I delayed the inevitable for as long as I could, but it finally happened. At Luke's suggestion, this weekend we drove to an outlet mall about an hour south of Indy to spend mucho dinero on my first batch of maternity clothing.
Prior to Sunday, the only such items I had to my name consisted of a tummy tube I never really liked, a pair of lounge shorts, and forty dollars worth of Mimi underwear, the latter actually providing an immeasurable amount of relief to my underbelly, even if the waistbands do bunch up around my bikini line. Shirts hung off me like tents, and pants were a joke. It was like watching a ten-year-old attempt to fill out a 36DD bra.
Now, though! Now, I own a bathing suit, tee-shirt dress, three pairs of capris, one pair of jeans, four tops, and six more pairs of undies. And if Motherhood Maternity had featured any bras that weren't strictly designated for nursing, I would've grabbed a couple of those, too.
Who'd have thought a shirt with extra belly room could make such a drastic change to my appearance? Behold the evidence.
This picture was taken this evening, a profile shot of me at eighteen weeks along, donning a shirt found a couple of months ago on the clearance rack at The Limited. Sure, I look a little poochy, but a stranger with zero knowledge of my gestational status would just assume I'd enjoyed one too many bowls of Edy's cookie dough and move on with his life. (This stranger would be right, by the way, but now is neither the time nor place to discuss such delicate matters, and I'll thank you kindly to stay out of my personal affairs.)
...Here I am five minutes later, wearing one of my new Motherhood finds. Suddenly, the stranger who called me pudgy is now falling all over himself to open my door, carry my packages, and let me have his place in line, because clearly I am a Woman With Child. Also because this shirt lost two buttons after just one washing, so he'd have gotten a generous eyeful of my heaving, scandalous bosoms. A pox on Motherhood and its incompetent employees who can't properly sew.
Poorly manufactured fabric aside, it feels good to finally own my pregnancy shape and not feel so self-conscious about people commenting on my figure. I am a Woman With Child, dammit, and I'm not afraid to show it. Anymore.
Coming tomorrow: a mini-freakout as I wait to learn our baby's gender. Which is happening on Wednesday. Hopefully. Not that Luke and I are on pins and needles or anything.
Awesome finds! Maternity clothes are fabulous now-a-days. Even compared to 5 years ago when I was pregnant with my first! There was nary a khaki skirt to be had, now there is everything a non-pregnant teenager or 20-something or hipster would wear. It's fun, and hard to stop buying stuff. Good luck with that ;)
Posted by: Elizabeth | July 09, 2007 at 11:16 PM
I agree, it's always good to be clear about The Mother With Child status. Enjoy your pregnancy. Top looks great, by the way.
Posted by: EasternMax | July 09, 2007 at 11:37 PM
BWAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! Look at you!! You look great!!
Funny thing that you mentioned eating ice cream. Just this afternoon KJ and I were discussing the intracacies of babies in utero stealing their mama's food (a conversation sparked by my firstborn flesh and blood scolding me for sipping off his chocolate milk and giving him my germs, if you can imagine). Anyway, you and your baby came up, and I enlightened him to the fact that you like to eat ice cream. And he laughed his little four year old tushie off that your baby is an ice cream stealer. Sorry for you, mama of ice cream stealer.
:o)
Posted by: Molly | July 10, 2007 at 12:21 AM
Both shirts are quite cute.
Posted by: Fraulein N | July 10, 2007 at 08:39 AM
You look absolutely adorable! You are right around the time I started wearing maternity clothes as well (which followed me wearing tons of pants from wal-mart that were just bigger sizes). Someone had finally told me to stop wearing the baggy clothes and look pregnant already...but I thought I was swimming in the maternity clothes. Who knew that maternity clothes actually make you look cute?
Have fun, and make sure to set aside some of the stuff you're in right now to wear when you leave the hospital. Unless you're one of THOSE people that leaves in your prepregnancy stuff, in which case I'll have to hate you and maybe stop reading your blog.
OK, I wouldn't stop reading, but I would probably hate you in a very jealous way!
