Fit to be W i d e

I'm 31 weeks pregnant now and boy do I look it. I've gained about 21 lbs so far and I can tell you it's ALL in my butt and thighs. My doctor, however, encouraged me that the weight will come off in no time. Of course family members have a different opinion. For example, my mother constantly repeating her mantra, "You'll never be the same size again, haha!" It's not exactly something that makes me feel stellar about my body. Perhaps weight is something trivial as is appearance, but I've only just turned 20. My looks are in their prime and I would like just once to wear a bikini to the pool or to the beach; something I've never been comfortable doing before since I've always been pudgy below the ribs. Before I got pregnant, I was just beginning a regimen to start taking off the wobble. Oh well, in time I suppose. I doubt I'll ever look as good as I did pre-pregnancy and I feel awful that I took it for granted. But you know what they say Karma is....

Speaking of taking things for granted, I got to thinking the other night about how much I miss the norm of everyday American life...probably because we're not in America. My husband took me out to this lovely little Italian restaurant where we shared a giant calzone and watched in silent horror as another American family was apologizing for their raging toddler flinging all their dishes to the floor sending broken shards of glass and plate everywhere. We mused over the miniscule size of the beverages they serve; they couldn't have measured in at more than four ounces, which is probably all anyone should drink of soda at one time, but it was still quite amusing as we recalled with fond memories of the giant Coca Cola glasses filled to the brim with empty fizzy calories that you'd get at Denny's. Ah how I remember how you could even get free refils. Not here in Japan, though. It's the little things like that, that find me pining away for home. I honestly think I will tear up the first time I can give my order to a waitperson without having to point and gesture like a neanderthal and actually have a nice "Hi, how are you today?" conversation with them. It's those things I miss the most about the united states, besides my family of course.

I'm sure there are things here that I'll miss, too but right now, I'm too busy wanting to go home to think about it. It may be soon, though. As early as this December or as late as perhaps March if there'll be the money to do it. I just have to keep my head up until then and also work on my list of things to do while we're there. There's always something to look forward to.