Awkward Pregnancy Stuff #1

I ate right before this picture, so my belly is a little bigger than usual, but still, it's gotten bigger. :D

Sometimes, people ask me funny questions about being pregnant.

I had heard from previously pregnant friends and family how awkward the questions and gestures can be. But I didn't anticipate this for a while. 

Alas, it's already begun.

Mostly I find that the questions are good-natured and well-intentioned, but I always find myself wondering how I should answer.

For instance:

1. How are you feeling? - This one seems pretty common and basic, but I'm asked that probably 2-3 times a day. Often, like the other day, I'll forget that they are referencing my pregnancy, and I'll say something like, "Oh, you know, I have a bit of a cold today, but I'm pretty good." Then I realize what they were actually asking about and I have to backtrack and say something like, "Oh, and yeah, no morning sickness or anything, so I've been good." haha It's like being pregnant means that that's all I should be thinking about. When they ask me how I'm feeling, I should just know that they are referencing my pregnancy, not my current state. I'm learning.

2. How's your baby??- This one cracks me up. I get asked this almost more often than the previous question. It seems to make sense to the people asking it, but to me, I'm like, "How do I even answer that?" --"Um... my baby is doing fine, I guess. Still in there, so that's good..." or "You know, I think he/she's still growing. Getting his/her fingernails this week, so I'm sure that makes him/her happy..." haha, I dunno. Maybe people with more grace and tact have better answers for that question, but I haven't come up with anything yet. 

3.Can I feel your baby?- Yes, I'm only 16 weeks along and I've already been asked this more than once. Usually my response to this is to look at whoever asked that question, look at my belly, and then just look back at them. In my head I'm thinking, "Um, my baby is currently like 2 inches big. If I can't even feel my baby, then you sure as heck aren't gonna try." 

4. "You're getting sooo big!"- Another classic. And I have no response. What do people expect me to say? - "What really? *Looks down at belly* Oh, you're right!" or "Yup, turns out that that happens when you're pregnant." or, usually my response. "Um.. thanks." 

5."Give me that baby!"- Ok, so this one technically doesn't count because it's from one of my two year olds who tells me that almost every day. She has determined that I'm just being silly by not giving her the baby in my belly. She thinks it's a game. To me, her request is equivalent to the ones listed above, though.

Anyway, I guess being pregnant changes the way people look at you. It suddenly becomes this information fest where they are allowed to ask you any question about your life and you get to answer. Suddenly, you're not just a woman anymore, you are a pregnant woman. There's a big difference, I guess (haha literally!). But I take it all in good stride and laugh to myself often. 

Updates and Decisions

It's been a while. And I have excuses.

I'm currently writing this from Isaac and I's new home.

We moved a couple of weeks ago and have since been settling into our new abode.

My excuses

More excuses

Empty apartment

In the new house- Are you convinced of the justified nature of my excuses yet?

2nd bedroom

Our little house

We are pretty content with the place overall. Sure, we have to light the pilot light on the heater before it works, there's a hole in one window that lets bugs and air in, there's a couple of couches in our backyard from who knows when, and we don't have a dishwasher or garbage disposal. But we're happy. It's fun having our own house and the neighborhood isn't too crazy. We have been enjoying giving directions to people though. "Just turn right before liquor store and you'll be there!" It all seems a tad more sketchy than it is, I suppose.

Beyond moving, Isaac's been chugging right along with his classes. He admitted to me one afternoon that school isn't something he enjoys, even if he's pretty good at it. I told him that that just makes him normal. He's doing really well though, and I'm proud of him for sticking to it.

