes...

Being past the stages of endless waves of nausea and the ever-present worries of miscarriage, it's easy to forget sometimes that I'm pregnant.

There are plenty of reminders, though: the overpowering smells of just about *everything*. The Sweet&Low taste chocolate has adopted. The way the mere suggestion of any particular food item can make it suddenly the most appetizing thing in the world, even if it's something I regularly avoided before now.

Then, of course, there's my mom. We met up with them Saturday morning at IHOP for breakfast before we started in on the monumental task of getting us moved and preparing the old place for the final walk-thru. She walked in the door, looked at me with wide eyes, and said, "How could anyone NOT figure out you're pregnant?!?" Asher tried to explain that I regularly wear loose-fitting, flowy shirts, so the expansion in my midsection was not noticeable to others, but Mom said it wasn't about my waist at all, that my FACE looks pregnant. That it's got a fullness and roundness to it that's unlike the fullness of weight gain and can only be attributed to pregnancy. Funny, I always knew she'd be able to tell I was pregnant by looking, even if no one else in the world could. :o)

Another pretty clear reminder is my breasts. Some days, they don't ache, they're not sensitive, and I wonder if we've moved past the rapid-growth stage. Other days (like yesterday, for example), I discover brand new stretch marks, indicating even MORE growth, and that familiar hypersensitivity is back, full-force!

I really do understand, though, why so many books glorify the second trimester. The majority of the worry is gone. The most unpleasant symptoms are gone... for now, at least! You just feel GOOD, and there's the added bonus of knowing what amazing little thing is growing inside you. I'm enjoying pregnancy quite a bit... And I can't wait to meet this little one!!