I’ve dreamed of being pregnant, I’ve read up so much on it over the years. I just knew I would recognize all the signs and symptoms, and the stages and trimesters would be familiar to me, if it ever happened. In fact, I thought I may have ruined any potential magic and surprise by researching so much. Because really, what else is an overly hopeful mom-to-be supposed to do over the course of many, many years of yearning and praying. I was ready, I was doubtful, I was hopeful. That makes no sense, I know, but it’s how I felt. So now that I’m pregnant I should be an old pro, right? Wrong! This is so exciting and new and different and I feel like I’ve never felt before, emotionally and physically.
I’ve sort of been experiencing phases of acceptance, if you will. I didn’t know that would happen! When I first found out I was pregnant it really kind of was “all about me”. I was pregnant. I was sick. I was tired. I was feeling and seeing changes in my body that no one else would know about. It was more about a pregnancy and less about a baby. Oh it was exciting and miraculous and I was overjoyed. But still at first it was mostly “I’m pregnant”.
After the sickness part was gone (oh thank God, thank Heaven, thank all things holy!) all of a sudden it became a reality that this pregnancy was about new life. Pregnancy means a new baby. Of course I knew that! Even though my mom pulled me from that part of health class in 8th grade I still know how these things work. I knew that that little plus sign on the pregnancy test, those 3 months of starvation alternating with nausea accompanied by constant fatigue meant my body was working hard to develop a little human. Logically, intellectually of course I know this. And even emotionally I was accepting, no thrilled, that God was doing miraculous work through me to bring forth a new life to honor and serve Him. I know this and I have prayed daily thanking Him for this. The only way I know to describe the feeling at that point is to say that my pregnancy was about us having “a” baby.
Now that I’m at the halfway point of 20 weeks and so excited beyond words to see “a” baby on an ultrasound picture (tomorrow!!) and find out if we’re having a boy or a girl my reality is changing once again. I’m still pregnant, of course, and absolutely loving it. I still have “a” baby growing inside of me, of course. But now it’s not “a” baby. It’s our baby! Oh my gosh! It’s our baby! This is a little person who is a part of me and my husband, but who will be unique and special. This is a tiny person that may have my nose and his sweet smile. It may be a little girl with my blond hair and his bright blue eyes. Or a little boy with his courage and my stubbornness. But it’s our little person. Another family member. I can feel our baby move, I can see major changes in my body, and I feel my heart expanding every day and overflowing with love and gratitude for this baby, for my family, for miracles, and for life. 
My Personal Pregnancy Stages...up to now