Another exciting, weighty happening was that we found out Isaac isn't the only one who will be in classes this fall. As it turns out, I've been accepted into the Marriage and Family Therapy Master's Program here at Tech. I attended an intense day of interviews and after a couple weeks finally heard back from them. It was a hard choice to make, especially with the munchkin on the way (due only 2 weeks after the 1st semester begins). Ultimately, though, after prayer and a bunch of phone calls to friends and moms, Isaac and I decided it's an opportunity I can't pass up. The program is 2 years long if I go by the track they have listed, so the timing should work great with Isaac's schooling. It just seems like the right time and the right place. We'll see how I feel after I'm halfway into the program with a 1 year old on my hands. :)

Though we've been busy and stressed with a lot of new life-changing decision, we're happy. Life is treating us well and we know we are blessed.

The baby is also doing well for those that are wondering. I'm well into my second trimester now, so the sick part has mostly passed which makes baby developing a lot more fun. It's starting to hit me more how permanent this whole baby decision is and though that's a crazy thing to realize, it's super exciting, too. My next appointment is in a couple of weeks. And then, at the beginning of May, we'll be able to find out the munchkin's gender! I'm super pumped about that. It'll make everything more real.

Anyway, so that's life with the Olive family right now. I thought I'd do another long general update for y'all so that next time I get on here I can write about something random and simple like watching Barney with my 2- year-olds and feeling so grateful for parents who stuck through years of crazy barney fanatics with me as a child. There's something inherently creepy about that purple dinosaur and his little dino friends.

Getting to Know You

Sometimes as I watch my 2 year olds play, I wonder what kind of 2 year old this little person in my belly will be.

Will she be the kind that talks up a storm, even when I wish beyond anything that she'd just be quiet for a while?

Will she be the kind that plays well with the other kids, or will she be more reserved, content to just watch what's going on?

Will she be stubborn, always needing to get her way and telling me what's what, or will she be tenderhearted, ready to cry at the slightest sign of disturbance?

I know what I hope her to be and any of these personalities would do.

Whatever personality she has, I hope she's able to see this cruel world through optimistic eyes.

I hope she'll be able to appreciate art, music, and football even if she isn't the greatest at creating/ participating in these things.

Beyond anything, I hope this little one will be able to grow up feeling that she is loved. I hope she'll know that she can turn to her mommy and daddy for anything, especially her Heavenly Daddy.

I can't wait to meet her, get to know her, and teach her all of the good and bad lessons I've learned.

I hope she feels the same about me.



(I'm hoping for a girl. And I try not to call our baby "it". So picking a gender to write with seemed easier for this entry. All of the above are just as applicable if our munchkin is a boy.)

Pregnancy, a House, and Grad School

The weather outside makes me so excited for Spring. It's 75 degrees with a nice breeze right now and all of the trees are blooming. 

Also, the fact that I'm starting to feel much better pregnancy-wise helps. I'll be 12 weeks on Wednesday and that makes me very excited. I'm starting to show a little now, and have already done a little maternity clothes shopping. Both of those facts make me sad and excited at the same time. For now, I still look like I've just gained some weight. I look forward to actually looking pregnant instead of just fatter. 

My monthly appointment is on Wednesday as well, so I'm excited to go and make sure everything is still growing like it should. :)

As far as other happenings, Isaac and I are 95% sure we've found our new home. It's not the little house we mentioned before, but it's another little house. (Picture to come once we seal the deal.) It's very close to Tech and in a price range we like. The best part? It's a house! We'll have a little yard and a garage. It's a place we can actually make our home. I'm very excited about this new place. We'll be moving fairly soon, so it'll be good to get settled there. All that's left is some paperwork to sign and it'll be ours.

On Friday, I had my Graduate School interview. It was actually a very fun day. I got to meet lots of great people and made some good friends. The interview part wasn't all that nerve-racking and I felt like I gave the best answers I could. So I guess we'll see. At this point, I feel like even if I don't make it, I'm really glad I got to go to the interview and associate with all of the other people. 

Anyway, kinda a boring entry this time, more informative than anything else. I'm sure later I'll have something witty or imaginative to post, maybe even some pregnant belly pictures. For now, life is just life. :)