25 Weeks
I realize I posted more pregnancy pictures the previous times, so I'm trying to catch up a bit. It's for my own benefit as well, since I enjoying looking back so much, although right now I'm less than inspired to post.
This pregnancy has been so hard. Much harder than the previous ones. Last time was difficult too but this time tops it all. First such terrible nausea, which occasionally still (!) rears its ugly head and now an achy back and legs which are forced to carry the burden of my tired and worn-out belly. I can't tell if I'm bigger this time around, probably not by too much, but then again I've always had big bellies. Except this time it's the fourth time and my whole body seems to scream daily about how totally done it is with this whole baby-having business. I feel like I've slipped from the first into the third trimester. As soon as the nausea subsided I stopped being able to breathe or bend over or run or do anything for longer than 10 minutes without feeling exhausted. People tell me it's not that, it's that I have three kids to care for, so the burden is multiplied. Maybe they are right. It's more of a chicken and egg situation. What came first?
Again I wish I was one of those happy pregnant women, who blossom into some new kind of womanhood. I don't blossom. Just the opposite, I feel less feminine. I feel fertile, yes and motherly, both of which are very feminine things, but they seem to make it impossible for me to stay in touch with my own self very well. My regular sized clothes wave to me sadly from the left side of my closet, to which they have been banned. The right side is now active, the one with the wide shirts and higher necklines and those absolutely amazingly flattering maternity jeans, the ones with the high panel, yes. Yum-my. (This is a metaphor, where the regular clothes represent the normal me, now crowded out by the gestating process.)
Here's a full body shot, mostly so you can see my new purple flats! I can hear my husband wincing looking at this photo, which has lots of faults starting with the visible flash, but I am happy just being motivated to post, I can't be bothered to fix it.
I've been loading up on accessories a bit, scarves, necklaces, bracelets. There is a slight chance the shiny will distract people from glaring at the obvious. I've already had several "It must be soon now?"-comments. I don't have the energy to feel even a bit annoyed. I can't blame them. I do look big.
I just got these, they are called Ambrosia, by Born. Seem to be sold out at 6pm, which is a magnificent store by the way. I have had great experience with Born shoes.
The one thing that still works are shoes and I'm dying for the weather to warm up so I can wear a cute pair. I can only see them in the mirror anymore, but who cares. Shoes are the one thing I don't have to set aside for the duration of the pregnancy. They stay with me. They remind me it's all short lived. There will be a time, where I will climb on a bike again or run without pain or simply wear my favorite skirt.
For comparison:
25 weeks with Veronika
28 weeks with Ivan
25 weeks with Nikola
You look very cute, Dinka! I hope the next 15 or so weeks fly by for you with minimal pain and suffering. I'm glad you posted; I've missed your writings!