HankandLucy

This is it. It's baby week, which means I'm officially signing off for a while. Jamie will take over until her baby boy comes, so you guys are in good hands.

I've spent the last week reflecting on this pregnancy and the days, months, and years to come. You would think at this point I'd be able to wrap my head around the fact that there's a full grown little person inside of me, but it still feels kind of bizarre. Joe and I went to one last pre-baby dinner a few days ago and discussed how things would be different with a child in our lives and what kind of parents we wanted to be. I said that I wanted our baby to be healthy and safe, and he said that he wanted our baby to be happy. If we're lucky, we'll get all three... aren't those the only things that really matter anyway?

I don't think I've been at all candid about how difficult this pregnancy has been for me. Actually, I know I haven't. I, too, got a massage earlier in the week and the massage therapist told me she couldn't believe how much water my body was retaining. My doctor estimated that a good 7-8 pounds of my weight gain is just water weight alone; I think that explains why this trimester has been especially uncomfortable. But, for those of you who are not pregnant or have never been pregnant and would like to be one day, my intentions were never to scare you. You should know that many of the struggles I've encountered are on the rare side, and to experience them all in the same pregnancy is even rarer. So, I'm leaving you with a few aspects of pregnancy I really enjoyed; the ones I'll be a little sad to see go...

Feeling the baby move! Every little twist and turn, and kick and jab (even the ones that hurt) have been the most amazing sensations. Sometimes, often times, I take it as the baby trying to tell me something and I try to figure out exactly what that something is. It's been our little way of communicating and my way of trying to get to know the baby before he/she actually comes.

Listening to Joe talk to my belly. That sort of thing always seemed so silly to me before I got pregnant, but now, it's quite possibly the sweetest thing in the world. It's easy to forget that our partners aren't having the same experience we are, so it's been nice to share every little bit of this pregnancy with him as possible. It's part of the reason that I'm so tremendously excited that he'll be the first to hold our baby.

People are nicer when you're pregnant. I'm not sure why, because I never found myself being nicer to pregnant ladies, but it's true. Strangers are more inclined to smile at you on the street, give up their seat, and offer you help loading your groceries. I'm not going to lie... it's been VERY pleasant.

Knowing how happy and excited our friends and family are for this baby. I feel like some of our loved ones have been living in even greater anticipation than we have. It truly is remarkable how much joy a baby can bring.

and finally...

Sharing this experience with Jamie. Very few people have the opportunity to be pregnant at the exact same time as a friend. She's been incredibly supportive, and I feel so lucky that I've had her by my side. She's pretty much the best partner in crime EVER, and I can't wait to see how the rest of this adventure pans out. I have a feeling it's going to be pretty awesome.

xoxox