Bumpday – Week 21

Okay, people. I have heeded your pleas, your desperate emails, and have taken photos of my (mostly invisible bump) for you. I am super nervous about posting these pics, because I am still trying to work through my body image issues. (Blah blah blah – I know how I should feel, so no need to tell me to get over it, okay? THANKS!)

So – from the top, I think I still look pretty normal, right?

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Obviously, this was taken under the boobs. I haven’t seen my feet in years, and can no longer even see my toes.

 

Even from the front, I don’t think I look very pregnant….

 

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I do have a nice, wide stance, though, right?  Just noticed that right now. I am also noticing that I haven’t yet made the bed. Sorry! (Do you like how I pretend that making the bed is actually part of my daily routine. Ha!)

 

So – it’s the side photo that I actually really hate. It’s also the only photo that shows any kind of  bumpiness. Please don’t be mean.

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You really get a good view of the unmade bed in this photo. And the fact that I’m wearing a sports bra that is currently about 16 sizes too small. Oh yeah – and a small protrusion on my lower abdomen.

 

So – there you have it. 21 week 2 day old bump.

 

I am still feeling pretty good. I had some serious sleep issues Saturday & Sunday night, but have slept much better the last two nights. My back starts to hurt after a long day sitting at work. And Alvie Bean is developing into quite a little kicker. I’m feeling him much more consistently now, and am just waiting for the point when the architect can feel the kicks, too. It’s one of the weirdest feelings I’ve ever had, and it startles me every time it starts up again. Every time.

 

Gratitude Journal

November 23, 2011: I am grateful for the architect (I know he’s been mentioned a couple of times already, but I am really grateful for him). He is so patient with me when I’m being ridiculous and emotional; and he will fetch the ice cream out of the basement freezer so I don’t have to go down the stairs. Really, a wonderful man.

November 22, 2011: I am grateful that I have such excellent furry foot warmers who like to curl up by me when I sleeping and steal the covers. Well, maybe not that last part, but I do love my cats!

November 21, 2011: I am grateful for my excellent co-workers that make my days much less crappy (and more productive).

November 20, 2011: I am grateful for my beer theater. It is close to my house, has $4 first-run movies before 6 pm, serves decent pizza, and has beer and wine. Also, it has bottle water, which is what I had today.

November 19, 2011: I am grateful for random port-o-potties on my running route.

November 18, 2011: I am grateful that I have a connection to bits of my cultural heritage; I can’t imagine a world without lefse, and am so pleased that I have learned how to do it and have a skill I can pass on to Alvie Bean.

November 17, 2011: I am grateful for coffee. I know it seems like I mentioned it yesterday, but yesterday I only said I was grateful for the coffee maker (in a list of other things). But I really wanted to draw attention to coffee as deserving of its own special day. Coffee is the best beverage ever invented. I don’t understand how I got through so many years never drinking it and thinking it really wasn’t that great. Mmmmmm……coffee.

November 16, 2011: I am grateful for all the little luxuries I have that I often take for granted…my car, my phone, the coffee maker (so very grateful for my coffee maker). It’s so easy to caught up in the things I don’t have that I occasionally forget how very lucky I am. My life is so freaking awesome.

November 15, 2011: I am grateful that I have the kind of job/life/etc. that allows me to afford pretty shoes, and the level-headedness that keeps me from buying (very many) shoes that wouldn’t be practical.

November 14, 2011: I am grateful that I work in a place with lots of little food nooks. It’s always an easy walk to grab more food. Which I do more often than ever, lately.

November 13, 2011: I am grateful for streaming Netflix (and Hulu Plus!). Also, I am grateful for John Barrowman. And my new found love of Torchwood.

November 12, 2011: I am grateful for my awesome friends! I got so much good quality friend-time this weekend! Walks & cocoa & thrifting with her! Ornament painting and dinner and movies with Alisa, Jen, Lisa & Sarah! Cocoa and a chat with her! (I should maybe also mention that I’m grateful for hot cocoa.)

November 11, 2011: I am grateful for laid back evenings at home with the architect.

November 10, 2011: I am grateful to live in Portland, Oregon. It is so beautiful here. I love that we have four seasons, and I especially love autumn.

November 9, 2011: I am grateful for modern medical conveniences that help eliminate unnecessary surprises from my life. Yay for ultrasounds!

November 8, 2011: I am grateful for my brand-new employee who started today, who I am hoping will help take some of the financial reporting burden off my plate & allow me to do a better job on the more big-picture things.

November 7, 2011: I am grateful for weekends and the opportunity to relax and recharge.

November 6, 2011: I am grateful for running – and grateful that I am still able to run. I am also grateful for my proximity to the most awesome running park in the history of the world: Forest Park.

November 5, 2011:I am grateful that I was able to discover enough courage to join Toastmasters. I know this sounds super cheesy, but it’s really made a HUGE difference in my life.

November 4, 2011: I am grateful for the internet, which gives me the ability to work from home, in my pajamas, this morning.

November 3, 2011: I am grateful that I have a good job that is challenging & interesting, if not necessarily catering to my life interests.

November 2, 2011: I am grateful for the architect, who is simply wonderful. He picks up the household slack when I’m busy with schoolwork, brings me chicken fingers on his way home from work, and is simply the most wonderful husband I could ask for…

November 1, 2011:  I am grateful for my (so far, knock on wood) easy and wonderful pregnancy.

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