1. This is the best care I have ever given myself.
I thought about this yesterday morning as I was getting ready to go to a yoga workshop. I was fixing a snack of fresh pineapples and raw cashews in order to get the appropriate vitamins for the baby. In regards to food and stress levels, this is the best I have ever taken care of myself. I make sure that I have plenty of rest as well as feel good emotionally and physically. Though I often crave and indulge in sweets and fattening foods (like I mentioned in a previous post), I am conscientious about counteracting those meals with healthy ones and religiously taking my prenatal vitamins. I also have been drinking tons of water which is a must in pregnancy.
2. Pregnancy has done wonders for my skin.
You hear horror stories about women getting atrocious acne and skin problems while pregnant. I cringe when I see the poor women on ProActiv commercials with woes of painful, cystic acne that started in pregnancy and didn't go away after the birth. I have been extremely lucky in the fact that my skin has actually improved in pregnancy. I have been told that I do have that glowing effect (I enhance it a little bit with makeup :) ). I also have been very lucky (so far) to not have gotten any stretch marks or chloasma (dark patches on face). I have also been very fortunate not to have an itchy belly, which can be very common in pregnancy.
3. People care about you.
I know that this statement contradicts the post I put on Facebook about the horrible things people say to you during pregnancy (e.g., "Are you having twins?" No "Are you sure?"). Fortunately, in the majority of my encounters with individuals, they geniunely are concerned about my and baby's well being. Working at a two schools, I was surprised at how many that many of the young males I work with exhibit geniune concern for me (not in a creepy Mary Laterno way). For example, my carpal tunneled hands are very clumsy and I am constantly dropping things. Not a day goings by that this happens and a male student kindly says, "Don't worry Ms. P, I got it. You don't want to be hurting yourself or the baby." It's amazing that these students can show such kindness to me.
4. It's the one time in my life when it's okay to slack off.
I didn't work out today... or this week, so what! I'm too tired. I'm going to slack off a little at work today, good for you! This is the one time when it is totally okay to be a slacker. Okay, maybe eating a pint of ice cream on a regular basis is not that good for you, but if that delicious pint happens to satisfy your craving, don't worry about it. It was weird hearing my doctor tell me that my body is supposed to be gaining fat right now in preparation for supporting the baby now and later. Adam always says "You're eating for two!" Last night when I told him that that excuse really doesn't work because the baby only weighs 2 1/2 lbs right now, his response was, "Okay your eating for you, our baby, and his/her apartment in your belly." My husband is such a wise man...
5. Despite what you think or how you feel, your body is going through something amazing.
Okay, here is were I get sentimentally cheesy on you... but it is true, pregnancy is really an amazing thing. To think that my body is capable of creating and sustaining a life is truly mind blowing. On top of that, without much conscious thought the body does what it has to do... it adapts. I never knew myself in such a way.
6. I am very lucky.
Here is where I count my blessings. Overall, despite feeling yucky sometimes, I have had a very healthy pregnancy and developing baby. There are many women who struggle with health and emotional issues through pregnancy and/or even conception, though they do everything by the book. I have splurged and pushed limits at times, and yet my body is still resilient and strong enough to promote healthy growth in my baby. This is truly a blessing.
7. You get noticed when you walk into a room/people are drawn to you.
I am not usually one who craves attention all the time, but a little is comforting every now and then. When you are pregnant, you get noticed. Well, of course you get noticed for obvious reasons, sometimes you're hard to miss. However, I am a pretty good reader of people and often when I walk into a room people are looking at me in awe. Trust me, I am not that special. Some people's faces clearly state, "Wow, she's huge!" or "That poor girl!". But, the majority of the people's faces that stop what they are doing to take a glance at me say, "Wow, she carrying another life and that is pretty cool."
Same concept goes with the touching of the belly. Granted, I am not letting the random creeper with the porn mustache across the room come and massage my belly. However, most of the time, I don't mind when people I know touch my belly because I know they are doing so in awe, drawn to the amazement of pregnancy.
8. You get showered.
Duh. Who doesn't love presents? Even though they are technically for your baby, it feels wonderful when people are so kind and generous to give you a gift.
9. Precious moments (not the figurines sold at Hallmark stores).
It is such an intimate moment when I feel my little Peanut squirming in my belly. We have created this ritual where I will rub, poke, and pat my belly and get a kick, elbow, knee, booty/head butt, and/or all of the above in return. One of my favorite times of the day is my morning commute to work. I turn up the music loud and sing along as Peanut dances in my belly. I really hope that we will be able to continue this tradition once Peanut enters the world...
10. My husband thinks I am beautiful.
Ideally, husbands are supposed to think their wives are beautiful. I guess that goes along with the vow "through good times and bad"... physically. My husband has always told me that I am beautiful, even before I was pregnant. However, every now and then I will catch him staring at me with such love and awe in his eyes, it truly makes me feel beautiful. Such a wonderful thing to share with your partner in life and soon in parenthood.
There you have it! To conclude, I give you a picture of me at 29 weeks pregnant. I can't believe I am only 11 weeks away from having a baby in my arms!
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