Things I miss ...

Don't get me wrong, I love being pregnant! I have had just about the easiest pregnancy thus far, and I have nothing really to complain about. Several people have told me how wrong it is that I haven't thrown up, been super nauseous, or the like, and I know how blessed I am.

However, just being pregnant in general lends to some minor sacrifices that begin to seem less and less minor by day. Though I love this child already, and I would do anything necessary to ensure its health in any way, I often find myself thinking, "Kid, you better appreciate what I'm giving up for you!" Lately, it's mostly food items. But there are so many things that I can't do now that I could before:

1. Hot dogs: I was never a huge hot dog fan, and after going through the Food Science program at the University of Tennessee, even less so. However, Neal and I found these spicy beef hot dogs at our Navy Exchange, and I kinda got hooked on them. I know they're awful for me (they have about 15g of fat per dog or something crazy like that), but they're so good! And now that I can't have them in pregnancy (because of the risk of listeria poisoning), I really want some! I'm sure it doesn't help that it's now grilling season!

2. Running: I've never been a runner. You can ask my old PE teachers, my parents, or anyone else for that matter. I've always hated it, and never really had the stamina to even bother trying. Last year, I finally got serious and started working at it, and managed to work myself up to running (at a turtle's pace) for 25 minutes straight, and was really beginning to enjoy it. I even had a goal of eventually running regular 5k's. I ended up spraining my ankle and having to start over again and never really got back to a regular schedule before we found out we were pregnant. And of course, that's the first thing the doctors told me I couldn't do.

3. Fresh mozzarella cheese: I'm in Italy, and can't take advantage of one of the best parts of being here! Of course, there was a recent scare of toxins in the local cheese, so I likely wouldn't be eating a lot anyway, but it's everywhere and really tough to avoid. And I've always loved my Caprese salads!

4. Bike riding: Neal bought me the bike I've been wanting last year, just in time for the weather to get cold. I was completely planning on riding it this Spring/Summer to get in shape, but it will have to wait another year.

5. Wine: As if it wasn't bad enough that Neal helped me develop a love for red wine before getting pregnant, I also have to deal with living in Italy without being able to drink it (other than a sip or two of Neal's every now and then). On top of that, Neal found an amazing Chilean Cabernet-Sauvignon and opened it up shortly after we found out about the baby. I had a sip, and it was one of the best reds I've tasted! Of course, now that we want to stock up for later, we can't find it anywhere, and I am super bummed about that!

6. Bikinis/tanning/laying out: I know this was never really a healthy habit anyway, but I used to love lying in the sun and (slowly) getting a tan. I think it's part of my Florida girl roots. My favorite part of my family's beach vacation every year was laying in a beach chair, tanning oil sprayed on, listening to Kenny Chesney's greatest hits, and enjoying the beach breeze! Right before we moved overseas, I started tanning here and there at a salon, and loved the way it felt! I still have my old tanning lotion, and every now and then, I go to the linen closet in our bathroom for a sniff. It's got this tropical-coconut-cocoa butter smell to it, and just makes me feel better every time. It's probably expired by now, but I keep it just to smell every so often.

7. Wearing my own clothes: I long ago stopped wearing my regular jeans, but have been able to get away with roomy/stretchy pants until recently. Lately, I've been wearing Neal's workout shorts and shirts around the house. They're just more comfortable. And until I get some new maternity clothes (on their way from my parents), I only have a pair of maternity jeans, which are a bit hot now that the weather's consistently in the 70's.

8. Feeling like I was at least in decent shape: Lately, I feel as if I'm in horrible shape. I get breathless just walking up the stairs in our house, and can't bend over to pick something up without feeling light-headed and dizzy. If I didn't know I was pregnant, I'd think something was horribly wrong.

9. Sleeping: between having to pee twice a night, fighting to find a comfortable position, weird/vivid/bad dreams, and the pillow that's now permanently between me and my husband, sleeping has become quite the challenge. I wake up easier (birds chirping, cats outside fighting, or the dog snoring can wake me up), sleep lighter, and can no longer sleep on my stomach or flat on my back, two of my all-time favorites. I guess I should just chock it up to preparing for those midnight feedings.

10. My brain: Lately it seems to be getting worse, but "mommy brain" really does stink. I was a bit forgetful to begin with, but every now and then, my mind will completely go blank! I will completely forget what I'm talking about, forget where I put things, or go into a room to do something, only to forget what the heck it was I was doing in the first place! It really stinks because you know you weren't this bad pre-pregnancy, too.