Last weekend was chock full of maternity milestones! I took off on Friday and Monday, being that I have dozens of sick days left and if I don't return to work, they'll be gone forever, and also being that if I'm going to work up until the final hour, I feel like taking a day here or there to prepare as best I can is in order!
Friday began with getting maternity photos taken. I highly recommend getting maternity photos taken, if for no other reason than it's pretty awesome to get your picture taken without having to worry about sucking in. Under non-pregnant circumstances, if I had to stand in front of a camera for an hour, you'd better believe that I wouldn't be eating anything until after the shoot- at which time I'd stuff my face with any number of things. But in pregnant circumstances, I can stuff my face with any number of things beforehand! Hooray! Ivan and I went to one of his clients who owns a studio in Montclair. This husband and wife team was amazing. They were the sweetest people and you can tell that they more than knew what they were doing. They had a way of making me feel beautiful, even being as large as I am right now. Under the warm lights, I channeled my inner Tyra Banks and tried to employ the techniques I've honed over years of watching America's Next Top Model- particularly the "smize" (smiling with your eyes- it's intellectual stuff, I'll tell you). I was doing just fine- until the clothes started to come off.
Now, that's a bit of an exaggeration. I had come to the studio in a black tank top and jeans and the first round of photos was taken in that and I felt very comfortable. After awhile, though, they brought out these swaths of black fabric in varying sizes and they became my new attire. The large one was great- they wrapped it around my waist like a flowy skirt- totally fine. The other one was super-small and they twisted it around my top, creating a makeshift bandeau top. If you're doing the math, that leaves a lot of exposed, pregnant skin. Ivan could tell that I was teetering on the edge of my comfort level and politely said as much, but we wanted to be compliant, as they are Ivan's clients and they claim to have had much success with said swathes. So I bared the belly and finished the session. I cannot imagine that the photo we select will be one of the half-naked ones, but we'll see! We get to see the photos on Thursday, and we're so excited!
On Saturday, Ivan and I headed to St. Peter's for the third week in a row for Lamaze class, which, as you know, I had been really looking forward to. I'm so happy to say that I wasn't disappointed. The instructor for the class was hilarious and teeming with information on what to expect. We watched the videos of births which managed to have the effect of both scaring the crap out of me and reducing me to a blubbering mess as soon as the little baby was out. The men practiced massage techniques on their partners- score! We did the storied breathing exercises and even practiced while holding ice cubes in our hands as our husbands coached us through a "contraction." Not that holding an ice cube in your hand is actually comparable to a contraction, I'm sure, but it served the purpose of helping us to block out the thought of the pain. It was super helpful also, for Ivan and I to get on the same page as to what constitutes appropriate coaching. Read: If I am not amused by your silly faces and making light of the situation while I'm holding an ice cube in my hand, I probably won't be amused when a watermelon is forcing its way through, well... you know where.
The highlight of the day though, by far, was the tour of the maternity ward. The rooms are actually quite beautiful- both the labor/delivery and recovery. But... the newborn nursery. Don't even get me started. In no way am I exaggerating when I tell you that I stood in front of that window and sobbed as the nurses held up these hours-old babies-all pink and disoriented- for us to see. I mean... to think that one of them is going to be coming out of me in a few short weeks is so incredible. I can't stop thinking about them!
To top off this fabulous weekend, my baby shower was on Sunday. And it was the most beautiful shower that ever was. Honestly, the amount of work that my family (and of course I am including Ivan's family when I say "my family"!) did to throw this event is mind boggling. Many of you were there, so you know the exquisite details that made it so very special. It was tea party themed, complete with big hats, fine china, and the tastiest treats. It almost embarrasses me to think of the time and money spent to pull it off. I am tempted to itemized the tasks that each person took on to make the shower a reality, but I'm scared I'll leave something or someone out. So, I'll merely state that I was humbled and blown away by how elegant, thoughtful, and fun the event was
In addition to being blown away by the event itself, seeing so many of the gorgeous ladies I am blessed to have in my life was such an emotional experience. As I felt after my bridal shower: They say it takes a village to raise a child and it is over-whelming to see so much of your village gathered in one place. And if that's not enough to over-whelm, the generosity certainly will do the trick. Our house now looks like a baby bomb has exploded within it and I daresay that Baby H is pretty set! The nursery is looking adorable and he or she has outfits to get through the entire first year incredibly stylishly. I cannot accurately express how grateful I feel- I spent most of the shower and much of this week in a stupor. I don't think that anyone exists who deserves that kind of attention- least of all me. The only way I can justify it in my head is to think that it was for Baby H.
So, clearly, I am one lucky lady. Baby H and I are living a pretty charmed life and we're enjoying this last stretch of time as a bundled set. As I finish this post, it is Monday morning and we're officially, as of yesterday, at 37 weeks which is considered full-term. It's a great feeling to know that any day we could meet our little miracle and he or she would be ready to face the world. At the size of a watermelon, he or she should be! Yes, it is getting harder and harder to move and my bathroom trips have doubled in the past couple of weeks. My feet and hands are swelling to ridiculous proportions (more on that later). On top of that I have a cold, which, of course I can't take any medicine for, and I gave it to Ivan, who, by the way, can take medicine but prefers to lay on the couch and look at me with puppy-dog eyes that say, "No one has ever or will ever experience this kind of discomfort." I'm scrambling at work to make sure that everything is set up for my leave and also trying to prepare for the "last gig for awhile" for the second time. But I'm so happy and I feel as though a mug that I received at my amazing baby shower sums it up best:
New Mommy- Too Blessed To Be Stressed.
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