The Last Weekend

Wow it's hard to wrap my head around the idea that this is the last weekend I'll have, where I'll be able to sleep through the night. In a few days time (4 days!) I will have my baby. 

*lets that sink in* 

I'm excited, for sure, but also unsure about what to expect. Sleepless nights, everyone says. But it's not just that. Parenting is a HUGE responsibility, and I wonder if I'm up to it. I'm glad that I've got +3 as my partner though, and as a team I hope we will do alright. 

*breathes* 

This has been an extremely incredible journey so far. I'm glad we took the plunge and that I quit my job. While I miss my paycheck, I'm so glad that I've been able to rest when I needed to and not have unnecessary stress and work pressures. I'm pretty certain that allowed me to have the smooth pregnancy that I had. 

Looking back, my first trimester was exhausting. I was tired all the time and would need to stop a few times to rest and catch my breath while walking back home. However, other usual symptoms that accompany pregnancy were minimal. Had some bloating, which I managed by having small meals. Some constipation which was cleared with a couple of sips of coffee. Very, very mild morning sickness which happened only a handful of times. 

Most of the time, I just slept and rested. 

It was also around my first trimester that +3 lost his job, which meant both of us were not working. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as we had to move out of our rented place, and temporarily back to my parents' while waiting for the keys to our own home. 

Having him with me really gave us time to bond and grow as a couple, and also much needed help when it came to physically challenging tasks like packing up. 

Eventually, he did manage to get a job and by the time my second trimester rolled by, I was physically feeling better (woohoo, hello energy!) and we had already settled in my parents' place. So we had peace of mind leaving for our planned Japan honeymoon+babymoon. 

The Japan holiday was another highlight of the pregnancy. I think we travel well together and enjoy the same kind of activities and have similar attitudes when it comes to travel (don't plan so much and just enjoy oneself). 

It's also during the second trimester that you really start to feel pregnant, with the belly getting bigger and you start to feel the first flutterings that are your baby's kicks and punches. 

And it's amazing to see how the baby grows from a ball of cells that barely appear on the first ultrasound to a fully formed baby that visibly twists and turns and causes your belly to undulate with each movement. 

Sure, a bigger belly comes with accompanying backache and breathlessness. But even so, a simple backrub and positioning yourself properly (with a million pillows) while sleeping helps so much. And I'm still so lucky, I've barely had much water retention and I have the luxury to sleep in if I've had a poor night's sleep. 

Having the baby a few weeks earlier than we thought kind of forced us to speed up our preparations for the baby. Within a week of deciding to deliver earlier, we actually managed to purchase all the necessary hardware (crib, changing table, rocking chair) and +3 had everything assembled within a few days. (I do love me a man who can handle his power tools.) 

And here we are now, the last weekend where we are able to sleep through the night and where it's just the two of us. In a few days, there will be a baby boy to love and fuss over, who will probably dominate our lives. And while I can't imagine how things will be like, I already know that we will love him so much and that we are blessed to have him in our lives.