March 2011

Ay yi yi! Baby registry woes! Plus, check out my 24-week baby bump!

by Courtney on March 29, 2011

My anxiety over baby registering has proven to be warranted, because this stuff ‘aint easy kids! As you saw in Friday’s blog post, my friend sent me a really nice list of her “must have” baby gear to help get me started with the registry, but as I was in the weeds of it, I realized that I needed her to hold my hand throughout the whole stinkin’ process!

Knowing my husband was coming along to register, I really didn’t want to feel like we were spending a week registering at Babies R Us on Sunday, so I decided to take care of the “basics” online before dragging my dear husband to the store. The online registering is helpful because you have the benefit of reading customer reviews for all the products, but this also adds HOURS to the process! Plus, there are like 50 million brands for the same thing, so how do you know which ones are the best? And when it comes to things like breastfeeding pumps, nipple pads, measuring bottles, and the wide range of baby feeding accessories, you can quickly feel like you’re drowning in your own ignorance. I did my best with the baby feeding section, but I have no idea if I got everything I need. I guess I’ll figure it out when I’ve got a screaming baby and I go to reach for something and realize I don’t have it. Oh the joys of first time motherhood!

What is this! Whatever it is, I want it...

So after spending 3 ½ hours registering online, I braved the Babies R Us super store the next day and it was like baby heaven! Angels parted and a church choir starting humming as Jeff and I walked through the doors. This place was magical! And also unbelievably overwhelming! So after we got our registry gun to scan the products we wanted we moved to aisle one – baby feeding. Oh not again! I picked up one product and Jeff wastes no time starting in on complaining about me taking too long. I almost blew a pregnancy fuse right then and there. I actually think my death stare scared him a little! But thankfully, he zipped it like a good boy after that. I really didn’t want him to be bored, so I gave him the gun so he’d have a job to do and then he got a little more into it after that. MEN!

Just as I anticipated, when we got to the stroller/baby carrier isle, I was so totally clueless. I immediately starting wringing my hands saying I needed to talk to a sales associate and Jeff was like; “No, we don’t need to ask anyone, let’s just go with this…” and then he goes all bat-shit-crazy scanning whatever stroller is in front of him without my approval!! THE NERVE! Finally, I had a sales rep explain to me the difference between a travel set and buying the pieces individually and I was able to make a much more informed decision. What’s up with men and never asking for directions or help? Annoying!

Two hours later we were finished – for now! Of course I went home that night and started reading the product reviews of the stuff we chose in the store and if the reviews weren’t that good it set me back again. UGH! Like I said; this is hard! My advice for any first time preggo would be to leave the husband at home (or drag him along if you feel you must) and take a trusted friend who’s had a kid in the last few years to help you navigate through the massive array of choices. When we were walking out of the store I looked up at Jeff and said; “See; that wasn’t as bad as you thought, right?” And he corrected me – “No, it was every bit as bad as I thought.”

Jeez! I should’ve splurged and got Jeff a pacifier while I was in there!

Baby bump watch continues – week 24

<—- Is that a halo over my head? Anyway, I can’t believe I’m 6 months pregnant now! It just seems like a major milestone in the pregnancy. In the last week or two the baby has been doing some major gymnastics, kicking like crazy all day! According to Babycenter.com, she’s growing rapidly, having packed on 4 ounces in just the last week! She now weighs over one pound and she’s the length of an ear of corn. I’m kind of going through this phase of just being in awe of the whole process. It’s so surreal to me that there is a human being growing inside of me and it’s hard to explain how I already feel like I know this little girl. It’s just such an amazing experience and I know that when I’m not pregnant anymore I’ll definitely miss it. But I still have 3 ½ months left to enjoy pregnancy to the fullest. I just hope I have my nursery and baby gear all figured out by then!!

