Belly Laughs

Rosalind Russell. So gorgeous.

Rosalind Russell once said “Taking joy in life is a woman’s best cosmetic”.

I concur. And this is one of many things that I want to teach my little Bria. I want her to know that “happy girls are pretty girls” (thanks Audrey Hepburn for that quote). I want her to know that she is gorgeous. Because I do remember being a tween/teen and feeling nerdy… not pretty.

Funny #11 (see the other funnies: here)

Swollen feet.

No, it’s not that the actual swelling of the feet is funny, it’s that swollen feet – just like other swollen body parts – jiggle. Try walking around with an obviously swollen right foot (the left wasn’t as bad), that jiggles with every step. It’s the funniest feeling I’ve felt all these seven months!

So, I tend to complain a lot. I try to keep this blog complaint-free but sometimes they sneak on here. It’s natural, I think. I mean – my entire body has already changed, and its gonna continue changing until I won’t be able to recognize myself in past pictures. Things happen so fast, and in such extremes, that it’s hard to keep y our eye on the prize.

But today is not a complaining-kinda day. I was inspired by the below picture to purposefully write 10 things about pregnancy that makes me happy:

10. Dreams. They’re radical, man. Nothing quite compares to the imagination of a pregnant woman. They are unexpected, sometimes scary, often foreboding. I have seen her face a million times in my dreams, so until she arrives it’s my favorite place to be.

9. Nice Strangers. Everywhere I go my belly draws smiles, and extra courtesy. What touches my heart most is a man, whom I’ve never met, being as gentle and as kind as if he were my own brother. Those walking in our society who are supposed to be the rough and tough have the most tender hearts.

8. Nice Friends. And family! It’s overwhelming how wonderful people are during this time of pregnancy. I’m not used to the whole shower-thing so opening presents, given by all of my wonderful friends and family members, has given me a whole new level of humbledom (made up word! Yess!).

7. Sustenance. Food and water – the source of mine and my baby’s growth and development – has never tasted so good. These cravings I’ve talked about are some sort of blessing given by God himself for all of the hard work it will be to become a mother. It’s my lifelong goal now to cherish every meal like I have been cherishing it during pregnancy.

6. Getting away with it. I’ll have to say I never thought I’d be the type of woman who uses “the pregnant card”… but I do. There’s no guilt anymore for all the things I do while pregnant (can we say: ice cream? Laziness?), but really its because these treats only last a while and there’s a reasoning behind the madness. Pregnancy is a gift, and it could terminate at any moment. Taking care of mom should be everyone’s top priority. So if that means she flashes the pregnancy card and says she wants a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream (BECAUSE she’s pregnant), then daggumit Give it to her!

5. Humor. Laughing may not come to mind when you think of pregnancy. More often it’s the crying and the bitchiness that people think of when they’re talking about being preggo. Let me tell you right now: your attitude is a choice, hormones or not. Everyone is allowed a few collapses into tears/bursts of anger… but for the majority of the time YOU can choose HOW you view this period in your life. So I may have chosen this, or it may really be a pregnant-thing: I love to laugh. I’m learning to laugh with life instead of fight it. Take all of these changes and find the humor instead of the trauma.

4. My Body. I may be gaining weight and my doctor may disapprove but, I love my body. The extra boobage is super awesome (although short lived) and the luscious hair is pretty cool too. But even my bulging belly and swelling feet make me feel sexy. I may have to roll rather than walk, but this is the first time in the history of my physique-conscious-life that I have ever loved every physical part of myself.

3. Michael: fiancé to father. Watching Michael transform from boyfriend to fiancé to father has been beyond touching. The way he holds my hand, the way he touches my belly, the way he talks to Brianna. It’s his protective and loving instinct and it keeps me falling further and further in love with the man every day.

2. Baby Movements. Nothing is quite as magical as feeling your baby toss and turn inside your belly. I can be lost in computer screens at work, dealing with a stressful situation, saddened by the world… and suddenly I feel a kick and a twirl. It’s like Bria’s and my own private conversation and it’s wonderful.

1. It’s all worth it. Knowing that although this list of happies is short, the list of complaints is long. I know this and understand that I’m an annoying whiny baby. But I also know that it will ALL be worth it in the end. I’ll take on feet the size of watermelons, heat flashes from hell, and heartburn without a cure if it means bringing Brianna happily, safely, and as healthy as can be into this world.