Valentine's Views and a Whole Lotta Baby Belly


I wasn't really going to put anything up for St. Valentine's, what with needing to take it down in like a week anyway, but then the other day it just sort of happened.  We have been stuck inside a lot and with insanity looming, it just seemed like a good thing to do.

{pretty}







{happy}


{funny}
Hearts, camo, and boys on the table.  I feel like somehow this is a good representation of my life.  Forging love amidst the boys and crazy.  Or something like that.


{real}
Let's just pretend this is artistic rather than awkwardly posed in the hallway mirror because no one was around for the impromptu belly shot.  Dear people reading, I am just shy of 26 weeks.  And this is how big I am.  I have never been this big and I'm very close to already gaining what I do for a normal full pregnancy.  I'm normally the basketball belly.  What is going on?  I'm not eating all that much different.  I am making a point to drink all my water each day.  But I still have 14 weeks to go!!  This is actually the first time I'm making it a point to work out while pregnant.  (So maybe it's all that heavier muscle I'm gaining, right??  Hahahahaha!  No.)  The same pants still fit from other pregnancies so I don't really get it.  I'm just huge.  Does it really change that much when you get older?  (I'm 34…geez, not that old.)  I feel like I'm in a different body.  I'm trying to be okay with it but I already feel like I'm down in the last few weeks and the waddle and constant exhaustion from the extra weight is already hitting hard.  I'd love to hear any stories you have of gaining a lot but then it coming off okay after baby was born?  Please?!?



23 comments

  1. This last pregnancy made me ridiculously exhausted too, considering there was just one baby! And I ended up gaining more than I did with the twins... I'm still 10ish pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight, but considering I haven't done anything to *try* to lose weight, I think that's pretty good for not quite 3 months PP! Do you have diastasis? That might be part of the reason you're looking bigger. And I definitely "popped" early with Peter but there came a point where my belly didn't get that much larger...

    Anyway, you're adorable! And I love the valentine decorations :) I'm still working on getting the last of our Christmas things put away!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha, there is still a Nativity scene up that I keep forgetting needs to be put away! It's kinda hidden behind the piano books on the piano so I keep forgetting.

      Yeah, I do have a diastasis. I worked so hard to get it back together but it didn't work. I had it with the others, too, though. And I'm not sure that explains the extra weight. We don't actually have a scale but I was at the gym and decided to weigh myself in the locker room…ouch. 10 lbs. at 3 months ain't that bad, though, so you're giving me hope :)

      Delete
    2. Remember scales are different, too! My money's on the gym scale being off from the one at your midwife's office :) And my weight gain always slows down at the end - maybe yours will, too?

      Delete
    3. Yes! The scale. I'm going to go with that, I think!

      Delete
  2. Maybe there is a twin hiding in there. (sorry you were just asking for it!). LOL

    They say that boys are more ball shaped and girls are more shaped all over. So..maybe this one is a girl (I think it is!).

    Anyway, I think you look great!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was thinking twins at the beginning (but I always do!) but two ultrasounds have said no and my fundal height is measuring spot on. Wish I could have an excuse like that! I have heard that about girls, too…hmmm...

      Delete
  3. Do you have a diastasis recti? That can make you carry larger since your core isn't doing all the support work it should be (you know split abs really put a damper on that) I carried large with number 3 and he wasn't even 6.5 lbs and I think my diastasis is to blame. I am working hard on healing it for the next go around.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do but I've had it with number two on. In fact, I worked harder to fix it before this pregnancy than ever before! I know that definitely contributes to back issues, so if you can fix it, do so! Not sure that explains the extra weight, though :(

      Delete
  4. I wouldn't say it's age...I carry smaller and smaller each time, and gain less weight. My twins at 35 weeks were smaller on me and collectively we weighed 15 pounds less than my first singleton and I did at 40 weeks. I think it must vary from woman to woman and even pregnancy to pregnancy. (Though to be honest, I hear more tales like yours than I do mine...)

    And as Amelia up there said, are you sure there's not another one hiding in there?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's so interesting because you're the third mom of twins now that has told me they carried heavier with singletons than with their twins! I can deal if this is just a "this pregnancy" thing…just really hoping I can get to my normal weight after again!

      Delete
  5. Mary, I am only two weeks behind you and I am bigger and heavier this pregnancy as well. I am also younger than you. The doctor claims that boys measure bigger and this one is measuring big consistently.

    Anyway, you look great! And the pregnancy I did not exercise at all (my second, you know L), I gained the least weight.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Did you find out it's a boy?!? I'm really glad I'm not the only one to experience this! I wish it was nicer out…even though I'm exercising more, being stuck inside so much and being heavier is contributing to the blobbliness feeling.

      Delete
    2. We did not find out, which is why it is fun to hear the speculations. :) I am really looking to forward to warm weather with a a baby. We've never had a newborn in warm weather.

      Delete
  6. I always gain 40 to 50lbs for each pregnancy, expect the first I think I gained 35lbs. My doctor has never been concerned because everything else is always fine. It has always taken me about 4 to 6 months to get back to my normal weight. Not trying to lose weight, but with breastfeeding and running after the little ones I guess the weight slowly comes down. You don't look too big or anything to me...you look great! Maybe your noticing more weight gain because of the gap between kids? Mine are all so close in age, and like I said other than the first baby I usually gain quite a bit and that's being pregnant while breastfeeding the entire pregnancy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, that's good to know. Yeah, I should really take out my pictures of past pregnancies so I have some better evidence to go from besides my memory!

      Delete
  7. i gained more with daniel then i did with the twins. only difference was i was 29 versus 31. it was crazy! and depressing. and did not come off as easily. and was the hardest pregnancy. but easiest delivery. you probably didn't need to know all that ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, I DEFINITELY need to hear about easier births. A lot.

      Delete
  8. Oh Mary, you are so stinking cute as a pregnant momma!! I don't think you look big at all! I always get so big, so fast, and then it just sort of stops in the last trimester. I gain like 75% of my weight in the 2nd trimester! And yeah, you'll lose it no problem - breastfeeding and healthy eating and exercising like you already do. That baby just wants to be nice and chubby :) I would say maybe it's a girl, but for my one girl I gained more in my butt and thighs and was wider rather than all out front. You still look out front to me?!?!?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, I chose not to post any backside photos ;) I certainly hope it slows down a bit, if only so that I can walk by the end!

      Delete
  9. Replies
    1. Thanks, Bonnie! I love your new Valentine's banner, too!

      Delete
  10. You look awesome!! Love that baby belly!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love your mantle. My mom had that same "Love" print with the angels so your photo brought back happy memories. :)

    Also, with this pregnancy I felt like my belly was huge the whole 2nd trimester but now that I'm in my 3rd trimester (I'm 34 1/2 weeks) it's kind of tapered off so that now when I see my midwife I always measure at exactly the number of weeks I am in centimeters. With that being said, you really don't look that big in that photo!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting and reading! I love hearing from readers so if a comment box on a post is turned off, it's because Blogger is terrible about filtering spam. If you'd like to send me a message, please use my contact page. Thank you!

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.