Part 1: Pregnancy

I loved everything about being pregnant. Or, at least I thought I would. I'm a very *wide* lady, and I figured my wide hips meant I was meant to pop out babies. Bring it on! (Disclaimer: Clara was not planned.)

1st ultrasound at 9 weeks

14 weeks


I started getting HUGE around 6 months. I was gigantic. I looked like most women do when they're about to give birth.

Yep, me at 6 months.

I didn't want to find out the sex of my little bean. I wanted it to be a surprise. Yeah, that didn't last long. I remember exactly how I felt... Like I had to pee... badly. Probably from the ridiculous amount of water you have to drink before the ultrasound. (You can't ask a pregnant woman to empty her bladder "half-way". It's not possible.)
I had "known" that Clara was a girl since I found out I was pregnant. Mothers always know. And I was right! I grew up with three sisters, and I couldn't imagine having a son. Up to that point, I couldn't come up with a single boy name. I didn't see the point, I was THAT sure.

Around 8 months (even bigger, and weirdly shaped)

When I started to feel Clara's kicks, right around the time of the ultrasound, I really felt like it was real. I was actually going to have a baby. A little human that has half of my genes. And I'm responsible for what kind of woman she's going to be. (Not entirely, but pretty much). It was daunting.

Clara's dad and I didn't move in together until a couple of weeks before my guess date, which was terrifying. My OB told me she'd be surprised if I made it to 37 weeks, so I was prepared to go at any time. Our living space, however, was not.
The day we moved in, I put together her entire nursery. The rest of the place looked like crap, but the nursery was all set for a baby.

Clara's dad and I. I was huge, right?

Towards the end (in reality, the final 3 months) I kept getting asked if I was having triplets. No. In fact. I was not. Singular. Singular birth. Uno bebe. I didn't feel all that big, I mean I felt huge. I WAS pregnant, after all. But I didn't feel triplets big. Looking back, I was pretty huge. I did look like I had at least two babies in that belly.

Taken somewhere in the last two weeks.

Clara had her behind firmly wedged in the right side of my rib cage for weeks. Her hiccups and limbs moving on the left side would tickle. I couldn't wait to meet her.


To be continued...