Quick Takes: Pregnancy At 25 Weeks

I’m having trouble writing about this pregnancy and I didn’t think that would be the case. Not everyone can go to the Pregnancy Resource Center located in Portland, so such articles are necessary.  I have things to say, of course. Many, if we are being frank. But they seem to be mostly vacillate between these awestruck feelings that can only be expressed in Pinterest style platitudes, or just your run of the mill debbie-downer complaints. Both are accurate, but both don’t seem to be blog-worthy you know? In an effort to document at least SOMETHING from this pregnancy, here is what’s on my mind 25 weeks in.

*The truth is, it’s been amazing. Nothing hyperbolic about it. It is literally unbelievable at times. He is moving around all the time and I am constantly aware that there is a human growing inside me. It feels less alien-like than I anticipated. I was sure pregnancy would feel like hosting a parasite, and let’s be honest: there are days when it does. But more often, he feels like a person and a constant companion. It’s weird to feel comforted by and in the company of someone when you don’t even know what they look like. It’s less like there is a freeloader hanging on and more like…a friendly ghost? You see…this is why I don’t write about this. 🙂

*I’ve also really been struck by the fact that while this feels like a monumentally unique experience in my life that is completely full of firsts, it is something that people have been doing since the dawn of time. And it happens so frequently that the regularity and urgency of certain symptoms can be aggregated into generic weekly emails that ALL PEOPLE going through this experience can read and relate to. I’m going to use the word relate loosely here though, because while I do find that my What To Expect emails are pretty on point symptom wise, they are also full of clickable links that are titled things like “How To Enjoy Sex After You Lose Your Mucus Plug” and I MEAN REALLY, BRO?????????

*On the more complainy side: Can I tell you that one of my pet peeves in life used to be people who would be knocked up and forgetful and then use “pregnancy brain” as an excuse. UGH all of the eye roll emojis! (And yes, I realize this makes me sound like a completely intolerant asshole, but hey — we all have our things and pregnancy brain was mine.) And now I’m sure you know exactly where this is going, and yes I am eating so much crow that it’s not even funny. Now in addition to being an intolerant asshole, I have realized that I am also a complete idiot lunatic who puts things like milk and raspberry jam back IN A CUPBOARD instead of in the refrigerator. The saddest part is that I won’t even notice for days. Or, maybe I won’t even notice at all and Garrett will find them. Old milk scavenger hunt! Awesome!

*Also, last Wednesday we got in the car after we both got off work and hopped right back into rush hour traffic to go out to the house of some our friends who were hosting our dinner/bookclub. They live about 30 minutes away but 5:30 traffic it took just about an hour and when we were about 3 blocks from their house when I looked over at Garrett and remembered that book club was actually the following night. WHOOPS.

*I think this sort of goes without saying, but I’m going to say it: The Plus Sized Maternity Clothes Market is EGREGIOUSLY UNDERSERVED. I haven’t had too much trouble shopping for clothes since my sizing is on the cusp, and I’ve only recently begun to wear exclusively maternity clothing, but HOLY SHIT, WHAT DO PEOPLE DO? Please take this million dollar idea and run with it, somebody — because I (and many other women, I’m sure) would give you all our money!

*Also, we have settled on a name which feels GREAT. We had a long list of names going for the first couple of months and they were all lovely names, they just weren’t THIS baby’s name. I’m not sure how to tell you that I knew that, but I just knew that this was a great name list if I was writing a novel, but my baby’s name wasn’t on it. And then one day Garrett threw out a name idea that we both kind of laughed at initially. But then all of a sudden it was like “Wait this could possibly be perfect.”

*For weeks we just let it simmer, and then one day we both just started using it, and it is totally his name and it is perfect and I am so happy with it that even the few dissenting opinions we’ve gotten over it are just rolling right off my back because DUH, IT’S HIS NAME — it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks about it. We’ve told all our family and some friends here and there and we aren’t actively keeping it a secret or anything, but I haven’t really discussed with Garrett whether I was going to put it on the blog before he was born (I should add that to the list) so I guess I’ll have to get back to you on that one. If you are dying to know (no one is DYING to know, Holly) I’ll give you a hint: It’s a foreign car manufacturer, which coincidentally will go nicely with his race car themed nursery. (Can you tell my husband is a motorsport enthusiast? LOL)

*And when I say race car themed nursery, I hope you know I mean that room in our house that is filled with crap, though this is where I note that I have favorited one set of race car prints on etsy. Yep, “race car themed nursery” right there. Someone alert Pinterest. 🙂

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11 Responses to Quick Takes: Pregnancy At 25 Weeks

  1. Christy says:

    Pregnancy brain/Mommy brain is the bane of my existence and so very real it’s not even funny. My husband was completely on the side of “not a real thing” when I got pregnant the first time, now after 7 years and another baby, he uses it for me ALL THE TIME. It’s so funny…and sad.

