15 REASONS I LOVE BEING PREGNANT

If you haven't noticed, my belly is BIG. Most of the time I am OK with that, but I have my moments. I'm really trying to focus on walking in love with my body during this pregnancy. I read somewhere recently that a midwife told her pregnant patient that "this is how your body makes a baby". I've heard over and over again how each pregnancy is so different, and sometimes you don't fall into the "average" category. This is OK! It doesn't mean you are unhealthy or doing something wrong. But it wasn't until I heard that phrase, that it really sunk in. This is how my body makes a baby. I'm huge, but healthy! So in the spirit of walking in love with my body, I decided to make a list of reasons why I love being pregnant:

1. The blessing of feeling a little life moving around and growing stronger each day in my belly. It is such a gift and a privilege to have this unique bond with my baby!

2. Watching Mark's reaction when he feels the baby kicking, and listening to him talk to our son. I am again so blessed to have such an amazing husband, and I am so excited to see him as Daddy!

3. The world becomes a nicer place when you are pregnant. People make you feel like someone important by saving special chairs for you, holding doors open for you, and fetching you things. Strangers love to smile at me on the street, and I don't think I have received so many compliments in my life as I have in these past few months!

4. It is perfectly acceptable, even encouraged,  to have a nap every afternoon. Yessss.

5. Maternity clothes are the most comfortable clothes in the world. Not to mention they are much more stylish than my regular wardrobe!

6. Marveling at God for creating my body to perform such a miracle.

7. The fun of picking out baby names! I may have been doing this since I was in elementary school, but now it's real! And hard. But still fun!

8. Shopping for baby stuff. Seriously. The stuff is just SO DANG CUTE.

9. The amazing things little children will say about the baby in my tummy. "Is your baby coming on a walk with us too?", "Does your baby need a jacket?", "Is your baby coming right now?" - "Not yet sweetie." followed by tears, and my personal favourite, a two-year-old's explanation of birth... "Pop goes the baby!".

10. Chocolate. I swear it's even better when you're pregnant.

11. Not ever EVER thinking about belly rolls when sitting down. 

12. Joining the club. Every time I walk past a pregnant lady, we share an understanding smile as if we are in on a secret no one else shares.

13. Babymoons! Special before-baby dates with Mark whenever we can squeeze them in. 

14. Baby hiccups! They make me giggle... once I finally figured out what they were!

15. And of course, although there are many other annoying things that come along with pregnancy... no period. Yahoo!