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IPF's. Irrational Pregnancy Fears.

I fear putting anything on my stomach because I think I will smash Baby Lovie. I even unbutton my pants after eating a big lunch (while sitting at my desk) because I don't want it to be so tight that it will cut off Baby Lovie's circulation.

I won’t even sleep on my stomach for fear I will smash my babe.

I fear becoming the size of a blimp. I feel like I have the tendencies to completely balloon in pregnancy, and it scares me. Is it weird that I am half way welcoming the morning sickness? I am a twisted sister.

If I am late taking or accidently forget to take a prenatal vitamin one day, I freak out and think that in those few hours, Baby Lovie will run out of the nutrients he needs and he will become deformed. I have been on prenatal vitamins for 4 months now (long before I even went off the pill), yet I still have this ridiculous fear. I am a freak.

What if my kid is a weirdo? What if there is nothing I can do about it.....like, he is just innately weird. (I will love the sweet little weirdy more than anything in the world, though!)

What if he is born with teeth? I will scream.

I fear failing to breathe once Baby Lovie grows bigger. I have never been able to STAND for anything to be on my stomach for a certain period of time because it makes me not be able to breathe. I am truly concerned about this.

If my belly button pops out, I will die a thousand deaths. I think that is the most disgusting thing in the world.

Any little twinge or pull I feel, I stop what I'm doing and listen. It's not like I will ever hear anything, but it's my natural response. I guess I think of it as little Baby communicating with Mommy. Or maybe he's just moving my uterus all around. But I think he is saying, "Thank you for making me!"

It's weird to think that I have a uterus. It seems like only something people my Moms age have. Like I'm not allowed to have one yet.

I am afraid to eat chocolate because I am afraid it has the same effect on little embryos as it does on puppies. Pregnancy makes me totally irrational. I am telling you.

If I stretch, I stop immediately when I remember that I'm pregnant because I am afraid of stretching Baby Lovie so much that he breaks.

I am afraid to make my shower as hot as I want it because I don't want to overheat Baby Lovie. Husby made me paranoid the other night when I took a bath. I think I will abstain from baths for the next 8 months.

I feel like if I move less, and stay still on the couch in the evenings, that Baby will grow faster.

I feel like I am the only girl in the world who has ever been pregnant. Of course I know I'm not - but I feel that way. I think I'm just THAT excited.

I fear that Baby Lovie will disintegrate. And that when I go for my next ultrasound they will say, “Hmmm, I’m not sure what happened, but he disappeared!”

I eat crackers for breakfast even if I'm not nauseus. I kind of feel like I have to. Since I'm preggers and all.

Was anyone else out there an irrational nutzoid when it came to being pregnant?
I am a modern day homemaker with a passion for family, cooking, celebrating, decorating, travel, and memory making! The Lord has blessed me with the desires of my heart in my husband and our two sons. We recently built our dream home and cultivating a loving and happy haven for my family is where I find so much joy.

Comments

  1. You are hilarious. I had fears, but I don't think they were quite as creative as yours. Enjoy pregnancy. The end result is FABULOUS !!

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  2. too funny! love your blog! As a mommy I have to tell you all this worrying is just the begining, you will spend your entire life worrying about them from the time you find out your pregnant and so on!

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  3. I think your fears are completely normal, really funny, but normal.

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  4. You are totally cracking me up! I haven't actually admitted that I'm pregnant on my blog yet, but I'm about 8 1/2 weeks along! I have had some of the exact same thoughts!

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  5. LOL!:)

    I was more an emotional nutzoid after the babies were born.

    I wanted all bottle tops to match the bottles. Period.

    I was completely convinced that no one could possibly take care of the babies like me, so I tried to do EVERYTHING by myself! (If this happens to you, call me, I will set you straight. It's not healthy.) ;)

    I was very paranoid that someone would drop my babies...especially when they were brand new...Shiver....So I was a nervous wreck when others were holding them.

    It did get better though. By the time that the boys were about 3 and 6, I would be trying to accomplish something and would scream, "Unless one of you is bleeding from the head....Leave me alone!" But I meant that in a very loving, caring, concerned way.;)

    You will be fine too! A little irrational nutzoid, but fine. And Baby Lovie will be fine too. (And if you ever need a baby sitter...Call me. I'll make sure not to drop him (or her), and while he (or she) stays with me, the bottle tops will always match the bottles. Pinky swear.

