For the Love of Elastic Waist Bands

I recently decided to transition back into my maternity clothes. Not all of them yet, but definitely the pants. I probably needed to a week or two ago, but went the loose and comfy sweatpants route instead. My belly is only slightly bloated at this point, but what's forcing me to the prego-pants tipping point is all the bruises! See, as soon as I found out I was prgeo (litterally at 4 weeks on the dot), I had to go back on the oh-so-fun twice a day Heparin injections. Heparin is the blood thinner I was on after the mini-stroke/TIA at 30 weeks during my last pregnancy (here's a link to that lovely post in case you forgot). They say that the blood-related conditions I have (Protein S Deficiency and Factor V) cause my blood to clot very easily, especially during pregnancy. So far so good - except that my belly looks like it has been in a brawl with a UFC fighter. It's basically one giant bruise. Not so pretty. And it's painful! Hence the desparate need for loose fitting prego-wear.

But I ran into a slight problem when I went to put back on my prego skinny jeans - they were too big! No, not because I've had some sort of dramatic weight loss (unfortunately). But becasue they got SOO stretched out at the end of my last pregnancy that the elastic waistband is about 4 sizes too big! I know they will fit again eventually when my belly gets to be the size of a watermelon or beach ball, but for now I went and picked up 2 new pairs at Old Navy. They are pretty great, I must say. Here is a link to the ones I got in case you are looking for some nice but inexpensive maternity jeans. They were on sale for about $25 each when I got them - definitely wait until another sale!

http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=5854&vid=1&pid=675514

http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=5854&vid=1&pid=775651

The Joys of Morning Sickness

You think I'd be an old pro at this by now. This is, after all, the second time I'm experiencing being prego. But a funny thing happens in between pregnancies - even ones less than a year apart... You completely forget the specifics of what it was like to be pregnant. The memories of morning sickness, aches and pains, labor... it all washes away as soon as you hold your new baby. I think it's God's way of making she we all keep procreating : ) I remember during my first pregnancy thinking that the morning sickness would never end - that I would feel nauseous for the rest of my life. But then one day - just as quickly as it came on initially - it was gone. And a few days later, I couldn't even remember what it felt like to have morning sickness. So when I found out I was prego again, I was a little nervous about having morning sickness, but not super nervous because I really couldn't remember the specifics. But oh, let me tell you this... the levy broke on those awful memories the first day I woke up with that terrible feeling. Everything comes flooding back with the quickness, and you think to yourself, "Why did I do this again?!" Luckily this time around I know it has an endpoint - and that afterward my mind will be erased again. Halleluia! But for now I'll keep feeling like I have ridden a loopy roller coaster a few too many times, avoid gag-inducing foods, and get through it one day at a time. Oh, the joys of motherhood!

Party Poopers

At some point each day, I pull up my source for breaking news - the E! News iPhone App : ) And then I usually pull up my second essential iPhone application... What To Expect When You're Expecting. And then at some point when I figure I need to keep a pulse on the outside world, I check out my USA Today app. Well, a few days ago there was an article on there that really frosted my cookies. The title? "Parents Turn a Cold Shoulder on Pre-Baby Tradition". In a nutshell, the article claims that people hate baby showers! Blasphemy! One expert actually is quoted as saying:

"There's nobody on the planet that's like, 'I'm so excited! I get to go to a baby shower today,' " says Carley Roney, editor in chief of baby website TheBump. "For years, they've had a reputation for being sweet for the family but boring for everyone else who has to sacrifice their Saturday. "

I couldn't disagree more! I, for one, LOVE attending baby showers! Who doesn't love celebrating the impending arrival of a tiny miracle? Everything about them are wonderful - the smiles! The games! The CAKE! : ) I totally get the fact that the "traditional" baby shower may be shifting for more modern versions... but to say that people "hate" them? Sorry, but I think the authors - and unfortunately the Editor and Chief of TheBump - are waaaaay out of touch with how people really feel. It seems as if they've taken their personal dislike for the bambino celebrations and mistaken it for how all of America feels. Oh, and a few women that were interviewed, all of whom happen to be corporate executives In NYC who decided to have their babies later in life. They took a micro-perspective and turned it into a macro-one. BOO for poor reporting!!

So roll out the crepe paper, blow up the balloons and keep planning the Baby Bingo. The baby shower lives on!!