10 weeks to go...

I can hardly believe that in ten short weeks I will be holding this wiggly baby that is squirming inside my tummy as I write this. I can't wait. This pregnancy has gone by so smoothly and so quickly. I think through all of my goals and aspirations I have learned things about myself and my body that has made my experience such a positive one.

I haven't been perfect lately. Recently I went on a weekend getaway trip with my girlfriends, and decided I wasn't going to stick to my diet restrictions during my trip. This was fine, except that when I returned from my trip it took me nearly a week to get back on track with eating right. This week that I spent not eating healthy was one of the hardest weeks of my pregnancy. I was exhausted and felt like I had to drag myself through each and every day. As soon as I started eating right again, my energy level was back up and I felt great again. "Eating right" was something I considered to take more effort than eating anything. Turns out, it ended up being less of an effort than struggling day in and day out. This realization has made it easier to make that "added effort" to eat better. Granted, I still have a dessert on the weekend here and there... I'll admit. (I just add some time on to my cardio the next day, and call it good.)

As I have gotten further along in my pregnancy I have had to make a few changes to my workout routine also. I am proud to say that this hasn't really been a struggle for me, I have stayed consistent about going to the gym. But as I got further along, going to the gym late in the afternoon when Jared was home from work began to get harder. I was tired by that time of the day, and wasn't as motivated. Even though I would go, it seemed my workouts were half hearted. And I relied on my workouts to give me energy during my day. So, I started waking up early and making it to the gym before Jared and Porter wake up, and before Jared has to leave for work. It has given me that boost of energy I need to sustain my day, and my workouts are much more efficient. I've learned that I am definitely a morning exerciser, when I have the choice.

I have gained more weight than I wanted to by this point, but I am still less than I was during pregnancy 1. I have gained 15-16 pounds (depending on the day). The next weigh in that was recorded on my chart during my first pregnancy is about a week away, and I had gained 29 pounds by then. So I am staying under at least. All of the maternity pants I have worn this pregnancy have been new ones I have bought this time. I put on some jeans yesterday from pregnancy 1 and they were still way too big. Other notable improvements are these: at 27 weeks during pregnancy 1 I had written in my journal about my feet and legs being swollen. I don't have any swelling, knock on wood!! It would be wonderfully amazing if I dodged that bullet all together this time. I don't feel like I have gained a lot of weight in my arms or legs... last time I just felt fat all over, and I still feel pretty! I go to the gym in my spandex pants and a t-shirt which I wouldn't have dared done last time. I wore baggy pants to hide my ginormous booty and thighs. Some days it seems to me like that even though I've tried to be careful this time I am still going to gain a lot of weight. I don't know, only 10 more weeks will tell. But whatever I gain, at least I can say I did my best. And if anything, my efforts have given me the energy to enjoy my pregnancy and to be the type of mom I want to be. Porter and I are off doing something fun each and every day. Whether we are at the museum, the swimming pool, the park, or having friends over, we stay busy. So I just need to keep things up and take whatever comes my way, knowing that this really was a blessing in many ways even if the final number isn't what I want it to be.