{28w4d}

Well, it's finally happened; my stomach protrudes further than my chest.

After taking my twenty eight week photo in celebration of my official entry into the third and final trimester, I was elated to find that the full, round, swollen shape of my stomach slightly overpowered the twin mountains on my chest.

I never thought I'd see the day, but it's about time.

I'm starting to feel heavy, and it's no wonder since I've got the scale tipping up almost thirty pounds. I have to laugh at myself every morning as I flip oh-so-gracefully over the mountain of pillows and scoot over to the outside edge of our high setting king sized bed, placing one leg off the edge and praying I'll find the ground before the rest of me-and this child I'm carrying-complete our stomach roll and exit the bed.

I love it.

There is nothing more amazing then carrying around my tiny human, and despite the sudden increase in volume and extra water retention, I'm obsessed with every aspect of being pregnant. I want to meet this sweet little one so badly, but I also don't want this season of my life to end just yet; I want to soak every single moment in.

Getting to this point was such a struggle, and it takes my breath away to realize that in three short months I'll no longer feel the pulling and tugging of this little life growing inside. I'm so eternally grateful for this pregnancy and I'm thankful every day for the blessing God is growing inside of me.

The pregnancy I honestly doubted I would ever get to experience.

And with the nursery finally coming together with the help of some paint, a little furniture, and some of the most amazing gifts for our precious little miracle, I couldn't be happier. I really want to be annoyingly stubborn and wait to share share pictures, though; because I'd much rather present the complete project at the end and divulge-in full detail-all the aspects that make our little one's nest so very special.

But since our dear friend-the doppler renter-came in from out of town and started his amazing artwork on our walls but won't be back until late March, we still have a ways to go before completion.

Great for building anticipation, but not so great for those of us who are impatient.

It's all so cruel, I know; not sharing the nursery until it's complete, not finding out the gender of my child or giving away names until he or she is born, and not posting larger, more unique belly photos that include my face until I have actual maternity photo's taken professionally. I'm aware these antics of mine are driving people insane, but coming from the world of infertility where modesty and suspense are all but lost, I've really come to appreciate the element of surprise.

I'm pretty much just trying to drag on this amazing time in my life on for as long as possible, I think.

However, I'm not completely heartless. So in the midst of all this secrecy, I'm willing to share this one piece of information that has helped keep me sane for at least a week, now that I'm sure it works just like google says it should.

A cucumber a day keeps the cankles away.

Seriously, it works. And it's a good thing I love cucumbers, because while this child may very well come out in the form of a firm, crunchy, dark green vegetable, at least I can can see the veins in my feet and my scrawny ankles once again.

And in the midst of a situation that forces me to loose complete control of my body, that makes me very, very happy. Now if only I could find a healthy, safe way to make those seven pounds I gained in one week disappear-though my chiropractor did let me know it was perfectly normal for that fluctuation to happen because as the baby grows it simply needs more blood and fluid- I'm still not quite convinced.

But that doesn't really matter, because I'm pregnant. I have a tiny, perfect little human in utero, a secret nursery in production and cucumbers have saved my ankles.

I am blessed.

"Whether your pregnancy was meticulously planned, medically coaxed, or happened by surprise, one thing is certain-your life will never be the same."
-Catherine Jones