So I don't forget, I want to share an experience that happened before I got pregnant.
It was summer of last year, around June 2017. I was teaching swim lessons at the Francom's pool. It was a normal day with my normal class. I was watching some of the kids swim from one end of the pool to the next and happened to glance up at the parents who were there to watch. One lady was holding a little baby boy in her lap. At that moment, I was instantly overcome with emotion and a strong feeling that my little baby was waiting to come down and be a part of my family. I honestly started to tear up; thank goodness I had sunglasses on and was able to compose myself quickly!
That afternoon, I went home and shared the experience with Dan. I tried for a few days to convince myself that it was hormones and that another baby was not what I wanted right now. See, prior to this, we were on the fence of even having another child. We loved Elise with all our hearts, but we never really considered having more kids. I knew now that we were meant to have another baby, but as Dan and I talked, we both felt that we wanted to wait until the new year to start trying. We discussed enjoying the rest of our summer and then enjoying the holidays without me being pregnant...
Well...someone else had other plans! I found out two weeks later, after that spiritual experience, that I was pregnant. Dun, dun, dun. I was a little shocked considering Dan and I hadn't "tried" to get pregnant.
I wish I had done better at documenting this pregnancy. To quickly recap:
The first trimester was brutal. I was so sick from about six weeks to sixteen weeks. I experienced morning sickness with Elise too, but not at this level. It was miserable, and it left me feeling ambivalent about being pregnant. I couldn't get excited about it, which left me feeling very guilty and already as though I was failing as a mother before the kid was even born. Not to mention, I went from being the most involved, "hands on" mother to Elise, to a couch potato. She watched a lot of TV for those few months and didn't get the attention from me she was used to. I felt so much guilt for my lack of activity and energy with her. It was rough physically, but I was rough on myself emotionally, which made things worse.
My second trimester was better. The morning sickness went away, but the fatigue I have felt this pregnancy lingered. With Elise I was working full time throughout my whole pregnancy, so I think that helped distract me from the fatigue. Not to mention raising a toddler can be exhausting. This trimester seemed to last a lifetime. But it was also an exciting trimester! We found out baby was a BOY!
My third trimester has been pretty smooth. I still dealt with the fatigue, but I think I got used to feeling so tired all the time. I have been blessed to have a very smooth pregnancy (knock on wood) and have not had any complications whatsoever. My doctor joked that he should give me some of his fee back since it's been so easy! From what we know, this little guy is happy and healthy which is the best feeling of all. We tentatively decided on a name this trimester. Boy was that a tough process! We are 97% sure his name will be Kaden Daniel Jensen. We also got his nursery all put together, had some awesome baby showers thrown by family and friends, and now we just get to wait out the last few weeks in anticipation!
I had my first cervical check a few days ago at 37.5 weeks, and I was at a 1 cm and 60% effaced. My doctor told me this baby will likely go over my due date as well. Elise was a week overdue, and I was induced, so I wasn't too surprised. Honestly, I am hoping he stays in there until after my due date, which is April 1st; it happens to be Easter this year, and I want Elise to be able to enjoy Easter and not be in the hospital. There are also many dates the last week in March that I really don't want the baby born on. My brother and nephew are coming to visit from California for the first time in four years, and I don't want to be in the hospital for that either. So, if he is content to hang out in my womb until after my due date, it's fine by me! Just not too long after. ha ha....
I didn't document my pregnancy selfies as religiously as I did with Elise either. I felt sick, tired, huge, and I honestly thought to myself, "I never look back on all the belly selfies I took with Elise, so why take them this time?" In my third trimester I have tried to do better. Here are a few I did take.
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| 16 weeks. The first bump pic I snapped |
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| 21 weeks |
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| 28 weeks |
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| 31 weeks |
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| 36 weeks. Elise posing with her belly out too like mom's ;) |
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| 37 weeks |
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