The good, the bad and the ugly!

I feel like a sumo wrestler these days!
Look at that belly! No mistaking this preggo anymore!
Front view, and yes, my face has filled out as much, if not more than, my belly!
Thanks, Jordan! haha

26 weeks! I read that around this time some fatigue with the pregnancy may begin to set in . . . I would be lying if I said this was not true! To more accurately appreciate the symptoms, etc. I decided to formulate a little list entitled, the good, the bad and the ugly . . . reader beware, I am beginning with the ugly!

The Ugly:

• The weight gain: I always told myself that I would not be one of those women who eat and eat and gain a disgusting amount of weight during pregnancy; I simply thought there was no excuse for it. This was very easy for me to believe because, tah dah, I had never been pregnant!!! Weight gain is inevitable and no matter how well you eat or work out, you are going to be tired and sometimes healthy food choices are not appetizing. Needless to say, I have gained more weight than I would have expected by this point and I still have 3 months left!
• The clothing choices: I understand that maternity clothes have come very far from the dark ages of one rack at JC Penney, but let's be serious, how cute can moo moos really be?? Bold, hideous patterns, empire waisted shirts and dresses that tie in the back, and of course the very discreet waist bands on pants (sensing the sarcasm, right?) make me long for the day I can dig into the storage boxes of clothes I have packed away until I can fit into them once again . . . oh they are so painfully cute! I must also admit that it is a very real fear of mine that I will never again be able to sport my smaller attire.

The Bad:

• The nausea: This has subsided and I almost don't even remember it anymore, but I know it was bad!
• The heartburn: Oh Nelly! This hurts! It is bad! Almost ugly, but not quite! Ouch, is all I have to say here, no other form of acid reflux that I have had prior to this has been anywhere near as painful! Milk calms the pain, but I hate milk.
• The leg cramps: I just read yesterday that these are actually a symptom of pregnancy, I thought I was just crazy! I have been waking up in the middle of the night with excruciating pain in my calves. The muscle is tightening and cramping and I have to wake up and stretch it to alleviate the pain. I have tried drinking more water, assuming that it is from dehydration, but it still comes! Oh well, it makes me feel as if I have been working out, haha!
• The forgetfulness: I have been incredibly absentminded lately! Yesterday I decided to make some Puppy Chow for a snack and went to the store to pick up the necessary ingredients . . . came home started making the delectable treat and realized I had forgotten one key ingredient, powdered sugar! Unbelievable, but it isn't a one time occurance it happens very often! I find myself second guessing every placement of an item and appointments at work. No major mishaps, but I am hoping people are willing to forgive when the inevitable occurs.
• The decisions: Having a baby is a major, life altering event. No kidding, you are thinking, but the decisions that must be make concerning the little one are very overwhelming. Diapers: cloth or disposable? If disposable, which brand? Which bottles? Which bedding? Which color of walls? and these are only the few that my forgetful mind can think of right now.

The Good:

• Feeling my little man move: Indescribable and hands down the favorite parts of my days . . . I'll be sitting there and all of a sudden, movement! Sometimes it catches me so off guard and I giggle. Jordan has figured out now what the giggle means, but I still get the feeling he thinks it is some sort of inside joke of which he is not a part. (side note: before I began writing this blog, I forgot how to spell "which." It took me several attempts before I gave up and substituted another word. . . obviously I have used it several times throughout the blog now w/o thinking about it, but it is just another example of the forgetful mind of a pregnant woman when an English minor cannot spell "which!")
• When Jordan talks to Eoin: He leans over and talks right to my belly and kisses it! It is the sweetest thing in the world. I can't wait to see Jordan hold him for the first time. He is already a very proud daddy!
• The pampering: C'mon, it isn't too bad getting what you want when you want it! haha My only fear is that I might becoming too used to this!
• The shopping: Although I have been very strict on my purchases thus far (refer to "decisions") window shopping for a baby is so fun!!!!!! There are the cutest little outfits and items for babies!
• Knowing at the end of this I am going to have a little person: Daydreaming about taking him for walks and giving him kisses and watching him sleep could get me through anything. I wonder what/who he is going to look like? what dominant personality traits is he going to inherit?

Obviously, the good outweigh both the bad and the ugly by a landslide. Can you believe there are only 100 days until the due date???? Crazy to think when it is put into days!

In other news, my Papa Horner passed away last Monday night. He died peacefully in his sleep and will now get to join my grandma. My mom left for Ireland on Tuesday for his funeral and will return today. I desperately wanted to join her, but due to the pregnancy we decided it was best that I didn't travel abroad. I have a lifetime of memories of my Papa and pray that my children will be as lucky to have such a wonderful person in their lives.

McKaylah also hit the big "2!" She is such a little bundle of energy and although I don't get to see her as much as I would like to, we have many conversations on the phone! She is absolutely hilarious and definitely gives Jordan and I the giggles on a daily basis especially when she blames us for incidents that we could never have been involved (she recently said that I dumped her milk all over her crib). Happy Birthday to the greatest neice I could ever ask for!