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OK, I feel pregnant now

I think I feel really pregnant now. I know that’s a silly thing to say, but for the past, oh, eight months or so, I’ve felt different, but I can’t exactly say I’ve felt pregnant. Maybe I had different expectations for how I would feel. Maybe I’m in denial. I dunno.

I’m feeling pretty pregnant lately because:

- My belly button has popped out to the point of being completely inverted (and has been that way for awhile now).

- I have that vertical line of pigment down my belly. Kinda like a natural pregnancy test, except one line = pregnant, instead of two lines. Heh.

- I can no longer walk without waddling.

- When standing normally, I cannot see my feet. Did I mention I have big feet? We’re talking size 11 sneakers. And yet, my belly makes them vanish before my very eyes.

- Putting on shoes…yeah. Not easy. At all.

- My abdominal muscles are completely useless. If I’m lying on my side and want to turn onto the other side, I have to use my arms to help myself sit up, turn, and then lay back down. No simple rolling over for me any more.

- Recliners aren’t comfortable anymore. Too soft and unsupportive. If I lean back, even a little, my belly weight pushes on my back and it’s not pleasant. I had my hair cut the other day, and I opted not to have her wash it, simply because of my belly. I love having my hair washed, but I knew it would be too uncomfortable.

- All those kicks and punches and rolls and hiccups and who knows what else going on in my belly. I know early on, some women describe baby’s movement as little pops or bubbles. That’s how it was for me at around 16-18 weeks — little pops. Now, we’ve got a 3.5 to 4-pound person thrashing about. It certainly feels like I’m being kicked by a tiny person!

- I have a baby crib, pack & play, car seat, baby clothes, and a ton of diapers in my apartment. That generally means a pregnant person (or newborn) lives there.

- Strangers have started to notice and comment!

- At happy hour with some of Shane’s coworkers, I didn’t get carded walking into the place. What? Also, the bartender immediately asked if I would like some water. Yah, sure! But I think that only happens when you’re obviously pregnant. Cuz who drinks water at a pub? DDs and preggos, that’s who.

I was wearing a form-fitting shirt while checking out at Kohl’s the other day. The cashier wanted to know if I wanted to open a Kohl’s charge card. “No, thank you,” I told her. She asked again, trying to pressure me into taking on debt so she could get a bonus (I’m guessing), and she pointed to my belly and said, “You’ll need it soon!”

Um, what? I need your store credit card soon because I’m going to have a baby? Yah right.

But, it was nice she noticed my belly. I *think* she might have been the first stranger to say something. Shane thinks there was one other instance, but I can’t recall.