<Note I started this post while pregnant and last edited it on Sept. 14th, which was about 7 days before Mia was born.  I had planned to publish it before the Bean/Mia arrived.>

The orb (Sept 17)

The other day, a friend said, “What are you going to do when you don’t have that belly to rub?”  I hadn’t really thought about it but, I imagine the transition can be quite shocking.  It was a very gradual process to go from conception and my pre-pregnant body to my current orb-like state.

Once Bean is born, I will instantaneously revert back to not pregnant (of course, the physical return will be a bit more gradual).  I imagine I might feel like I am missing a major part of me.  Because right now, the Bean is literally part of me.  There I go stating the obvious again — something I always “knew” but didn’t really KNOW until I experienced it.  This whole concept still blows my mind: another person — actually, our son or daughter — is a part of me! Wild!

Anyway, my friend’s comment got me thinking about all this and I decided to start this list.  Here it is…Things I will miss about being pregnant:

1. The magical bond I get to share with our Bean.  It is a beautiful and bizarre thing.
2. Feeling the Bean move around inside me. (Ok, kind of the same as # 1.)
3. Being able to talk and sing to the Bean anytime. (Also related to #1.)
4. Rubbing my big belly.  (I suppose I could rub my belly when I am not pregnant… but then everyone will think I am hungry all the time…which I probably will be since I am breastfeeding.)
5. Kind wishes and affirmations from total strangers.
6. Being able to eat vast amounts of food (I understand this does continue through the breastfeeding stage).
7. A bit of “special” treatment.  It took me a while to warm up to this…But I’m used to it now and I am not turning down any offers of help, chairs, being served first, etc. (This has also continued into the early motherhood stage…we have amazing friends and family.  Also, I will certainly be much more helpful to my friends who are pregnant and give birth in the future…if I had only known!)
8. Knowing that I am taking part in the miracle of life!  Cheesy, I know, but seriously: how cool is it that we can actually procreate!?!   The weight of that responsibility and privilege is beyond description.

<Added the following paragraph tonight.>  There are some things I will not miss about being pregnant.  For example, the way some people are inspired to tell you the most horrible, scary, and sad birth stories they know…I always want to (and sometimes did) interrupt those people by saying, ‘Thanks for sharing, but that is NOT helpful.’  Luckily, I had an easy and magical pregnancy.  And the best part is that we have been blessed with a magical little girl to share our lives with.

Mia (Nov 27)

Mia (Nov 27)