Man these last couple weeks are just dragging for me.. :( Lets get moving... HaHa Honestly, I know that this month is just going to fly by so I should just enjoy it. I just wish I could find the time and energy to start Christmas shopping but even the thought of that exhausts me.. :) My tradition with my sisters is to go Black Friday shopping and I haven't decided if I'm going to be up to that or not.. I may be up for it but this little guy may not be! I should just shop online but there's just something about shopping and spending money and not actually having the item to enjoy once you get it home. Maybe that's just me..
Anyways, we are doing pretty good! I feel okay for being this close to having him. I get asked all the time if this is my first!! o_o HaHa, this makes me feel really good and confident! Thanks for all of you who lie through your teeth to make a very pregnant woman feel absolutely "amazing!" Let me tell you with the roller coaster of hormones I have lately, any and every compliment will be eaten right up!
I thought I'd post about the changes in our bodies and our lack of confidence that we have while pregnant, although I don't ever remember feeling like this before? I always thought I had more confidence while pregnant, but not this time around. I am constantly asking Nick how he feels towards me, but not because he doesn't make me feel loved but I guess just to have the reassurance that he is still attracted to me. I've heard other surrogates say their husbands get weirded out by them being pregnant, not with their child. So maybe that's where my dilemma comes in? I have this need to want my husband to look at me and think I am beautiful, for him to tell me I look good, honestly.. anything at this point would make my day. It is so different when you receive a compliment from your husband then from a complete stranger at the grocery store, though I'll take any compliment I can get these days! :) So, this post is for "My" husband as well as any other Father, Intended Father or Surrogates husband that may read my blog.. Compliment the women in your life!! I promise you, it will make her fall in love with you all over again!! Something as little as a glance at her with a grin -to actually complimenting her on her clothes, hair, etc.
10 Things You SHOULD Say To Pregnant Women
Being
pregnant can be frustrating, tiring, sometimes irritating, and of
course beautiful. Pregnant women get all sorts of comments and advice,
most of which they just don't have the patience to deal with and
sometimes they get comments that are downright rude because people
aren't thinking about what they say before they say it.
Everyone has an opinion about everything a pregnant woman is doing,
saying, wearing, looking like, putting in their mouths. By the time the
woman is in their third trimester, they have heard it all, listened to
it all, and likely politely smiled through it all - while envisioning
how to best rip the commentator's head from their body.
Before you put your foot in your mouth, take a read over some of
these things that you should say to pregnant women. Not only will they
be pleasantly surprised, but you may have just managed to make their day
with a few simple words that they don't always hear. If ever.
10. That Pregnancy Glow Really Suits You
Pregnant women are sure to be self conscious about how they look, so
its only natural to want to have a boost in confidence. For any woman
its nice to hear that they are looking good, especially on their worst
of days. In this case, pregnant women need it more - they have fragile
emotions and it can help keep them in good spirits when carrying around a
human bowling ball is tiring and frustrating.
9. You Sure Make This Look Easy!
We
all know that pregnancy is not easy. There are aches and pains and
worries and emotions and all sorts of other things that flood a pregnant
woman's mind over the course of a nine month roller coaster ride.
That doesn't mean that we can't give a little shout to the woman who
is building a baby in her belly. You can say things like "Being pregnant
is hard work, but you make this look easy." It will brighten her day
and make her feel like superwoman.
Not only does it make her feel good about how she looks but it gives her props
and helps her out with yet another confidence boost.
8. It Will All Be Worth It
In
the back of her mind, that pregnant woman knows that when she holds the
baby in her arms, when that karate champion of her belly is finally
out, it will all be worth it. The pain and the exhaustion and the
frustration will be made worth while and probably will be forgotten the
moment she lays eyes on her sweet new baby.
Even though you know she knows this, you should remind her every once
in a while. Reaffirm and reassure that even though the first nine
months of her child's life, while in the womb, was difficult and crazy,
the end result will be the happiest day of her life.
For surrogates it's a little different. But that doesn't mean we don't want to hear it will be worth it. :) I know the second this baby is born and they place him in his parents arms I will too have that instant gratification of reassurance that what I've just helped create, makes it worth it in the end.
7. Making A Baby Is Hard Work, Pamper Yourself
Wondering what might make a great gift for a pregnant woman?
There are so many ways you can pamper your pregnant friend, relative,
or partner. Some of those things are even free. Give her a nice back
massage. Take her out to dinner. Buy her a nice spa treatment or
manicure/pedicure day.
