Stefan came in the other day and said, “Do you know that by 2030, 86% of Americans will be considered obsese or overweight?”

Do what?!?! But indeed, it seems to be true. According to a study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 62% of Americans are already overweight. Now what does this have to do with pregnant women? EVERYTHING!

You see, back in April we went over to Naples, FL, for a few weeks on vacation. It was heaven. Winter was still holding on here in Germany but over there, summer had arrived. We laid by the pool, went swimming, wore shorts & flip-flops every day. We’d forgotten just how fantastic it was to live in Florida…and remembered why we NEVER GO BACK (because as rational people, we never want to leave!) But since I was newly pregnant, I figured it would be a good time to take advantage of the weak dollar and buy a few things that I could wear when I really started to show. Sadly I didn’t find much I liked because apparently I just am not trendy enough. But what I did notice is that all the shirts for “normal” people looked like they were for pregnant women. It’s great! You can go in just about any store and find at least 5 shirts that will fit you when your belly is protruding into the next zip code. No feeling singled out because you’re not skinny like the rest of the population – in fact, you may actually be thinner pregnant than most 18-year-olds (or so I found.) I actually went into a couple of upscale fashion places in Naples and when one sales women asked if she could help me, I just said I was looking for pregnancy wear. I thought she was going to slap me. But it’s true!

Maybe with the rising costs of gas and food, people will start to reduce their waistlines again and shape up. The only pregnancy clothing items I have bought so far are a couple Bella Bands (which are FANTASTIC) and everything else I wear is still just normal clothing. Granted I did have to shift up to a size 7 in jeans versus by usual size 5, but I can deal with that. At least there’s still a slim chance that I’ll still be wearing them after the pregnancy and not using them to smuggle food in on Thanksgiving Day.

And now half of my friends who read this blog will stop talking to me because I am only gaining weight in my belly. But I swear I feel like I’m eating a cow every day to satisfy Mackenzie’s hunger pangs. So please continue to love me as you always have…and you can also continue to secretly hope and pray that I blimp up one day, although I’ll be doing my best to prevent it!