The good things

So yesterday was one of those days, I had a bad moment, I wrote it out here because sometimes that helps, but then I talked it out loud with my mom later and so I then came back and took it down from here.  It doesn't need to be here for the world to see.  Everything is much better today so that's all that matters.  The sun is shining and I'm feeling pretty good.

In the spirit of that I have decided it's finally time to highlight the highs so far of this pregnancy.  They would be as follows:

-Any time we've had an ultrasound.  It has helped me feel much more connected to this little being inside of me when I have actually been able to see him moving around on the screen.  My favorite was at one of the first trimester screens when they check for signs of downs syndrome or other disorders (fairly routine, though you can opt out) and he was moving around almost too much for the tech to get a scan and was even standing on his head at times.  The results still came back fine on that test in spite of his active craziness!

- Until the GD diagnosis, re-discovering my love for a good, real sugar soda.  No high fructose corn syrup for this gal.  I forgot how good an ice cold root beer can be though or how tasty real ginger ale is or even a cherry soda.  I didn't overdo it - that's not how you get GD by the way - but it was a nice treat now and then especially this summer.  I miss it a little, but actually since it's been colder it hasn't sounded quite as good now, so it works out!

- Finding out that he was a HE.  I pretty much knew from the start this was going to be a boy, I just had this feeling, but the day of the ultrasound was very exciting and we didn't have to wait long into the scan - they found his boy bits right away.

- People opening doors for you or offering to help with stuff.  Sometimes I don't like all the attention, but some days I get to work and my hands are full and having someone offer to hold the door just makes my day.

- Baby showers.  I had my mom's family's shower a couple of weeks ago, I have one with Nate's family tomorrow, one with my girlfriends next Friday and yet another one in mid-November with Praise Project.  This kid will be so spoiled, but we are so blessed.  I love it all.

- Interactions with the very kind and wonderful staff at my clinic.  They are seriously some of the nicest people from the front desk to the nurses to the lab and pretty much all of the OB's we've seen, save for the one who scared the crap out of us at the first appointment.  Obviously, I support Fairview as a place of employment, but I would recommend Allina to someone just based on the good experiences I've had.

- Maternity clothes.  Yeah are we surprised I'd find a positive in having shop for clothes?  I have enjoyed it simply for the fact that I challenged myself to find things at the consignment store and thrift store and have only bought a handful of things brand new.  And it's been kind of fun to dress the bump.  And PS - maternity jeans are so way comfy, I almost don't want to give them up after the fact!

- Feeling him move. It took longer for me to feel movement for the first time as my placenta is anterior - at the front of my belly so it acts like a cushion between baby and me. The moves felt odd at first but now I enjoy them.  I know he's doing ok and it makes me smile.  My favorite is watching it when I'm taking a bath or something - it's so crazy to see these ripples and pokes but I love it.  It makes me laugh.

- Strengthening my bond with Nate.  Seriously as I have said over and over - he has been my rock through this whole experience and I feel like we're closer than ever.  I have enjoyed our birthing classes because of how almost intimate it's been for us and this new journey is just so much more exciting and exhilarating than I ever thought possible and the baby isn't even here yet.  I know it won't always be easy, but I know we can do this as long as we are together.  I can't imagine loving him more than I do right now and yet I love him more every day as we get closer to this birth.  Yeah I'm sappy and mushy and whatever, but he is simply the best.

I'm pretty much in a good place right now.  I'm experiencing minor pregnancy discomforts that are typical of the third trimester - namely I have trouble getting comfortable and staying asleep at night - but those are so minor really.  I still can't believe I never was sick and that the worst of the worst was really getting GD - and even that hasn't been bad.  I hope this is a sign of things to come for motherhood as well, but I know you can only really go one day at a time, so that's my plan!