Pregnant and Paralyzed: Bigger and Wider

If I were to title each trimester of my pregnancy, I’d name my first trimester “Feeling Sick, Not As Lovely As Expected;” second trimester would be “Back To Normal, Eating All The Fruit;” and, while I’m only in the first weeks of my third trimester, I anticipate that this one will be something like “Bigger and Wider, Ready for the End.”I’m still enjoying pregnancy very much now and I’m not necessarily counting down the weeks yet, but I’m definitely feeling every bit of the “bigger and wider” – and in more ways, than just the metaphorical bowling ball I’m carrying around my waist these days.

My appetite. I’ve never been a large person and I’ve never had a big appetite, but oh man. As the weeks stretch on and I get closer to my pregnancy’s end, my appetite is growing faster than anything else. My weapon of choice is fruit, any kind of fruit, but I also haven’t let a bite of food linger on my plate for months. Trips to the pantry for a snack have turned into a lock-my-brakes-and-stay-a-while situation, if you know what I mean. It’s justified because I’m pregnant, though, right? As long as I snack on healthy, protein-and-nutrient-packed foods, there’s no shame in my game. I’m very intentional about snacking “smart,” so I’ll be able to return to my pre-pregnancy figure (or something close to it) after I give birth.  

My emotions. I’ve always been an emotional person, but good grief. Last week, while I was lying on the couch with my dog, it hit me hard. I turned my head toward her, we locked eyes, and I actually started crying because I love her so much. Keep in mind that Achilles, my dog, is the most beautiful and prized thing in my life and I love her more than I can put words to, but crying about it is a little much. Even I can recognize that. My pregnancy hormones and impending life change is surfacing all kinds of emotions that may feel otherwise silly, overdramatic, and/or unnecessary. My big emotions mostly show up with my tears, but those hormones can also be anger, frustration, exasperation, etc. So what? As long as you’re not hurting anyone, girl, let it out.