Something happened mid-week; my belly started popping out! Before now I felt like I had a bloated mid-section and felt generally discouraged about how I looked. Now, it finally feels like I’m getting a real pregnant belly! And it’s only gonna get bigger from here. I officially can’t fit into any of my denim or khaki shorts. I have one pair of denim shorts that are equivalent to a size 8/10 that I can still wear (I’m usually a 6) but who knows how long that will last. I tried using a rubberband to ghetto rig my other shorts to fit by looping the band around the button and through the button hole but I was pretty sure it would either snap in half or the button would rip off because of the strain, and it would probably happen in the middle of a store and then my pants would fall to my ankles. But that’s just another one of my irrational fears, similar to the fear that when I hop off of a counter (which I often sit on) my tailbone will catch the counter’s edge and my entire spine will rip out of my body. I secretly hope I instilled that extremely irrational fear into you too just now.
Some of you may be wondering why I don’t just go out and buy some maternity shorts or a belly band instead of trying to MacGyver some bottoms that will fit. I’ve had this mindset that I want to avoid maternity stores as long as possible and I also can’t get over the idea of spending money on clothes that I will wear so temporarily. For now I plan on wearing a lot of dresses, and come fall I am ecstatic about having the excuse to wear spandex leggings with way too big sweaters over top. I’m sure once people begin noticing that my single pair of denim shorts are beginning to develop holes, I’ll buy a belly band.
I’ve had more energy lately which has resulted in me going to sleep in the 10 o’clock hour, an hour which these eyes haven’t seen for a long, long time. At the beginning of pregnancy I was often asleep by 9pm, and when Michael was on duty I would crawl into bed at 8pm because he wasn’t there to judge me. There have been more nights lately where I lie awake for one or two hours at a time for no apparent reason. I’ve also been awoken by extreme hunger pangs a few times but that only happens if I eat dinner too early (which I just realized I did today and I will be woken up tonight). When this happens I sometimes fight the hunger until I fall back asleep or I’ll reluctantly make the trek downstairs to eat cereal. There was one time where I actually ate a subway sandwich and some chips (in bed, I’ll be honest) but I justify it because I was awake for almost three hours and ended up watching TV and doing other really productive things.
This week I started on an art piece for the baby’s room which falls in line perfectly with the color scheme. I plan to hang it above the blue dresser where it will really pop. The picture below is still in progress, I obviously have to finish the body and I am going to add a backdrop of color too.
If you didn’t guess the lovely model for this painting is none other than our pup, Maddie! I used a photo that I took of her while she was begging. This is my first painting of an animal and it took some trial and error to develop the different colors in her fur. I’ve seen these sort of pop art style pet portraits before and it’s a look I really admire.
Just two more weeks until we find out the baby’s gender. Michael and I did have a conversation last night, and we both think it’s a girl. We’ll see! We are off to Annapolis tomorrow and so looking forward to our friend’s wedding, seeing old friends, and of course crab dip! Miss Maddie is coming along with us so it should be an exciting trip.
xoxo
sweet heart baby 