Pregnancy

Everyone says each pregnancy is different but I couldn't have imagined how different they would be. I'm gonna try to do a little comparison so I don't forget :)

• With Neena: Found out with a bunch of friends at a friend's apartment; they actually bought the test for me b/c they were convinced before me. Not trying but had baby fever. Found out on Jan 24th, 2004.
• With Isaac: Found out at home; had taken 2 tests that said negative (from the Dollar Store), one that I forgot to read till it was past the time for it to be valid & it looked positive, & after it I was out & had to wait till the next a.m. to go to the store for another. I was at Kroger at 6 a.m. Got home, took it, & couldn't believe it! I had been "fertility tracking" online & it was our first month to "try."
• Neena: No morning sickness, whatsoever.
• Isaac: 5 weeks of miserable morning sickness
• Neena: No caffeine, whatsoever
• Isaac: Started out not even eating out so I could eat totally organic...after morning sickness, I ate whatever, whenever & decided a little caffeine wouldn't kill either of us ;)
• Neena: Extreme exhaustion
• Isaac: Extreme hunger.
• Neena: VERY few Braxton Hicks contractions; didn't even know what they were
• Isaac: Tons of contractions
• Neena: Rib pain for months
• Isaac: Pubis (sp?) bone pain for months & rib pain at the end
• Neena: Movement was spontaneous & ALL over the place
• Isaac: Movement is always the same; stays in the same position
• Both: Weight gain looks to be about the same: 30 lbs w/ each
• Both: Picked their names immediately after finding out the sex. Funny thing--when we thought Isaac was a girl, we couldn't come up with a name! As soon as we found out he was a boy, we chose right away! Oh, & didn't have the names as choices before we found out, either.
• Neena: no weird side effects
• Isaac: every weird side effect known to pregnancy!

That's all I can think of for now. I am hoping for a very different delivery than I had with Neena but with the same amount of enjoyment & happiness :) With her, the docs took over completely & I was induced. With him, I'm hoping for as natural as possible!

I have to share a story about Neena now. The other day, we were on the way home & found a girl about my age walking in the cold rain carrying groceries. I turned around & went & picked her up. Not my normal routine for people on the road but, c'mon people, she was OBVIOUSLY not dangerous & could OBVIOUSLY use a little help. So we brought her home--found out she lived with her dad, his car was broken down, & she was out to get groceries to feed her 17-month old son. Break. My. Heart.

Neena was very excited about helping the girl. Since then, EVERY person we've seen on the side of the road, including a Shriner out collecting money today, she's tried to convince me to pick up. The girl's got a huge heart :) I hope she never stops loving people like she loves them now. That was my #1 prayer for her before she was born: to love God & love people--and I see that answered prayer every day. Thank you Lord!