Floral Update and Rockin’ the Bump

Did I leave you hanging? Are you dying to find out what happened? All weekend were you wondering: Nicole, please tell us about your clematis, PLEASE?

Well, I will tell you – the clematis is just fine. I repeat, the clematis is just fine.

Mere hours after my last post I received a call from one of the meter movers, who was standing in the alley watching my fluffy dog barking ferociously and wagging his tail frantically. When it was discovered that the city hadn’t phoned me about the prep work that they had to do, the foreman seemed to get very upset. It was no problem, I said, I was home, they could do the prep work, but would they mind showing me just where they had to dig the hole? Because I was a bit concerned about safety, with regards to the kids and the dog. The foreman nodded, then said forcefully, “Before you say anything, let me tell you something: I am not going to hurt your flowers. Okay? No one is going to kill your flowers.”

Okay! I’m not sure if my thoughts are actually that transparent or if he had just had to deal with every elderly woman on my street concerned with her petunias, but in any case I felt relief. I did not have to resort to crying or any other questionable practices, although coincidentally it was a warm day and I was wearing a low cut tank top. Perhaps the take-away lesson in all this is that one should always wear a low cut tank top because you never know what a day is going to bring. It is akin to my reasoning behind my rule of always wearing makeup, because you never know who you might run into. This rule stemmed from me running into an ex-friend who became an ex-friend when she pronounced her affection for my then-boyfriend who later became her husband. When a person runs into someone like that, the person wants to look as good as possible, no?

Last Friday was our school’s annual Stampede Breakfast and the weather was, oddly enough, sunny and perfect. It made for a great day for all those dressed to kill in the Wild West:

Don’t they look thrilled to be there? I promise you, they were.

When I look at pictures of them now, they seem like such big kids. I can barely remember life without them, and due to all the hormonal involvement, I can barely remember my pregnancies. However, I’m linked up with Shell today for her Rockin’ the Bump, so I’m walking down memory lane via pregnancy photographs. Who doesn’t want to look at themselves with an extra seventy-plus pounds?

This picture was taken New Year’s Day, and my due date was March 30, so you can just imagine how big I actually got. I was working at the time with a lot of men, and there are good things to say to pregnant women and bad things to say to pregnant women. Good things: You look fabulous, You are glowing, Your hair looks great. Bad things: Oh my god, you haven’t had the baby yet? You look like you’re going to explode, Are you sure there aren’t twins in there? (question inevitably followed by an incredible-yet-true story of a friend of a friend who thought she was having just one baby but then ended up having multiples, this despite many ultrasounds because ultrasounds can be wrong), What happened to Nicole? Did you eat her?

All those things were said to me, including the one in which I was accused of somehow cannibalizing myself; I’m pretty sure the guy who said that to me is still single.

Eeep! I’m huge! And I have seven weeks to go in this picture. I can’t bear to post any pictures closer to the due date because they all involve me sitting hugely on the couch with my feet elevated because I was on bedrest due to my development of pre-eclampsia. I also had to test my own urine for protein every morning, which was pretty gross at the time, but in retrospect, no big deal.

This is one of my favourite pictures from my pregnancy with Jake. Mark was just fourteen months in this picture, and I was five months pregnant. There’s something about having children really close together that gives you a kind of street credit. Wow, everyone says, you’re going to have your hands full! You think? I don’t even really remember the first two years of Jake’s life, so I guess I pretty much had my hands full.

This is me about three weeks before Jake was born, which was actually FIVE weeks before his due date. Haven’t you had that baby yet? people would ask. Around this time I put Mark in his stroller and walked to the Starbucks down our street. It is, at most, a ten minute walk but in my waddle-y pregnant state it took me forty five minutes. The glamour of pregnancy, when you feel like the baby might actually fall right out of your vagina if you walk too quickly.

If you would like to play along and post some pictures, head on over to Shell’s and link up! Or tell me here what you loved about being pregnant, what you hated about being pregnant, what kind of foods you craved or loathed….it will be fun!

Comments

Bibliomama says

June 13, 2011 at 9:15 pm

I think the pic in the green tank top is totally cute. I think the turtleneck sweater was a questionable preggo wardrobe choice. 🙂

I have the most mixed-up feelings about pregnancy. I didn’t do pregnancy well, I was sick, I hurt everywhere, things were grinding against things they weren’t supposed to be grinding against and I was even fatter than usual. And yet I am heartbroken that I’m never going to do it again. I’m awesome that way.

My name is Momma says

June 13, 2011 at 11:08 pm

So cute!

Nan | WrathOfMom says

June 13, 2011 at 11:35 pm

“What happened to Nicole? Did you eat her?” C’mon. You gotta admit THAT’S funny. Cruel. BUT funny!

I agree w/ Bibliomama — that turtleneck is highly questionable. But the tank top photo is CUTE!

Shell says

June 13, 2011 at 11:56 pm

People really do say the dumbest things to pregnant women!

I love that pic of you two by the water.

Having mine close in age, too, I had so many people tell me I was going to have my hands full. Um, no kidding! Though, at the time, it didn’t seem like a big deal. It’s only when I look back I realize why I got the funny looks.

Thanks for linking up!

Marilyn (A Lot of Loves) says

June 14, 2011 at 12:10 am

There are exactly two pregnancy photos of me and I had them taken because someone somewhere told me I would regret it if I didn’t. I’m not sure they’re correct but whatever.

You, on the other hand, look pretty cute in your pregnancy pics. The one of you and Mark is my fave.

A Lil Story says

June 14, 2011 at 2:05 am

I loved the crazy looks too (my twins were a year when I got pregnant again)… Isn’t it funny how blunt people are when you are pregnant? I laughed out loud at some of the goofy things said to me…

anyway, you were adorable pregnant! 🙂

Jessica says

June 14, 2011 at 2:39 am

I’m so glad your flowers are okay.

And you are freaking adorable as a prego lady.

Galit Breen says

June 13, 2011 at 9:04 pm

Ohmygoodness are you ever cute! And funny! And did I mention cute? 🙂

Kimberly says

June 15, 2011 at 2:06 am

Yay for flowers and pretty bellies. You were adorable!! Still are 😉

Amber says

June 15, 2011 at 3:36 am

Aaaaaaaawwwwwwwww! I love this post! I love the belly shots and I love the one with you and your sweet little boy.

I hear ya on the hands full comments – I got pregnant with Josh when Daniel was only 6 months old. And after Josh was born, everyone in every shopping mall thought they were twins. Um…not even close to the same size. Hello? THAT is what I remember most of Josh’s first two years; trying to convince people they weren’t twins. Eventually I just started saying, “Yup, they are.” 😀

Then having two more after that, we’re back to the hands full comments. Sigh.

I’d love to play along but I’m too lazy to find my pictures. I have lots on facebook…LOL.

And congrats on the flowers!

Bees With Honey says

June 15, 2011 at 10:45 pm

You’re not huge. I love your bump! Maybe we all just think our bumps are ginormous because that’s how we remember them.

Anastasia says

June 16, 2011 at 2:08 pm

Oh clueless men! You do looking glowing! So pht.

Floral Update and Rockin’ the Bump

Share this:

Comments

Leave a ReplyCancel reply