    God Bless,
    Amy:)

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  6. I love your sweet fears, they show how serious you are about getting "it" right. The whole thing. Your sweet baby and "his" health. Your sweet self and your health.

    When I was pregnant with my second child, I was irrationally fearful she would have some sort of birth defect. You see, I had this perfect first child, he was and is the most wonderful thing. But I thought God would not bless me like that again. I mean, after all, I certainly don't deserve the wonderful blessings our Father so generously gives. When she was born, I was literally counting fingers and toes, looking at her face, just trying to see if she was normal. Meanwhile, my husband is shouting his head off, "It's a girl!" It was silly, but it didn't feel silly at the time! (She is just as wonderfully perfect, btw!)

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  7. Don't worry about the missing the prenatal vitamin. You don't want to keep missing them of course but if you miss one and Baby Lovie thinks he needs something it would have provided, he'll suck it out of you where ever he can find it. So it doesn't hurt him. Just you. I forget to take mine sometimes too.

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  8. I think everyone worries... Just remember, if you get really freaked out, talk to your "mentor ladies". They'll help.

    Even after 3 healthy pregnancys, I know I worry more with #4.

    It's normal!

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  9. I laughed the whole time I was reading! I felt almost the same with all 4 of mine! I'm so excited for you and I enjoy reading your blog! You will make a wonderful Mommy!

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  10. hilarious! Since I have never been pregnant I can't comment on if this is normal or not, but it is still funny either way.

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  11. I loved reading all of your fears because it reminds me so much of me! I'm not pregnant yet, but I imagine when I am I will be very similar. You are too too funny and I really love your blog!

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  12. lol you are great! I could see myself being fearful of many of those things, but I can assure you that your baby won't be born with teeth, and you definately won't stop breathing! ...go to the bathroom every 30 minutes, yes, but not stop breathing! :D

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  13. those worries are hilarious, but sooo things I would worry about too! stil so excited for you :)

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  14. Of course we all go a tad crazy when it comes to pregnancy, and that doesn't end once the kiddo is here! But, you should remember that God makes these kids pretty tough. Realizing what the poor dears go through just to get here; they're pretty stinkin' resilient.
    You'll be fine!
    And I'm totally laughing at you for some of these. Oh, Whitney.

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  15. Um, I think it's safe to say I didn't have any IPF's. But that's another story....One day soon can we please sit face to face and discuss these fears of yours? Please?! Baby lovie is going to be here before I even get a chance to hug his momma!

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  16. I've never been pregnant either, so I have no idea if it's normal, but I think it probably is!!! :)

    Either way, this post was hilarious!

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  17. You crack me up, and I know I shouldn't laugh, because I have my own neuroses.

    Don't worry about your stomach. You will be uncomfortable WAAAAY before the baby, due to him having that nice cushion of amniotic fluid.
    Weight gain appears to be like the lottery. You can eat a whole lot of junk, like me, and gain the minimum of weight, or live off fruits and veggies and balloon up another 80 lbs. You kinda don't have a say in it, so try not to worry too much about it.

    You will run out of nutrients before the baby does, because he will steal all of yours.

    I don't know what to tell you about the teeth!

    The baby doesn't really lay on top of your lungs, he just kinda pushes them UP. I'm not gonna lie, breathing gets harder, but it's not like suffocating, it's like you ran a mile when you just climbed a stupid flight of stairs.

    My belly button is still an innie. I understand that even if it does pop out, it will go back in.

    Chocolate is okay. I've eaten PLENTY, in the form of Rocky Road ice cream most nights and Hostess Donettes.

    Babies are apparently stretchy. NOT that I'm recommending it, but you can watch videos of live births on YouTube. You should SEE how bendy they are when they're yanking the poor things out of their mothers. I used to be afraid of breaking my child - not so much anymore.

    I gave up baths. I don't like lukewarm ones, and it's a small sacrifice, I think.

    I also feel like I am the only girl in the world who has ever been pregnant sometimes. Like, MY pregancy is the only one that counts! LOL!

