Rockin’ the Bump!

Posted on June 19, 2011 by erin

  

Today I’m joining Shell at Things I Can’t Say with her “Rockin’ The Bump” post! 

Exhibit A. This is me when I was roughly 22 weeks pregnant with the twins in 2005:  

Pregnant with Abby & Izzy, summer 2005. Approx 22-23 weeks.

Exhibit B. This is me now, today, at roughly 21-22 weeks pregnant with a singleton. I say “roughly” because we have no idea what the date of conception was and every time we have an ultrasound I am measuring differently (but my due date, 10/29/11, remains unchanged):  

Taken today, Father's Day 2011. 21 weeks-ish.

Yes, there is a baby in there. A baby girl. Yes, we are sure. 

And to the woman I didn’t know who gasped in horror at my size/girth last night once I told her how far along I was: I WILL SHOW YOU “BIG,” SISTER. Or at least I will show you the semi-flattering photos I have of me as “big.”

Some of you may want to close your eyes for these. Fair warning.

 

 

Exhibit C: These are the last official belly shots we took before I delivered the twins, somewhere around 32-33 weeks. I shudder to think what I’d have looked like if I’d carried the girls to term:

Late November/early December 2005

Last belly shot before delivery on 12/9/05

 

So there you have it folks. If you recover enough to take anything away from this post, please let it be the cardinal rule of pregnancy etiquette: NEVER tell ANY pregnant woman she is “big.” Or “small” for that matter. Don’t make any reference to her size at all, in fact. Just be sweet and tell her how radiant and beautiful she is. Refrain from making any comments which could send her into panic mode or a deep depression. Oh, and let us not forget—don’t walk up to someone and congratulate her on her pregnancy if YOU ARE NOT SURE SHE IS EVEN PREGNANT!

If you haven’t linked up with Shell yet, you have through tomorrow, June 20th, to do so! Hop on over and see all the cute bellies that have already joined the party!

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  • Stephanie

    You ARE radiant and beautiful and look very lush and fertile, like that improv?  You look like a pregnant person, big or small or whatever!

    • Anonymous

      Steph,

      Wait, did you just call me a lush?! ;-)
      XOXOXOXOXOOXOX

  • Anonymous

    Awwwwwww!! You look incrediblly gorgeous, Erin!! I’m so jealous. CAn’t wait to meet your new baby girl. xoxoxoxo

    • Anonymous

      Naomi,

      You are such a sweetheart. Thank you. I can’t wait to  meet her, either! ;-) xoxoxo

  • Anonymous

    How about if I just tell you that you look adorable? :)

    You look like you are all baby this time around! Thanks for linking up!

    • Anonymous

      Thanks, Shell! You know exactly the right things to say! ;-)
      Thanks for letting me join in the fun! this was a blast! xo

  • http://www.bellebeanchicagodog.com/ Liz

    I think you looked great and “wore” your bellies well!

    • Anonymous

      THank you, sweet Liz! Your bellies were so stinkin’ cute though—NOT FAIR!  I’m so glad you linked up, too! xo

  • http://www.mommyofamonster.com Natalie@mommyofamonster

    I suck, Erin! I didn’t even know you were pregnant…CONGRATULATIONS!!

    And that twin belly looks very familiar…I love that you were all out front like I was ;)

    • Anonymous

      Oh Natalie, no worries, hon! It’s been a whirlwind lately and I haven’t been around very much. I was sick as a dog first trimester and now that I’m back in the game I’m just really busy. But yes, I was all out front, it was crazy! I couldn’t find any shirts that were long enough to cover my belly by the very end. I’m sure you can relate! xo

  • Taminginsanity

    I think you look fantastic in all those shots!

    But you’re right – I can’t stand anyone commenting on my size either way – either way makes me worry.

    • Anonymous

      KLZ,

      Yes, that’s why I really wish people would just stick with “you look great,” and leave the other stuff out. Seriously. Now pass me some of those Lofthouse cookies you’ve been talking about.

  • Mindy

    Love it, you gorgeous woman! I think you  look healthy and are totally rocking the bump. :0) This might make you chuckle (or groan). My friend is pregnant with her 5th and people have asked her “Are your sure you can afford that?” “Was it on purpose?” Seriously people?

  • http://www.fromtracie.com From Tracie

    You are seriously ROCKING that baby bump of cuteness!

    And you glow.

    And you are beautiful.

    There is no excuse for anyone to comment on the size of a pregnant woman. It just should not be done. 

    • Anonymous

      Tracie,
      The thing that got to me most was that this comment came from ANOTHER WOMAN! Sheesh! I mean, I’d have almost expected it from a man, but another woman who’s been there/done that? What was she thinking?!!? Ack.

  • Anonymous

    YAY!  You did it!

