We are well past the 37 week mark which means our baby is cleared for take off. Born now, he or she would not be premature and likely have no complications. If he/she is anything like me, you can expect an arrival right around the due date or soon after. If the baby takes after their dad, they will arrive early with plenty of time to spare. Either way I’m skating on thin ice.
It seems like just yesterday I was writing a post to all of you sharing the news. This pregnancy has flown by, and in many ways I’m grateful for that. I will chalk it up to a busy schedule which left me little room to think about each ache and pain and forced me to keep going. Mary Dougherty Photography runs a tight ship :) In addition to keeping busy, there are a few things I couldn’t have done without and they include:
An Isabella Oliver Wrap Shirt I didn’t buy many maternity clothes; in fact I discovered a few things I already owned looked better on me pregnant – strange but true. One thing I did invest in was an Isabella Oliver shirt. After a particularly frumpy day I complained to Matt that I felt terrible about myself. He reminded me that I was borrowing his clothes and wearing things that were too big, so it was no wonder I felt the way I did (honest, but true). He suggested I buy something that fit, so I did. I found the blue wrap shirt on sale and got out of my “I feel bad about myself and the way I look” funk. If only solving other problems was as easy. Having even a few nice things to wear in the last few months really does make a huge difference, and I only wish I had this shirt sooner since it can fit at any stage.
Lulelemon Groove Pants To say that I lived in this pants for the past nine months would be accurate. While I don’t live in a place where hip moms come from the gym for coffee in their lululemon gear, I’ve heard about them and all I can say is… I get it. These pants make you feel good about yourself even when you are gaining weight. I don’t know what could be better.
Skittles + Fruit Snacks. I did have a month or two where Skittles sounded like the most logical thing to eat. I never buy candy in the grocery store and I won’t forget Matt’s confused face when I put that first bag of Skittles in the cart. The fruit snacks are another story. I’ve always loved fruit snacks, and early Matt would give me a little package of them after practice (I didn’t work out with the team but did my own thing at the same time) and subsequently trained me like Pavlov’s dogs. I’m not sure how I’ll break my fruit snack after a workout habit now.
McClure’s Pickles This one is kind of cheating, because I didn’t have a thing for pickles like some pregnant people. However, these are the most delicious pickles I’ve ever had and I just think you should try them, especially if you’re pregnant and craving them :)
Beautiful Birth Choices Class While I know you can’t predict what will happen in labor, we wanted to be as prepared as possible for the type of delivery we’re hoping for. In addition to making it through a long reading list (including: Active Birth, Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way + the Birth Partner) we attended a class with BBC in Rochester. It was awesome. I feel as prepared as I can be, which is probably not very prepared.
My Sister! You might recognize her as “top commentor,” a status I don’t think she’ll give up easily on this blog. I’m so thankful to the network of friends who have been alongside this journey and who I know will still be there for even more crucial times after the baby arrives. My sister gets special recognition because, well we can really talk about anything… and for that I’m grateful.
Baby Daddy. That’s what Matt’s in my phone as, after noticing he was listed as “husband” and thinking it was too boring. I do feel like I’m writing an award speech at this point, which is not what I intended, but I can’t really write a list of must have’s for pregnancy and not include him. He’s been there the whole time and well, I know it hasn’t been easy.
Lastly I’d like to thank: pillows, my heating pad, and all those friends who have been there along the way. With that, I’ll accept my award; whenever you’re ready to come, baby.
For the months of February and March I’ll be on maternity leave. My 2013 clients are a priority and I plan to stay in touch with them as needed – and thank everyone else for their patience as I sporadically check email and adjust to life as a mom!
