From Cute-Pregnant to "Oh Honey" Pregnant

Everyone warned me this would happen - bloggers said I'd get swollen, friends said I would start to get puffy - but did I fully prepare myself - of course not. I've been floating along, patting my belly and nodding graciously as people have so kindly remarked "You look great!" as I cruised through my fifth, sixth and seventh month. Now, I still look like a version of myself - but my rings no longer fit and I have debated going sockless to avoid the ever-sexy "ankle-sock-lines." Here's a little progression:

31 Weeks - So fun!

33 Weeks

35 Weeks

36 Weeks

36 Weeks - those buttons are getting a little tight!

Don't get me wrong, I've made peace with my ever-changing and expanding body and think it's amazing what a woman's body does in order to prepare for pregnancy and labor - but why do my fingers need to expand nightly?

My doctor has been so sweet and assured me that I'm within the normal weight-gaining range and informed me that I'm not turning into a land-orca. At my 34 week check-up, while discussing my birth plan with Dr. W, he cut me off and said "Lindsay, mark my words, you are going to kick-ass during labor. You got this - I just know it." I was so caught off guard, I had to embarrassingly blink back tears (blame it on the pregnancy). I was having one of those days where 14 small things were going wrong - and those sweet words completely turned my outlook around and I practically skipped out of the waiting room.

Now, who knows if this is Dr. W's way of pumping up ladies into believing they can tackle labor - but I now have a weird sense of obligation - "Ok, you better do a good job or Dr. W will be super disappointed..." Whether he's speaking from the heart or blowing smoke up my ass - I now have a false-sense of confidence in my parenting and childbirth ability and skills. Man, I love this guy!