Pregnancy Positives

I've had a lot of pregnancy gripes. Trust me, I'm sure my husband could make a list an arm's length long of all my complaints about aches and pains and obnoxious things like heartburn. He's been great about hearing me out and providing comfort when necessary.

So here's a side that I don't feel I've given enough credit to: the positive side of pregnancy. There are plenty of good that goes with the bad.

1) I can wear elastic pants every day and no one can judge me! I certainly don't miss pants with pesky zippers and buttons which can dig into your tummy on a bloated day. I like maternity pants! It's kind of like wearing your PJ pants to work everyday. It's Saturday morning on the top, but mid-week business on the bottom. Best of both worlds and comfy! I'm not going to lie, I will be sad once I have to go back to things with a real waist.

2) There are no more "fat" days. It's alllll out there for everyone to see! There's no hiding this great big belly that's positioned right on the front of my body! So, I don't put on an outfit and go, "Oh, this makes me look fat, I should change my shirt", or "this is a little tight, it makes my tummy look flabby". No sir, I'm round and I like it! Sure I might not feel sexy anymore with my 10 pounds of tummy, but I do feel cute everyday and that's not for nothing! Everything makes me look round because I AM round, but at least it's with a purpose! And for once, I'm totally happy with how my body looks. Added bonus, the giant tummy makes my hips and tush look smaller ; )

3) I love all the little kicks and movement I feel. Sure it can get a little annoying when you're sitting at your desk trying to focus on something and the baby is kicking you in the ribs hard enough to make you give a small gasp or when you're so exhausted after a long day and you just want to relax, but 99% of the time the movement and kicks I can feel are awesome! I love knowing that the baby is healthy in there and him moving lets me know it!

4) It's a little selfish, but I love that it's just me and the baby right now. Don't get me wrong, I CAN'T wait for Mark and the rest of the family to *finally* be able to meet the baby and fall in love with him and build strong bonds, but there is a part of me that loves that right now, I'm all my baby knows. I'm the only one with a true connection to him right now and it's a very special time. I feel like after being part of me for so long he will surely come out and know just who I am! I just hope he likes who he gets!

and 5) This is a super exciting time for Mark and I and I'm really enjoying it! All of the planning and excitement and talking about when the baby is here is so much fun. It's been so exciting to go back and forth over names and how to decorate the nursery and imagine what our baby will be like once he's here. It's a special thing that my husband and I get to share even before the baby makes his entrance into the world. All of the planning and time that we've spent on all things baby will really pay off, I just know it!

I have been extremely lucky in that I have had a very healthy pregnancy. I was pretty sick at the very beginning, but by the second trimester all that was behind me. My weight and blood pressure has been right on track. I haven't had any scary problems like gestational diabetes. I have been in some considerable discomfort/pain for the last few weeks, but honestly, I'll take it since both the baby and I have been so healthy for the last 9 months.

I certainly will not miss the bad/annoying/uncomfortable aspects of pregnancy, but there are some things that I will miss. At this point, I'm just ready to meet this kid face to face!