For the Record (Pregnancy #2)

Week 38

I'm a few days from my due date, and I realized I've been abysmal at documenting this pregnancy. With Riley, I have at least 60 photos of my growing gut. This time? Nine.

So I owe it to myself, you guys, and especially this kid to say a few words about the last 8.9 months.

• We hadn't planned on mentioning my pregnancy to Riley until it was about halfway through. Nine months is long for an adult and an eternity for a kid. But it was at week eight when she commented on my big tummy. And came up with the baby whale theory.

• Typical with second pregnancies, I showed really fast. And got huge fast. By month six, strangers assumed I was due "any day now." At month seven, a random guy at my gym said, "It seems like you've been pregnant forever!" And another acquaintance was convinced I was either having twins or that my doctor had the wrong due date. For the record, my doc says I've measured perfectly the entire time.

• Pregnancy is kind to me. Besides feeling a little gross at first and a little huge right now, I've had no major complaints. I've been fortunate enough to keep my regular pace, including working out, until the past week or so. It also helped that Mother Nature gifted me a very mild summer. (Although I may be the only one in Portland who's grateful for that...)

• Cravings: Rice Krispies. Fruit fruit fruit. Diet soda. (Awful, I know.) And there was one week recently where all I wanted at night was a hot fudge sundae from McDonald's. (Many thanks to Matt for indulging that one.)

• I can't say Riley is excited about the impending life change, but she certainly express a lot of interest. She has requested her sibling be a whale, duck, giraffe, puppy, elf, fish, and wolf. She frequently declares, in a matter-of-fact tone, "If the baby is an animal, I will help take care of it. If it is a baby human, I will NOT take care of it." (At which point I remind her it will be MY job to take care of the baby. But that I'd love her help.)

• Despite her ambivalence, it's been fun to have Riley involved in the pregnancy. When I started really showing, every morning she would enthusiastically announce, "Mommy, your tummy is getting SO big!" She enjoys feeling baby kicks and asking what the baby is saying. Our response? "I hope my big sister is really nice to me!"

• I've had about a million and a half ultrasounds. Ok, maybe just like 5. And I've developed love/hate feelings toward them. Early ultrasounds had a few little red flags that caused some concern. But at my most recent one, the baby looked perfectly healthy. And hairy... Can you believe ultrasounds show hair as early as 33 weeks?

• We didn't find out the gender, but nearly *everybody* thinks it's a boy. That's been my hunch, too, but of course I hate to admit that in a public forum for fear my mother's intuition is wrong.

• Matt is finishing up a few big projects and has given me strict orders not to have the baby before Friday. And preferably before October 12 so he can travel to install a project. Will baby cooperate? Stay tuned!