    I've come to realize that you never ever ever are going to stop worrying... just try to keep it reined in! :)

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  18. You are tooo funny!
    You need to stop worrying and relish in your pregnancy and just know you will be a great mom...
    You can do all those things you mentioned...even forget a vitamin here and there because your baby will be just fine.
    Actually the baby also feeds off of what you eat, the vitamins are supplements to ensure babies get all the required nutrients!

    Relax...have fun and decorate!!! No Nest your Nest LOL

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  19. That is so fun. You will look back at this blog entry when your pregnant with your third and think what was I thinking.
    I had some of the same fears on my first except the wanting morning sickness I had it so bad for so long.

    God is good he understands what your going through.

    Enjoy every minute it goes by so fast.

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  20. Whitney- my only advice is to replace your worried thoughts with the Lord's thoughts. Read what the Bible says about that baby forming in your belly and personalize it to Lovie:

    Lord, You created Lovie's inmost being. You knit him together in his mother's womb.

    We praise you because Lovie is fearfully and wonderfully made, we know that full well.

    Lovie's frame is not hidden from you as it is being made in the secret place. As it is woven together in the depths of the earth.

    Your eyes see Lovie's unformed body. All the days ordained for Lovie are written in your book before even one of them comes to be.

    How precious are YOUR THOUGHTS, O God! How vast the sum of them!

    Psalm 139:13-17

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  21. Awww. I can tell you are going to be a great mommy. You are already putting him first!

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  23. The belly button popping out means the baby's "done". Very few women don't get popped out belly buttons when they're in the last stages of pregnancy! Also, morning sickness is a good sign. Not for the weight loss, but for the reason that it means your body is adjusting to the little person inside of you and means he'll be there for a while. So, it's a good sign!

    I wouldn't take a hot bath in your first trimester.

    Don't worry so much. This is how God made our bodies to function - pregnancy is a beautiful thing.

    I think I'll throw a little Matthew at you...

    "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matt 6:34

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  24. Haaaa, yes, yes, yes, and yes! I started taking prenatals about 3-4 mos before, I laugh, but no joke I had almost all of the same fears! :) You will not become a blimp and even if you gain a lot of weight, you WILL be able to get it off! And yes, pregnancy brain is definitely a symptom, you will now have a loss for normal everyday words, you will forget things, and you will have no idea or an absolute idea of what you want to eat!

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  25. Oh my, this is SO familiar to me! I was so excited to get pregnant and then reality set in and I was a complete nervous wreck the entire time I was pregnant! I was so shocked that nobody ever told me just how much I would worry and fret over every little thing I did! I read all the books and that just made it worse. Dustin finally had to take them away. I really know exactly how you feel and sorry to say it, once Chloe was born, it just got worse with a WHOLE new set of fears! Just last night, I couldn't go to sleep until my eyes just finally collapsed closed around 2 am because I was worried for her. Thankfully, we serve a great God who I call on very, very often to take over my fear and give me peace to lovingly remind me that He is in control and He loves my baby EVEN MORE than I do. Believe me, being a mommy comes with lots of fears but the love and joy and indescribable happiness that come with the job far out way the fear. I think all the fears truly come from wanting the very best life for your child. Welcome to motherhood! ;)

    Oh, this is Becky C. by the way.

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  26. I know. For certain. I will be the SAME way one day.

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  27. You are so funny! I can't believe you unbutton your pants at your desk! I should try to catch you! I'm glad you are going through all of this now, so months/years from now I can call you with all of my irrational fears and you will be able to calm me down!

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  28. I am sure your fears are quite normal! I find them hilarious, but I'm sure your not the only one! Don't worry, you are going to have the most beautiful baby and are going to be the best mom!

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  29. Whitney, this is hilarious! I have no advice to offer (not that you were really looking for any), but I'm betting that all this nervousness and worry is only preparing you for a life full of worry and prayers said over your little one. God is probably just making room in your thought/worry/prayer life for this little one! :)

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  30. While I might not have had the same fears as you, I had my share of worries and doubts. Welcome to the rest of your life as a mommy:) Just wait until the baby is here. That's when the fun begins! You will be fine though. Just continue to take care of yourself. Eat healthy and get your rest. Baby will be here before you know it!!

