I feel like I’ve entered the final stage of this pregnancy journey and with it comes a few tell-tale signs.
1. My shirts are smeared with food stains on the belly and I am usually unaware of the splotches until the end of the day since I can no longer see the lower half of my gut.
2. My feet are hideous. I haven’t been able to reach my toes for a while, and even with a semi-recent pedicure my feet are dry, calloused, and the polish has chipped. And I have no plans to remedy the situation.
3. We won’t even talk about my bikini line. Let’s just say my sarong is super-glued on when I’m at the beach, both to preserve a sense of dignity despite the cellulite, and keep the Wild Unreachable Forest hidden.
4. My level of complaining has increased exponentially. That poor husband of mine has to fight the urge to roll his eyes every time I groan about my heartburn, how hard it is to roll out of bed, and how tired I am.
5. The stretch marks have turned a darker shade of pink and are beginning to carve their paths down the sides of my belly.
6. All I want to eat are freezies. You know the big ones that are as big as your femur? Yeah, those ones.
I am 32 weeks today and it feels as though the next eight weeks will both last an eternity and pass in a heartbeat. It’s a little surreal to realize that this is my last pregnancy, my last few weeks feeling a tiny being rolling around inside me, my last chance to eat my body weight in whatever the heck I’m craving and not have to feel badly about it.
At this point I can’t imagine wanting to do this ever again, but I’m sure that once this youngest babe marches off to preschool in a few years I’ll pine for these bloated, life-breeding days.
For those of you who are all done having children, do you have any words of wisdom for me as I enter these final days? Anything special I should be doing to make the experience more memorable and not just try to wish these last weeks away?
These are all thoughts I had during my 3rd pregnancy too… about it being the last and all. So words of wisdom? Uhmm make sure one or both of you gets fixed right away so you’re not eating these words in a few years, like me! 😉
Advice…hmmm….just keep in the back of your mind that as much as you are slightly impatient to get started on life with your 3rd…your family of four will never be the same after this. Karenna will no longer be the baby (she will seem HUGE!). Take lots of pictures of the four of you, do things with just you guys. Take belly pics. Write a letter to your unborn to read later. Enjoy the sleep you can get now!
I knew I was done with my third and am glad that I had that in mind as I was going through the nasty nights, the heartburn etc. And I definitely KNEW this was it when I was in labor and thinking…I am NEVER doing this again!
I feel like I wrote this myself. I have no advice to offer, just nodding my head in agreement. Good luck!
I wish I had taken more video and pictures of my very active baby boy belly.
A few side profiles are all I have. My BABY is 5 now and my memory is fading.
He was my second baby in 2 years. At the time I don’t think I realized it was THE END of the baby era. Makes me sappy just thinking of it.
I knew I was done after #2 but sometimes it was bittersweet. I was always very conscious of The Lasts – the end of breastfeeding, or diapers, of snugly little bodies. I still think about that sometimes but really, my only advice is to try every once and a while to be conscious of this.
But, sounds to me like you may not be done. You’re young and when I was done I was SURE. You never know what another 10 years might bring!
My advise….have one more! Even numbers work best!
I’m right there with you. My son is four, my daughter is two and baby three has been cooking for 25 weeks now. I’m hot and sweaty and having a hard time enjoying what is to be our last one too. Hopefully your readers have some words of wisdom we can all enjoy.
I have no advice as I have no idea if I’m having another or not and didn’t savor my pregnancy with Liliana like it was my last – but, with her, I ate my weight in big freezies and had finished a daily dose of Tums by breakfast.
I hope these last few weeks fly by, but that you savor them – I can’t wait to “meet” (and MEET) your newest little girl!