Could I BE any more unattractive?

What can I say? Frema and 36 weeks pregnant are like oil and vinegar--they just don't mix.

The comments continue to come at me from all sides. All I can do is grit my teeth and plaster a clearly forced smile on my face.

Random Bitch at Mimi Maternity, Who's Obviously Still in the "Cute" Stage of Pregnancy: "Is that one in there or two?"

Sales Clerk at Finish Line, Who Felt the Need to Shout This at Me From Halfway Across the Mall: "You're due any day now, right? With a boy?"

Overly Perky Mall Cop: "Four weeks to go? Are you sure?"

Waitress at Squealers: "You've got to be having a boy."

Client Services Manager at Work: "Oh, no, that's a girl, alright. And she's definitely dropped."

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning, so we'll soon see about that last one.

Also, is now too early to start taking bets on when Freka's going to come? Because I am SO done with this gestating thing.

Comments

[Amanda]

My neighbor just had her little girl a month early. She was just ready to come out at 6lbs 9ozs... so you never know. I think you look adorable and if it is another four weeks just hang in there.

[Lisa]

Wait? Where have I been? I'm the worst blog buddy ever. I thought I'd pop in, catch up after a few months away. But apparently I've been gone longer. Wow. Congrats on the impending child!

And you look fantastic! If I were 36-weeks preggers, I wouldn't even fit out the door. I'll be whaled out on the bed, calling for bon-bons and a C-section. Stat.

Good luck in the last few weeks!

[mjd]

Let's start the bets. Hmmm, what should I pick? Should I pick December 4th at 10:15 AM? That would only be a few days early. Whenever, your daughter decides to join us out here will be a happy day for everyone.

[christine]

This sounds really weird, but we need a picture of you from the back. With people suggesting that you're having a boy, my mom (who's all about superstitions and whatnot) totally believes that you can tell what a woman is having my looking at her from behind. Something about if you still have a waist or not, I think.

You should totally draw on a tshirt: "Yes, it's only one. 4 weeks left. Yes, I'm sure" so that people don't ask their stupid questions.

[Ashley & Family]

You are too freakin cute, I don't care what you say :) I am betting on Nov. 27th morningish

[Molly]

You grew! In a week!

Well, she did, anyway.

Hang in there, friend. You're almost done. You still look fantastic, and I'm glad you're taking pics along the way. Freka will enjoy them someday. :o)

Back rubs, as soon as I see you next. (In return I'll just rock your sweet baby, thanks.)

[daddy d]

People should just shut up negative talk about the baby. They should not say anything other than to be nice. It is not their life, don't get into it unless it is a positive comment.

[Liz]

I think you look beautiful. And I might agree that you're beginning to "drop." You're carrying that bundle of joy all out front, which most people would would be a boy...so I can see the point.
But? I'd still take a swing.
This is the point in my pregnancy with Henry that I would call my mother crying, begging my OB to make it end to take this baby out! and just sitting with a bowl of ice cream permanently perched on my ginormous Henry Belly.
Anyhoo: I think you look beautiful and soon enough this will all be over!

[Katie]

Don't worry, random bitch at Mimi will soon be getting hers. It's all about the karma.

[Virginia Gal]

My vote is that you will go into labor the night of the 24th, but won't deliver until sometime on the 25th. (the 24th is the next full moon, btw)

I think you still have a wonderful inner glow. (The good kind, not the euphemism for sweat kind.)

[Marriage-101]

Well Chandler...

I'm giving you two more weeks. Which would put you at Nov. 27. And 27 is my favorite number. So there's my logic. :)

[Becca]

Gah! People are so rude!! I received one well thought out polite comment for every ten idiotic ones! You look great!

You can always start talking about mucous plugs, episiotomies, and your cervix and then when they look at you, horrified, you can say "Oh, is this conversation too personal for you? I thought it would be ok because you opened by commenting on the size of my uterus."

[Christar]

How in the world are they 'knowing' you're having a boy? Is there a certain feature that pregnant women have that say 'boy' or 'girl'?! It just boggles my mind how people can look at you and just KNOW you're having a boy... especially since they're wrong.

[Liza]

You look adorable!

I'm going to pick December 16. (Sorry!)

[Ashley & Family]

Also, just know that when this journey is over the next one is so sweet that you will wish you could go back in time and do it again. I remember when I had Jackson I already knew how short and sweet those precious newborn days are and I relished in them to the point I would just stare at his face when he cried and be so happy he was here. I know it is no conselation now since you are probably miserable but just think, these are the last few moments you will ever carry your baby inside you ;)

[pjlibrarian]

Okay, here goes...I say the original date of November 29 :)

[ambitiousmrs]

Aaaaaand you've reached what I call the dog days of pregnancy! Hang in there! This part is hard but worth it so your baby doesn't have to be on O2 is in the NICU when she's born.

