Wednesday, May 9, 2007

long distance virtual dress sizing & fitting

Let's see, where were we? Ah yes. Hopefully soon to be delivered. Today I officially hit 38 weeks of pregnancy. Two of my babies arrived 10 days early. The other one was a few days late, but I'm ever the optimist. The question is, how much of an optimist should I be?

Here's the real issue: The other day my sister called me from some department store requesting to know what size of skirt I would be fitting into in the middle of July. "Wwweeeeellllllll...." I said....???

The thing is, this isn't just some random act of "oh, here is a skirt I think Allysha might like that I can send her in July" kindness, no. This is to be part of a bridesmaid ensemble for her wedding reception that I will be flying in for a day or two before the actual event. The skirts are on sale. They need to be bought. They may be, may be, may be alterable. Maybe.

So, let's see. I need to estimate what my postpartum body will be doing in July, approximately two months from now. I need to do that estimate while still inhabiting a presentpartum body, a body that is currently prone to retaining water and craving fattening snacks. So how much of my present weight is water and how much of it is real, gulp, weight? How was I to answer this question? The only thing that kept coming to my mind was a confused sort of incredulous "I think I understand that you're trying to ask me what size of skirt I will be wearing in July, but my brain is having a very hard time wrapping it's self around the idea of wearing anything without a good elastic waistband."

I did what any reasonable, pregnant, older sister would do. I asked to talk to my mom. I mean absolutely no offense to my sister, but someone who has never been pregnant before, and has never experienced the random shifting of curves through the months during and after a pregnancy has absolutely no way to help gauge what size of skirt I should ask for.

If you have been pregnant before you know that each one is a little different. Each weight loss experience is also different from any other pregnancy. Sometimes the pounds come off faster, sometimes slower. More often a complicated mix of slow then fast then slower and hopefully fast again (okay that last one is part of my optimism).

My mom is about my size although our body shapes are a little different, but she tried on the skirts for me and gave me her experienced opinion. She is coming out when the baby is born and could bring the skirt, but we both know that trying on a skirt at that point isn't going to be a lot different from trying on the skirt at 38 weeks and counting.

We decided to go with buying 2 sizes just to be safe. Let's clarify, that is not a size 2, but two different sizes of skirts. (Heck, I would have suggested 3 different sizes, but that seemed a little over the top.) But it's done.

yikes.


Another sister gets home from her mission a week before the wedding. And while it's not pregnancy, mission body shape shifting and weight can also be tricky. Taking this into consideration my mom picked up some different sizes for her too. Between the two of us and all those different size skirts, we should be able to work something out. Otherwise, at least we'll have someone to hang out with behind the punch bowls and to laugh with as we try to stealthily avoid the wedding photographer.

5 comments:

  1. Hilarious! I am sure it will fit with room to spare :) !!

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  2. oh my goodness, i sure hope one zize fits you and the other size fits sister. that would be horrible if you both ended up needing the same size. good luck!!

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  3. I'm a little disappointed that I didn't get a call from that same sister about skirt sizes. I feel a little left out.
    And though pretending empathy from my male perspective may be a stretch, I was able to mix in a little sympathy with my laughing.
    On a side note, I am planning on you actually living out here by July, not just gracing us as a visitor for the festivities.

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  4. Funny! I hope in all the piles a skirts there truly is a perfect fit for every person! And I hope that baby weight comes off fast and that you are headed to the hospital to deliver tomorrow. I'm an optomist too! :) All the best. :)

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  5. I know it won't help you feel any better but this same thing happened to me, a sister getting married 1 and a half months after my first baby was born. And the dress was way the wrong size and no one cared but me. They were all busy staring at the beautiful bride.

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