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Baby Registry Must Haves by my friend and mom of two!

by Courtney on March 24, 2011

For some reason, the idea of registering for baby stuff has brought forth some mild anxiety for me. This is so different than when you registered for your wedding, because this has little to do with what you want and mostly to do with what you need. Well the problem is: hell if I know what I need! Nipple pads – huh? Butt paste! WHAT! So after letting my friend Stacy – mother of two adorable kiddies – in on my budding registry anxiety, she, being the super sweet person that she is, sent me an email with her baby gear “must haves!” And you have no idea how helpful this is going to be to me this weekend at Babies R Us. So I asked her if she minded if I repurposed her email as a blog post to help others who may be suffering from the same fears that I am – and of course she said “sure!” So without further ado, here’s Stacy…

~~~

Hey Courtney!

I was thinking about you this morning and thought I would quickly put together my top picks for baby gear.  When you go into Babies R Us it can be overwhelming for new moms, so here is a list of my favs! I hope this helps you a bit when you go to register, enjoy!

Must-haves and my FAVS:

Baby monitor: Angelcare.

Bumbo seat with tray: Helps baby learn to sit, great for high chair, travels well out to dinners.

Baby swing: Fisher Price Papasan cradle swing (a must have in my book!).

Boppy pillow with one extra washable cover: Great for nursing and for baby to lay in.

Car seat:  Britax brand, think about getting the one that grows with baby.

Exersaucer or doorway jumper: I preferred doorway jumper and so did my kids, but you only need one or the other.

Baby Carrier: Bjorn brand is very comfortable and washes up in machine very nice, plus daddy can wear it too!

Strollers: This is a big thing, so you must try them out. Handles can be too low for tall parents, the wheels can be cheap and not roll properly, and some don’t even have drink holders!  My top picks would be: Graco snugrider car seat frame because its very light and your baby car seat will snap right into the frame from car to stroller. However, if you buy this, plan to get another stroller when baby is no longer in infant car seat.  Try out Britax B-ready stroller because it will grow with baby, or BOB strollers are built well!  

Diaper Bag:  This is something that will become your purse as well as diaper bag.  You will have this bag for a long time (at least until baby is out of diapers and bottles).  Boxy Brand backpack is stylish and practical.  Yes, it’s a bit pricy at $170.00, but my girlfriend has one and loves it!  If you can’t find it at the stores check out www.oompa.com.  It’s made from really nice material; and can fit onto stroller, and the best part is that it doubles as a backpack.  You will need a backpack since your hands are going to always be full and anything on your shoulders just don’t work.

Bottles:  Make sure you buy glass since they are best for baby – plastic can be harmful.

Baby blankets:  Three or four swaddle blankets are wonderful. The baby feels best when they are wrapped up tight mimicking the womb. Also, “sleep sacks” are my fav because you don’t have to worry about baby pulling blankets onto their face.  Get two in each size (small and large).  I used these until my kids were a year old! You put baby in and zip them up! Make sure you get the sleeveless ones. 

Bath tubs:  I mostly used the bathroom sink; it was just easier for me.  But if you feel like you need one make sure you get one that folds up and can be stored under the sink.  Example would be Summer brand mothers touch bather.  Plus, you can throw the cover into the washing machine for easy cleaning.

Lots of burp cloths:  Best ones are the big pack of Gerber cloth diapers – you will use these every day, all day!

Baby shoes: ROBEEZ! These are wonderful baby shoes, great for when baby learns to crawl and walk.  They are all leather and stay on baby’s feet (most things they kick off).  I believe you can only buy these at Stride Rite shoe store.

My fav stores for kids clothes: Gymboree, Janie and Jack, GAP, and Lands End.  The material washes up great and color stays longer than other brands. Yet, babies out grow clothes really fast so you don’t need to worry about this until they get older!

Onsies and socks: Gerber brand (socks with tight top, otherwise they will kick them off) can be a staple outfit in the warm months and just have a few fav outfits for when you go out and about!

Things you can probably do without:

High chair: Too big and takes up lots of room. Get one that fits onto a regular chair. You will be pleased.

Diaper Genie: The bags are a pain and it still smells! Get small plastic bags to keep in nursery, put dirty diaper in the bags and take out to the outside trash can.

