DO NOT FORGET

There are a handful of things (and then some) about being pregnant I don't want to forget. Most are the annoyances and discomforts I put up with day-in and day-out. There are, however, a few pleasantries that should not be forgotten.

Things not to be forgotten:

1. Everyone wants to talk to you when you are pregnant. Specifically, they want to know: when you are due, if it is a boy or girl, and how you are doing. Since I'm not working or going to school regularly, I usually like the human contact.

2. People are shocked that I don't know if Baby Dawson is a boy or girl. It's as if I'm a neglectful parent or something. I'm looking forward to the SURPRISE.

3. People make/buy wonderful gifts for a new baby. Last night I received a homemade quilt for Baby Dawson. It is beautiful.

4. Some people do think that being pregnant is equivalent to being permanently ill or disabled. If I hear one more time that I shouldn't be carrying my backpack or I should sit while waiting for a train or bus I might scream.

5. My 98.6 degrees of body temperature + the baby's 98.6 = 197.2 degrees and this heat concentrates itself in my feet. Being hot ALL THE TIME sucks.

6. Having visible ankles is over-rated... swelling does occur, especially when it's 90 degrees outside. Ankles disappear, toes start to look like little sausages, rings no longer fit, and most shoes are too small.

7. Without my wedding ring on, people don't know if I'm married or not. On a recent meet-and-greet with a potential pediatrician, I was the only woman in the room without rings on or a husband present. I think a lot of people were curious about my situation, especially the pediatrician who asked if I had plenty of help for when the baby comes. When I told her that my husband wasn't with me because he was flying home from Taiwan a look of relief swept over her face.

8. I'm tired, but cannot sleep. I'm uncomfortable, hot, and annoyed nearly every night after 10pm. On most nights I'm annoyed by the neighborhood cat that is in heat or the sirens ringing throughout the city.

9. The baby has taken over my body. My breathing is short, my stomach is small, the heartburn is constant, and trips to the bathroom are increasing in number.

10. You can outgrow maternity clothes, especially pants.

11. You AND THE BABY can out-weigh your husband, especially while he's training hard-core for a triathlon.

12. The list of irrational fears about labor and delivery grows each day.