I don't know how prevalent the word "uff da" (according to Wikipedia, also known as uff-da, uffda, uff-dah, oofda, ufda, ufdah, oofta or ufta) is outside of my family, but it is a marvelous Scandinavian phrase that can be used in many circumstances.
For example, when you get a new assignment to review a depo transcript for certain admissions and you open up the PDF to find that it's 400 pages long- Uff da. Or, when you check your credit card bill thinking it should be low because you haven't left the house in days but then remember all that online shopping done from your couch- Uff da. Or, when you go to pick something up only to find it's 3x heavier than you predicted- Uff da. It can be used in so many situations.
And it pretty well sums up how I feel at 34.5 weeks pregnant. I've noticed that I say it a lot lately. But when getting up off the couch takes momentum and skill and maybe a few false starts- it's the perfect expression, besides cursing, which I try not to do around Landon. And Landon has picked it up (which reinforces why I can't curse)! This morning when he was redecorating his playroom by moving his big red chair, I heard a little "uff da" float down the hall. It cracked me up - hearing your own phrases come out of your toddler's mouth has got to be one of my top five favorite things about being a parent.
(not relevant, but I love this picture from yesterday)
But back to me and the uff-da-ness of pregnancy. I am DONE. I feel huge. I am huge. My belly is a giant roadblock in the middle of my body. I can't lean over to pick things up without knocking into its immovable barrier. When I want to switch the slide I'm sleeping on at night, I have slowly rotate the belly until it reaches the halfway point and then I can let gravity roll me the rest of the way. If I accidentally flip on my back I wake up gasping for air because my lungs are being squished by my 20 lb. baby (yes, she's 20 lbs., it's the only way my total weight gain makes sense). Fewer and fewer of my maternity clothes fit and even sitting on the couch while reading a book is getting uncomfortable. I miss being skinny, I miss my waist, I miss my old clothes. I miss sex. I miss feeling sexy. Instead, I feel big and blah and whiny and done.
But I am not done. I have 4 weeks and 5 days to go. And after having a premature baby who lived in the NICU for two weeks, I know that I don't really want my baby girl to arrive early. Even when sometimes I do.
But really I don't. 33 days to go. Uff-da.
I feel ya. I'm only a week or so behind you, and I am also STICK A FORK IN ME DONE.
ReplyDeleteThe shortness of breath is really kicking my butt this time.
Ugh, doesn't sound fun. But at least the weather is staying relatively cool so that it's not too miserable?
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like "uff-da" translates roughly to "oy vey."
ReplyDeleteMan, hadn't heard uff-dah in ages...pretty much since I left the Midwest. I had forgotten about it, probably since I still use oy and ugh and just-plain oof, and we don't know too many Scandinavians here in DC. :)
ReplyDeleteI hear ya on the false starts for getting off the furniture...when Justin's around and within arm's reach, he puts his hand under my butt and gives me the much-needed boost. Too bad he's not as helpful in bed...in fact he complains that I wake him up when I'm struggling to flip me and my big pillow to the other side. Or when it takes me a few tries to sit up so I can make my 4am bathroom run. I've been in medium and large maternity clothes for about six weeks now and scowl at my size smalls for not being made to accommodate short-waisted short preggos and have more fabric for belly coverage. I think I should switch careers.
Yes! We used that phrase too! Actually, both "oof-ta" (as my very Swedish dad spelled it), and "Oy!" from my very Jewish mom!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes in the next several weeks. You'll be back to your skinny self in no time. Until then, I still think you're simply adorable. :)
UFF DA!!!! I love it! We use that expression all of the time. I am from Minnesota and 100% Norweigen so it was a very common term in our house! Hang in there! Every day you can keep your baby girl in there is gold! It won't be long and she will be in your arms! Wishing you all the best!
ReplyDeletePatty from TX
We want pics and All Kinds of Pretty updates!
ReplyDeleteYes...I am so with you. I may adopt your phrase because right now I am just doing "Ugh" all the time. Like this morning, when I tried to get dressed like a normal person and feel over onto the bed. Or when I walked to work this morning and the nice weather had all the other lawyer girls sporting their pencil skirts and cute heels and I am just hoping my butt does not look to monstrous...
ReplyDeleteHang in there.
LOVE uff-da! I tried hard to incorporate it after we lived in MN, but alas, it hasn't stuck. I'm with you on being done. I actually cried when I found out mine wasn't transverse anymore, because it meant I wasn't going to schedule a c-section this week. Hang in there. It'll be over soon.
ReplyDeleteUff da!!
ReplyDeleteAlso, you were absolutely right about where to find my car
Uff da is totally an awesome phrase. We hear it a lot in the touristy norwegian-inspired city near us. But I find when I can't swear that "UHHHHH" and "AAAAAAHHHHH!" work just as well- but definately not as cool as Uff da!
ReplyDeleteMy grandma, 100% Swedish and very proper, says that her mom would never let her say that phrase because it roughly translated to, and I quote, "up your behind." I do think it's a great expression, but I could never get used to using it because my grandma's words just echo in my head whenever I think of it!
ReplyDeleteThinking of Landon saying it, though, is adorable! Good luck with your last few weeks. You're almost there!