looking back on the last 39 weeks

when i found out i was pregnant i immediately made the following statements:

• i will not pig out just because i'm pregnant. i will only gain the 25-30lbs you are supposed to gain
• i won't eat junk food. when i snack, it will be organic produce because what i eat feeds my baby
• i won't complain. it is a gift to be able to grow and carry a baby. a gift that so many aren't blessed with.

this is what my pregnancy was really like:

• i'm gonna go ahead and throw out a number here. because i need to own up to it...  64lbs. omg.
• chocolate milk, sugary cereal (like 4 bowls a day sometimes), ice dream cones, candy, cakes, pasta
• crying, whining, making jake rub my back and feet, making jake play with my hair until i fall asleep, begging a baby to hurry the heck up because i can't stand one more freaking night of near suffocation every time i roll onto my back for 2 seconds, making jake run some hot water in the tub so i can soak my feet... (poor jake!)

this is what i'll do differently next time:

• not eat everything that isn't moving. 
• know beforehand and mentally prepare that pregnancy changes EVERYTHING about your body.
• set more realistic expectations for myself
• walk more, whine less

things i'm looking forward to about not being pregnant:

• holding a wittle, bitty baby and being able to smell her little baby-scented head any time i want.
• starting weight watchers and getting back into my old clothes that i miss so much. i'm looking at you, jcrew cords. 
• watching jake be a dad. 
• sleeping on my back, shave my legs while standing up, being able to pick up something off the floor when i drop it, painting my own toenails, not wearing carpal tunnel gloves and being able to feel my fingers again
• pickle martinis, raw oysters and sushi 

things i'll miss about being pregnant:

• feeling a little butt pressed against the upper right side of my stomach, sitting on the couch watching poppy do somersaults
• the food!
• the smiles and "congrats" and well wishes you get from strangers out in public 
• being excused from having to do anything you don't want to do. "oh, you don't worry about doing that! you're pregnant... let me get that for you." :)
• having poppy all to myself

photo by caroline ziebarth 

jake has almost sworn off any more kids after dealing with me crying and pitching fits almost every night, but i owe it to poppy to have more kids so she can have what i have with my sister and brother. so buckle up, jake! these next few years are gonna be hell challenging! :)

photo by caroline ziebarth

love, michel