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  31. Oh, wow I can't imagine! I think I will be paranoid also. Everything will turn out perfect:) Just wait and see!

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  32. I have to laugh. I don't quite understand yet but I'm sure I will in due time. I know that you have all these worries because thats what moms should do!

    I think you are normal - but I also think there is no such thing as normal.

    You are already making such a great mom.

    I do think that the poking belly buttons are cute though. heheh

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  33. I am sure everything you are thinking is 100% normal!! I can't wait to hear about the weird cravings.. Have a great weekend!!

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  34. P.S. That is neat that you know people that go where I went..I really liked Liberty, but it has gotten SOOO big in recent years!!

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  35. so funny!!! i would be worried about some of the exact same things!

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  36. Every woman has crazy fears when pregnant -- some of us just own up to them better than others. Think about all the great things of being pregnant though -- your hair gets full and so very healthy and grows rapidly (I loved my hair while pg), you get that healthy, radiant glow, the 2nd trimester you get such a burst of energy and feel so good (at least I did), food tastes so good and you get to eat it without feeling guilty!!! It's such an exciting time that I wished I had done it more than twice. Of course I remember then mine are teenagers now and oh so moody. Enjoy!

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  37. I remember jumping up and down and calling my husband the first and only time I had morning sickness. It made me feel oh-so-officially PREGNANT!

    Congratulations!

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  38. You are so funny..
    I can't wait to hear more about your fears.. I am sure you will have new ones daily..

    I wish I could offer words of advice or tell of my own pregnancy fears.. but I cannot.. so I will just enjoy yours and hope that your fears don't cause you to much anxiety..

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  39. I have these same exact thoughts! Especially the one about the baby disappearing! I worry all the time that he'll just go away. No reason or anything. Just vaporize.

    Weird!

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  40. Please sleep on your stomach!!! I got to the point when I physically couldn't(like trying to sleep on a beach ball) and then I couldnt sleep at all! I couldn't wait to have my babes just to sleep on my tummy again...Enjoy it while you can...but yes, irrational fears are par for the course. I won't list mine, because it could add to your list!

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  41. I know where you're coming from! The belly button thing freaks me out too, I'm still an innie so far - It's disappearing though. Mike makes fun of me for it. Nearly every new pain or feeling I had in the beginning, I called my doctor to make sure it was normal. I fainted one morning in the bathroom & bruised my forehead from the fall, that's been the scariest thing that's happened so far...
    Now I'm worried about this eye twitch thing & I've started having "morning sickness" - waited until the final trimester for the fun stuff :-)

    Hope you can rest easier :-)

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  42. :) You're so cute.

    Stop, breath and enjoy this wonderful journey you are on!

    :) Your baby will be as lovely as you.

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  43. Oh my gosh you're funny! But truth be told, I was the EXACT same way (except for the teeth thing!). I was worried from the "positive" until I heard the heartbeat. Then I'd worry until I felt the little one move for the first time...worry if I didn't feel it move...worry til I saw the next sonogram... Mommyhood breeds neurotics. :)

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  45. HAHAHAHA you are so cute. YES, i had so many of the same fears (not sleeping on stomach, not taking pills, having something on my stomach) TRUST ME, your baby will be fine. #1 - your baby is sooo well insulated in there under layers and layers of stuff that putting something on your stomach or sleeping on your stomach is 100% FINE as long as its confortable for you. at the end of the pregnancy you wont be able to sleep on your belly bcause youll be too big! :) #2 - not taking the prenatals will not cause your baby to shrivel! lol! they are more for you, because the baby will take all your nutrients and you need to replace them so you stay healthy :)
    but really hot showers and baths are out, doll.
    good luck and try to enjoy it!!

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  46. Oh yeah, we were all nuts. But I never took a prenatal because they made me sick and constipated! I only took Folic Acid. You'll be fine...get all your sleep now because when you get bigger, oh it's impossible.

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  47. This is only the beginning...This is a precious life that you and husby created and you want to protect him/her with everything you have. You will make a fine mother. I still fear for my kids and they are adults. It never ends, but it is worth it.

