Oh... the first trimester. Boy, that was tough. I distinctly remember only being interested in yogurt and cottage cheese (together, of course), ice cream and bread. Everything else, was completely unappealing to me.

I remember Matthew making dinner one night. I was very sensitive to strong odors and he knew that, but I guess it slipped his mind that evening. He started making dinner and immediately I started reacting - not positively, I might add. I asked him what he was making and he said, garlic calamari. Under normal circumstances, that would be a good thing, but not today. Immediately, I grabbed my mouth and ran for the bathroom, but the odor seemed to be permeating the walls. I couldn't get away from it. It was raining that night, but I didn't care, I grabbed my umbrella and spent the next hour camped out on the back deck. It was my only salvation.

Needless to say, Matthew was very careful with his meal choices from then on. Although he adores spices, he learned very quickly to do without.

This trimester I could have stayed in a bit longer. Of course, it seemed to go by the quickest of the three, but isn't that always the case.

My morning (rather 24/7) sickness was finally subsiding and my life seemed to be returning somewhat to normal. My body, however, had a mind of its own. "Normal" was defintely not the term I would apply to what was happening below my neck.

I seemed to be getting my appetite back (in spades) but by my energy level decided that it was time to take five. Naps were encouraged and I took as many as I could fit in.

The best part was feeling her move inside of me. She seemed to get on a schedule that I could count on. If she didn't move at 3:00 am, I would actually get worried and would try to wake her up.

By week 20 it was time to get an ultrasound, Matthew and I had decided to wait, but Matthew could read ultrasound. So when he announced that he knew what we were having, I had to know too. I couldn't have him know and me be in the dark for the next 20 weeks. That just wouldn't be fair. So, we found out. It's a girl!

They never told me that you can get morning sickness in the third trimester. That's just doesn't seem fair. Isn't enough to be as big as a house and not even be able to tie your own shoes?

It was exciting know that we were going to meet our daughter soon though. I was so excited to go to our hypnobirthing classes so we could be as prepared as possible for the big moment when we would welcome our little baby into this world.

We had decided that a birth plan would be a good idea, but that we wouldn't be tied to it. We would try to just roll with the punches. Well, its a good thing, because nothing went as planned. Needless to say, its a plus that you don't remember those experiences forever. Otherwise, our little Emma may have been an only child.