Stretching.

Up until 38 weeks, I was lucky and escaped the stretch mark curse. But as of lately, this baby boy has turned me into a giant stretch-marked ballon. 

[Side note: if you're like me and have itchy stretch marks, mix up some witch hazel (from the First Aid aisle) & 100% Aloe Vera.  It helps! ]

I was debating whether or not I wanted to share the following photos... because I really just took them for me. For history sake. So I could remember this big ol' belly of mine. I'll admit, I'm a little self conscious. I even briefly considered Photoshopping the marks on my stomach. It would only take a few minutes...

But then I thought about how silly that would be. What's the point? This is me. This is real life. And sometimes women who grow 10-pound (still hoping that prediction is high) babies, get stretch marks.

So here's a few unedited photos:

In case you were wondering... yes, I know my belly is big, I am "about to pop," I will deliver "any minute now" and for the 98123741273409 time, I'm 100% sure there is only one baby in there. (No twins... or triplets.) 

And while I'm being honest, I'll also admit something else I was embarrassed to share. I've gained about 45 pounds. That's definitely the high side of what doctors recommend. I was hoping to be one of those super-fit pregnant moms that only gains 25 pounds, but turns out that's not how my body works. And that's ok. 

I wanted to share these honest things about myself so I could be real. Yes, I have stretch marks. And despite what the nice people say about me being "all belly"... I have actually gained a lot of weight all over. But regardless of what other negative side effects this baby brings to my body, I know the minute he is placed in my arms, nothing else will matter. 

I'm so ready for that moment.

And we JUST found out that he now has an official "eviction date." So unless he happens to come on his own in the next 36 hours, he will be induced tomorrow night at 10pm.  I'm a little disappointed that I will need a lot of medical intervention and can't have the completely natural experience... but those feelings are easily overshadowed with excitement. Because I can't wait to meet him! 

(And let's also add that I can't wait to eat a giant buffet of sushi, medium-cooked steak, and a big Jimmy Johns sub filled with lots of cold lunch meat... and afterward, soak my entire body in a bubbly hot tub and then take a nap while laying on my squishy, stretch-marked stomach.)