    My friend (who had an 11+ lb baby) said the same thing.  No reference to size.  Just say, “You look great!”

    And … you look great.  :-)

    • Anonymous

      Jennie,

      Wow, an 11+ pound baby? Your friend deserves an award! And so do you for linking up and nagging me to do the same! xoxo

  • http://www.misselaineouslife.com/ Elaine

    You are radiant a beautiful!  But you already knew that, right? ;)  I love your bump pics and you carry your babies well.  I’m just so happy that you have this current bump to share with us too!! xoxo

    • Anonymous

      Thanks so much, Elaine! PS I need help w/ baby girl bedding!! What do you have for Baby K? Any ideas/suggestions? So many cute things out there!

  • Jessica

    Great belly shots! You are so cute pregnant!

    • Anonymous

      Jessica,

      Thank you, my dear—-although I think you take the cake on cutest preggo chic! Your belly was fab and you were so photogenic! xoxo

  • http://mamasgottago.blogspot.com/ Anne

    You are radiant and beautiful!!!  How exciting, twins and now a baby girl on the way.  Enjoy!

    • Anonymous

      Thank you, Anne! Yes, there sure will be a ton of estrogen in our house! But we’re thrilled! ;-)

  • http://twitter.com/galitbreen Galit Breen

    You? Are pure darling! Absolutely love these Erin! XO

    • Anonymous

      Galit,

      Thanks, darling. Yours was one of my favorites. Love that moment you captured! xoxo

  • http://whatmykidsdid.com Sonora

    Oh you are so right on never telling a pregnant woman she is big or small, just that she is radiant. I hated being told I was either huge or didn’t look that big when I was pregnant with the twins. Maybe it was just all the hormones. :) You look great!  I delivered mine at 34 weeks and have had the same thought of wondering how in the world I could have carried them any longer and how horrifyingly huge I would have been.  You are definitely rocking the bump!!!

    • Anonymous

      Thanks, Sonora! It’ll be so interesting this time to see what happens since I have no real basis for comparison. I’m assuming I’ll go full term, though. Waiting is hard! ;-)
      Thanks for stopping by!

  • http://goodgirlgoneredneck.blogspot.com Andrea B.

    You look beautiful! And you are so NOT big! You are perfectly bellied! ;)

    • Anonymous

      Andrea,

      You flatter me, my dear! Thank you! Isn’t it funny how different people have different perspectives/opinions? Someone yesterday just pointed out that I have “just the teeniest bump so far.” Compared to the woman who was gawking at me at the bat mitzvah on Saturday night. You should’ve seen her face when I told her how far along I was. She was flabbergasted. And she didn’t try to hide it! Oy!

  • Marlene Hunter

    I think your baby belly then and now is perfect, every baby belly is cute. Don’t laugh at me but I didn’t find out I was prego with my first born till I was 20 weeks, I was under a lot of stress at the time and thought that was why I was missing my periods, I was however extremely tired and slept constantly, again stress, my girlfriend said I better go to the docters which I did and they said your pregnant alright, 20 weeks pregnant, I’m tall and I wasn’t even showing yet at 20 weeks I could no longer button my pants, thought I was eating to much, I had no trouble putting on the weight after that 1st appt. I went from 145 to 190, they estimated I was due May 11th, I had no idea the last day of my last period? and Sarah was born May 2nd.  After my second was born like a few months after the mailman said to me When is your baby due? I said I already had my baby I’m not pregnant, I told everyone the mailman thinks I’m pregnant, I’m Fat! Also my first Sarah moved around in there like she was doing summersaults, and her foot would pop out the side of my tummy, the boys didn’t move around as much, my youngest he’s 13 now use to tell me he sucked his thumb in there and it was warm and cozy in there that’s why he didn’t want to come out, he was a week over due, and get this he weight 8lbs, 8oz and I only gained 15 pounds with him cause I had morning sickness every day and night, after he was born the first thing I said was bring me food!!!

  • Marlene Hunter

    When I had my babies we wore big old shirts, now a days the Mommies were tight shirts, some showing there tummies, I think it’s adorable, plus men find pregnant women very sexy, you watch they will be checking out at he grocery store and when your out and about!

    • Anonymous

      Marlene,

      THings have changed so much even in the last 6 years since I was last preggo! And yes, I am wearing tighter shirts this time around. I think tighter can be more flattering b/c when I wear bigger things? I think it makes me look bigger than I actually am! With a more fitted shirt there’s no guessing and you can see exactly how big baby is!

  • Anonymous

    Look at your adorable self.. Love it.. 22 weeks already??Where has the time gone.. My baby was born on November 20th that’s a good day to have a baby lol..

    • Anonymous

      Angel.