:)
Posted by: Debbie | July 10, 2007 at 08:50 AM
Awwww, you look adorable!
And like Debbie said, you'll probably need roughly 6 months pregnant clothes to wear leaving the hospital.
BTW, for bras, I recommend sports bra types. Not hot, but forgiving of your shape which will continue to change slowly but surely for the next year or so. Also? Buy as few as you can live with at any one time, because they'll only fit for a few months, most likely.
Posted by: Liza | July 10, 2007 at 09:27 AM
I predict that it will either be a boy or a girl.
Posted by: Liz | July 10, 2007 at 09:29 AM
Well, you definitely have the cute baby belly now. I'm usually quite good at guessing the sex of babies. Soooo.....my psychic powers are telling me.....girl! Let us know!
Posted by: Emily | July 10, 2007 at 12:12 PM
you look great! you're totally owning your gestational status now :)
I can't wait to hear if you're having a girl Freke or a boy Freke!!! do you think they'll have wireless internet in the exam room so you can post in the stirrups? no? okay, wait til you get home then.
Posted by: Rachel C | July 10, 2007 at 12:52 PM
It's so fun to shop for maternity clothes! Elizabeth is right - things are far better than they were even five years ago. The tent-style shirts were still prevalent when I had my first 5 years ago.
I had to laugh at Debbie's comment. I once had a friend whine and complain to me that after her fourth baby it took her three WEEKS instead of her typical three DAYS to fit back into her pre-pregnancy jeans. Waaah, waaah, waaah. I could offer her NO sympathy whatsoever.
Posted by: Katie | July 10, 2007 at 01:20 PM
You are so damn cute!!!! Cute cute cute!!! Being a little bit preggy this time of year is the best because you get to wear some really cute clothes!
Can't wait to hear if lil' Freke will be a Miss or a Mr!
Posted by: Rachel | July 10, 2007 at 02:03 PM
Oh man, you (and your clothes) look great.
Just so you know, I found most maternity clothes to be cheaply made. I guess they figure they only have to last a few months. So feel good about finding them on sale!
(Do we get to see more pictures?)
Posted by: Isabel | July 10, 2007 at 03:09 PM
Isn't it just so fun once you get to look pregnant??? It seems like it takes forever!
More belly pics!!!! And lots of 'open leg' wishes for the sonogram!!!
Posted by: Jen | July 10, 2007 at 06:46 PM
You look fantastic, Frema! I love a pregnant belly and other moms love nothing more than reveling in other women's belly pics.
I loved the Old Navy cotton maternity underpants (I also love the word underpants!). Oh, they were so, so comfortable. And much more affordable that Mimi.
I also loved the sleeping bra I bought from Motherhood Nursing, and I still wear it now, even though I haven't nursed in almost a year. So, so comfortable--especially if you've got boobage to tuck in for the night.
Again, you look so wonderful! Cheers to many more belly shots!
Also: holy crap, 18 weeks already?
Posted by: Liz | July 11, 2007 at 12:55 PM
Whoa. How did I miss this post? I'm slow. I love your new top! To say you look cute would be an understatement...you look beaaaauuuutiful!
I fantasize about maternity clothes shopping. I'm glad I can live vicariously through you.
Posted by: Lindsey | July 11, 2007 at 02:07 PM
I missed this post with the nice new shirt. Like always, you look beautiful.
Posted by: mjd | July 11, 2007 at 02:17 PM
You are pregnant during the perfect time, fashion wise. Half of Hollywood could be pregnant and we'd never know because the baby doll dresses/shirts are all the rage. Lucky dog.
Posted by: Silly Hily | July 11, 2007 at 02:26 PM
You look perfectly cute. And I LOOOOOVE maternity clothes. In fact, I wear them so early they barely fit, and I continue to wear the stretchy pants for so long it's shameful. Happy shopping!
Posted by: Stacey | July 12, 2007 at 09:24 AM
i can't believe my first comment on your page is gonna say this but, the maternity shirt totally makes your boobs look great. my maternity shirts sooo don't do that. darn
Posted by: wilddreemer | July 14, 2007 at 06:56 PM