I’m reflecting about all the changes I’ve experienced in the past 36 weeks and all the changes that will happen when this pregnancy adventure is over. I actually really enjoy being pregnant despite the discomforts that spilled on toward the end. There are things I will miss, and things I won’t miss! I made a list because that’s what moms do, right?

Things I’ll Miss About Pregnancy:

• The full head of hair! I rarely shed it and it’s been growing so fast! DON’T STOP!!!
• Horizontal stripes. I am partly kidding, but I never wore them pre-pregnancy and I think I lose my excuse to wear them post pregnancy with the widening illusion they provide that I certainly don’t need.
• Exchanging looks of “go us!” with other pregnant women I see out and about.
• Feeling my daughter’s little kicks and squirms and learning about her personality while she’s inside me. Such a cool connection!
• The other pregnant women in my life! I have so many friends — and my cousin! — who I’ve experienced pregnancy with (we are all only weeks apart) and I’ve loved sharing all the things we’re feeling.
• My husband’s hands on my tummy while he connects with his daughter! I’ll even miss his daily analyses of my belly button protrusion.
• My maternity bathing suit. I like not having to suck in to wear a bikini.
• My maternity pants. One word: ELASTIC.
• Eating without a care in the world. Hence the bullet point above.

Things I Won’t Miss About Pregnancy:

• The back pain! Since the beginning of the 3rd trimester, I’ve been experiencing everything from dull achiness to sharp shooting sciatica-like pains. Sitting, laying, standing: nothing helps!
• The bladder psych outs of feeling like ohmygoshiHaveToGoSoooooBadGetOutOfMyWayRIGHTNow and then going through the motions of sitting down to pee only to feel: Drip. Drop. What?! That’s it?! What a tease!
• Seeing my favorite bottle of wine in the fridge from my favorite winery in the Santa Ynez Valley, Brander, and whispering sweet nothings to it like, “Don’t worry, my sweet. We’ll be together again soon.” What a sad song for a sauvignon.
• The heaviness: my legs, my feet, my belly. Everything feels like I am a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon with strings pulling me to the ground.
• Sleepless nights. Okay, you’re laughing because I’m going to have my share of sleepless nights once the baby is here. But the only reason why my nights are sleeples now is because I can’t get comfortable in bed! Nothing feels good and I toss and turn out of frustration. For some reason, sleeplessness due to a crying, hungry baby seems more acceptable. I know, talk to me later.
• The fear of the unknown: birth. I am becoming increasingly more aware that this baby is going to be coming out of me and very soon, too. I am driving myself insane with fears and apprehension. I know it’s normal since I’m a rookie, but not knowing is almost worse than knowing!
• Snore throat. This is a sore throat from pregnancy-acquired (I can’t believe I’m admitting this) snoring. I never thought I’d ever be so unladylike, but my bedmate tells me I’ve developed a little purr. I blame a less-than ideal sleep position!
• Bumping into stuff and having to clear a path for my belly just to get in a car or sit in a restaurant booth. I want my own space back.

Overall, I’ve had a really nice and easy pregnancy. It’s really only been uncomfortable for the past couple weeks, but everything leading up to then has been smooth, anticlimactic, and actually really positive. For the most part, I felt very sexy — not in a “let’s doooooo it” way — but in a confident, female, “I am woman! ROAR!” way. I felt empowered and strong, like I’ve been doing what my body was made to do. That’s quite an accomplishment, because my body was also made to run marathons and eat 1500 calories a day, but I don’t do either of those. But now, at 36 weeks, I think I finally reached my “I’m over it!” breaking point. Thank you for coming, now get out. It’s not that I wish her to come early because I certainly want this baby to cook as long as she needs to inside to be as healthy as possible outside, but I am looking forward to seeing this journey wrap up so I can have my body back and hold my daughter in my arms. And stop snoring.