    It sounds like you’re enjoying your pregnancy and that’s the most important thing.

    Don’t stress on the nursery, or at least this is how I feel. Because even if you say that you don’t want the baby to sleep with you or in your room (and I have no idea how you feel about it, I’m just saying) for the first couple of weeks at least it’s just so much easier to have the baby in your room in a back and play or sleeper or what have you that the lovely nursery you spent so much time and money and emotions on will just gather dust and you will be so sad that you wasted that time you could have been putting your feet up watching a while TV show/movie uninterrupted. Phew, run on sentence for the win. 🙂

    • Holly says:

      Yeah, that is what I am telling myself. The nursery is a priority, but I’m certainly not stressing about it. I think it’s also because I know we are planning to move so I feel like this will be temporary no matter what so MUCH less pressure. 🙂 And I am definitely winning at the time sucking/movie watching/couching element of this pregnancy. I mean someone get me a trophy! 😛

  2. Frances says:

    Lovely post, Holly – it sounds like you’re right on track in getting ready to meet your new baby for the first time. I’m very happy for you and Garrett.

    • Holly says:

      Thanks for the sweet sentiments! We are starting to get REALLY excited about meeting our baby because all of a sudden it doesn’t feel too far off. And I feel very lucky that my pregnancy has been wholly uneventful thus far.

  3. Alicia says:

    So glad you are enjoying your pregnancy! I’m 36 weeks into my first and I really REALLY did not love it for most of it. I dealt with a lot of weight issues prior to pregnancy and regaining and dealing with body issues and physical limitations again was really hard for me.

    I completely agree that the plus sized maternity clothes market is crap. I’m also short, so most maternity clothes I do find are too long on me. I end up buying just regular plus-sized clothes in bigger sizes most of the time. I’ve only really had luck at Old Navy and Motherhood Maternity, neither of which I can shop at in person because they don’t carry plus sizes in stores, which makes me super angry.

    • Holly says:

      Girl, I could have written an entire blog post about this alone. I’m on the opposite end of the spectrum, I’m super tall — so my shirts were the first thing to be ill fitting and while it’s pretty easy to get a bigger shirt, finding longer shirts has been a challenge. I also feel like I have a pretty specific style and it is NOT flowy or empire waisted or tunic-y, which tend to be the “regular sized” options that will fit a pregnant body. I also had good luck with Old Navy but now that they only go to a size 18, I think, MAN WHAT DO WOMEN DO who wear a larger size — I mean jeez! And I’m so thankful that my company went to an all casual dress policy in my 3rd month, because if I had to be doing business casual right now it would be IMPOSSIBLE. Seriously…SOMEONE TAKE MY MONEY AND OFFER ME CUTE, STYLISH, STRUCTURED, NON FLOWY, BUT ALSO NOT SUPER BODY CONSCIOUS MATERNITY OPTIONS.

  4. Michelle says:

    Um, I’m kind of dying to know what car-inspired name you picked. My guess is Aston Martin, which would be a seriously awesome name.

  5. Laura says:

    Ooooh totally dying to know about the baby’s name. Either Aston or Martin would be good! I’m guessing Bentley. Or maybe Audi or Renault. JUST PROMISE ME IT’S NOT VOLVO.

  6. Denise says:

    Super excited to meet baby Suzuki Nissan Royce!

  7. Liz says:

    Plus sized maternity clothing is a joke. I usually don’t shop at JC Penney, but they have a large plus size clothing selection (online only). Pink Blush Maternity is also online, but sounds like not your style.

    One thing I tell my new mom friends is to write down your birth experience shortly after so you don’t forget any of the details. I did that for both my kids so they would be able to hear about it when they’re older. Amazing now time can make us forget. Mom brain is a real thing too 🙂

    • Holly says:

      Good advice on the birth experience! I am already forgetting details of our wedding and I haven’t even written THAT all down. And Yes to JC Penney!! They are literally the reason I am not walking around naked. 🙂 Though seriously, if my company hadn’t changed it’s dress code policy to casual in March I’d be totally screwed!

      I did place a couple orders at Pink Blush in the beginning because they definitely had cute stuff, but strangely found their sizing to be weird. For example I ordered a tunic style shirt in the largest size and at only 16 weeks it was literally a crop top on me. 🙂 I mean, I know I’m tall — but it just makes me wonder what people do who are larger than say an 18? They need maternity clothes too! So crazy.