Wipe warmer temp:  It’s always off and they are a pain. Get wash clothes or throw away cloths for when baby is a newborn. Run under warm water or regular wipes will be just fine.

A million baby outfits: Baby will grow super fast from size NB to 6 months.  Yes, they do go through a few outfits a day with spit up and wet pants, but the less you have the less you have to store and wash!

Well, I hope this helps you get started! Happy baby registering!!!!!

Thanks Stacy!! :)

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Letter to my baby girl…

by Courtney on March 22, 2011

Each week Babycenter.com has a suggested activity for moms-to-be, and this week it’s to write a letter to your baby. Jeff was quick to say this was a great idea and that I should do it. So I figured; alrighty, this could also be a blog post! And I don’t know what it’s going to say yet…but pardon me if it’s super mushy…

Dear Baby Girl,

With each passing day that I’m carrying you around with me I feel like I get to know you more and more. By now, I know that your favorite time of the day has got to be around 3pm because it’s your most active. And this is a new development, but I know that you hate when I have a full bladder and try to send that one extra email at work before running to the restroom because, well, it obviously takes up space in your little house! You’re all; “MOM, get rid of this thing!” all while consistently kicking my bladder causing me to have to get up because you won’t leave me alone! It makes me laugh because you’re already bossing your mama around! Grrrreeeaaaaaattttt – it’s starting! When I walk into the restroom for the umpteenth time of the day at work and catch my profile in the mirror, I rest my hand on my belly and marvel at how freaking cute you are – and I don’t even know what you look like! But you make a really cute little baby bump, baby!

I find it so fascinating how life works itself out. Before you came along I was really enjoying life. I was doing things that I found fun, constantly seeking the next self-indulgence that usually had something to do with satisfying my pop culture obsessions, like concerts, movies, traveling, anything to do with TWILIGHT, etc. I loved margaritas, cosmos, Bud Light, and Sauvignon Blanc and often my friend and I would question whether it was bad that all of our activities seemed to be built around drinking!! I knew your daddy was itching for a baby but your mama was itching for some more *time* to experience all the fun that life had to offer before you came along. It may sound selfish, and it probably is, but it’s better to experience life then to wish you’d done things differently. Let that be your first piece of advice from your mom. I believe the saddest phrase in the English language is “I wish I would have”. So baby girl, live life to the fullest with as few regrets as possible!

But then fate stepped in and, like you were meant to be, you made yourself known to me in November 2010, in New Orleans of all places! Seeing the word “Pregnant” on that little plastic stick really overwhelmed me and I wondered if I was ready to be a mom. But now, all these months later, I can’t imagine my life any differently than it is right now – with you growing inside, kicking my bladder, making me fat, and me day dreaming of a little girl all day.

I have a feeling that I’m going to be a really good mom to you. I had a super amazing example of what mommies are supposed to be like from my mom (your ‘Mimi’ – what your Grandma would prefer to be called!), and my own Granny – who I soooo wish you could’ve met. I promise to listen to you, to support your dreams, to shower you with lots of TLC, and to make you laugh. And someday, when you’re older, I hope to be your best friend. But hold on – you’re not just going to have a good mommy. You’re going to have a great daddy too! You have no idea how excited I am to see you turn this big Type A bear of a guy into a mushy little teady bear! He’s going to be the best daddy you could hope for, I just know it. I can tell because throughout my pregnancy with you, he’s been the best husband imaginable! So he’s proving he’s got the chops to be a great daddy to a baby girl. Lucky you, girlfriend!

Let’s not forget your big brother who will surely love you and protect you – Indy, the beautiful red Viszla! And of course you’re going to have a Mimi and Grandpi, and Grammy and Papaw, two uncles, an aunt, and a cousin (and extended family too!) who are ready to go nuts over you! Basically, when you come into this world you will be loved more than you’ll ever know.

So that’s all I wanted to say, baby girl. I’m so excited to meet you and to hold you for the first time. Maybe I’ll even read this aloud to you one day when you’re a few weeks old – or when you’re 22. Thanks for coming into my life when you did… you’re so very special to me.

