My Big Idea

Warning - too much rambling follows in this post. Feel free to skip altogether if you are in a hurry or do not care to venture into my mind.

I'm sure not many of you watch "Sid the Science Kid" on PBS, but if you do, he always has a 'big idea' at the end of the show that will solve all of the problems. Well, I have come up with a big idea of my own that is related to, wouldn't you know it, pregnancy.

First, a disclaimer, by no means, am I complaining. I know many women who have very difficult pregnancies and I admire them for going through it all and then even repeating it a few times. I have very easy pregnancies. I am blessed in that way. Thank you God!

I realized though, when visiting my Mom back at home, how much you forget about this phase of your life. Its 9 months. But, I guess its like labor and delivery, you eventually forget. Case in point, my Mom (a mother of 5) asked me recently about the large pillow that I travel with. I told her it was to help me sleep since I could not sleep on my back or tummy. She then looked at me funny and said she didn't remember not being able to sleep on her back. So, I thought I should blog a little, write down some memories of this pregnant phase so that someday, I can remember because obviously, I won't be able to rely on my brain. :)

So first, the pregnant experience and then - the 'big idea.' Obviously, this could be 2 separate posts.

As I stated, my pregnancies are fairly easy. Sure, I am nauseous with each pregnancy in the beginning, but thankfully that is over by about the thirteenth or fourteenth week. I will say I am much more of a wussy girl while I'm pregnant. I can't handle gross smells or textures (things that usually don't bother me). I do get debilitatingly tired in the beginning. That was, after all, the reason I detected this current blessing. I was literally falling asleep during story time with Josie mid-sentence on an 8-page book with about 7 words per page.

I also don't feel my babies move until very late. With Josie it was around 25 weeks and it has gotten earlier with my second two, but still its been later (around the 22 week mark) than the average. In the moving department though, I love, love, love that part! Who doesn't? I have always said that I will never complain about the baby poking me or moving too much and so far, I have not. It is just too awesome of an experience to complain about that. Sometimes it even tickles. And speaking of movement, how do some women know when their baby kicks their kidney or bladder? I am not able to detect which specific organ my baby hits.

Finally, cravings and food. My stomach must fill up various crevices and holes in my body when I am pregnant because I don't have the problem of not being able to eat very much due to the large baby belly. I can still pretty much eat the same amount of food I always have and those of you that know me well, know this is a lot of food. :) I don't really crave anything in particular, but am always up for greasy fried food (however, I think that can be said when I am not pregnant too). With Evelyn, though, I literally asked Kevin if we could have tater tots 2 to 3 times a week. He usually obliged too. Water, though, is something that I HAVE to have. I drink about 7 to 8 large glasses of ice water everyday and each time I get up at night to go to the bathroom (here lately, we are pushing 4 to 5 times a night), I drink about half of a glass. I am thirsty, all the time!

With each pregnancy, things have become a little more difficult on me though...my body aches more, I sleep less and I have little to no feeling in my hands. The lack of feeling, apparently comes from my joints swelling and cutting off circulation to my fingers. I really don't swell that much externally, but my fingers are pretty much tingly for the entire last two trimesters. The wedding ring also has to come off in the end, which always makes me sad.

The difficulty that has come in this third pregnancy has come in the form of leg pain, specifically, varicose veins. These are hideous marks of childbirth, but now that I have them, I realize and appreciate so much more about motherhood. I see them on other women and immediately have an appreciation for that woman as a woman and as a mother. I never realized they hurt either, but they do. I dread stepping on the floor at night after being in a bed for a while. Your leg just throbs and you can literally feel the blood rush down your leg. And as I said, they are very unattractive. I looked at myself in the mirror the other day and told Kevin, "the fact that you still love me and my legs look like this is proof, you either really do love me or you eye sight is not that great."

But, it is these veins that have given me my 'big idea.' Alas, I am finally revealing it. I think you could use these veins as a tool for abstinence for young girls and boys. Instead of giving kids flour sacks to mimic a baby to care for, give the girls veiny legs to wear in public with their short shorts and skirts for a 9 month period. Do not let them take them off. Let them wear them to the pool, to school, the mall and on dates. They will see the disgusted look on the boy's faces and realize, true love, true vein-loving love does not likely exist in high school.

Ok - I am finished revealing far too much of myself for the night. And sadly, no alcohol was used in putting this post together. It is all me, pregnant, veiny me.