chapter 31

Kim had a relatively easy pregnancy and gained less weight than she had with the other babies. She and Joe did have a stuffing session every now and then but she was really trying to stay healthy. By May, Kim had gained about 50 pounds and her baby belly was huge. At Max's kindergarten graduation, a very pregnant Kim was so happy to sit with her family and cheer for Max. She barely fit in the auditorium seat but she was so happy and proud. Kim didn't leave the house much after that day. It was so hard to walk with her huge belly. Joe surprised her with a van that was big enough for all of their (soon to be) 8 children plus it happened to have a fold down ramp in case Kim ever needed her scooter again. They had everything ready for the babies. Max was no sharing a room with Ellis and Aaron. Tia and Eva were sharing. The triplets would have their own nursery together. Joe was looking forward to paternity leave but until the babies arrived, he was working extra hours and then racing home to help Kim with the kids. Kim spent most of the month of May in her recliner. At her June 3 appointment the doctor wanted to induce her at the end of the week. Kim had safely carried her triplets to term. Joe's sister was able to fly down and help with the kids for a week. His mom had kept putting on weight so she wouldn't be able to keep up with the kids much. On June 7, Joe's sister sat with the kids while Kim and Joe went to the hospital. Kim patted her belly on the way out the door and joked that this was her biggest pregnant belly. Joe laughed and patted his belly saying, "Mine too." They both laughed and kissed on the way out the door. Kim gave birth to the babies 5 hours later. The girls were both almost 8 pounds and the boy was 7 pounds 2 ounces. They named them Samantha, Sierra and Steven. Kim was exhausted but happy. She was happy to know that their family was complete and she was happy to be nursing a baby again.
Adjusting to life with 8 kids was a challenge, once Joe's sister went back home. Luckily the older kids were well behaved. Kim and Joe were in a constant state of exhaustion. When Kim went for her 6 week follow up, she weighed 380 pounds. She had regained what she lost in delivery. She knew she and Joe had both been eating comfort food since they were so tired all the time. She told Joe what she weighed at the doctor and he said maybe the 380 range was her perfect weight. They could enjoy her fatness but she could walk and get around ok. Kim smiled. He was so sweet to her. He offered her some of the potato chips he was eating and she laughed, accepting the bag.
Joe enjoyed his paternity leave and spent a lot of quality time with the kids and Kim. He had gained some more weight in his belly and he had moobs like his dad now. He didn't care because Kim still thought he was hot and he thought it showed that he put his family first. In August, Joe went back to work. Luckily he tried on his work clothes a week early. He could still wear his size 36 pants but only if they were buttoned very low under his belly. He coukdnt get his size large shirts buttoned. There was easily an inch gap at the top and more than that in the belly. He went out that afternoon and tried on an XL shirt. It was still tight in the gut. He asked the salesman for help. The guy started at Joe's perfectly round belly and said he should try the big and tall department. Joe turned red and thanked him. When he went to the big man section, he asked for help right away. The man there took his measurements. He really needed a 3X for the belly but could wear 2X on the top. The man recommended buying 3X shirts and having the top taken in. They had a reasonably priced fast alteration service. Joe agreed and selected 5 shirts. The seamstress was paged and she came in to pin the shirts. Joe put on the 3X shirt and noticed that the belly fit perfectly, with no extra room. While she was pinning the top for the alterations, she noticed how tight Joe's waistband was. She told him he should try going up a size or two. She said he'd be much more comfortable. He was embarrassed that this lady thought his pants were too tight. He just said maybe she was right. The seamstress told the man to bring Joe some bigger slacks. Since he had measured him, he knew what size to grab. After the first shirt was pinned, Joe tried on the new pants. They were so much more comfortable. He belly still stuck out over but these weren't squeezing him. He had the other shirts pinned and told the man he'd take 3 pairs of the slacks. He headed home with the slacks and he would pick up the shirts at the end of the week. Joe got home and hung up the slacks. When he removed the tags, he realized that his new pants were size 40. His waist had grown 4 inches.
In September, Joe had a vasectomy. There would be no more babies in their family. It was too hard on Kim's body.
When the holidays came around, Kim and Joe offered to host both Thanksgiving and Christmas so they didn't have to travel with 8 kids. When Joe's parents arrived for Thanksgiving, Kim couldn't believe how big they were. Joe's dad had a huge belly that now hung down well over his waistband. Joe's mom was huge and could hardly waddle around. They greeted them and later Joe's mom told her they were having trouble getting away from gaining. Cindy and the girls came over too. Cindy was having a hard time because she had to put Derek in a home since she couldn't care for him anymore at home. She and the kids visited him often but she was very sad about it. Kim's family came for Christmas. They were happy to see that although Kim was still huge, she was able to walk and mostly able to keep up with the kids. Nursing three babies (and occasionally her husband) burned a lot of calories. Kim had definitely stretched her stomach back out after her surgery but she wasn't stuffing herself very often. Really, she only stuffed when they were in the bedroom. She still loved to have a full belly when she and Joe made love. Their sex life was amazing and she loved Joe's heavier body. He turned her on so much that she could never turn him down. Her knee was improved enough now that she could get on all fours on the bed. Of course her belly and breasts rested on the mattress when she did that. Kim liked the feel of Joe's hard belly bumping her back as he thrust inside of her. Her whole body rippled with waves of fat as he made love to her. They were officially two fatties now and Kim thought that was hot! They had a great time during the holidays and soon it was back to work for Joe and full time mom duty for Kim. She had lost a little weight and was feeling really good. The triplets all had their Dad's green eyes and Kim's dark hair. They were happy babies and Kim was enjoying them so much.
That following May, Cindy and Derek split up. He had started to refuse visits from her and the kids. He was miserable and he didn't want to be a burden to Cindy. He was having a lot of health problems now. Cindy didn't want to divorce him but he insisted. Cindy was already supporting the family financially and emotionally so she accepted it and signed the papers. Cindy came over a lot to be with Kim and Joe and the family. Cindy had lost a little weight but gained it all back as she ate her way through the sadness. When she came to Kim's house, Joe would make her cocktails and she always over indulged. They often spent the night. This constant effort to make Cindy feel better affected all of their weight. Kim was back up to 380 pounds, Cindy was 305 and Joe was up to 285. They were a hefty sized group of friends. They celebrated the triplets and Aaron's birthdays in early June. It was hard to believe that combined, the families had 11 kids and the oldest was only 9. They were truly like one big happy family. Cindy was thankful for Kim and Joe's help.
Kim and Joe started taking family walks to stay physically active. They would put the triplets in the triple stroller and the other kids would walk. Over the summer months they had built up to 3 mile walks. Neither Kim or Joe lost much weight by walking but they enjoyed being out there with the kids. Over the next few years, Kim's weight stayed around 360 pounds and she was perfectly happy with that. Joe stayed in his size 40 pants and 3XL shirts. He stopped needing alterations as he filled out a little more. The kids thought their parents were awesome, they didn't even notice that both of them were obese.