33/40

I am currently 33 weeks pregnant with Bunny.

Everything is going swimmingly.

My tummy is nice and round, and the little one hops around all day (and night).

Jack and Jill just came to visit and we had a lovely time as usual.

I really can't say enough about them, this journey, and this amazing thing I get to be a part of.

My cravings include burnt toast and ice cubes.

School is going well. 

It's hard to believe that I've been back for almost a month now.

Christian loves school too. 

He also loves soccer. And he's really good at it. And we're  kind of really proud of him.

Nolan is being three, and exercising his independence.

This is not always pleasant, but we're working through it. 

We're settling nicely into the new house. 

There is a mess in my living room and unfolded laundry in the basement to prove it.

It's almost fall and I love the cool mornings and evenings so much.

Life is good.

Until next time,

Carmen

a public service announcement:

do not tell pregnant women how big they look.

ever.

Okay so Yosi, the guys, and I were at a fiesta last night. It was fine.

Except all these women kept commenting on how big I am. 

This makes me cranky. You know what? Yes, I am big. BECAUSE I'M GROWING A HUMAN BEING.

A human that does not even belong to me. 

Pretty rad, huh? 

It's not even the surrogacy thing. I got this with my guys too, and it just baffles me every single time. What leaves me even more befuddled is that a whopping majority of these comments come from women.

Rarely will you find a man who comments negatively on a woman's size - pregnant or not - directly to her face. Why? Because it's rude. That's why. 

But for some odd reason, certain women seem to think it's completely fine to tell a pregnant woman how ginormous she has gotten. 

If this is you, please realize that it's not okay. She knows. Trust me, she knows that there is a 5 pound child occupying her entire abdominal cavity. She knows that every second of the day when she moves slower than usual. She knows it when she has to take a nap instead of go to the park, simply because the act of growing that child can be completely exhausting. She knows it when she's up for the fourth time that night to empty her teeny tiny bladder. She knows it when she's trying hard to put together a train puzzle on the floor and eventually has to look on from the couch because that baby has curled up in her ribs so high that the bones feel like they might actually snap. She knows when she goes to get dressed and... I won't even go there. 

But you know what? She doesn't mind. She gets to feel that baby rolling around and hiccuping. When she tosses and turns at night, hoping to find a comfortable way to sleep, she thinks about what wonderful things this new life will accomplish during their own time on earth. She knows that because of her sacrifice, a family will grow, and more love will come to exist in this world. 

Literally. Love that did not even exist before, will now be a part of the universe. Think about that for a second. Brand new love.

So yes, pregnant women get big. But we do not need your comments on the matter. Especially those comments designed to do nothing other than fill the air. The comments that do nothing to lift us up, but rather could only be intended to make us feel less anything less than remarkable. Because that is honestly what we are. We are over here, growing love, and all you can think to comment on is how big we look? 

Well, I think that you'd be better off saying nothing at all. 

Carmen

hi again.

when every bone in my body is screaming for this - 

the weather instead is doing this - 

sigh.

I'M BACK! 

The move left us internet-less (and cable-less, too) for a full two weeks. Talk about a serious first-world problem. Good grief I'm almost embarrassed to admit what an adjustment it was to be unconnected. Luckily, today at 10am the cable guy walked up to our front door and plugged us back in. 

WE'RE MOVED!

True to who we are and how things go in our life, the new house came to be seemingly out of thin air. After weeks of scouring the listings, driving relentlessly through town, and exploring and obsessing over every possible option, our new home was found on accident. But as soon as we found it, papers were signed, boxes were packed, and we were sleeping in the new home four nights later. We don't joke around about moving here. 

We're still getting settled, but it's coming along. Slowly but surely it is starting to feel more like home. There is more space here than we've ever had, and that is taking some getting used to, but I think it will turn out to be a welcome change. To help create a homey feeling we got a cat and brand new furniture. 

Both are helping.

SCHOOL IS BACK.

Not just for Christian anymore (but he is loving kindergarten something fierce), but my semester started a couple of weeks ago as well. So far so good. My schedule this semester is quite flexible and forgiving, which was intentional on my part. I'm glad I went out of my way to arrange it this way, because

I'M BUSY GROWING A HUMAN BEING.

Bunny is getting big, I think I am too. The number I see on the scale is the highest it's ever been in all of my life. I'm honestly not concerned, and I choose not to worry about how hard fun it's going to be to get back down to where I'm comfortable afterwards. I have the rest of my life to live thinly, and my gain is still well within the recommended limits. 

We are 31 weeks along this week! When I think that I'm due two calendar months from tomorrow, I can't hardly believe it. It's just wild that it's so close already. Am I ready? I don't know. 

I so have loved everything about this adventure. I love my relationship with Jack and Jill, I love the responsibility of growing Bunny, I love the baby wiggles and the (marginally, if that) better finger nails. 

That being said, I can hear in our phone calls how eager Jack and Jill are to hold their little bundle. I'm not uncomfortable per say, but I can't sit in one position too long anymore (especially sitting straight up - it feels like my ribs are being pried apart), I move a lot slower than usual, and I'm back to taking naps every afternoon because I'm pooped by about 2pm. 

The heat does not help.

Seriously.

I can't sleep through the night. It's not because I'm uncomfortable, it's because my bladder is the size of a grape. Though, even if this wasn't the case, Nolan would make sure to help me wake up at 2am. He's going on four......

This does nothing to improve the 2pm napping situation. 

But overall, I'm feeling really good and enjoying this last bit of this pregnancy. It really has gone so quickly.

I'LL BE BACK.

probably tomorrow or Monday so don't be worried.

Carmen