Embracing the Belly

All the books say it's very common for first-time-moms to have issues with their growing bodies when they're pregnant, and I was no exception. The moment I began showing, I thought I was huge and I didn't like it. I didn't like that I really had no control over any of this. I didn't like that the numbers on the scale were going up more quickly than I anticipated and I was wearing maternity clothes earlier than I thought I should. But then it hit me. This pregnancy is not about me. It is not about how I feel about myself, or what clothes I can or can't wear. It's not about people commenting that I look "so big" or "so small" for the number of weeks I'm at. This pregnancy is all about the growing baby. According to the good doctor, the baby is growing well and all looks normal. The good doctor doesn't bat an eye when she sees the numbers on the scale or when she measures my growth. More importantly, she smiles when she looks at my blood pressure and smiles even more when she notes the baby's heartbeat. She smiles because the very most important thing is that this wee one is healthy. I've started smiling more for that exact same reason. I no longer look at myslef in the mirror and scowl. I look at myself and see healthy and well.

Yesterday after church, I was feeling especially good about myself, so I had Dan snap some "artsy-ish" photos of me in all my pregnant glory. We're at 28 weeks now folks. That means there's about 12 more weeks to go.

All about Bean

This past weekend Dan and I ventured to Lynden. We visited with friends and family and even attended a lovely wedding, but really, the weekend was all about a little baby girl who no one has met yet, but everyone is already in love with. Sue, Lyndsey and Heather put on a lovely baby shower on Saturday. I felt so blessed and spoiled and Bean was definitely spoiled.


Sue really does make the best cakes in the world. This one was double layered chocolate cake, raspberry chiffon filling and wonderful buttercream icing. Really, a pregnant woman's dream.

Aren't these little gingham diaper treat-holders the absolute cutest?

Bean got lots of amazing and very useful gifts. A top-of-the-line travel system, health and safety items, little pink clothes, oh-so-soft blankies and a ton of very practical, every-day items. They all showed me just how tiny and dependent on us little Bean will be when she first arrives. And then there are these boots. These boots make my heart melt. They show me that there will be a time when this little girl will be toddling around and want to go out with Daddy to do the chores. When he puts on his boots, she'll want to put on her boots too. Or maybe there will be a time when we're out working in the yard and she just wants to be in her pigtails, boots and a diaper and we'll just let her be, partially because she's so darn cute, and partially because it's okay to be carefree when you're a little kid. Yup, these wee boots remind me that although I am currently preparing for an infant, soon enough she will grow. These boots show me the infinite possibilities that are ahead of us.