Friday, August 31, 2007

"9 Months On, 9 Months Off"

"Nine months on, nine months off"
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I've said it many times. I've heard it many times. 'Tis a lie - a BIG FAT lie. I had Beatrice 9 months ago now, and I can tell you that it ain't "off" yet. I gained 45lbs when I was pregnant. (To prove it - here I am in black dress camoflauge at 38 weeks pregnant, and in labor at the hospital. HUGE.)
I'm NOT one of those women who wore my normal jeans home from the hospital, I'm one of the ones that still looked pregnant when Beatrice was 5 months old. Anyway, I've only got 5-7lbs to go (I know, I know, not much but when you're only 5'1" on a really good day...it is alot), and I'm realizing that the phrase should actually be: "Nine months on, nine months off...but you're still going to look totally different"
For example, a few things I've noticed that I can no longer assumer are "pregnancy hold-overs" now that Beatrice is 9 months old:
- my feet are a half size bigger
- my hips are wider (whatever, I earned them)
- I now have neck fat (I've never actually seen it in a mirror, but whenever Beatrice is about to fall...she grabs a fistful and stays upright)
- my stomach looks like a bowl of Jell-O, and not the firm pudding kind either
- I've had to buy all new (bigger) clothes
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But what's great is, I don't care. Ok, that's not true - I do care. But not like I did before she was born (when, by the way, I should have been wearing crop tops EVERY SINGLE DAY). Now, it just doesn't really faze me because I look at Beatrice and think, "Yeah, I'd do it all again in a heartbeat for her." The second thought to cross my mind immediately after that? "Thank the good Lord the human gestation period isn't 18 months!"

1 comment:

Joanne and Deric said...

Wow, how great you said all this - I so happy I am not alone. All my friends here in SA have no kids and look great. I see myself and think - oh those hips will never be the same, that belly? That neck!!!!! Those thighs.......... what has been spent on clothes in the past year????? (maternity and post maternity)I am relived you feel this too!!!!! But as you say 'I would do it all again in a heartbeat' everything is put into perspective when you have a child.
Loving your work - keep it up. Oh by the way, lets just remember how cute we looked in London - those size 6 days!