[Liz]

Oh. So does this mean that you're not going to hold out for my birthday? C'mon, December 11 is only four short weeks away!

[eva]

Ignore the peanut gallery - they're just jealous! I work at a maternity hospital so I've spent time in our large NICU - you are very lucky to have a baby that has made it full term and is of sufficient size to be unlikely to need NICU care. Hang in there!

[Roxanne]

It's interesting (and annoying) how so many people become experts about YOUR pregnancy without knowing YOU at all. You look absolutely adorable (am I'm not just saying that) but I completely understand the 'just get this over with' feeling. It's that feeling of 'get this baby out before I kill somebody' mixed with 'not too early so that it's unsafe for my baby'. You'll survive. Really, I promise!

[Trilby]

Delurking to say that you look beautiful, no matter that you feel like you can't get any bigger. I miss being pregnant and my little boy is a year old. We're currently trying for number 2. Just keep smiling and she'll make her entrance when she's good and ready! :)

[Erin]

Did you ever read Notes from the Underbelly? (not the TV show, the mediocre book on which the TV show is based). There was some pretty funny commentary on the nasty remarks from others (even other pregnant women) on size and shape and such.

You look absolutely precious, by the way, not at all like you are having twins.

[Michelle]

You continue to look adorable. People truly have no concept of how much you truly change in the last three months. People suck.

[Erica]

I think you look great. Enough said!

[Christina]

I think she looks like she has dropped, but wtf do I know? heh!
Im going to guess Dec 6. 7 lbs even and 19.5 inches. You are so small she cant be that big- again wtf do i know...
Cant wait for her arrival, will you share her real name when she is here??
I have loved reading about your pregnancy, I cant wait for the parenting part.

[Brie]

You look great! And all those stupid people making dumb comments should shut up already.
P.S. My vote is December 7

[Liana]

I just want to say: I am SO sorry all those insanely rude random people keep saying such things to you!! I can't IMAGINE saying something like that so someone I don't know. Just because you're visibly pregnant doesn't mean people automatically have the right to treat you so familiarly, not to mention RUDELY and BADLY.
I mean, wow. How about: "So when are you due?" with mild curiosity...or maybe NOTHING AT ALL because it's none of their beeswax ohmygoodness. This really gets my goat. I have no idea how I would react, but it would probably be badly.
Hang in there! :) I'm sure little Freka will love these stories down the line. She'll say "random people thought I was twins, and were really rude to my mom. how stupid."

[Leslie]

I had to delurk to tell you that you look completely adorable! You do not look unattractive. And because of posts like yours I will never again say to a pregnant woman something like "there's no way you'll make it to your due date." In defense of all the "comment makers" just keep in mind that they probably have no idea how offensive their comments can be or how often you hear them. I myself am generally a sensitive person and I have never thought that commenting on a pregnant woman's girth was hurtful because, of course she's big, she's housing a person! But I can see how comments like that from everyone all the time would make you want to pull your hair out. So, no more from me. Now I'm just going to say with surprise "You only have a month left?! You can't be 8 months along, you look so proportional!" Anyways, I vote December 1st! Best wishes with everything!

[Hilary]

Hang in there sister. This IS the time when you are DONE. This is the time when you have had enough. This is the time when you are just ready for the baby to come already. This is the time when carrying another human being really starts to (literally) weigh you down. The last four weeks are the longest and it is so hard to carry all of that weight but remember that you are in the home stretch and you'll be holding little Freka in your arms before you know it and the world will stop and nothing else will matter. I can't wait for that to happen to you and Luke! It's so amazing.

Now.....let me say this...you look amazing! My arms were as big as my thighs at this point. You don't look like you've gained a single, extra pound. Anywhere. I mean, I just scrolled up and looked at only your face and seriously, without seeing your belly, I would never know you were pregnant. I hope your back is holding out okay. I carried Dom like you are carrying Freka and my back had had enough at this point. I went and got a back brace and it all but saved my life!
Frema and 36 weeks pregnant absolutely DO mix. They mix like candy corn and peanuts. Nothing better than a little salt and sugar combo. :-)

[Emmakirsten]

You look great, you are all baby! Some people are assess, I get some pretty rude comments too. Go to my site if you want to see a boy on the way at 37 weeks, nasty, not nice at all......