what i’ve learned from pregnancy

I had thought of an entire list of things I have learned throughout my pregnancy, such as having really good genetics (thanks Mom + Dad) and that every pregnancy is different, thankfully.  But, there was one big thing that I kept coming back to.  LOVE.  I have learned so much about love – being loved + loving.

I can truly say the past 9 months have honestly been the best of my life.  Yes, there have been hard times and I do tend to break down pretty easily.  But overall, my entire pregnancy has been absolutely amazing!  And a lot of that has to do with how loved I have felt and how I have learned to love more than I ever thought humanly possible.  (Yes, I know, once I actually have my baby girl in my arms, my perspective will completely change once again.)

One of the biggest things I have taken away from pregnancy was just how much I could love my body.  It certainly can do amazing things.  Growing a baby definitely isn’t an easy thing to do.  When I first found out I was pregnant, I was scared to death about gaining weight.  Now, I worry if I don’t gain weight out of fear my baby isn’t growing.  I’ve loved watching my belly get bigger, and even with the other changes (bigger boobs, face, arms, hips, etc.), I have enjoyed watching my body adapt and grow as my pregnancy progresses.

I’ve stopped working out for vanity and am instead working out for mine + my baby’s health.  I have loved running more than I ever though I could simply because it makes me feel good.  I don’t need to be training for a race to enjoy hitting the pavement (or treadmill).  I’ve learned how to eat to fuel my body appropriately instead trying to deprive it from what it needs.  For someone who has feared weight gain for years, I have loved watching the scale go up.  I love my body for all that it can do and will definitely miss my pregnant belly once my baby arrives.  But, I also will continue living an active + healthy life and treating my body the way it should be treated so I can live as an example for my daughter.

I have also learned how to love more than I ever thought was possible.  I haven’t seen her face and haven’t held her in my arms, but I love this little girl so much already.  We have spent 9 incredible months together and I have grown to love her through her kicks, punches, and hiccups.  I talk to her constantly so she knows my voice and tell her how excited I am for her to make her appearance (not yet though).  I want her to know how loved she is already, before she is even born.

 

And as much as I already loved Matt, I have grown to love him even more.  I don’t want you to think our relationship is perfect + we don’t have to work at it, because that is far from the truth.  But, he has been so amazingly supportive through my entire pregnancy.  He has stuck through the emotional roller coaster that is pregnancy and held my hand when I needed him most.  I already know he is going to be an amazing dad just the way he cares so much about my + our baby’s well being.  My love for him grows on a daily basis, and I know that seeing him hold our baby for the first time will make me love him even more.

And last, but certainly not least, I have learned just how much I could be loved.  It doesn’t matter if I have known them my entire life, known them a few months, or never even met them.  I feel like I am – we are – loved more than words can express.  From throwing baby showers for us, to bringing us hand-me-down clothes, to asking how we are doing, to leaving sweet comments on my blog, Facebook, or Twitter, I am overwhelmed by the amount of love people have shown me + my family over the past 9 months.  I am feel so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life!  I cannot even begin to express the gratitude I have for each and every person who has shown their love + support over Matt, myself, and our soon-to-be daughter.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for teaching me what love is and how to love.  We are so blessed to be bringing this baby into the world knowing she is already loved by so many of you.  Pregnancy has definitely been the best experience of my life and I have every one of you to thank for making the past 9 months so memorable.