      Any day is good to have a baby, right? I’m so excited! ;-)

  • http://www.thekircorner.com Kir

    I remember these pics, but wow I still love them, you looked AMAZING and NOT big at all…you cutie pie!!!

    lovin that NEW BUMP my friend. xo

    • Anonymous

      Kir,

      Pie? Did you say pie? Oh no, I’m off to the store. LOL! xoxoxoxo

  • http://makemommygosomethingsomething.com Kimberly

    You are too adorable!!!

    • Anonymous

      And you are too sweet, Kimberly! ;-) xoxoxox

  • http://profiles.google.com/twonormalmoms Ally Wilson

    You look fantastic, girlfriend! Seriously. And you are so right – no size comments!!

    • Anonymous

      Thank you, Ally! And somehow, I feel the need to shout it from the rooftops about the size comments—-or maybe make a t-shirt? What do you think? There has to be something smart-alecky out there, no?

  • http://littlebitlife.blogspot.com/ Diana

    You are adorable and all of your bumps are just perfect. I never got very big at all but to me I FELT huge. I think its true every woman is so different!

    • Anonymous

      Diana,

      Thank you so much! I wish I could say I never got very big—but I did. Oh well! I just hope I can lose the baby weight as easily this time around….but doubtful, especially since I’m 6 years older. Blerg!

  • http://oldtweener.com Sherri

    Oh, you are too stinkin’ adorable! Totally….and so glad you did current bump and twin bump!

    • Anonymous

      Thanks, sweet Sherri!

      Of course I had to compare the two…even though that was my first pregnancy and I’m trying to accept that I’m going to be bigger faster this time around…hopefully I won’t gain as much weight?!!? AAAAAHHHHHHHH!

  • MommaKiss

    Awesome pics!! I love pregnant bellies. Also, great tip about making sure someone is pregnant before saying congrats ;)

    • Anonymous

      Thank you, MommaKiss!

      I am still giggling over your waxing post from the other day. Priceless. Too bad you didn’t have any other photos of that. Snort!

  • http://rtrsharpfamily.blogspot.com/ Tayarra

    Very cute!  My 2nd son’s bday is 10/29.  Best wishes!

    • Anonymous

      Tayarra,

      Thanks for stopping by! Halloween babies ROCK!

  • http://twobearsfarm.blogspot.com Varunner7

    Great shots Erin!  You look fantastic :-)
    Oh, and as for how long you get to go – my cousin had twins her first pregnancy at 34 weeks.  Both of her subsequent pregnancies were totally at term – around 38 weeks for each of them.  I bet you get to term this time too :-)

    • Anonymous

      Lisa Runner Chic,

      I hope I get to term, too—I think it could radically change things this time around. So much of what we struggled with when the girls were born was preemie-related. I mean, relatively speaking they did sooo well, never on oxygen or anything, but their being early impacted a lot of things. So it’ll be interesting this time around!

  • Bridget

    Amen, sister! First people told me I was small and I would freak out thinking something was wrong. Now people comment on my big belly–they should just shut it! Ps—you look so cute:)

    • Anonymous

      Bridget,

      I know, right?!?! It’s like people know exactly what NOT TO SAY, the exact thing that’s gonna set you off. Maybe I need to write a pregnancy etiquette book. LOL!

  • http://twitter.com/juliecgardner Julie Gardner

    Adorable, all.

    You wear motherhood beautifully, my dear.

    You are quite simply bellylicious.

    • Anonymous

      Julie,

      Today call me Bellylicious. Or I mean, Today YOU Called me Bellylicious. Love it. Thank you. Wish I felt similarly, but appreciate your sweet comments! xoxoxoxo

  • http://twitter.com/amandaaustin Amanda

    That’s such a huge pet peeve….it’s not just saying “wow, you’re huge!” it’s saying, “wow, you’re huge.” and then following it up with “are ya sure you don’t have two (or in your case — 3!) in there?”

    You looked adorable…and you LOOK beautiful now!!!  That is the perfect basketball belly if you ask me :)

    • Anonymous

      Amanda,

      People can be so rude & thoughtless. I don’t get it, really. They should just keep their mouths shut! Thank you for your sweet comments, though. It feels like multiple basketballs are in there, though! ;-)

  • Tullpen Elefanten

    No way I’m sharing pregnant photos of me.

    And?  I totally congratulated someone on being pregnant when they’d only gained a ton of weight.  Whoops!

    • Anonymous

      Tulpen,

      What, are you a chicken? Soooo many people linked up, I couldn’t believe it. And rest assured, I withheld the worst of the preggo evidence—photos taken of me the morning the twins were born—when I was hooked up to about twelve IVs and swollen with all kinds of fluids. ugh! I think my face was bigger than my belly that day!

  • http://twitter.com/AwayWeGoNancy AwayWeGoNancy

    You are cute. Really, really cute. Glowing. Radiant. But you’re not feeling that way. Therefore, I prescribe a pedicure a week until Halloween. Do it. It will be go for the soul.

