this is 36

They say the gestational period is 40 weeks. Tell me they lie...

As this pregnancy comes to a slow, waddling close, I thought it'd be fun and helpful to share a few things that got me through it with....relative....ease. Or at least, made things easier. But my idea of fun these days is making it until 2 a.m. without a bathroom trip and my idea of helpful these days is if someone else stoops for the paperclip I just dropped or if someone tells me as delicately as possible that I've spilled avocado on my belly. So, like I said...relative.

1// I have basically lived in those two clothing items since month 5. A prudent pregnant woman buys and comfortable, jersey knit maxi dress and a comfortable, jersey knit stretchy skirt. Incidentally, I've had the black maxi from Target for well over 6 years, and it's meant to be a beach cover up (and is totally scando without a cami underneath or a sweater atop). What is so fantastic about it is that all I ever do with this dress is switch out various tops and tie them under the bust to give me a "different" outfit several times a week. Oh I know I'm not fooling anyone but it makes me feel like maybe I am. And that Old Navy maternity skirt has been in a bi- to tri-weekly rotation, not only for working garb, but anywhere I go at all. It is theeee most comfortable thing in theeee whole world and O.N. is still carrying it in assorted colors (just saw it there a couple days ago). Get the coveted look:

 the maxi at 24 weeks

the stretchy skirt at 29 weeks

(sorry for the re-'grams)

2// Somewhere around halfway through my second trimester, my sweet tooth became completely insatiable and voracious. Nestle's chocolate chip by the truckload, I tell you. What has helped - but certainly not cured, mind you - is finding something that semi-satisfies my aspirations to eat my way through the display case at Cheesecake Factory. For me, this has been watermelon. It's sweet enough to talk me down from the Dreyer's gallon challenge, but it's mostly water so it's very calorically friendly. 

Another indulgence I've permitted is chocolate milk - for calcium purposes, natch. When I make it, I go fairly light on chocolate syrup. The problem arises when Sean makes it for me (a common occurrence given my disinclination-verging-on-inability to rise from the couch). It looks the shade of Willy Wonka's chocolate river...a comparison I cringe at drawing because of my current uncanny resemblance in both behavior and appearance to Augustus Gloop.

3// Shoes. You must have a pair of shoes or two that can carry you through a pregnancy. Granted, almost anything else I could have chosen would have given me better foot support and maybe guarded my heels from the gruesome dry cracking that accompanies summer pregnancies, but these gold beauties* make me feel like I'm barefoot, which is the way a Jessie always wants to be. Despite having a desk job, I'm actually on my feet quite a bit, so comfy flips have been bread and buttah, toast and jam.

*I use the term loosely. More facetiously really.

4// Who knew when I registered for these mini throw duvet type thingies approximately three years ago that they would become so indispensable to my well-being? These guys have been LIFEsavers. Alright fine, they've been SLEEPsavers. Not that I'm sleeping all that much, but they certainly help the process along. I used a body pillow when I was pregnant with Jordan, and after using these instead, I shan't ever go back. I position one between my legs to keep my hips comfortably spaced, and I hug the other all night like it's the Leo to my Kate - I'll never let go. Body pillows are pricey. Find yo'self two little pillow buddies.

and 5// (not shown): Support System. I speak not of the Blanqi, although those help too. I mean: husband, sisters, family, friends. I have had so many good, good peeps helping me out with Jordan carpools, Jordan watching, Jordan entertaining, lending ears to my b*tching. Sean takes Jordan for long pool sessions so I can finish the kitchen; my sisters offer - offer! - to watch Jordan for the day to save me $$ on daycare and gas; my parents frequently fetch Jordan from daycare to save me from making a second hour-long drive; Kimmy listens to me every.day. at work while I recount blow for blow my latest insomnia episode; my friend Meg and I text novellas to each other about how our apartments are pits that are sucking our creative and would-be domestic souls. Everything looks better with a little solidarity, and no load feels as heavy when you have willing help. Procure a little of both, and 36 weeks won't feel so 36-weeksy.

And now to prepare this one for the upheaval that will be her life in a few short days. She looks ready to step up, yes? ....we'll just keep all the security items handy until she's 5.

I do what I want so I'm throwing these five over in at Hallie's a whole TWO days late. Yeah. Living dangerously at nearly full term.