Make It Easy on Yourself

7 weeks left. I am tired. My legs ache and by 3pm at work I am pooped. Until this week, at precisely 3pm, I would begin beating myself up for not being tough enough-- I mean look at all those career women who work until they go into labor at their desks, commute into Manhattan and somehow manage also to still blow dry their hair!

Well kiddos. Today I am at my desk in cotton cut-off pants, sneakers and a Clifford the Big Red Dog t-shirt. I've given up trying to be fabulous in exchange for being what I need to be: Easy on myself. I realized if I don't chill now, when will I ever? It's not like it's going to be easier with the baby!

So my advice to anyone who might read this at any point... if you are pregnant, especially over 30 weeks-- relax. Put your feet up. Let your husband make dinner, and leave work at 4. You are growing a human bean after all.

The Greed... The Greed!

I was so against having a baby shower for two reasons:
1. It felt strange hosting a party for which the primary purpose is to receive gifts (I had the same trouble with the wedding shower)

2. I didn't want to make people come over in the middle of their Saturday to eat silly foods and watch me open up the boring gifts mentioned above.

Wedding showers are slightly better because a) they tend to be a little more Boozy, and b) the gifts are *definitely* more interesting to the crowd in general.

So that all aside, I was informed that a shower would happen with or without my consent to I better get on board because I'd "be happy later to get all those gifts."

My mom, mother in law and I agreed on a "half shower": One hour of all girls opening the gifts, and then a nice backyard BBQ with boys and no games or gift opening for the remainder of the evening. Perfect! Still a little uncomfortable, but do-able.

Well, now guess what. Guess what websites I check daily to see what changes have occured in my favor? That's right. Target and Babies R Us. Every morning I feverishly log on and scroll down to the purchased area to see what I got. And as the shower looms closer the more feverish I get. What has happened to the woman who three short months ago didn't care if I had a bouncy seat or not? Or a wipe warmer? Or a Boppy. Better yet what happened to the woman who was blissfully unaware of any product with the unforunate "Boppy" name. Sigh (lip corners turn down slightly).

I want to know when that baby bath or my Bunny Meadow Lamp is getting purchased and will it happen in the next 8 days??? Wait did I say "my"? I meant "my baby's" of course. Of course!

The new me is apparently a greedy, 30-pounds heavier version of my former self. And from what all the nice onlookers tell me, this is just the beginning. Oy.

It's Kind of Like Getting Married... Again

This morning I was telling my friend Andrea how the next 7 weeks might never pass. I have trouble concentrating at work, I am tired and anxious, and all I think about is the baby. I know my life is about to change drastically and all I can really do is wait for it. She said, "It sounds like a wedding!" and she's right, it does and it's not that different (at this stage).

For the second time in two and a half years, I am about to make a major, forever-life-altering change. The first was getting married. And that was a big change! I was so excited it was all I could do to sit in my chair at work from 8-5 every day. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to announce myself as "Sarah Szilagyi," rather than as the "Sarah Wuerth" I had been for 30 years. I couldn't wait for friends and family to visit, and to dance the night away with my soon to be husband... and then to go on a honeymoon on top of it all!

Now, I can't imagine announcing myself as someone's mom. Having another person depend on me for everything. I imagine myself walking the stroller around the neighborhood, into stores, and waking up multiple times every night to tend to the little munchkin. I am alternately scared shitless and elated beyond my own wildest dreams. I honestly thought I might never want to be a mom, so being this excited is kind of crazy and of course lucky-- being that it's happening regardless.

I don't know what motherhood will bring. But I simply cannot wait to meet the little baby that is poking its way out of my hip as I type. Suffice to say I also cannot wait to have that poking stop and to marvel at my beautiful baby as I hold a glass of wine.

You Have No Idea How You'll Feel

if you are pregnant, or have ever been pregnant you must feel my pain here. I have heard this phrase so many times I could puke. The discussion about how/if/when I will return to work always leads to this sentence.