Love, me

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The BEST 365 days of my life. Plus, check out my 23-week baby bump watch pic!

by Courtney on March 20, 2011

Wow, I can’t believe a year has gone by so fast. I started this blog in February 2010 as a way to capture my feelings going into my “dirty thirties” and to blog about all the exciting things I’d plan on doing with my life moving forward.  And now here I am at 31 already, and it wasn’t too long ago that I was freaking the EFF out about turning 30! I thought it meant I was old and my youth was swiftly slipping away. But ironically, the 30th year of my life has been the best of my life! And it definitely started with a bang!

My 30th birthday celebration actually started a month before my actual birthday on March 19th when my husband totally surprised me and flew me down to Palm Springs to see my favorite American Idol alum, Adam Lambert, perform in concert. On that trip, we got a private tour of Elvis Presley’s Palm Springs estate by its current owners and something really stuck out to me from that tour that had nothing to do with Elvis. Our lovely tour guide hostess gushed about how cute Jeff and I were as a couple and asked if we had any kids, and we of course said no. With that, she perked up, sucked in a quick breath and smiled before saying; “I see you having a little girl…” And she started to elaborate but stopped herself saying that this was another topic altogether, eluding that she had some kind of psychic gift! I never forgot that and well, she was right – baby girl is on her way!

Then, a week later I boarded a plane to Cabo San Lucas with three other girlfriends for a long weekend of fun in the sun to help celebrate a couple of us turning 30 in March. Too bad it rained the whole time, but it was a wonderful trip. I remember on our final night we were all sitting at a table at an outdoor bar on the beach, where we consumed THREE bottles of champagne, and I got all champagne-induced teary revealing to the girls that I had taken my last birth control pill that night. They all gasped and didn’t realize that Jeff and I were ready to start a family. And truthfully, I didn’t know if I was ready either, but I don’t think you ever really are. And besides, we weren’t going to “try”; we just weren’t going to be actively avoiding it anymore. And now a year later here I am, almost 6 months pregnant!

Then to ring in my actual 30th birthday, Jeff surprised me yet again and took me down to Hermosa Beach/LA to have a glam weekend with our friends searching for celebs at the hottest hot spots in Hollywood and Beverly Hills! I will never forget my 30th birthday – how could I? It was the best.

Because I had turned 30, I felt like I needed to do things to challenge myself and keep myself in shape despite my advancing age! So I trained for 3 ½ months for a 65 mile bike marathon in the spring and I taught myself right then and there as I crossed the finish line that I could do anything I set my mind to. So to prove that this was true, I trained for a half marathon on foot in the fall and ended up beating my own expectations for myself and ran the whole time – beating my husband by 4 minutes!! And to top it off – I was 5 weeks pregnant when I ran that and didn’t even know it!

To round out the year, I took a few more trips to LA, New Orleans, and Gulf Shores, and as you all know now, I found out I was pregnant in November and have been blogging about my pregnancy journey ever since. For news that was quite a shock to me, and something that took a few weeks to get used to, I’ve whole heartedly embraced pregnancy and I absolutely love it. And to think, all these fun travels, confidence building challenges, and life changing surprises happened in my 30th year – when I thought the “fun” in life was walking the plank! Yes, the irony! I’m here to say folks; life really does begin at 30!

Baby bump watch continues – week 23!

According to Babycenter.com, it’s time to get dancing! The baby’s sense of movement is well developed by now and her keen ears are now picking up sounds outside of the womb, like my dog barking or the vacuum running! Surely she can hear her daddy’s loudass voice too! Between you and me, sometimes on Saturdays when I’m leisurely getting ready for the day and listening to the “Hottest Hits” station on Comcast, I dance in the mirror and get a HUGE kick out of seeing the baby bump bounce around! There’s nothing funnier than seeing a pregnant girl drop it like it’s hot! I’ve promised Jeff that one of these times he can film me dancing and post it in a blog. He said that’ll be his one and only contribution to my blog! Ok, I’ll sacrifice my pride and self-respect to give you all a good laugh…well maybe.

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What I don’t miss about NOT being pregnant…

by Courtney on March 18, 2011

