Doctor appointment: 34 weeks (and some comments from the gentlemen)

Last Tuesday (Tuesday, April 23rd) I had my 34 week appointment (two days before I was officially 34 weeks) and all checked out great! Jeff and I were having such a nice conversation with Dr. Chow that I almost thought we were just going to shoot the breeze and head on home. After all the chatting though, we did get to hear our baby's heart beat and, "Baby sounds great," said our doc.

I continue to measure right where I am supposed to be, so that was good to hear too.

You'd never know it based off of some of things people say to me, however!



I have had two men approach me within the last three days - one at Target and one at Babies 'R Us - with comments on how close I must be getting to having the baby! I'm not sure if that has ever happened to me, by men, and I know I was this big with both girls. The scenarios were these:

Guy #1 (Friday, April 26th): I'm guessing he was in his late 40s. He was in the check out lane next to me at Target with what I assume was his wife or significant other of some sort. They checked out and he backtracked to make his way to me as I waited in line and said, "Forgive me for asking, but you must be getting close." "Yep, just a few more weeks," I said sheepishly as I felt the need to add, "even though I know I look like I'm ready to deliver tomorrow!" I have to say, it surprised me that he went out of his way to talk to me about it, and as much as I want to chalk it up as just being friendly, it was the first time I actually felt a little embarrassed about my size! I was almost self-conscious to admit the truth of still having five weeks to go. That feeling was magnified when the 70-something woman checking me out at Target - who had partially overheard my conversation with the man - said, "So you're about ready? How much longer do you have to go?" I said, "Well, I still have a little more time. May 31st." I could have knocked her over with a feather as shock filled her face. I can't fully remember what she said, but something emphasizing her alarm that I wasn't going to deliver the baby right then and there on the floor at Target. What I do remember is that she followed it up with, "And they're sure there's only one baby?" Deadly serious, both that she said exactly that and that she was entirely asking seriously.

Guy #2 (Monday, April 29th): I'm guessing he was in his early to mid 30s. He was pushing around a stroller as I pushed Viviana in a cart at Babies 'R Us. He went out of his way to come up to me to say, "I'm guessing you're getting close." He said it in a very nice way, but I could not help but be struck by how similar the approach sounded to the last guy's. I again felt the need to justify my size by saying, "Yes, I am, but actually I still have until May 31st, even though it looks like I'm already ready to deliver!" It was then he referenced remembering his wife's size being similar at this stage...but he proceeded to talk about their babies (plural!) and then I noticed, there was another spot for baby #2 tucked away rather inconspicuously under baby #1's spot in a stroller that I didn't see was a double! He had twins! Was I being compared to his wife in her final stages of having twins? Why, yes! Yes, I think I was! He was in no way rude - in fact, he could not have been nicer, nor could he have been having a more innocent conversation with me, but man, oh man. After jovially explaining in my self-deprecating way that I was only having one baby (ha, if he could believe that), he wished me good luck with everything and Vivi and I went on our way. During our chat, he did say they were in town from California, so maybe I could tell myself that people, in general, are just bigger here and maybe that was part of it!

These things I just have to remember. I mean, I know I am not small, and there have been many a time I have referenced my belly as being gigantic as of late, but is it even bigger than I have been willing to see? Honestly, there are times - albeit few, usually when I am wearing black - that I think, maybe I'm not so ridiculously as large as I feel like I am after all. Even my doctor gave me a massive compliment - one that I want to write so badly, but that he half-jokingly told me I couldn't publish here (when I told him it was so nice it was going up on my blog immediately) because some of his patients may be reading, but the gist of it was that I was a slender pregnant chick! (Note to self: his exact words used will be written and saved in a draft  following this blog post so I can remember the sweet comment and read often so I can make myself feel better!)

While I am on the subject of size, I gained six pounds since my last appointment. It was only until writing this very post that I felt pretty great about that. I suppose since I have had a couple of eight pound weight gains, anything less feels like an achievement. The gain did not faze me. I not only gave myself permission, but practically insisted I eat more ice cream. Then I realized a certain fact: those eight pound gains were over a month's time. This six pound gain was over two weeks! Sooo, now I feel like crap and even worse, I just ate a half of a pint of Chocolate Fudge Brownie before writing this post.

If my math is correct, I have gained 30 pounds total this pregnancy. That is normal, considering 25-35 is average. But when I acknowledge that if the past repeats itself and I swell up and gain some crazy weight in the last month of my pregnancy, that number is going to jump higher than an Olympic pole vaulter. Good news for me is that I am enjoying my limitless calorie intake to its fullest. The bad news comes after I pop this baby out and have to contend with the results of my endless binge! Looks like I'll have to swap out the ice cream for vodka and that, my friends, it a positive caloric trade. Not such bad news, after all!