I’m Going to Miss Being Pregnant…
This may come as a surprise to the several people I’ve complained to today about not being in labor yet at 39 weeks and 5 days. It is true though, especially when I think about getting to know my postpartum body for the third time.
I love how full my body feels when I’m pregnant.
With 50% more blood volume, my skin seems fuller, my face feels more youthful, and I have rounded curves again. After about a month postpartum, I feel more like Jell-o than a vibrant young mom. (Despite being almost thirty, too!) Not to mention the baby kicks. Starting at 20 weeks, she would flip from side to side, moving more than both of her brothers did. One of my favorite things to do is to snuggle up in bed at night and watch her move. Last month, my husband and I both saw her foot and thought it was the coolest (craziest) thing!
There’s also the kind attention from others.
Sure, I get several “You’re going to have your hands full” by strangers who see me with both boys in tow, but I love how excited my friends and family are to welcome our baby girl. I love talking about it, too, especially with my two boys. I think they are more excited than anyone else to have a new sibling.
The anticipation of adding another child, while not yet having her here yet, is kind of like waiting on Christmas morning to arrive.
There’s something so special about the anticipation. It gives us something to talk about and dream about. Will she have dark hair and brown eyes like her daddy or green eyes like me? Will she have dimples like her brother? I’m going to miss having something so special like a new child to look forward to. Especially when I know that as soon as she is born, I’m going to blink my eyes and have a 5-year-old that I’m picking out a school for! While the last month of pregnancy feels like it lasts a full year, I know that pregnancy and the newborn phase lasts such a short time.
It’s so hard to believe that almost 35 weeks ago I saw her heartbeat for the first time, and wondered is this my baby girl or are we adding another brother to the mix? When I get cranky about labor not having started yet, I have to remind myself that I have at maximum of 16 more days until I hold her for the first time, and we start a new journey as a family of 5.
