the life of an elephant.

literally.

the other day I was watching animal planet with Rick & Gunner and they started talking about elephants and their gestational period - quickly I caught on to the fact that they are pregnant for up to 24 months straight. I say I caught on quickly because I instantly thought to myself "wow that must be terrible"... and then my mind quickly connected the dots and I discovered that WOW - I am an elephant.

 

Granite, I was given a solid two month break in between my pregnancies - but yes, by the time I give birth I will have been practically been pregnant for 2 years straight (because let's face it 9-10 months might as well be a full year)

 

and let me tell you friends, I feel it.

40 weeks with close to no break stacked onto another 40 weeks - is T O U G H. not just because my body didn't get a chance to recover or regain any energy or "youthfullness" - but also because I stacked on baby weight on top of baby weight and feel like a beached whale, or an elephant in this case does feel about right also.

as if pregnancy is not hard enough on your body - I also have a beautiful little 9 month old who goes goes goes NONSTOP and always wants to play! And I can't ever say no (no matter how exhausted, swollen or achy I am) so I, also, go go go go - all over the house we both crawl and play all day & all night. when i'm not working 8 hours a day and commuting 45 both ways.

 

yes. it's hard. I just keep reminding myself thought that one day very SOON - I will not be pregnant anymore. and that thought alone is like christmas. better than christmas because it's not just one day or one thing - it's a whole WORLD of things I will be able to do again and have again: energy, weight loss, running, working out, drinking caffeine to help me through the workdays and long nights, sleeping on my side, sleeping on my stomach, being able to chase gunner around and not feel like i'm going to die, wearing NON maternity clothes, getting massages, painting my own toes, reaching my toes or SEEING my toes - the list can go on & on.

 

even though I can write a book on pregnancy right now and the woes that go with it - I can also right a book on how incredible life is a mom. and I, more than anything, just cannot wait to not be pregnant so I can have BOTH my little ones with us and I can give them my full body's energy at all times and be the very best mom I can be for them both.

 

I just can't wait.

10 weeks to go, or maybe even less!

 

then this elephant will be FREE from her pregnant body and back in full force!

Ahhh, just the thought of it is so nice.

 

 

 

 

& for a random bit of knowledge, I've included the top 10 animals with the longest gestational periods: (now I see also why sharks are so mean!)

 

-manatees: 13 months

-camels: 13-15 months

-giraffes: 13-16 months

-velvet worm: 15 months

-rhinoceros: 15 months

-walruses: 15-16 months

-whales & dolphins: 17-19 months

-elephants: 22-24 months

-Black alpine salamanders – 24 to 36 months

-Sharks – 12 to 42 months