After using a bella band for a couple weeks, I finally broke down and bought maternity pants last week, right before my 16 week mark. I got some pretty sweet deals. I even bought a couple cute blouses, but honestly, I hated the way I looked the day I wore one of them. I feel much cuter in my normal clothes stretched over my swelling waistline. Someone asked in surprise, “You’re already wearing maternity??” Well, yes, I am. The bella band is awesome, but I can’t even zip my pants anymore and my trusty size 4 jeans are just painful now. My new pants, however, yielded the most liberating feeling I’ve ever experienced from a wardrobe item… I could finally breathe again! I’m “showing” more at the end of the day as my abs get tired and especially after constantly bending over at work. I wonder if massage therapists have the biggest pregnant bellies. I have to admit, it’s getting really annoying when people say “Wow you’re really showing early!” Especially moms. Well, I have news for you, my pelvis is narrow and my torso is short, and I’ve always been pretty slim. This kid has nowhere to go but out in front, so you can stuff it. It seems like the only moms that have understood are those that are even more narrow-waisted than I. *sigh* Okay, sorry. I’m 4 months and ready for people stop commenting about the fact that I’m looking potbellied. I dare you to poke it. It’s firm, not fatty.
Next week will be an exciting week for me. I will have my first prenatal appointment! Yes, I’ll be 17 weeks, which is considered late for a first appointment. But again, all those stuffy well-wisher advice-givers can get over it. That was the first available. I’ll get to meet my 2 midwives in person and proudly explain how well I’ve taken care of myself. Some of you have asked how I already know the gender without having gone to a prenatal appointment. One word: connections. *wink* Let’s just say I know the right people. And actually, seeing on screen how healthy that boy is has really eased my worries associated with a delayed appointment. Anyway… 2 days after my appointment, Gabriel and I will start our pregnancy class! I’m pretty excited about this. And the third thing that happens next week, which is the best part of all, is the one year anniversary of when Gabriel and I officially started dating! I think we both knew right from the start that we would someday get married, but I don’t know that either of us imagined that we’d be so blessed in the coming year. I know I never in my dreams thought I would be 4 months pregnant on the one year anniversary of beginning this beautiful, God-ordained relationship. I love my best friend.
I haven’t written since before Christmas, so let me just fill you in on a few events. Our first Christmas together was the best one I’ve ever had. Knowing that it would probably be the only Christmas we’d ever have with it being just the two of us, I soaked it in as best as I could. It was a very white Christmas, blizzardly in fact. But it was so beautiful. We sat together by the tree and I watched the snow falling outside while Gabriel read aloud about the birth of Jesus. Opening presents was a lot of fun. Then Gabe cooked an amazing breakfast and our friend Cory came over to eat with us. Cory, being an experienced driver during snow storms, drove the 3 of us to the park, where the boys played a couple hours of disc golf in a foot of snow and 30 mph winds. Crazy? Yeah maybe. But it was awesome. The rest of the day was gloriously lazy as we watched Milo & Otis and took an afternoon nap.
My parents came a couple days later, which I was really excited about, and spent the day with us on Sunday. After church, we ate at Aladdin’s and later had dinner at Jazz Louisiana Restaurant (live music). The OneThing conference was also that week, but I only made it for 2 of the days because of work. There were 20,000 people there. On New Year’s Day, Gabe and I spent the day watching football with my parents and finished off the day with dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant on Main Street.
As you may have noticed, I started a “Recipes” page. It will be slow in coming because I haven’t been cooking/baking a lot lately, but I still wanted to have a place to share the recipes I’ve discovered or created. Feel free to check it out!
This picture was taken last week.
12/29/09 = 15weeks