The conversation begins with someone asking about my leave. I disclose that as a business owner, I can't take a traditional leave, and will be back to work in a small capacity within 3 weeks. SCREEEECH!!!! The maternity leave conversation comes to a halt as Ms. Doe Eyes looks at me in panic for my situation. Then the old, "well, you'll see. You just don't know how you'll feel. I simply couldn't imagine going back to work after I had my first baby."

I get it. It's not easy, you're world is in upheaval, you love your new little muffin to death (at least I hope so, we'll see), and the career escalator is no longer a top priority. On that level I really do get it.

But the way people say this to me is like all of a sudden I am going to become an alien version of myself and be willing to live on nothing but rice in order to stay home.

As the breadwinner in our little soon-to-be family, it is first of all not an option to stay home with Muffin. So I guess on that level I resent the shock and horror I see in Doe Eyes' face because there is simply nothing I can do about it.

However in addition, I have a great work situation and a great team-- and it's important to me. Am I really going to decide after giving birth to Muffin that nothing else matters except him or her? And if I do, God help me, what will I do when Muffin Goes to College?

The Tub is OK but the Jacuzzi is Not. Huh?

I am going to bash this notion once and for all. When you find out you're pregnant, one of the first things you hear is "no jacuzzi for you!" I followed this advice because it made sense at first. The idea is you can't raise your core temperature too high or you'll "cook your baby." (Enter weird, gross images I immediately get of growing a hard boiled egg inside my stomach.)

I even spent a day at the spa with my mom which was awesome, and sat primly on the side of the large comfy hot tub dangling my legs while she indulged. So from a woman that tried to follow the rules, let's have at it.

You see, once you get to about 6 months pregnant, you get sore. Your back hurts. Your feet hurt. Your ankles are swollen and the only thing you think about at the end of the day is a nice hot bath. Your doctor and pretty much every prego site out there encourages bath time for preggie, too. It reduces stress, reduces swelling, and makes you feel a lot nicer all over.

Well now I am 7 months pregnant and my crappy bathtub that holds about 6 gallons of water not only doesn't cover my body but I swear soon I will have to wedge myself in and will need a crane to get me out. We have an killer Jacuzzi sitting in our beautiful backyard, just downstairs and I have found myself literally dreaming about it.

So I did some research. And I did some more. Because truthfully I am a nervous person and the last thing I want to do is the *wrong* thing. But I gotta tell ya, there's really no evidence that going in the Jacuzzi is a problem. Some sites say it's ok if the water is 100 degrees or under. Now I am not a doctor and this is NOT medical advice so please don't take me as the end all be all-- but here's my conclusion for myself:

Jacuzzi is A-OK. If it is hot, don't stay in too long. If you water has broken, don't go in because that Bromine or Chlorine can't be too good. And if 5-10 minutes in a Jacuzzi that fits your body will help you out, do it. Don't think twice.

You will know if you are getting overheated. And then it is time to get out. Come on girls let's start trusting our own instincts here and be reasonable. Let's try to be as comfortable and as reasonable as possible during our pregnancies. Good luck and carry on! (haha)

Hmmmm...Am I... Happpy?

The last few days I have been feeling weird. I've been trying to describe it to people and they best description I could come up with was "Prozac-ed". I know that's probably not very PC but truthfully that's what it is. No serious emotions, no serious happiness, frustration, stress, or anything. For the first time ever, I am just "here."

"What is this strange feeling," I keep asking myself? And then, "when will it go away?"

After having lunch with Andy earlier this afternoon, I think I've found the root cause although I am no more at ease with it. I think I am what people call "content." Is it possible? That after 32 years I am experiencing a truly contented feeling for the first time in my life? I am not used to this! I am thinking perhaps I've been on an emotional roller coaster most of my life without knowing it.

I've always gauged my feelings as "happy" or "upset." No in-between-- and I gotta tell you, there might be something to this in-between. Of course, I would never give up the happy feelings I am missing a little at the moment- but I am mellow! Relaxed! Feeling on top of things! It's kind of ridiculous.

Maybe it's hormones, or maybe I am just coming into a wonderful part of life. I am not sure. But At least for the rest of today, since I am a tried-and-true Type A, I am not going to just let this be. I am going to work on accepting how I feel and learning to enjoy it. I'll report back.