Notes from the Crib
Kylie Nelson-Louttit

June 6th, 2007

 

It is amazing how much your life can change in the span of one year. Last May I was engaged, living in a lovely townhome in the Vancouver area, and working as a legal secretary in a fascinating area of law. Fast-forward twelve months and I am married, living in a very small town, and 37 weeks pregnant.

I never thought that I was the maternal type and, seeing as how infants cry whenever I am near, I’m pretty sure that they can smell my fear. I’m not one to coo and use baby talk when around small children—I always felt that it mocks their intelligence. When I met Kevin, however, that all changed and we knew that we wanted a family together. We just didn’t think that it would happen so fast.

After being engaged for three and a half years, we were married in Las Vegas in September 2006 and had only been “trying” for about two months. The morning before our wedding I woke up with a strange feeling in my stomach—I made a beeline for the nearest pharmacy. Surprise! I was pregnant. We both agreed that we would wait until after the first trimester before we told our family and friends. But excitement got the better of us, and everyone knew within the week.

With a baby on the way and the cost of living in Vancouver becoming too much of a burden, we decided to Kevin’s hometown of Kitimat, British Columbia. Because of the lack of employment opportunities for me, I elected to stay at home while Kevin works a journeyman electrician. Boredom quickly set in. I found myself living a sedentary lifestyle watching daytime television in the land of perpetual ice and snow. Weekend trips to the Wal-Mart in Terrace soon became something to look forward to, almost like a little vacation. Thankfully, May has arrived, and with it the promise of sunshine, warm weather and a little bundle of joy to love and care for.

Despite morning sickness, moodiness, and almost constant complaints of discomfort, I have enjoyed being pregnant. My time at home has allowed me to focus on my pregnancy and contemplate the experience, both physically and emotionally.

Pregnancy is a time of learning and growth (in more ways than one); your patience and strength are definitely put to the test. There is a thrill in feeling those first fluttering movements and seeing your little one on the ultrasound screen, waving his hand in the air as if to say “Hi Mommy!” One of my proudest moments was being able to survive a blood test without any tears or drama—knowing that you are doing it for your child makes it easier.

The first of many lessons that I learned is that pregnancy is not a graceful or comfortable affair. For me it all started with dizzy spells and frequent dashes to the washroom. Morning sickness had become my worst enemy. There were several instances of getting to the bus stop only to turn around and rush home.

In the second trimester my belly began to grow and my pre-pregnancy clothes no longer fit. Living in a small town forced me to do the majority of my maternity wear shopping online and by mail order. My initial excitement at seeing the boxes of clothing arrive was diminished by the sight of them. Let me tell you, there is nothing sexy about a pair of pants with a 12-inch elastic band around the waist! Fearing the inevitable stretch marks, I applied lotions and creams with a religious devotion. So far my efforts have paid off and my belly has not been plagued by the marks of a growing baby.

Another feature of pregnancy I was unprepared for is a lack of coordination. At the best of times I am not the most graceful person. I didn’t participate in sports or dance in school and frequently sported bruises on account of having two left feet. This becomes even more problematic during the final stage of pregnancy. Joint pain and the inability to see my feet has made me prone to tripping on invisible cracks in the sidewalk, stubbing my toes on furniture, and stepping on the tails of our three cats. I am sure they will forgive me eventually, or just stay clear of me altogether. Donald Duck has got nothing on my waddle.

So here I sit in the final weeks of my pregnancy. Many a pint of Ben & Jerry’s has been consumed and many a tear has been shed over the simplest of things. The nursery is almost finished and Baby Dylan’s clothes are washed and ready for the onslaught of spit up and leaky diapers. Will he be early or late? What if the ultrasound was wrong and he isn’t a he at all? How will I cope with the sleepless nights? Most importantly, will I be a good mommy? I can’t wait to share with you the experience of the first time I hold my son and how I adapt to motherhood. Stay tuned for stories of first smiles, first tears, and everything in between. 

Look for further issues of Crib Notes and continue to read about Kylie's adventures in upcoming issues of Edwards Magazine.

Photo Credits: All photos associated with this article obtained through permission of Kylie Nelson-Louttit.