The Pregnancy

Just so I can remember some of the details, here's a run-down of the last nine months. It's long, don't feel like you have to read it, it's really just for me!

First Trimester:
-I found out I was pregnant in the middle of May at 4 weeks although I was already 95% sure.
-I started feeling exhausted right away, morning sickness started between 5 and 6 weeks (right when we went backpacking in Escalante, not fun and also the real reason we left early!). It was horrible to feel sick so quickly but also made me hopeful that there was a baby growing in there.
-First doctor appointment at 8 weeks. Had an ultrasound, saw the heartbeat, and was finally able to relax and actually feel pregnant!
-The rest of the 1st trimester was a blur of exhaustion and nausea.
-Food: I never wanted to eat. On the rare occasions that something sounded good I'd make it but then want to gag after about 5 bites. My only cravings were for highly-processed, greasy, and salty things that I don't normally eat...so weird. The only time I threw up was after going out for sushi one night. It had tasted SO good, but now months later it still makes me nauseous to think about sushi.
-Announced to our families around 9 weeks, on Father's Day.
-I was able to road bike the whole 1st trimester and it helped me feel a little better.
-Starting to wear my belly band at 11-12 weeks! It was crazy how early I started to "show" (ok, maybe just to me, but still...)

Second Trimester:
-I started feeling better at the end of the 1st trimester and by 14 weeks the nausea was gone, but the fatigue lasted much longer. I didn't really feel my energy come back until almost 20 weeks.
-I felt Alta kick at 18 weeks, Ellie at 16, and this one at 14 weeks! Dan didn't believe me until at 16 weeks he could already feels the kicks when he put his hand on my belly.
-I stopped biking at 14 weeks because it was getting really uncomfortable, and running was even worse. I used my prenatal workout DVDs a lot and went on lots of hikes and walks.
-Family and close friends knew we were expecting, but I finally announced for real at 16 weeks with my first "belly" picture (I laugh to see it now!)

-First Braxton-Hicks contraction at 17 weeks, it really surprised me.
-Had my ultrasound at 18 weeks so we could find out the gender before our Palmer family reunion. It was the highest quality ultrasound I've had, it was really cool! I think Dan and I were both in shock for a little bit to find out we were having another girl, but that quickly changed to excitement.

-And the belly at 20 weeks:

-Sometime around 22 weeks my SI (sacro-iliac) joint went out and despite going to the chiropractor and physical therapist and doing everything I could, it never stayed in the rest of the pregnancy. Which has been pretty much miserable!
-By the end of the 2nd trimester the pain was so bad I couldn't exercise at all, so I've been sitting around getting out of shape ever since :)

Third Trimester
-ultrasound at 32 weeks to make sure my low-lying placenta had moved up, and to make sure baby was growing since I was measuring small (as usual). Everything was good and the 3D picture of her face was pretty crazy!

-And the belly shot at 32 weeks:

-I have felt like she grows in spurts. I feel like my belly is big, and then stays the same, and then suddenly big again. I can tell when she's growing a lot because my energy level completely drops and I can't stop eating! And at other times I hardly feel hungry, which is very unusual for me during pregnancy.
-On top of the physical discomforts, emotionally this has been a very different and difficult pregnancy. I felt pretty down and out of sorts almost the entire time. I have been extremely anti-social (sorry everyone!) and have had a lot of anxiety and stress. Even though the last month of pregnancy has been uncomfortable, I finally feel like myself again and am much happier!
-Belly at 39 weeks, it doesn't even look that much bigger than the last picture but I promise it is! I guess my face says it all...I'm tired of this!

-And now it's just the waiting game. We are all ready for this little girl to come!