Walky Talky Hawky

I feel as though since just yesterday afternoon, my belly has doubled in size. From the time I left work, exercised and got home, I must have expanded at least 27 inches. Is this possible? Can my belly really grow over a matter of 2 hours? Dear child, what are you doing to your mother? I've taken the liberty of giving myself the nickname "Foghorn Legorn". My belly, coupled with a bubble butt (which I had pre-pregnancy) has rendered me the spitting image of the annoying rooster.

So, we had a doctor's appointment on Monday and every time I get weighed, I vow to close my eyes, then wind up peeking anyway just to make myself miserable. By normal standards, it's not a bad weight gain. It's only my belly and overflowing mammaries, but still. Someone in my pilates class said she couldn't tell I was pregnant from the back and I think she might have been high. I feel that my hips and width has tripled. How in the hell am I going to slither into my pre-mom jeans once the baby is out? My doctor is not worried, so why am I in a constant state of panic? I worry about stretch marks. I'm thinking...just under 2 mos left so there's still time if they want to rear their ugly head. I have this horrible feeling that my stomach is going to burst outward with a rainbow array of red & purple. Therefore, not only do I use my Palmer's Cocoa Butter Stretch Mark Cream twice a day, I have also taken to using pure Vitamin E oil, as well as lathering up with some lotion at work when I use the restroom. Time consuming, but I figure I can't be too cautious. Does it even work? Could I be any more vain? Imagine if anyone at work could see me - dress up, tights down, shirt up, whatever - slathering lotion all over my oversized belly. Out of all of the things I stress about, this is it. You'd think it would be child deformities, brain damage, labor complications, but no. Well, that's not true, I have worried about all of those things, but I have the utmost confidence in sonograms and medical technology.

So, the coolest thing about pregnancy is feeling the baby move. It's so unreal to think of this little person rolling around inside of me. Still - after feeling it move all day for the last 2 months, I still can't believe it. I found out that the baby's head is down (good) and it's foot is what is lodging under my ribs. Only when I sit down & get all scrunched up. Sometimes talking to it will get a little nudge out of it, sometimes if I poke it, it will poke back. It's already communicating with me in its own little way. It's so amazing. AND...baby loves the Jayhawks just like Momma. I know this because every time I watch them the baby moves a lot, which in my book is a thumbs up for the beloved crimson & blue. Baby went to its first game the other night and I'm sure it will be one of many. I've decided that if I am giving birth on February 7th, there will be a tv installed so that the KU-KSU game can be turned on so baby can come into the world on a winning note. Yay! Rock chalk, my little baby Jayhawk! :)

Despite some of my rants and ravings, I have to say, things have been pretty uneventful. I can still jog and do pilates (although like an 83-year old woman) and only a couple little moments of Braxton Hicks. Things have been great and I've been extremely lucky during this pregnancy. Here's hoping things continue to go well...and a shout-out to Baby Landon, born yesterday at 11:39 in the morning (12 minutes of pushing...lucky momma!)! I'm out...