\\ counting down the minutes \\

the moment of truth - screen shot from the movie "waitress"
one of the sweetest movies ever!
if you haven't watched it yet - do yourselves a favor and watch it today

9th month, we meet at last!

after 35 long weeks,

the end (or rather - the beginning) is actually something

that i can visualize.

in just a few short weeks (or days, if shrimpy decides to come early)

this pregnancy will be over

and parenthood will begin

(i'm shaking....)

i've never been the most patient person

and so, the closer we are to the end

the more impatient i'm getting

and the more impatient i'm getting,

the longer the "list of things i want need to do" is growing.

here it is:

1. dressing shrimpy up in teeny-tiny pretty clothes!

my mom got her a few beautiful things at zara already.

and we got her a sweet set of socks, a onesie, a hat and a matching blanket

for the ride home from the hospital.

pictured below - the dress i wore when i came out of the hospital

(it turns out i didn't actually, but for years i was told i did)

by the way, you might recognize it from this post :)

i used it as inspiration for the dresses in the first and last covers.

2. eating salads when we're out and about

(and while we're at it - stinky yummy cheese as well!)

every woman who is trying to get pregnant

or is already pregnant

is being tested to see if she has the antibodies

to a disease called toxoplasmosis.

it's transmitted by cat litter

(which is why pregnant women are commonly told to get rid of their cats

and to not have contact with cats while they're pregnant

even though cats are not the main transmitters of this disease)

and mainly - by fruits and veggies that haven't been properly washed

in soap and water

(and also, meat that hasn't been properly cooked

and contaminated soil, can also transmit this disease)

most people do have the antibodies

and aren't even aware that they ever got the disease

because to most people it's harmless.

but pregnant women (and obviously - helpless embryos)

are extra sensitive to this disease,

due to their weakened (or nonexistent) immune systems.

to make a long story short,

despite the fact that i adopted 4 cats in my short lifetime

i somehow never contracted this disease.

for about a second there, we considered

giving lola to a friend of mine

for the duration of the pregnancy

but we realized it would make both lola and me extremely upset

and that as long as jesse cleans her litter box

twice a day, it should be fine.

food was the tougher issue to deal with:

not having the antibodies meant

that i couldn't eat any fresh fruits and veggies

when we ate out (or ordered in).

not even at friends' meals

(unless we asked them in advance to wash everything

super well, with soap and water)

this meant, that i couldn't eat salads, or sandwiches containing fresh veggies

nor could i order fresh juices or shakes

and it made life a bit difficult for a healthy eater

such as myself.

it meant some extra weight-gain

(no salads = more pastas, pizzas etc.)

and i can't wait for this part to be over!

you may remember that i told you about this blog here.
shai, the writer (and gifted photographer) has become a dear friend of mine.
and the pictures she uploads are making me drool insanely!
also, it was a conversation with shai
thai inspired this post!

3. eating eggs benedict with smoked salmon

ideally, i would be vegan.

i have been vegan for a few years

but combined with battling eating disorders,

it sometimes proves to be too hard for me

(but more on this some other time).

during the pregnancy,

and despite usually being a vegetarian (at the very least),

i did eat meat, occasionally.

i'm not proud of it, but it's a fact

and i'd rather be honest about it.

now that we got this covered...

i miss runny egg yolks. i miss it so so so very much!

it's been 8 (crave-full) months since i last had runny yolks.

i've been fantasizing and dreaming of eating

eggs benedict with salmon

for months now.

i'm planning on having a "goodbye pregnancy" meal

after i give birth

and this will be the main course.

feel free to join!

source

4. palming (and kissing and tickling) shrimpy's corn-kernel toes)

last night i felt shrimpy moving and kicking

and at some point i noticed

my pregnancy bump had it's own little bump!

it happens often that shrimpy's body parts

can be felt through my stomach.

but last night, i actually felt her toes!!!

they are so teeny!

i told my mom about this

and she told me that she cried a bit (and she's not the crying type) ;

my grandpa used to pick me up

from kindergarden

sit me down on the stone wall under their building

(the same building jesse and i call "home" now)

clean the sand from the sandbox off my feet

call my toes "corn kernels"

tell the same 3 jokes every time

and make me feel like the most special person alive!

i loved these moments and i miss him so much!

so naturally, i can't wait

to hold shrimpy's precious little feet

in my hands

and hopefully, make her feel as loved as he made me feel... 

source

5. drinking alcohol again

it's not that i'm such a heavy drinker.

i usually drink at social events,

or the occasional glass of wine with dinner.

but i really really miss it!

throughout the past 8 months, except for

a (literal) sip of wine or beer

once or twice a month (max)

(when making kiddush, for instance)

i've been an extremely good girl.

so on the day of the delivery,

i'm planning on finally having lambrusco! woot woot!

apparently, it's not only allowed

when giving birth,

it's even recommended!

it helps the mom "loosen up" and it eases the process and pains.

count me in!

sourse

6. being able to turn in bed without the help of jesse

it seems i have gotten to that point:

everything is super hard for me to do.

yes, even turning from side to side in bed.

and when things fall on the floor at home,

i sometimes leave them there,

until jesse gets home from work and picks them up.

so i'm basically walking in a minefield when i'm at home.

which i admit, is pretty funny :)

a candid pic taken by jesse a while ago,

when i could still move around unassisted... 

 7. meet my little kicker!

last but not least

i really really really can't wait to give birth

so that i could finally meet

(and hug, kiss, cuddle, and smother with love!)

this tiny person

that has been growing so well inside of me

for the majority of the past year!

we are so curious and anxious to meet her

and see what she's like!

the wait is killing me!!!

this is her first "actual" portrait!
she looks like she's either sucking on her finger,
or drinking a shot of amnionic fluid.
and either way - she seems to be smiling :)

have a cool day with all the alcohol, runny egg yolks and stinky cheese in the world! 

xo