Pregnancy Progression

So we have had a rather interesting week with a bout of a GI bug that ransacked my whole family, but I may have to delve into that later. It has been weird to compare my two different pregnancies.

With Max, I had so much morning sickness (week 7-24) that was barely relieved by Zofran, acne/breakouts (I was a teenager again), terrible gas (early on), constipation, sickly looking (pale, always asked if I "felt OK"), weight loss (about 10 lb's), and felt first fetal movement between weeks 14-15 and felt it regularly at about 18.

With #2 I have felt so much better. I have had bouts of morning sickness, but only vomited twice. Able to curb nausea by eating frequent small meals. No Zofran. I have had a few zits, but not more than normal, not much gas, regular BM's (sorry if it's TMI but it is MY blog), Weight loss (only about 5lb's... apparently pregnancy is my best weight loss plan), First fetal movement... jury's out, but I think it was about 13 weeks. I "might" have felt some at 12 weeks, but they still aren't regular, just sporadic.

One of the biggest differences (BESIDES the MORNING SICKNESS/PREGNANCY SICKNESS) is my belly. I didn't feel like I started "showing" with Max until about 18 weeks. That's the first time I noticed a stomach "pooch" that was more than my normal belly chub. But with #2 I swear I noticed a bump at about 11 weeks and I feel so big already and I'm not even half way there. Maybe my stomach muscles are way out of shape...

Here's photo proof. I am wearing the exact same shirt:



18 weeks with Max

17 Weeks with baby #2

The Grass is Always Greener...

Just a few of the conversations I've had this week at work have come back to the old saying "the grass is greener on the other side" and it is funny how many situations this saying applies to. There is always something we want that we don't have.

My thought process started this week when I was talking to my coworker about how much Chris and I want a house, and how we feel stuck in our Condo since the economy plummeted and our house lost value. How many homeowners 5-6 years ago (when we bought our place) would have ever thought that renting for 5 years would be more beneficial than owning a place for 5 years. Because that is the situation we are in. If we were renting, we could just leave/ not renew a lease. But No, we have to sell and most likely take a loss if we do. We feel stuck.

Then I was talking to a coworker about her life and her new purchases since she just bought the new iPad and was telling me how excited she was playing around with it. She is a single girl living with roommates making RN wages (we aren't millionaires... but we do alright) and she just got back from China doing charity work for Operation Smile. It was her second time.

As I was driving home I was thinking about all the places she has been and how she not only has the money to do so, but the free time as well. Her rent is probably 1/2 or even 1/3rd of what my mortgage is. And she can buy a new iPad if she wants.

However, that is a narrow way of looking at it. I look at her situation and see the freedoms I used to have and how I have sacrificed some of that to be a wife and mom. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being a wife and mom (I wouldn't trade that), but there are some things you have to sacrifice to do so. I read a post on Pinterest that said, "You know your a mom when going to the grocery store by yourself is a vacation". There is some truth to that.

But what it really comes down to is looking at the WHOLE picture.

My work friend has expressed a desire to find a good guy and get married. So maybe she looks at my life and sees that? Who knows?

Maybe Chris and I's situation with our Condo isn't ideal, but there are families in my ward with 2 or even 3 kids... (with more on the way) that are in a 2 BEDROOM CONDO.... that bought their place for more than we bought ours. There are family's just barely getting by with one income. There are family's where both parents have lost their jobs and have little education to fall back on. And I'm complaining that my 3 (soon to be 4) person family is "running out of space" in my 3 bedroom condo. There is always someone in a situation worse than yours. It really puts things in perspective. I am humbled a lot talking to people in my ward.

I'm glad that we do desire more for ourselves and look to others for inspiration. That desire helps propel us forward. Without it we would never progress. However, we do need to keep things in perspective. That way we can be grateful for what we have, while we work for our dreams.