Pregnancy 1: Week 22

Hello from 22 Weeks!

Symptoms: This week I feel pretty energetic. I am working hard to fix up the house, cleaning, etc. that was “let go” when I was in the first trimester and just felt so sick. I still can’t eat any sugar...everytime I do I am guaranteed that I will throw up and be sick the rest of the day and I have still gotten sick a few times even when I didn’t eat sugar but really it hasn’t been bad.

Weight gain: I have gained about 4 lbs now in this pregnancy. And I definitely can’t hide that I am pregnant anymore.

Downplaying?: Some have asked me about my symptoms and really don’t understand how I am so great when I am 22 weeks pregnant? Did I just get really lucky? Yes and no! I still have experienced quite a few symptoms others discuss at some point in this pregnancy: headaches, ligament pain, nausea, puking, mood swings, constant peeing, diarrhea (not constipation), fatigue, etc. Though I will say Tomek is so wonderful to me and really makes a difference in how I feel when he is just so supportive of me. We both acknowledge that I have had a few of those “Holy Crap Crazy Lady” pregnant moments but even I recognize them after and do my best to try and stay as level-minded as possible.

Beyond this I want to express that like I explained in my first post Tomek and I had been trying to conceive for 4 months (the 5th month we technically didn’t try but conceived when I was sick) this period also included a miscarriage at about 5 weeks that we caught only on a fluke. So, by the 4th month I was afraid we wouldn’t be able to get pregnant. And so I prayed to God many times asking for a little baby we could teach about God and his many blessings, that we could share the joys of life with, and so much more. I told God in the prayer that I would happily accept all of the negative symptoms of pregnancy if he would just give us a child and grant us this blessing. So, I will say I think this has had a huge influence on my outlook throughout my pregnancy. Probably one or twice a week at least Tomek or I make a joke about a symptom I have and how “well I/you ask for it right” lol. So I think we both laugh it off, support each other, and truly accept all of this as we continue to go through whatever it takes for us to have our little miracle baby Patrick.

Trigger: Though if we are going to talk about mood swings let me share a secret that drives me crazy, and other pregnant women I talk to! Whether we complain or not about our symptoms we don’t want to hear: “Oh you just wait, Oh you haven’t felt anything yet!”

First of all I don’t complain about my symptoms as much as possible but then people ask me about what kind of symptoms I experience….which I am fine with and I tell them about the general symptoms that are fairly continuous (have to pee constantly, still nauseous at times, tired/need a nap every day) though they really are fine for me to deal with (again my little blessing is so worth it!) but THEN these same people have the nerve just because they had children before to say things like oh you haven’t felt anything yet or oh no you better figure out how to deal with this because it is NOTHING like what you have coming.”

Okay well I wasn’t complaining, I was sharing information you requested...As I have explained above I am honored that I am even granted the blessing to endure any of these symptoms and more just to have my baby boy that I prayed for so many times. But I promise you it is so hard not to flip my lid when women say this! Why do they? I don’t know I guess they just are thinking about labor and delivery and how bad that is. Truthfully I wonder what they are recalling because research shows most women actually forget their labor process other than the general medical reports (i.e. received epidural, lasted 12 hours, had to have emergency c-section, etc.) But either way there is just no need to say this to other women. So, if you are going to talk to me about my stuff, feel free but if you say this just be prepared for me to get a little upset or just shut down (that will be me controlling myself and not saying something rude in return).

Annual Fund: Today, May 3rd, was annual fund. Tomek and I went with his mom, dad, and sister to this event at our church’s connected school. One of the main things they do at annual fund is honor those who have been especially committed to the church and school, the money that is collected there also goes to the school to help with different areas in need, whether that be a scholarship fund for students to attend the private Catholic school, the arts, or anywhere else that directly helps these students, and lastly the main event is a play put on by the students. This year they did Hairspray Jr. which was quite entertaining.

I did get sick while I was there a little but made it through, I wasn’t really able to eat the food that was there and so I had Tomek stop at McDonalds on the way home. Of course I took a bite into my plain mcdouble and it was actually loaded….needless to say I got very sick the rest of the evening and couldn’t eat anything else. I was really upset about this. Tomek was furious and swore he was going to call the next day (he tried many times that night but the business hotline was disconnected or permanently busy, and the customer service line apparently stops after like 7pm).

Graduation: My best friend Sarah graduated with her Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology this weekend! WOOT WOOT! I am so proud of my friend. She has so much she deals with at times and truly is an inspiration for how strong she is.

Also she totally kicked butt at college. Not only did she graduate with her B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Spanish; She did so well that she was accepted into the national honors programs of each (Psi Chi for Psychology & Sigma Delta Pi in Spanish).

I unfortunately was sick the night before and just worried about being able to make it through the ceremony so I didn’t get to be there with her but I got some sneak peek pictures….

and even went over to her house after and spent some time with everyone. :)

Baking: This week I just hit this point where I wanted to bake so badly. I went in the kitchen and made my homemade salted caramel cookies and some lemon bars! Although I did keep some of the lemon bars for me to eat (slowly because man are they delicious) I really have to be careful with sugar. Not only do I have certain food cravings but I have a huge aversion to sugar (which is seriously the opposite of me prior to pregnancy) and get sick anytime I load up on any sugar. So I sent all of those tasty treats to work with Tomek (he works with about 20 or so other guys and I don’t think they mind when I send baked goods to work for them. heehee).