Today I’ve been inspired to do a post on what I DON’T miss about NOT being pregnant. Yes, that’s not a typo, this time I’m not complaining about the things I miss because I’m pregnant. Often times I’m blogging about my expanding waistline or preggo acne or my expanding waistline, but today I’m going for a different angle. One area I have yet to explore on this blog is the hangover free zone that pregnancy provides. It’s actually quite a lovely place to be. No, seriously…

Think…it’s the morning after St. Patty’s Day…

This morning at around 9:30 a.m., I ventured into the break room in the office and saw four giant pizza boxes that were leftover from yesterday’s St. Patty’s Day beer and pizza festival (that I co-hosted, thank you very much!). One person with sleepy eyes was sitting next to the microwave heating up a slice and another was shamelessly standing there munching away on their second slice of cold pizza. Of course I assumed this to be a hangover induced greasy pizza food binge, because why else would anyone elect to eat cold pizza for breakfast? Uhh…college called, it wants it breakfast of champions back from the adults, please! And here I am, practically skipping into the kitchen to heat up my oatmeal, looking to strike up a conversation with anyone who will listen about last night’s American Idol results. Well, turns out I was the only person watching TV last night. Everyone else was at the pub.

I can remember celebrating St. Patty’s Day hard in my early twenties.  One time in particular I came into work so hangover after St. Patty’s Day that a co-worker actually said to me; “No offense, but you reeeeeek of booze.” Omigawd that’s so EMBRASSING! Luckily that guy got fired shortly after so I got the last laugh. For some reason St. Patty’s Day was/is a reason to binge drink like no other! Green beer – yes please! Irish car bombs – yes please! Jager shots – *grimace* – yes please! Greasy spoon diner at 3 a.m. – obvy! And then, the dreaded alarm clock buzzes 4 hours later and you’re toast.

Even as a more mature adult in the last several years, I’ve still had my share of wicked hangovers. (Like the one I had the day I found out I was pregnant in New Orleans!) But what about when you wake up the next day and your mind instantly starts racing to what you did or said the night before? Surely that happens to others right? It’s like you wake up feeling guilty before your mind even recalls the previous night’s antics. It’s always funny to see my husband wake up on such a morning. With anxiety written all over his face, the first thing he does is checks his jean pockets from the night before for his wallet!! Not sure if he was gambling when I wasn’t looking or fearing pick-pocketers, but it’s like clockwork every time! LOL! I definitely don’t miss this….and I think I can speak for my husband that he probably doesn’t miss the “missing wallet anxiety” since I’ve been pregnant either. I mean, how much fun is it to get loaded when your drinking partner is dead sober?

Thanks to pregnancy, I haven’t had to experience these discomforts in quite some time! Living a hangover/guilt free life is absolutely stupendous! Am I right preggos? Holla at your girl!!!

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What do prenatal doctor bills and St. Patty’s Day have in common?

by Courtney on March 17, 2011

Nothing, except that I’m talking about them both in this blog post…

Tonight is just not my night. First of all, I came home with a plan to watch American Idol, Glee, Born Every Minute, and then write a blog post. But instead, my husband was flipping his lid when I walked in the door about all the prenatal doctor bills that are piling up that we have no system of keeping track of and are probably all overdo. So to appease him, I promised I’d finally go through them (ugh, so BORING!) and make a pretty little Excel spreadsheet of all the appointments and money owed. So I spent most of my night doing that and I haven’t watched a single show on my to-do list. Then, I started this blog post, wrote about half of it and then my computer randomly shut down. Like I said; This.Is.Not.My.Night.

Can I just complain for uno memento about prenatal doctor bills? So most people who are not pregnant and are in good health rarely go to the doctor in a year, aside from maybe an eye exam, dental cleaning, and for us ladies, the annual pap. And if you have insurance and a flex spending account, you’ll usually not pay much out of pocket. But good god, when you’re pregnant, you’re paying big stacks of Benjamins out of pocket because deductibles are so high and flex spending accounts were exasperated a longass time ago! It’s just a pain in the arse, ya know? So suddenly when you’re at the doctor and they’re asking you if you’ve had this ultrasound to check on that thing, or this blood screening to check on another thing, suddenly instead of seeing these things as precautionary measures, you’re seeing them as dollar signs. But hey, it’s only $1,700 more out of pocket before we reach that deductable – no biggie! *burying face in hands*

