Does this baby make my belly look big???

Yeah, so guessing about a whether or not a woman is pregnant is a scary, scary thing. I get that. But I swear, if a stranger didn't comment on my hugely growing bump soon, I thought I was going to lose my mind! Everytime I went out on some baby mission, I would proudly sport my belly and hope that I would get some stranger comment or question, but time after time I was denied.

At Hobby Lobby, buying patterns for the nursery bedding, from the cashier: "OH! Who's having a baby?"

At Baby Gap, checking out the unending cuteness that are baby clothes: "Did you need help picking out a gift?" followed by (from another person, mind you), "Can I get you a gift receipt?"

At Target starting Riley's registry: "Are you registering for a wedding?

You get the idea. I was feeling less and less pregnant and more and more like an overweight girl with a hefty appeitite. Did these people really see me as nothing more than pudgy? Couldn't they see the glow? The motherly patting of my protruding abdomen? My obviously overjoyed disposition?

I say all of this, because the time finally arrived that a stranger commented! Last Friday, I was out shopping for Mr. Riley (again!) and after circling the store for the 20th time, made my way to the checkout.

As my items were being scanned and bagged, the lady behind me spoke up: "Isn't it so fun shopping for them? There is just so much cute stuff to buy!" I replied that I needed to calm down with the buying but that I just couldn't help myself. She asked if this was my first and sent me on my way with a "I hope the rest of your pregnancy is great and good luck."

Ahhhh.... could I have been happier leaving that store? It made my week. I finally felt like I was part of the club. An official mom-to-be spoken to by a complete stranger. Confident my belly was now a bump, I couldn't wait to enjoy a big meal....I am, you know, eating for two. ;-)



P.S. Entering week 25. Things are good on the pregnancy front (although moving around is getting a little more difficult!). Our doctor's visit last week went well and I found out that I've gained 22 pounds since the beginning of this fun adventure. Everything is still perfect with the baby and he's measuring precisely on schedule. Next visit I get my screening for diabetes and get to drink some kind of sugar-infused loveliness. I'm including yet another bump photo. I swear at some point I will become too self-conscious for this, but it hasn't happened yet...