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  48. I died reading all of these Whitney, you are something else!! You can still be sleeping on your belly if you want and if I were you I WOULD until that bump wont let you anymore. I have slept on my belly every minute of sleep since having Carsyn, I missed it! But honestly, I made up every fear imaginable, Drew wanted to check me into the mental ward by the time I had her!! good luck!

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  49. That's hilarious! I agree with Shannon--sleep on your tummy while you can! There's so much cushion in there, you will not be able to squish Baby G! And I TOTALLY blimped up with Caleb, but it turns out the vast majority of it was just fluids (gross, but a relief) and I'm amazed when I look in the mirror. I'm almost back to normal and it's only been a week! I pray you don't get morning sickness. I did and I still blimped up later! All that matters is that the baby is healthy and growing. You'll be just fine!!

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  50. ;) With Bailey (my first) I ate almost zero chocolate. My father-in-law even worried that the baby would come out not liking chocolate. Believe me, the boy LOVES chocolate! I ate more chocolate with each passing pregnancy! Well, I put a birth story of my 1st on my blog. You may or MAY NOT want to read it! ;) I have always loved hearing birth stories, especially when pregnant! Also, I never told you, the cheesecake was AWESOME and I intend to snatch some of your other recipes!

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  51. Very funny!
    Just came across your blog, 1st timer :-) Congrats! Enjoy the pregnancy. It's a great feeling carrying someone inside you. Mine is 11 months now.
    Adore By Nat

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  52. Hey, I popped in from my friend's blog. Just wanted to let you know a couple things to (hopefully) set your mind at rest. I should know, this is my 3rd pregnancy!

    Baby's surrounded by all that amniotic fluid, so it's like a major insulation thing going on. I still find myself sleeping on my stomach a lot (unintentionally) at 15 weeks.

    Your body will give the baby its own nutrients before going for the vitamins. That's why pregnant women need calcium, because babies will literally leech it out of your bones!

    And the best thing? The worrying? It only gets WORSE! Once they're out and running around you have 900 things to worry about!

    Many blessings! Hope this pregnancy goes well without any hiccups.

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  53. To me, being a first time mother, you are allowed to think whatever you want. But after when the baby comes, don't try to be a super mom and do everything yourself. Make sure hubby does his share. Make sure you get some alone time to yourself, even if its to take a long bubble bath. Who cares if the laundry/dishes/house cleaning doesn't get done for a couple of days. I didn't do any of the above because I thought I had to do it all and i ended up with post-partum depression. Of course, I didn't admit it until my child was over a year old but it is a scary thing to go through. Only by the grace of God is my child alive and healthy today.

    But I'm getting ahead of myself here. Enjoy your pregnancy. There's nothing like the baby moving, kicking, making you scratch your belly because he/she's tickling you from the inside.

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  54. Some of those fears are very creative - sounds like something I would come up with! Don't let them take control though - remember, "When I am afraid, I will trust in You."

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  55. After three months you should be good to take baths. But they should still be just warm. I only like extremely hot baths, so I just didn't take baths while I was pregnant. There are lots of things you give up, but it's all worth it in the end. This is Becca Foster (Parker)

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  56. That was too funny. When I was pregnant with my daughter and ran imto completion they put some sort of machine on my stomach to monitor her and my lord it felt like a transport truck was parked on me.

    I kept freaking and eventually had them remove it.

    I can't explain it, but I was in sooooo much discomfort at the time.

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  57. You made me laugh. Your concerns are real and you will soon realize that your tummy is like a big cushiony bubble wrap that keeps your little love muffin safe.

    Don't worry so much and enjoy this time. So what if you gain a little bit of weight. It will come off in time.

    As far as worrying about our kids.... my oldest is in his 20s and I worry about him daily. I think that is a sign of a real mom. These kids pull at our heart strings every day.

    Good luck with your pregnancy and E-N-J-O-Y yourself and enjoy being pregnant.

    By the way, you have a really cute blog!!!

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  58. So I've been meaning to ask Heath about the "natal teeth" since you posted this and I finally got around to it this morning.

    He says it's very rare, but he has seen babies at his residency with them. I know that's not what you wanted to hear, but the point is, natal teeth are RARE...like 1 in 8000 odds.

    Your precious baby will not have them! ;)

    You're craking me up with the preggers tales. I love it!

    Annie

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