Summer has always been a very special time for me. Maybe that’s because I was born in early June, so the arrival of my birthday represented lots of fun things — the end of school, ice cream, swimming, spending long lazy days with friends, those random dark sky thunderstorms, freedom to spend my entire days reading Stephen King novels or riding my bike anywhere I pleased, and all the goodness that comes with summertime, especially the magic that was summertime in my idyllic hometown in Maine.
As an adult, it has still maintained a lot of its delight for me. When May unfolds into June, I feel the energy of the coming season, emphatically. The summer of 2016 was no different. My perfectly basketball-sized belly (and the growing baby inside of it) didn’t impede on nearly any of my warmer month activities. I started it with my birthday celebration and added to that hiking, swimming, schlepping all over the city on my bike, performing, going out with friends, and enjoying evening walks in the balmy nights.
At my 39-week ultrasound, I was told I was essentially out of amniotic fluid and had to have the baby that day. A Cesarean section followed, and I became a new mom. He was born in the middle of August on the sturgeon full moon. He was 5 lbs., 15 oz. of adorable. Then I basically blacked out, memory-wise, until September.
Six years later, I’m about to become a mom in the summer again (this time in late July), and here are some things I’ve done differently this time around.
I bought a house with a pool.
I know this might sound extreme, and maybe a touch ridiculous — and truth be told, I was preparing to buy a house anyway — but I got the idea of my big, heavy, pregnant self, floating around in a pool during the hot, bloated weeks before labor, and I decided that there would be nothing that could keep it from happening. I turned down house after house, waited until the right blue-trimmed backyard came into my Zillow feed, and pounced. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The zero-gravity feeling of slipping into a cool pool at the end of a hot day of walking around carrying an extra 50 pounds is as exhilarating as I knew it would be.
I got myself a sweet maternity bathing suit.
I didn’t get it necessarily because of the pool, as the suit came first, but I made it my business to find an adorable maternity swimsuit that fit well and made me feel happy. With trips planned for the Jersey Shore and Ocean City, Maryland, and plotting to have a pool in the backyard in my near future, I knew I’d be spending a lot of time wearing it, and I decided it’d be worth it to spend the time looking and to splurge on a special suit. I dedicated more time than I care to admit poring through listings on Amazon, Motherhood.com, Gap, Macy’s, Old Navy, Madewell, Bloomingdale’s, and Target until I found a great suit that covered my big belly and looked awesome, as well. So far, it has gotten a lot of wear. I’ll be surprised if it’s not in shreds by the time August rolls around.
I sought out maternity dresses that make getting dressed easy and breezy.
Last pregnancy, I bought almost no maternity clothing. It seemed like a waste of money for such a short-term selection of clothing. But this time, I gained so much more weight that by six months pregnant, absolutely nothing I owned fit me anymore, and getting dressed was becoming a major hassle (and a discomfort). I perused my go-to stores specifically for maternity wear, but again, I felt reluctant to spend a small fortune on clothing I’d only wear for a short time and then give away. So I decided instead to go to (d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d) T.J. Maxx and check the racks for summery, light tent-style dresses that could just be draped over my large form. I was not disappointed. I didn’t spend that much, and now I have a lovely new collection of brightly colored, flowing dresses that I’ll wear through the summer and into fall and beyond. Do as I did.
I invested in quality, comfortable footwear.
When I was a teenager, I had a pair of leather Birkenstocks that I loved. I wore them until the soles came apart. For years, I wasn’t able to get down with Birks like I did when I was younger, but an impulse purchase taught me that the soft, rubbery EVA Birkenstocks are like clouds on my feet. They are so comfortable, I bought two pairs — one in black and one in pink. I love, love, love my ugly, open-toed shoes. They work well as beach shoes and also go with all my new flowery, flowing dresses. I also bought a terrifically comfortable, thick-soled pair of pink sneakers, and I wear them all the time. Great, comfortable, supportive shoes have made so much difference in how I feel while carrying around an 8-pound baby girl.
I spoiled myself with a zillion giant water bottles.
I spoiled myself with a handful of large water bottles, which I keep full of icy cold water, iced decaf coffee, iced decaf green tea, and Gatorade. I am aiming to stay as hydrated as possible, even if it means I have to become a literal fish to do so. Comfort and staying cool is KEY this time around.
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