Make sure she knows that you acknowledge that she is doing hard work
and show her how much you want her to feel comfortable and relaxed
during the course of her 24/7 job as a baby making machine.
6. You Go Ahead
If
the pregnant woman you are dealing with is anything like me, they don't
really like to add extra attention to themselves. They will stand in
the background and let others go first. They shy away from making it
clear that holding the seven items in the grocery store line behind your
ridiculously full cart in the express lane is causing shooting pains
down their legs.
If you see a pregnant woman who might benefit from going before you
in the grocery check out, why not let her go ahead. Open the door for
her and make sure there's not something else you might be able to do for
her.
No matter what the woman says, she is appreciative of the help, even if she is hesitant to ask for it herself.
5. Did You Change Your Hair?
I
know from personal experience that this comment makes a pregnant
woman's day. Of course she will chalk it up to the prenatal vitamins
she's taking and might just laugh it off.
Inside, she is beaming, she looks good and someone noticed. Say this
comment and say it frequently. It will get a smile like you have never
seen before, even if she waves you off with comments of folic acid and
pregnancy making her hair different.
It doesn't matter, say it anyway. Rinse and repeat. It never gets old
when someone tells you that on the days you feel the crappiest that you
look like you did something to your hair. :)
4. I Can't Even Tell You're Pregnant From Behind
When
I first thought of getting pregnant of course I was worried about gaining
weight. It's some sort of mechanism that is triggered in pretty much all
women's brains.
It doesn't matter if the pregnant woman you are dealing with IS in
fact as big as a house, don't tell her that. Instead make her feel nice
by making her turn around and show you from behind. Mention that she
doesn't even look pregnant from behind. Not only does it compliment her
growing curves in the rear, but it sure does boost the mood when someone
essentially tells you that you look normal from the back.
3. Congratulations!
Considering how we got to this point, I will never ever get tired of hearing people congratulate me for being pregnant. You can't go wrong with this simple but effective statement when it comes to pregnant women. They are so excited about having a baby that all they want to do is
bask in the glory of it. They want to be happy and carefree and even on
days when the swelling in her feet are so unbearable she just can't
stand it, saying congratulations will bring her back to the happy moods
and thoughts of what her baby will be when it is finally here. Remind her of the blessing she has growing inside of her and that its totally worth celebrating.
Even if she is a surrogate. A little congratulations on doing a good deed for someone else goes a long way.
2. You Look Great!
They
say that pregnant women are beautiful. People say that comment all the
time. The problem is that most women don't feel that way when they are
actually pregnant. They are large and rotund, they trip over their own
feet, they can't put on their shoes without it being considered an
Olympic sport. These things can wear a woman down after nine months and
the further along in the pregnancy she is, the more she feels like she
is definitely not beautiful.
Tell her she is looking great. Make the words count and be genuine
about it. Let's face it, she probably hasn't shaved her legs in the last
four months, (actually I am proud to say I finally did shave today!) but making a baby is hard work and she is doing a mighty
fine job of it.
1. That Cake Looks Delicious!
Pregnant
women feel guilty about just about everything they put in their mouths.
While it is healthy for us to be eating leafy greens all the time and
wiggling our noses like rabbits who eat that stuff, sometimes, we just
want a nice juicy burger from the greasiest fast food place there is.
More people are prone to telling you what to stick in your mouth and
what not to eat when you are pregnant. Instead of being one of those
people, why not just tell her it looks delicious. You know you want a
bite of it, why not get real and actually let her know.
Besides, how do you know she didn't just eat a salad for lunch or a
carrot stick as a snack. Don't make snap judgements, instead help her feel
good about herself. Tell her it looks so TASTY.
She's making a baby, let her eat cake for goodness sakes!
Weight Gain: 20 lbs.
Cravings: Apples, Bananas, Grapes, Smoothies, Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, Onions, Squash, Zucchini (especially Zucchini!), Pasta :\, Ice Water, Pebble Ice and I found that Sprite or Soda Water helps with my heart burn.
Symptoms: I'm sure you've heard all this for the last couple posts. :) Backache, Pelvic Pain, Braxton Hicks, Leg Cramps, Shrek Feet and Exhaustion, lots and lots of exhaustion!
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| 34 Weeks! He is growing so much! I notice a difference daily. :) |
Their baby's the size of a butternut squash!
At less than two months to go, he weighs in at about 4.2 pounds to 5.8 pounds and measures about 17.2 to 18.7 inches.
Their baby at 34 weeks!
- He's
recognizing and reacting to simple songs, voices and noise.
- He's also urinating about a pint a day.
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