I haven’t posted for a while—I’ve been working hard on this new novel, which is under contract and due in December, and three essays under contract as well. And also—I’m pregnant! Due at the end of December. (This explains my dwindling postings…I guess there are some women who are able to grow babies in their stomachs, take care of toddlers, write books and essays and also find time to steadily update their blogs and websites…but, alas, I don’t think I’m one of them.)

Also, lately I’ve been overtaken by the weird nesting instinct that always sets in during pregnancy, this primal urge to clean and organize everything, or, as my friend Elizabeth explains it, to fluff up the leaves in the cave. (That explains why the Container Store is always packed with pregnant women. They should provide a shuttle service straight from the OB’s office.)

I have learned something new this time around, though: how to dress during pregnancy. (The following info will be of complete and utter disinterest to men and/or anyone who has no inclination to ever get oneself knocked up, so if you fall into those categories, please stop reading.) If you do ever have the urge to gestate, however, here are the 3 things that it took me two pregnancies to learn:

1. Alter, Alter, Alter. When I unpacked my maternity clothes that I’d stored since my last pregnancy, I was disgusted by how ugly they were. This time around, I bought several inexpensive dresses from H&M, Ann Taylor, and Target’s Isaac Mizrahi line in a size or two larger, and had them altered to leave extra room in the stomach. They lasted through the first five months, and I’ll wear them again after the baby comes—I can even alter them back to my regular size. These are a million times nicer than the crap maternity stuff I bought at Old Navy with my first pregnancy.

2. Isabella Oliver! Isabella Oliver! Isabella Oliver! I splurged on a nice dress from them (on sale–they have great sales a few times a year) and it was worth every penny. It hid my bump completely for the first three months, and still, somehow, makes everything seem magically smaller than it actually is. Am not sure how they accomplish this, but it works.

3. Shoes, Shoes, Shoes. It’s definitely more bearable to be pregnant when you have incredible shoes. During pregnancy #1 I was walking all over Manhattan, so I was limited to low-heeled more comfortable shoes. Now I drive and say what the hell. I’m wearing the 3″ heels, and Life is Good.