As I look back over some previous posts (especially the most recent), I feel that I need to put up something positive. I do not want this whole pregnancy to end with people thinking that I hated every moment of the experience. Granted, I have had a rough pregnancy and I am antsy for it to be over, but there are things that I will miss about being pregnant (though there are days I really think that I will just continue being pregnant forever; especially if this child cannot fit out of me!).

Anyhow, I decided to make a list of my top 5 things that I'll miss when I am no longer pregnant and Caleb is actually a part of our family (in no particular order):

1. I can no longer use the phrase "But honey, I'm pregnant!" I mastered this phrase long ago and have found great delight in manipulating situations so that I could use this phrase (Stephanie can verify my mad skills in this area). However, I realize now that after the baby is actually born, I will probably be able to use the phrase "But honey, I just had your GIANT baby" until the child is AT LEAST 20 years old, by which time I should have found something else equally as effective. :)

2. I am almost always given a seat on buses, trams, trains, and tubes. This has been a wonderful change, particularly for longer transportation experiences. However, I have to admit that I feel guilty when old people are standing up and insisting that I sit down in their place because they have as much of a need to sit as I do!

3. Unlimited Scott and Cheryl time. We have yet to have grown tired of each other and thoroughly enjoy each other's company without having interruptions from others unless we so choose. Adding a baby to the mix will be the end of such an era when we enter into the world were couples notoriously forget how to communicate with each other without children around, thus leading eventually to the challenging empty nest syndrome.

4. Being able to do whatever we want whenever we want without considering the schedules and needs of a child. This would include everything from sleeping in to travelling to visiting friends to grocery shopping to seeing movies. This freedom has been wonderful and will undoubtedly be greatly missed. However, as I've previously mentioned, I am determined not to be held captive to the "burdens" of a child and will find ways to still pick up and go with the child in tow...particularly in the travelling capacity - there's simply too much that I still need to see!

5. The movements of the alien inside my stomach. Though the movements have gotten somewhat painful more often than not, it's still always fun to try to figure out what pose this child is striking or to see other people's looks of amazement when my stomach is continuously contorting into bizarre shapes and sizes. I have never failed to tell people that this baby never stops moving but they seem not to believe it until they see it and then they are mesmerized. It's highly entertaining for me and I will miss the looks of shock and awe from everybody who probably thought I had been exaggerating about these movements until they were witnesses for themselves.

And one to grow on: Let's face it, I cannot end this blog post without also singing the praises of the fact that it's great to be able to have a giant belly and look like a giant marshmallow woman (as in the picture in the previous post) without fear of people looking at you in disgust. On the contrary, you can be a giant blob and people will tell you that you look cute or even just look at you with amazement and respect because of your size. In no other circumstance can you be equally as large without people looking at you judgementally.