Happy St. Patty’s Day! Let’s [not] binge drink!!

On to a less depressing topic…St. Patty’s Day! …Not that it’s not depressing that I can’t partake in the green beer on this national beer drinking holiday. (No offense to the Irish folks, I know that’s not really what it is!) Tomorrow at work I’m co-hosting a St. Patty’s Day beer & pizza festival. Someone said they’d bring O’Douls for the pregnant ladies so I might try one. The funny thing is; never has drinking beer been better defined as “empty calories” then when you’re pregnant and drinking non-alcoholic beer! I mean, if you’re not even getting a buzz, what’s the freagin’ point??!! It’s not like it tastes good! Oh well, at least I’ll have 18 different varieties of pizza to hold me over at the party.

How about some St. Patty’s Day laughs? I love me some ‘some e-cards’ online. They’re too freaking funny! I liked these particularly because they mostly had a non-drinking theme to them and this is the “space” I’m livin’ in this year!! Enjoy!

 (Glad I don’t have to pretend I’m not avoiding that role this year!!  HA!)

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Putting things into perspective…Plus, check out my 22-week baby bump pic!

by Courtney on March 15, 2011

I’m sure you’ve all been watching the news coverage in Japan of the recent earthquake and tsunami that has devastated their lands and is responsible for a death toll that is estimated around 10,000 to-date. It’s so unbelievably sad to see the footage of the water crashing in to the towns and wiping away homes and cars…and people. It saddens me even further to know that children and babies were separated from their families or didn’t survive. Being pregnant, this hits a little closer to home for me now. Suddenly it makes me think about what it would be like if this happened to me and my family. I would literally die of panic if an earthquake hit and I couldn’t get a hold of Jeff, or heaven forbid the baby was in daycare and not where I could be sure she is ok. Thinking like this just makes me want to help those in need. It also makes me fearful of what’s to inevitably come in the future for those of us who live along earthquake fault lines and water, like California, and pretty much the entire West Coast. I shudder at the thought…

Things could be A LOT worse

On Friday my girlfriend at work was complaining about her current living situation and having to move out of her place and find a new roommate. As she was concluding her rant, she said; “I guess things could be worse. At least I wasn’t swept away in a tsunami or something.” Amen sister. This tragedy definitely makes you put things into perspective. Yes, sometimes our jobs may be stressful or unsatisfying, or we get annoyed with our significant others for this or that, or we’re gaining weight and struggling with the motivation to lose it, but not willing to give up the food vices just yet. Whatever it is, big or small, when you compare your troubles to a tragedy of this magnitude, it sort of makes you want to slap yourself upside the head and say; “Listen lady, be thankful for what you DO have!” Your job may not be your dream job – but at least you have a job! Your relationship may not be a fairy tale – but whose is? And your waistline may not be where you want it to be, but thankfully the only thing standing in your way is YOU, so get out of your own damn way! Things could be waaaay worse for you. I mean….at least you’re not being swept away in a tsunami or something.

How you can help

I’m going to think twice now before complaining about measly little things that everyone deals with in life and try to just remain positive and have a can-do attitude. And I’m going to try to be a little less selfless with my time and resources and help those in need…starting with something as simple as donating to the American Red Cross by texting to the number ‘90999’ and inserting the message ‘REDCROSS’, which donates $10 to the Japanese relief fund. (The $10 will be tacked onto your next cell phone bill.) I did this today already and texted several friends to do the same. You can also donate more by calling 877-410-3373 or by visiting their website: http://www.redcross.org/. Any little bit helps.

I know this particular post is quite a bit heavier than my normal blogs, but I felt the need to get that out there and urge others to help.

So…guess what time it is……….

Baby bump watch continues – week 22!

