Becoming Mom

Counting down the days; half excited, half nervous. Being pregnant has already changed my life and lifestyle so much. I can’t imagine how my life will once again be different once she actually arrives but I know it will change again. 

Change is scary at times but it is something I like to embrace. I’m trying to focus on the good in changing and transforming into a better person every day for myself and for my soon to be daughter. Transforming into the person I’m meant to be (whoever that is) rather than conforming to the person others think you should be can be difficult and confusing but I think it’s the road to happiness. Accepting change and embracing transformation has led me to the miracle of being on the cusp of meeting Anabelle. There is no better feeling than being just weeks away from meeting someone who will forever be an important and essential part of my life and happiness. Moncho is convinced, based on our last ultrasound that she looks like me. I don’t know that I can make any such conclusions but one thing I do know is that I hope she has his kind spirit and heart.  

"Mother and Child VII"- by artist Lila Oliver Asher

Pregnant Math

The second trimester led me to believe the following equation. Pregnancy + 100 degree weather = guilt free ice cream. However, now older, wiser, and more advanced in my gestation I've been schooled. The correct equation is...Pregnancy + 100 degree weather + 2(guilt free ice cream) = oh shit, I've gained 40 pounds.

At 34 weeks I'll be pregnant for another 6 to 8 weeks. My doctor says I should gain another 5 pounds or so before Anabelle arrives. I hope her math is right (or at least not an underestimate)!

Yummy culprit...co-conspirator with fake pregnant husband
(see "Is my Husband Pregnant" post)

34 Weeks and 3 days pregnant. Day  240 of pregnancy.
Only 40 more days to go!

Is my husband pregnant?

Luckily, Moncho doesn’t read my blog much so I can write this without him getting all hormonal on me. The question I’m asking is a serious one (insert laughter) and I’ve actually done some research into this question only to find that the fact that my husband is craving more sweets than I am, experiencing heartburn, stomach aches, and trouble sleeping is not as abnormal as one would think. I first started to wonder what was going on when one night after dinner, Monch asked me if I wanted to go get some ice cream. WHAT? This has never happened before for a few reasons. He’s not a huge ice cream fan, in fact he hates Mochi (frozen yogurt) and I usually have to twist his arm to get him to take me when I want some. Also, the random drive-by ice cream request came on a weeknight and usually once he’s home after a long 10 plus hour day it’s hard to get him to go anywhere that’s not the couch or bed…understandably. Of course, me being the pregnant one, I didn’t refuse the offer. It still seemed a little odd to me and I filed it away in my brain as a freak occurrence. The random ice cream requests and inquisitive questions about whether or not I had bought any cookies at the grocery store kept coming and it got me noticing some other things.

The other symptom that seemed to be ailing my non-pregnant husband was random nausea. Interesting, as I have been essentially nausea free throughout pretty much my whole pregnancy.  The inescapable reality of pregnancy that Mocho has managed to avoid is weight gain. Unfortunately, for him I’m pretty sure this would be one that he would actually like. He’s the type of person who loses weight if he doesn’t go to the gym. I’ve been doing pretty well in the weight gaining category though…I think we probably weigh the same now (If I’m being totally honest I think at this point I must weigh more than he does but this is a theory I’m okay with NOT testing).

Anyway, I finally figured out that Moncho was not in fact pregnant…obviously…but instead experiencing a sympathetic pregnancy otherwise known as Couvade’s Syndrome. When I looked it up I found that it is an actual diagnosis where the daddy-to-be experiences pregnancy like symptoms. It’s nice to know that my husband is so in tune with me that he is taking on some of the work of pregnancy for me and sharing in some of the fun symptoms of pregnant life!  I’ll happily go to get ice cream with him whenever he wants but if he starts asking me for foot massages I might have to draw the line.       

Pregnant Birthday

The title of my blog is now officially inaccurate (the age part not the pregnant part...but I suppose if I keep this blog up eventually it will all be a total farce). Today is my 29^th birthday and I was so happy to wake up to a kitchen table full of fun birthday presents from Moncho who serenaded me with a sweet rendition of happy birthday before he left for work (or at least I’m pretty sure he did…I was still pretty much asleep). Being a pregnant birthday girl is actually kind of fun. My birthday present to myself this year was letting myself sleep in without feeling guilty. Once I did decide to wobble out of bed after reading all of the sweet messages and Facebook posts from friends and family, I started opening my birthday presents from Moncho. In addition to possibly the most romantic birthday card I’ve ever received I can now say I’m the proud owner of some pretty cool comfy pajama sets among other fun trinkets. Now, I know this doesn’t sound even a little bit romantic or exciting but the pajamas were actually a personal request, much needed, and very happily received. This is one of the ways you know your life has already drastically changed in ways you could have never before imagined. The size of the smile on my face as I opened my pajamas was a surprise even to me.

The truth is that most of my older favorite pajama bottoms are now on a wait list until after I’m bump-less and can actually fit back into them without fear of ruin. In recent months some of my favorites have suffered some pregnancy related injuries and deaths. Yup, now I know what it’s like to sit down and hear that lovely ripping sound as the seam of my favorite pajama bottom rips in half. The added mystery of not knowing if it’s a small (injury) or big (death) rip comes thanks to my baby bump which efficiently blocks the view. On more than one occasion I’ve been clueless walking around the house only to realize my inappropriateness thanks to Moncho’s laughter.  

The weather has even cooperated with this pregnant birthday girl today and instead of the normal high 90’s and 100 degree weather we’ve been experiencing, it is now a cool mid to upper 70’s. In short, it’s the small things that make you smile when you’re a pregnant birthday girl. The cocktails will have to wait until next year…maybe I’ll splurge and have a fancy Ginger Ale tonight when Moncho takes me out to dinner.