Life
It's no secret that I absolutely fell in love with my body when I was pregnant. I'd never felt sexier or more confident than when I had that bulbous belly for the first time, nausea and peeing while vomiting be damned. In fact, I even love looking back and laughing at the things my stomach looked like when I was pregnant.
To a person who has never personally experienced pregnancy (or perhaps has never been around a pregnant person for a significant amount of time) you might think that a pregnant belly would just be round all the time. Wrong, dear reader. There is so much more fun to be had when you're using your imagination. You know, kind of like when you're a little kid and you look up at the clouds, making animals with your mind. Pregnant bellies are those clouds, you guys!
Seriously, it's OK if you didn't feel magical about, or inspired by, your pregnant body. My enthusiasm and silliness is not for everybody. I'm a tad crunchy and some people think my humor is bizarre. I'm totally OK with that. To me, my pregnant belly was magnificent and awe-inspiring, whimsical and hilarious. How can a belly be so many things, you ask? Well, with three live births and three miscarriages under my belt, I've had a whole lot of pregnant belly time, which means I have had a whole lot of time to spend gazing at my belly and contemplating what I find. Here are some of the most interesting things my pregnant belly looked like:
The Earth
Cue the crunchy, you guys. When I'm pregnant I feel so connected to everything. If I had ever done hallucinogenics, I might compare the awestruck feeling to taking mushrooms. My pregnant belly literally looks like the earth. The roundness, the rivers of blue veins circumnavigating the land, the heavy, the solidness of it. Sigh.
The Moon
Full and shiny, my stomach definitely resembled the moon on a particularly clear night. I'm not mad about it.
The Universe
With all it's ins and outs. With all the expansiveness. I mean, it honestly defies understanding in its ability to continue to expand.
A Whistling Mouth
Can't you hear this one whistling? I sure can.
A Big Face
Why wouldn't I make faces on my beautifully bulbous pregnant belly, right? This was my first pregnancy and it's my favorite pregnant snapshot of all time.
Snoopy
I dressed my belly up like Snoopy once, and it was awesome. Internet, you're so very welcome for this pictures (and if you pregnant women want to steal this idea for the upcoming Halloween season, I won't be mad about it).
A Pillow
Couldn't you just lay your head down? I mean, it just looks so comfy.
The Top of My Partner's Head
I call this one "Butting Heads" and it makes me smile every single damn time I look at it.
An Elbow
Or maybe that's a butt? It's hard to tell, but there's definitely a little butt/elbow moving around in there.
A Rolling Hill
I am reminded of the winds of Ireland when I look at this picture. The vast expanse of rolling hills. Flutes playing on the fairy-driven breeze. I mean, if you close your eyes you can almost hear the wind winding its way through the tall grass. Magic, you guys. Pregnancy is magic.
An Ice Cream Cone
Mmmmmmmmmm.
Well, at least that's what my kid is thinking. Obviously.
The Nose Of A Bullet Train
Can't you just see it cutting through cities on tracks as fast as lightening? I definitely can. That thing has purpose, you guys.
A Centerpiece
No, not a centerpiece you might see at a dinner table. I'm talking about a centerpiece that gives your family and friends a reason to come together in a loving, supporting community.