    Love you.

    • Anonymous

      Nance,

      Will my insurance cover a pedi a week? Shit. That would be SO nice.

  • http://twitter.com/AwayWeGoNancy AwayWeGoNancy

    Also the sole. *Snort*

    • Anonymous

      BWAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA

  • Good Day Regular People

    My gosh, you look so good.  And happy.

    I am so thrilled that you get to live this joy a second time.

    So very happy for you!

    • Anonymous

      Empress,

      Thank you, doll! I love you! xoxoxoxo

  • Missy@WonderFriend

    You could not be cuter!! 

    • Anonymous

      Thanks, Missy! Appreciate your stopping by! ;-)

  • Anonymous

    Goodness you are more beautiful each day!  Love love love! 

    • Anonymous

      Nicole,

      You are so very kind. I appreciate your sweet comments more than you know. Thank you, friend! XOXOXO

  • http://twitter.com/SaidKristin What She Said

    I think you looked AMAZING with the twins and are perfectly adorable now with your singleton. :)

    • Anonymous

      What She Said,

      Thank you so much, you are too sweet! ;-)

  • http://www.lbddiaries.com/blog LBDDiaries

    Love the belly shots!  I remember when I was past due, someone came up to me and said, “Haven’t you delivered that baby yet?” I was thinking, “Well duh, isn’t it obvious, bozo?”  Great post!

    • Anonymous

      LBD Diaries,

      Not sure which is worse—-haven’t you delivered yet or after having delivered someone asking when you are due! that’s my biggest fear! ;-)

  • http://thetwinspin.blogspot.com Leigh Ann

    Gorgeous pics! When I was on hospital bed rest the on call doctor walked in, looked at me, looked at my chart, looked at me again, and said, “It *is* you! You just look so small to be having twins!” Not something I wanted to hear, knowing that I was only 31 weeks and they could be born any day at that point due to my preeclampsia.

    • Anonymous

      Leigh Ann,

      I can’t believe the DOCTOR had the balls to say something like that to you….so rude! Ugh. I’m sorry you had to deal with that.

  • http://twitter.com/MidwestMomments Jennifer Barr

    Aw, so cute! People are so rude. You totally need to get one of those shirts.

  • http://twitter.com/MidwestMomments Jennifer Barr

    Aw, so cute! People are so rude. You totally need to get one of those shirts.

    • Anonymous

      Jennifer,

      I DID IT! I ordered one—and cannot wait to get it and wear it! I got the one that said “it’s not twins, thanks, bye!”

  • Heather

    Cutie Patootie!!! Then AND Now!!! HUGS love ya! PS- I wish my belly looked that cute…

    • Anonymous

      Heather,

      HUGS right back! XOXOXOXOXO

  • http://twitter.com/millejoa jo miller

    You look beautiful, both now & in 2005  ` i think if you honestly look now through the eyes of a loving creator, you will see the perfection YOU are.   Take a breath,give thanks, which is what I know you often do.
    thank you for sharing  — that is brave–especially given your little ‘red;–(I hope i remember red.correctly…if I am wrong.please accept my apology-no harm intended,)–bean’s’ history! Celebrate!

    I do agree, after 2 pregnancies, myself, that nobody has a right to remark on your size unless it is to compliment your perfect/lovely/cute/divine/sweet/ bump.  –none of which was ever said to me,of course  as I delivered in the eighties & ‘bump’ was not ‘the’ word,yet.

    I did experience the oh,you don;t even look pregnant-is everything ok, oh you are so pale, oh!you are rather big!,etc.   I agree, no matter what info  ‘they’ think’ they’ might have   do not share
    Everyone is different –and some of those ‘well meant’ remarks caused me angst & some grief…for no reason.
    I think your present bump is perfect. I imagine your doctor has verified this & PS,  YOU look beautiful
    I send you lots of love to you,and your family!   Extra hugs for the twins & a special besito for your red bean.
    xo

  • http://amandamagee.com amandamagee

    I love the face so many of us get during belly shots—equal parts delight and sheepishness.

  • http://www.bestoffates.com Megan (Best of Fates)

    Man, you look fabulous pregnant – you definitely rock that bump!

  • http://www.thevirtualasst.com Michelle Mangen

    Erin:

    Love the pictures of the bump! Sorry I’ve been so darn MIA on so many of my favorite blogs recently (you can go ahead and say it, I suck). 

    The advice on “don’t say anything on size or if you aren’t sure” — good advice! 

  • Grimmgirl

    I haven’t been online for a while, Erin. Congratulations! Pregnancy photos are so much fun. It’s amazing what our bodies can accomodate! Good luck.

  • http://adayinmynyc.com/ Patty

    You look adorable in EACH and EVERY picture! Hope you are well :)