Pregnancy is Like a Marathon

The best way I can characterize pregnancy is classifying it in terms of a major endurance event. It's a grand, long, intense, and trying but beyond rewarding, ending with a tremendous high like you've never experienced.

Part 1, the first trimester = The Swim
Scary land of the unknown, and you spend the entire time anxious for it to be over and praying you make it. The first trimester is a time of apprehension, full of what-ifs. These were regularly filling my mind and it was tough to find a quite moment. While I was so thankful and over-the-moon excited, I was cautiously optimistic.

Part 2, the second trimester = The Bike Ride
This is what many consider the most enjoyable part of pregnancy, your energy is back and while you are still tired and dealing with a few aches and pains, you can coast a bit. Focus on enjoying this time as much as possible. This is a good time to start your registry, attend your shower and do the work to get organized for your bambino(a).

Part 3, the third trimester = The Run
The last piece of the journey and the anticipation has built to an almost unbearable level. This and labor itself, are where the endurance come in, where all the patience you've learned and practice you've done will have their debut. You might be uncomfortable, anxious, and dragging your feet a bit to get things done either because you are so darn tired or because you have another little one(s) to soak up time with before bebe makes the big debut. 

As anyone who's been through it before can tell you, the reward is well worth the journey. It's really just the first step of your initiation in to motherhood.