Maternity pants and Thanksgiving - a match made in Heaven

For those of you not in the education field, I'm carrying what is considered the perfect timing baby of the teacher world. Due in May, which means my maternity leave goes until the end of the year and runs right into summer. This avoids a lot of annoyances that having maternity leave at any other time entails - having to take your class back over from a sub, tons of planning/work to prepare to come back while you aren't even getting paid, etc. Basically, I can mentally check out of work completely once the baby arrives and start over fresh in a new school year when I return.

I always scoffed at this "perfect planning" because as most of us know, the majority of women can't exactly plan when their baby comes. Despite what they teach in high school healthy class, it's not always as easy as pull the goalie, 9 months later, meet your baby. With Dalton, the plan was HAVE A HEALTHY BABY ANY FREAKING TIME OF THE YEAR.

When he was like 2 hours old. I love looking at his tiny baby pics, makes me even more excited for another one!

I've long defended the beauty of the September baby.

• Perfect weather for fall walks 
• Gross rainy weather, perfect for snuggling up with a newborn and laughing at all the suckers trying not to get wet on their way into work
• Not near any major holidays
• As a teacher, you get to start the year with your class, then peace out for what are arguably the most stressful months of the year
• By the time the holidays do come around, you're ready to drink again and probably good with pumping a bottle so you can do a lot of it
• Personally, I found all the hype about a summer third trimester to be overrated (and I work without AC in a humid climate, don't forget). Yeah, it was hot. You know when else I've been hot? EVERY OTHER SUMMER EVER. 
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However, I'm starting to come around to all the "May babies are the best" rumors. This weekend, we went to a Friendsgiving (for those not familiar with the term, it's when you have an early thanksgiving with a group of friends). This was my first introduction into the absolute beauty that is wearing maternity pants during the holidays. I think I now have a full appreciation for this and may have to do it every year regardless. 

Additionally, I am at the exact perfect point of pregnancy to gorge myself during the holidays. The first trimester nausea/weird aversions have passed (for the most part). Once again, almost every food sounds appealing. And I'm nowhere near the point where the combination of a giant baby crushing my actual stomach and heartburn sometimes will limit a meal to just a few bites before I feel stuffed (or at least, that was the case with Dalton, who was actually nowhere near giant and only 6-14 at birth). I'll only be 20 weeks at Christmas, so I feel that's still solidly in the safe zone for eating. 

While I wouldn't exactly call myself "energetic", I think I'm past the point where the idea of doing literally any task seems impossibly challenging. Yesterday, I took Dalton shopping for ingredients, then met my friends and ran FIVE MILES with the stroller.

So much side eye

That's essentially equivalent to 20 non stroller, non pregnant miles. In fact, I ran 6/7 days this week (3 outside, 3 on the treadmill). It was a huge confidence boost since I'm doing a 5k Turkey Trot Thanksgiving morning. The 5 was a major struggle but the good thing about a stroller run is that at least one kid always needs something or has thrown something out of the stroller so there are constant stops and walk breaks, plus we like to stop at the halfway point to let the kids run around.

As soon as we got home, I spent the rest of the afternoon cooking the sides we were bringing, and then we spent the evening at Friendsgiving. The hosts had two babysitters so that the adults could have actual adult conversation. As I predicted, Dalton was having none of that. We tried a couple times to get him playing with the other kids and the sitters in the basement but as soon as we went upstairs, he would become hysterical and cry real tears, so he spent the time with the grownups.

However, you would not know he loves me based on the only picture I took, this selfie

I can't say I was mad, I'm always down for some extra time with him. It was pretty much the best day of his life because there were appetizers at his level so he could walk by and grab a cracker any time he wanted. He's used to having to beg us for snacks. 

FEED ME.

Today we are having a lazy day and attempting to do some cleaning for Thanksgiving (Dalton is attempting to undo any cleaning we accomplish, as the toddler manifesto states). We are having two good friends over, so it's extremely low key and the cleaning standards will be even lower. We guarantee the food, and I can play the prego card as far as housekeeping goes.

Anyone else annoyed that their job is getting in the way of Thanksgiving prep this week? Like, hello, I have delicious butter filled dishes to cook.