Hump Day, Bump Day: Week 17

I thought I might use up a day's worth of blogging by posting a weekly "bumpdate." I don't want to claim I came up with this term, but I have yet to see it used, so I am patting myself on the back for my clever wit. [insert eyeroll here]

In being one of those people who like to mark milestones, I thought it might be cool to have a play by play set of photos for Baby Sutherland as his/her mother got fatter and fatter carrying him or her.

Or maybe I'm completely kidding myself.

Either way, week 17's bumpdate(s):

As you can tell, while I am certainly larger than I was when I released the "big news," for the most part, I just look thick-waisted. Like one too many beers and bags of Doritos thick-waisted. However, the beauty of being forced to post these each week is that there will come a day when I suddenly look pregnant, not just chubby.

And that will be awesome.

Things to note:

(1) I felt Baby Sutherland move for the first time last week! The only way I can describe the feeling is the first one felt like a piece of popcorn popping in my stomach. And since then, it goes back and forth between fluttering and the occasional finger flick. Either way, it was a confirmation that there's actually something in there. And it's alive. ALIVE! A bit sci-fi, truly.

(2) I've given up on my old pants (except for my black Gap jeggings which have been very kind to me with their multitudinous amount of stretch. I think I love you, Gap jeggings). Yes, they still button, but they are the most uncomfortable things to wear while sitting down, and as my job finds me sitting in front of a computer for the majority of the day, I had to say "sayonara" to them. I can only hope we will meet again at some point in the distant future (I also hope my waist comes running back to me with open arms; it's not goodbye forever... it's just goodbye, for now).

(3) Baby shower talk started this week, and I have to admit that creating a registry is a somewhat daunting task. I remembered feeling this way when I got married... apparently, I have anxiety issues when it comes to this relatively simple activity. I will say I have created a book registry and it was the easiest and simultaneously most exciting thing ever. Kyle and I are both avid readers and want to instill a love of books (real books. You know, the kind that are made from trees and do not require charging?) in our child. Luckily, having worked with kids on and off for the last decade of my life, I have a good handle on which current reads are fabulous, as well as fond memories of my favorites growing up.

(4) Still loving quality prosciutto. And have been downing this like it's no one's business.

(5) In the "what they don't tell you department," I must admit the being out of breath for no reason has been a bit of a shocker. I'm not out of breath all the time, but I will say that I have gone to bed many a night gasping for air after simply brushing my teeth or grabbing a glass of water. In all that is totally bizarre because of pregnancy, it's caused by my organs which shift on their own (... again, sci-fi central) to make room for Baby, and occasionally put pressure on my lungs. What. The. Hell, man?!

(6) And finally, I feel I should mention how some of these "pregnancy" websites update you each week on the progression of your baby's growth. They compare it to a piece of fruit, which has made both eating fruit and shopping for produce a dreaded chore. Feel like eating an apple? Imagine it's a 16-week fetus!

It makes for a lot of interesting mind-fucks, I'll tell you that much!

Oh, one more thing. I got the posed shot idea from this blog (it's one of my faves). She did a whole series last year when she was expecting her son, and I have to give her mad props because she made taking photos of herself like this look easy. Easy it is not, let me tell you.

Happy Hump/Bump Day!