Well, I took the day before our little road trip off to mentally and physically prepare. I booked an 80-minute prenatal massage at this super great spa (90% is covered by work benefits. HALLELUJAH!), went for a pedicure to get my feet ready for some walking and French-manicure showcasing, did some groceries so that we had some yummy snacks for the road and for our picnic, etc. When I got home, I thought I would do some light cleaning, the dishes, you know, to just tidy our home up before we left... The standard. Oh, and have dinner ready for hubby before he got home. Well, from about 4 p.m. to about 11 p.m., I was standing in the kitchen, washing mountains of dishes (I don't believe in dishwashers... In fact, I hate the smell of my dishes after they've gone through the dishwasher.), washing a variety of fruit and vegetables for our car ride, making a huge bowl of salad for our picnic, washing the picnic set, making dinner, etc. The idea here was to bring as many foods with us to not spend money on junk and empty calories that would be of no benefit to hubby, baby or myself.
By 11 p.m., my back was giving signs that it had had enough—and rightly so. At that point, this pregnant mama decided she needed some sleep if she were even thinking of waking up early enough the next morning to take on the road and a full day of adventures.
To my horror at, I woke up the next morning at 6:30 to horrible lower back pain. It was so bad that, for the first time during this pregnancy, I cried out of discomfort or pain. There was no way I could hit the road AND walk all day. No way at all. I could barely get up to go to the washroom and brush my teeth! Thank heavens my husband was there. He made me breakfast, told me to rest and assured me that if I felt better, even if it were later on in the morning, we could still go. His actions and words were very comforting.
By 9:45 a.m., I got up and noticed a significant improvement, so I asked him if he was still interested in going. After that, we hustled to get ready, pack up the food, get ice for the cooler and head out! Our destination was just two hours away, at the +SPACE FOR LIFE 's +Botanical Gardens in Montreal, and by 1:15 p.m., we were there! My mood really changed for the better.
Looking back at the day before, I think I mixed a few activities that should not have been mixed together:
- trying the 80-minute massage instead of the 50-minute one I usually get, which, I think, loosened my back ligaments a little too much;
- carrying heavy grocery bags after the massage; and
- being on my feet for several hours most of the day.
Honestly, what was I thinking? The fact is I wasn't. See, sometimes, your mind tricks you into believing your body is invincible and that you can continue doing things you were originally able to do pre-pregnancy. But soon enough, reality kicks in, and you feel the physical consequences of not reminding yourself of your reality. Whyyyy?! In the moment, what you are really asking yourself is "why not?". That's the trick I fell into simply due to the fact that there is so much that needs to get done in a home, and I really do enjoy doing things around the house to make it feel more cosy, inviting, and like home.
Anyway, the day was a success, and although my feet were a little sore from all the walking, my back was doing pretty well! I think it makes a difference when you walk for a long time vs. when you stand for a long time.
Best things about this little getaway were that hubby and I got to spend some good quality time together, we took some cool shots and enjoyed a gorgeous sunny day! And let me tell you, I did NOT realize just how big my tummy had gotten until I saw pictures he took! Looking at them reminds me that the female body is such a wonder in the way it is able to change its form to accommodate a new life, and makes me forget all the negative feelings simple back pain can bring on, like "I can't do anything any more", "I'm useless", "Why can't my body perform the way it did before", "ugh, I'm tired of being limited"... And the truth is, my body is doing much more than I can even imagine, and if it needs a little break, it's only because it is exhausting itself making a beautiful baby and keeping up with my crazy life. So it's no wonder it gets tired from time to time!
On that note, here are some pictures from our trip!
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