I feel like I’m going to be a broken record from here on out saying; “the bump is getting bigger”. Well no duh – it ‘aint getting any smaller! According to Babycenter.com, the baby is 11 inches long; about the size of a spaghetti squash (I had to look this produce up, btw!), and almost weighs one whole pound!! She looks like a miniature newborn at this point, just finalizing some final touches on her features and filling in all those baby wrinkles with fat! My friend asked me today on the phone if I feel like I’m walking around with a big beer belly! I said; “no, it definitely doesn’t feel like a beer belly because it’s hard – and what beer belly is hard?! You can no longer grab a roll of chub from my growing tum tum because that’s right – it’s as hard as a rock. Yep, I have a rock solid stomach…too bad it’s so weak with zero abdominal muscles that when I was lying on the bench press at the gym tonight I couldn’t sit up, I had to roll to my side (keep in mind this is a very narrow canvas I’m working with!), and roll off the bench. I looked like a beached whale I’m sure! But hey, things could definitely be worse…

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What, you don’t like thunder thighs? How about chubby cheeks? I got both.

by Courtney on March 10, 2011

Last week I read that at about 20 weeks I’ll begin the process of gaining about a pound a week for the rest of my pregnancy. And boy I’ll tell ya; it’s amazing how overnight you can suddenly kick it into high gear with the preggo weight gain. Before you know it, you’re suddenly sporting the “cutest” set of chipmunk cheeks and your inner thighs are now getting very familiar rubbing up against each other with every step you take.

I remember seeing a pregnant picture of Penelope Cruz and zeroing in on her thighs that looked thunderous, which conflicted with her usual tiny self. I was thinking; “WHAT! Why do pregnant women suddenly grow a mean set of thunder thighs in pregnancy? And why do their faces get fat? How is that even fair!!?” Up until 20 weeks I was relishing in the fact that my face hadn’t added much weight at all. I still looked like me. But in my 21-week bump watch shot I took a front facing pic and suddenly, staring back at me where newly acquired chipmunk cheeks. AHHH!! You snuck up on me you sneaky bastard cheeks! And these thighs have GOT TO GO. And go they will (I’m sure)….but not before they get bigger and prevent me from crossing my legs in the coming weeks. I can’t tell you how DEADSEXY I feel.

So I called my mom the other day to complain about my chubby face and thighs, annnnnd of course she had to bring it back to my baby. “Oh Courtney, don’t worry about it. This is all preparing you for your baby girl.” Oh good mom, gimme a freagin’ guilt trip why dontcha. And if possible, I’d prefer to walk, not drive. (Gotta burn off these thunder thighs!)

A changing self image…

I know this is all part of the process, but it definitely changes how I’m used to seeing myself. When I walk around the house in my husband’s baggy sweatshirt, sweatpants (mine, not his!) and slippers, I’m aware of myself just shuffling along — waddling — and holding my lower back in pain. When I’m at the gym working out, I feel the stares as people watch the “cute little pregnant girl” walk by with her baby bump in toe. I remember I used to stare at pregnant girls at the gym like I was at a petting zoo. I thought; “good for her, but why the hell would a pregnant girl come to the gym? Shouldn’t she be enjoying 9 months free of working out and eating whatever she wants?? (This used to be my perception of pregnancy!) When I’m in bed and have to pee like 4 times in the middle of the night, instead of raising up in bed, which is nearly impossible considering my lack of abdominal muscles these days, I roll to my side and just roll on out of bed! As I amble along, I hear myself making little huffy and puffy noises due to lower back pain from lying in one position too long. So ya, I’m not the cute girl anymore — I’m the cute little pregnant girl now. I don’t get checked out on the train, and if someone gets up to give me their seat, it’s not because they think I’m hot – it’s because they think my ankles must be killing me!

What I’m saying is; I guess we all have to just surrender to the process and not fight it. I need to learn to embrace my chipmunk cheeks and uni-thigh because it’s just a daily reminder that my baby girl is on her way! I’m not really concerned as much about the numbers on the scale anymore as I am about just feeling good about myself during this metamorphosis into motherhood. Pregnancy definitely humbles you and you have to learn to find confidence in other things besides looks or being a hot to trot fashionista or something superficial like that! But honestly, aside from never being chubbier, I’ve also never been happier, more excited, and more fulfilled in my life. So I guess there’s a little trade off. The thunder thighs shouldn’t last a lifetime — just a few more months! I can deal with it…I guess. :)


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