I feel like people were better at observing appropriate pregnancy etiquette during my last pregnancy. Everyone seemed to be encouraging, thoughtful and positive. This time around, however, people are much more, shall we say, blunt. Or maybe, just maybe, they are being encouraging, thoughtful and positive and I just look a whole lot worse! Here are some of the comments and reactions I get on a regular basis:
- Wow! It looks like you've doubled in size since I last saw you! (It had been 1 week)
- Laughing and shaking head in disbelief. (Oh, yes, this happened today at work. Awesome, thanks.)
- You must be due any day now. (I had 2.5 months left, not exactly "any day now")
So, bottom line is I am feeling sorry for myself. Poor me. If you want to make me feel better, you can bring me a plate of cookies. I'll show you double in size in 1 week...
Sitting here at almost 33 weeks, I actually get kind of claustrophobic and feel like I might hyperventilate when I think about all the next month and a half entails. I am going to be getting bigger and bigger and more and more uncomfortable and there is nothing I can do to stop it, slow it down, or alleviate it! Ahhhhhh, somebody help! I have felt nauseous 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the past 7.5 months and I still have 1.5 ahead! Cheerios give me heartburn. I am starting to grow out of my mid-pregnancy clothes and if I am not ultra diligent, my shirts pop up to expose the underside of my belly. I can't see it, but Amelia never misses a chance to point it out since it's pretty much all she can see when she looks up at me. And it had better warm up soon because I only have a few more millimeters until my coat doesn't fit.
Dont' get me wrong, when I actually stop to remind myself that in fact, I am not chronically ill, I am pregnant, it is all very exciting. When I remember that all this discomfort, growth and change means there is a very special little boy growing and developing inside of me, I am thrilled, giddy, anxious and excited. Sometimes, however, I forget to focus on this part and "pregnant lady-itis" takes over and I feel like I'm going to be pregnant and uncomfortable forever!
In all fairness to the comments I have been receiving, even though my weight gain has been almost identical so far, I do look a lot bigger this time around.
Here I am at 31 weeks with baby boy:
And here is 30 weeks with Amelia
38 weeks with Amelia
Ha, and no I don't wear this outfit every day when I am pregnant, I just remembered that I wore it last time and thought for a better comparison I should wear it again (although I was a week late in remembering...). But, if you want to feel sorry for me and send me some cute maternity clothes, I won't be offended.
And here's that little baby bump now. Hard to believe!
Eating "buburry" to her heart's content.
9 comments:
You look adorable, Michelle. Hang in there! Eat some buburrys with your cute little girl. ;)
Michelle, hang in there. You are SO CLOSE! Just ignore the comments - just smile and nod. ;) I think my worst was when someone asked me if I was having twins - and I still had 3 months left in my pregnancy! I think there should be a rule: only positive and happy remarks to pregnant ladies! :) You do look beautiful though. Love you!
You still have forever to go!!! ha ha just kidding:) you are so cute prego! And you produce such cute kids... well one at least so far. So keep hanging in there.
Michelle, I totally empathize with everything you're saying. I'm at 37 weeks right now and I've definitely been feeling that claustrophobia, although not from nausea but other fun symptoms (I did not even realize some of the places a person can get varicose veins!) I also have that shirt-popping-up-over-the-belly thing. So annoying. Anyway, I get it. We'll make it!! And at 3 weeks away, I can't tell you how excited I'm getting to have my little girl!! Oh yeah, and my worst comment was definitely, "Wow, your face is really filling out!" What the heck.
Katie
Hang in there! I have some more maternity clothes if you want them, let me know. You are not huge either, some people are just dumb and have no filter.
Yeah, you pretty much summed up how I'm feeling. Although, I think if we measured our bellies right now, mine would be a couple of inches bigger around, and I've got about four weeks longer to go! How can I possibly keep growing for 2.5 months?!
I love that even when you are trying to complain you still make me really smile.
Subsequent babies just pop out sooner. They don't necessarily get a whole lot bigger. You shouldn't compare pregnancies anyway, because you weren't fresh out of stretched abs last time, and you weren't chasing a toddler last time, either...both tend to make one crabbier than usual. chin up buttercup. almost done. promise.
...and by the way, I know EXACTLY what you mean about the claustrophobia thing...I remember feeling very panicky when I unreasonably considered the possibility once that my body lacked whatever it was that made one begin the labor process...I was seriously afraid I was going to be pregnant forever. Most unreasonable, I know. Even funnier (now) is that when I went into labor on the exact date I was due, it struck me that God only gives us what we can handle, and so I was then more than a little indignant with God for having so little faith in me. ;) Hormones are funny things. :)
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