I'm Pregnant.
23 weeks in with a healthy, beautiful baby girl.
Wow. I can hardly believe I'm announcing this to everyone — it still feels like I'm roleplaying. I've been joking that my expanding belly and my relentless craving for Italian subs, apple pies, and pickles must be coincidental.
But here's the heartfelt truth: I'm 23 weeks along, expecting a wonderful little girl. Reyce and I are a bundle of emotions — thrilled, grateful, a bit terrified, and incredibly humbled by the upcoming journey of parenthood.
I cannot wait to meet her.
I'm mindfully sharing our news, conscious of other mothers' diverse paths. In this season of my life, I've been graced with immense privilege, and I cherish every precious moment.
My pregnancy journey has been unbelievably smooth — no troubling symptoms, no frantic hospital visits, no dramatic physical changes that would make me hesitate to undertake this adventure again.
In the beginning, though, I was exhausted. The first trimester was an actual test of my strength, especially in the sweltering summer heat of Arizona. The oppressive heat waves were a force to reckon with, and the extended daylight hours weighed heavily on me mentally. The idea of a casual stroll was daunting due to the risk of overheating, and my appetite often waned.
Yet, I escaped the everyday plights of nausea and migraines. Remarkably, I felt well enough to endure and actively participate in a 3-day music festival for my best friend's bachelorette party at just 10 weeks — right in the thick of hormonal upheaval. For that, I'm f*cking proud of myself.
I went to great lengths to keep our news our own for as long as possible. I pretended to drink on the Fourth of July and at my birthday dinner, and I conjured up every ounce of energy I could muster before social gatherings to keep myself awake. Frankly, we didn’t tell most of our group until near the end of the first trimester.
Preserving this beautiful secret just between Reyce and me meant sharing an intimate connection, a bond strengthened by our shared joy.
That level of secret closeness was so special to us.
How I Found Out:
June 28th, 2023
I stepped away from my computer, took a brief half-hour nap, and then decided to take the pregnancy test. I had an exceptionally emotional tantrum the day before and realized I was two days late for my period. After connecting the dots from what happened during our nights in Costa Rica the month earlier (TMI?), it was time to take the proverbial plunge and "pee on a stick."
Before I could finish toweling off, the positive sign appeared so quickly that it made my heart race. There was Reyce, still at work with hours to go, and here I was, shaking with such intense eagerness to share our news. Overcome with emotion, I settled onto the cool concrete floor, letting out tears of pure happiness alongside our dogs — who, I'm convinced, felt the shift in my spirit, even if they couldn't understand the exact reason.
When Reyce walked through the door, I showed him the test carefully placed alongside a note in a basket brimming with apples, tomatoes, and sunflowers from our garden. He was moved to tears, completely taken aback. We embraced one another that lasted an hour before we had to compose ourselves to head out to a Diamondback baseball game with our family — our brand-new secret snug between us.
That Wednesday was the most wonderfully unpredictable day I've ever had.
What's Kept Me Grounded:
In perfect Natalie fashion, here’s a list of the past 6 months’ routine that kept me sane during all the beautiful, scary changes.
A nightly ritual of hot lemon water before bed.
Early morning walks and dedicating time at the gym for focused workouts.
Calming at-home yoga sessions to find my balance.
Whipping up those long-bookmarked Pinterest recipes in my kitchen.
Enjoying bubble baths free from digital screens.
Diving into niche Reddit threads, I revel in the boldness of women who play by their own rules.
Dressing up just for the sheer joy of feeling sexy. Well, as sexy as I can be with a growing uterus and low-back pain.
Embracing all my pre-pregnancy activities — socializing, gardening, cleaning, exercising, picking up new skills, and launching into big projects. The wine will have to wait, but everything else is fair game.
Casual journaling in my Apple Notes or documenting memories in my pregnancy journal.
Staying busy with work and remaining creatively fresh keeps my mind clear of the deep-seated worries that typically lurk.
Heart-to-heart conversations with Reyce, my rock, who always knows how to soothe my tears and bring reason to my day. His support is something I will forever be grateful for.
But most importantly — not taking everything so damn seriously.
There's room for self-compassion and a good laugh along the way. There's no rule that the nursery must be picture-perfect by the end of the second trimester or that I must have all the answers now. I'm so thankful for my friends who keep me grounded with their ridiculous humor and still invite me out, knowing I will likely be the first to call it a night.
It's a gentle nudge to myself that I'm not charting new territory here. I'm part of a continuum — many have tread this path before me, and many will follow. The rollercoaster of emotions, whether fear, sadness, or pure excitement, is all part of this shared human experience.
Lean into it, not against it.
