by Rebecca on 2009-07-07
As my co-workers and friends remind me with great delight, Iʼm just four short weeks away from having a baby. Iʼm not sure why they think that I need to be reminded — August 4 has been circled on my calendar since the beginning of December. And my calendar happens to be folded on that very week in August, so it opens up to it every time. Maybe theyʼre trying to be helpful, if it seems that pregnancy has wreaked havoc on my mental state. (I donʼt think it has.)
I realized that Iʼm doing a terrible job of documenting this joyous occasion for posterity, but truth be told, thereʼs just not that much to document. Iʼve had no complications, morning sickness, backaches, goofy cravings, sleepless nights, or painful kicks in the ribs. If it werenʼt for a slightly round belly, it would be fairly easy to pretend that Iʼm not pregnant. But there are some things that Iʼd like to remember, so Iʼll put a few of them here for you.
My doctor looks like Dr. Nick on The Simpsons and is far too cool to be my doctor. Heʼs a Christian recording artist and has an earring and spiky hair.
I said that I didnʼt have any complications, which is true. The closest Iʼve come to complications is my swollen feet. It seems that my right foot is especially puffy, so I have to get up and walk around a lot, lest I start looking like I have elephant ankles. I wear flip flops to work now, with full permission from my boss. I have a doctorʼs note.
Weʼve picked a name for our baby. Some of you know what it is, but others will get to see her face and name for the first time together. Itʼs the very first name that William suggested after we found out that weʼre having a girl. (My apologies to all of you who wanted us to name her Michael, in honor of the recently and dearly departed King of Pop. Thanks for the kind suggestion, but weʼre going another route.)
I really like feeling her move around inside of me. She doesnʼt kick anything hard or bony, so her movements are gentle and pleasant. Every few hours, Iʼm reminded that sheʼs still there and doing just fine. What a considerate baby. She gets the hiccups for a few minutes every day, but I havenʼt noticed any one thing that tends to trigger them. At my 34-week appointment, her head was already down, and I think sheʼs going to stay there until sheʼs born because I can feel her feet on my right side.
At my last appointment, my doctor did an ultrasound to check on her because he thought my belly was measuring small. By his calculation, sheʼs at 30th percentile in her weight, but her head looked big. He didnʼt like that too much, but Iʼm not worried because I have a big head, too. (Iʼll let you smart alecks make an appropriate joke here. Kristin, this pause is for you.) Weʼll see how sheʼs looking at my next appointment, which is on Friday afternoon.
I kind of like wearing maternity clothes, especially the shirts. I got pretty lucky in getting some cute hand me downs and finding some great sales at the Motherhood outlet and Old Navyʼs website. But the very first time I went shopping for maternity clothes and had to try on stuff with that lumpy pillow in the dressing room, I thought I was going to die of embarrassment because the pillow was so big. I think I only bought a pair of shorts that day.
This is probably the first time in my life that I have been able to get away with having a big belly where people come up to me and say, “Your belly is so cute!” Before, I didnʼt really have an excuse for having a not very flat stomach. A few people have touched my belly with my permission, but it hasnʼt been a mad rush. Maybe I donʼt look very approachable. (Side note: why do people touch pregnant bellies? I would not go up to someone with, say, a big bottom and pat it and say, “Look how full and round your bum is!” Somehow the pregnant belly is exempted from the whole concept of personal space.)
I am not going to miss people asking me how Iʼm feeling. Again, what a boring question with an even more boring answer. Maybe I could lie and start telling people that my hemorrhoids are really flaring up and boy, am I going through my Preparation H like nobodyʼs business. Would that deter them? Probably not because (a) if it were a woman, she would probably tell me about all of her pregnancy complications, and (b) men donʼt ask that question. So, I just smile and say, “Iʼm feeling just fine, thank you. Same as always!”
The most awkward thing that someone has said to us:
Well Wisher: Congratulations, Rebecca! I hear youʼre expecting soon.
Me: Yes, weʼre having a girl in August.
Well Wisher: (turns to William) And congratulations to you, too. I understand
that you had a big part in all of this.
William: blush
Me: speechless
Ahem. Iʼm sure she meant well in her comments, but perhaps she shouldʼve winked and also elbowed him in the side when she said that.
Iʼve had some pretty weird dreams over the last few months. One recent dream involved our backyard being overrun by what looked like small flying seals.
Iʼve got another long overdue post about my baby showers, and those will have pictures. Until then …