Things I will miss about this pregnancy

Yes, there are actually some things I may miss about being pregnant. And just to be warned, there's a fill of belly shots in this post.

Strange as it is, I will actually miss my pregnant body. I really think I like my pregnant body more than my non-pregnant body because it is actually how it's supposed to be then. Curvy where it should be curvy (and where it usually isn't) and even if I have a big belly, at least it's firm, which will not be the case in a matter of days.  And all that excess skin that stretches forward to accomodate my growing belly will spring back into love handle position as soon as this baby is out. Blech.

I will also miss not necessarily my pregnancy cravings, but more like the foods I've been addicted to with this kid which will always remind me of this pregnancy. I took a serious loving to fresh tomatoes and mozzarella. I salt and pepper the tomatoes and then put them with a big slice of mozzarella- I get a kind from Costco, not actually a fresh mozzarella, which would be better, but this one is pretty darn moist and good. And then after weeks of eating this on a daily basis I realized the package said "whole milk mozzarella" and it finally occurred to me - oh, that's why it's so good. Isn't most the kind we get part skim?  Oh well, eat on.

And granola. I had a couple friends get me into making my own granola recently, and while I think it may actually be pretty calorically dense, I love all the good stuff I get to put in it - flax seed, wheat germ, powdered milk for some extra protein, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, nuts, whatever.  And so I eat it all the time.  And now I love seeing what I can eat it with. Besides eating it for breakfast every day, my afternoon snack has taken me through gallons of vanilla yogurt with granola in it. I've made layered parfaits with yogurt, granola and fresh fruits that have been fabulous. Some of my staples have been yogurt, granola and one of the following... chocolate chips, m&ms, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or my new favorite - pomegranates.   Mmmmm.  My latest batch is in the oven as we speak.

I will also miss the strange fact that my leg hair doesn't grow much while I'm pregnant.  Random, but the awkward-to-bend-over-belly appreciates it.

 I will miss my kids shaking my belly to get my attention. I guess it used to be my leg or something, but once I looked at that picture of my shadow with Phoenix standing there I had to laugh when I realized exactly what they see so prominently at their eye level.  No wonder the belly shake is the chosen mode of attention-getting right now.

And sleep. I've remarkably well considering my condition, and I think I've even trained myself to ignore the bladder enough to stay in bed the whole night.

But I know it's time to have the baby because every time it's my last Sunday at church before having a baby, I get a ridiculous and uncharacteristic amount of gawking and comments on my belly.  This has happened every pregnancy. Eyes follow my belly as I walk into any room, everyone gives you the you're still here? look, people comment on how huge I am, and those who know enough not to tell me how big I am give me the sympathetic smile that says, "oh, you look huge and uncomfortable, but I have enough tact not to tell you that...."






I walked into the gym for the last time the other day with my two pregnant friends, all three of us due within about the next 2 weeks. (The three of us on the left are the gym-goers - disregard the grossness of an after-gym picture, and ignore the skinny girl on the right who claims to be 24 weeks pregnant. :) We dropped our kids off at the kids club and then walked out and I said to the others, "Look, that trainer is totally laughing at us."  Then I looked up to the sea of aerobic machines in front of us and said, "Um, no.  Everyone is laughing at us!"  Seriously, 90% of the gym was staring at these three ridiculously pregnant women walking in the gym.  We must be quite the sight. They must think we have some maternity fit club or something. That's why I'm at least glad I got to work out with them for the last couple months - to at least distribute the stares among all of us.  :)  Too bad all that working out hasn't sent me into labor yet!

I will say that this muscle or ligament at the top of my belly protrusion that seems to be saying "I can't hold it any longer!!!" - is about enough to get me past the terror of having a baby. And the fact that I've had the worst back pain with this one that I have with any of my pregnancies. But even with all that, I have to admit I'm not in dire condition dying to get this baby out like I was with the twins. Thank heavens I don't feel like I did last time at the end. Just to really give myself something to appreciate at the uncomfortable end, I decided I had to have some comparison, so once again, love or hate them, here's a belly shot - twins on the left, #4 on the right:

I'm not sure it's a totally fair comparison since the one of the twins was probably 36 or 37 weeks, not 39.5 like this time, but it does give one something to appreciate.  :)