Crazy Things People Say to Pregnant Women

One day I was at church talking to this lady and she precedes to tell me how my body has taken on a new shape and form in pregnancy. Now since I announced my pregnancy these people seem to believe that they could tell every change and detail that has occurred in my body...maybe you can, even if I nor my husband can. But I really think people just like to talk and say WHATEVER they like to pregnant women. Forget the fact that some may be emotional and cry or unemotional and just cuss at you under their breath. For instance these are the things I've heard myself or friends have heard...

• "Your nose is spreading"- but I've only been pregnant for 5 minutes.
• "Oh I just KNEW that was going to happen"- ya think? after people get married they usually procreate!
• "You're shaped like an 'S'!" - WHAT the heezy? But I will admit I thought the same thing one day walking by a mirror.
• "You're carrying the baby in your butt." - don't get that one yet, cuz I've always had a butt!
• "You don't have long to go!" - ANNOYING
• "You're almost there!" - ANNOYING
• "Times flying by soo fast!" - ANNOYING

So if these sayings ever come into your mind while talking to a pregnant person, please be mindful.

THANKS!

Times finally moving

I'm 27 weeks now and finally Evie has started time passing for me again. Remember Evie? "Oh would you like to swing on a star- whoaoooaaa!" From the television show, Out of this World? Great 80s tv. 

I didn't start feeling normal again until like 24 weeks- thank God! Of course I still have my moments of back pain, which are horrendous, but I finally feel like one day this will all be over. Halle-lu-jah! 

It's a B-o-y

So I realized I never revealed the sex of our child on here. We went to get our BIG (get it?) ultrasound on August 25. I had called my mom on the way to the appointment and asked "What will I do if it's a boy?"
Mom- You'll love him and grow with him!
So we're in the room and the ultrasound tech asks if we wanted to know the sex. She begins to take the pictures and it takes her two minutes and she says, "Oh I know what you're having!!" Marc and I look at each other nervously. "It's a boy!"

BLANK STARE.

It's a boy? What do you mean it's a boy? I'm having a girl! Of course from the beginning I told people our child was an equal opportunity child and that God would bless us with what HE wanted us to have. But I was supposed to be having a girl! Marc had a dream it was a girl, I felt like it was a girl, but it was a b-o-y.

After congratulating Marc, I threw my hands and head back in disbelief "WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH A BOY?!"

All I could imagine was Marc and the b-o-y playing, yelling, ripping, running, tearing up couches, broken limbs, poison ivy rashes and me ordering special made ear plugs for myself!

On the way out, Marc told me that boys have a special relationship with their mothers. My brother told me it's good for boys to grow up and be mamas boys (really?) I look forward to developing a relationship with my son as I still try to grasp the fact that my fabulous self is having a child.

The good thing is that I know he will grow up to be a WONDERFUL man just like his father and make a lovely girl just as happy as I am. :)

Visit to Toronto/Health Care

So I know it's been a while. Forgive me, I'm pregnant!! Haha, I like using that excuse for anything. Anywhoo, My hubby and I went to Toronto for our 2nd anniversary over the weekend. It was a fabulous trip and we had tons of fun.

One thing I noticed in Toronto was that everyone dressed REALLY nice. The clothes, handbags or accessories didn't have to be designer, it just seemed that everyone was well put together. I had to wonder to myself, why are there no Detroit looking bummy people? Of course they had their bums and hobos as well. One was even laying in the middle of the sidewalk sleeping while others had to walk over him. But then it hit me while watching Sicko by Michael Moore. The Canadians do not have to pay for health care! No insurance coming out of their check, no hospital co-pays or bills to pay so no wonder they can afford to look and dress their best!

People are fighting in the United States over Universal Health Care, when really the United States is pretty much the only country with stature that does not give all citizens free health care! I find it egregious that it is this way. We choose who can receive the best health care. My husband and I work full-time salary jobs and I pay into insurance, around $120 a month. But yet I have a $440 hospital bill that needs to be paid from lab fees during my pregnancy. Aren't these a necessity? Why should we have to pay? This debate could stem into so many other areas as pregnancy is a choice, but something like cancer is not. I support President Obama's plan and believe the United States is behind in a lot of areas...Next up, maternity policies!

Under Emotional

Who's seen the episode of Sex and the City when Miranda found out she was having a boy? I listened to the Directors Cut edition where he explains how he wanted Miranda's reaction of pregnancy to be unlike any other reaction seen on television where she finds out she is having a boy.
Ultrasound tech: "I know the sex do you wanna know??"
Miranda: Um, sure...
Ultrasound tech: It's a BOY!!
Miranda: (nods her head) okay...
Ultrasound tech: It's a Boy! Aren't you excited??!
Miranda: (musters up her fakeness) Oh yes!! Oh boy o boy! It's a boy!!

This episode cracks me up! Like I love that Miranda's true feelings are shown in this episode. She was an underemotional pregnant woman just like me! Even though she's a television character, I really could relate as I wasn't experiencing the excitement as I talked about in the previous blog.

Pregger women are usually perceived to be super overly emotional and cry at anything. Man, I'm just the opposite. My friends call me the "Tin Woman" I will proudly wear the hat!

How under emotional am I? Did anyone see My Sisters Keeper or even a movie like John Q, Steel Magnolios, or any really, really emotional film? Well in My Sisters Keeper, I went with our bookclub. 8 of the girls were BOO-HOOING! I mean crying like they had just missed the rapture. I had no tears. I never have tears unless I have backpain.

Another instance was when I didn't mind friends coming to my mid-pregnancy ultrasound. My husband said he wanted it to be private celebration for the two of us. I couldn't believe it! My usual hard exterior hubby wanted a private moment. To me, it was just another appointment where a friend could join if I wanted. My friend laughed at me and said "What is wrong with you! That's private!!" Oh really? Lol, my bad.

Are you excited??!

Another annoying question I've noticed while pregnant is, "Oh em gee! Are you excited??!!@EK#) 

This answer is usually followed by a mustered up fake, "Mmhmm!" just to appease the person asking. If my mother was around when people asked me that, she'll say "oh pay her no mind, that's just Laura." 

But I had to ask myself why wasn't I feeling the feelings of excitement. Even after the majority of morning sickness passed I was still searching for the missing feelings. I started to wonder if I was a bad person or a future bad mother for not feeling the excitement. The little things that other sappy mothers (Steph) would be super excited for like the hearing the heartbeat, doctors appointments or the anticipation of labor, I just didn't feel the same way.

I was telling these feelings to a good college friend and she explained to me that she felt like I did while pregnant. Her words were encouraging to me. God had told her that having a baby is a blessing, yes, but just like any new relationship, you have yet to get to know and develop a bond/relationship with the child. So it is okay, if you do not have those initial feelings that some mothers have. It does not mean you are a bad person or horrible future mother. It just means it will take time to develop those feelings, but they will come. 

Thanks, my college friend. I felt much better after that. 

Back Pain

In my 3rd month of pregnancy I started having some really intense back pain. It would come around 4 times a week for about 10-30 minutes or so.  The pain was so intense that I couldn't move whenever it would overtake me. All I could do was cry through the pain.

Friend: Hey Laura

Me: Hi (sobbing) 

Friend: OMG, are you okay? 

Me: No, I'm dying...

Friend: What? Shut up? What's wrong?!

Me: My baaaack. (Sob)Killin me, I'm dying. (Sob) If I die, you can have my Tiffany beads.

Friend: Shut up! I mean, but I'll wear them mugs though. 

On that day I had to head to the doctor because the back pain was accompanied by abdomen cramping and shooting pains. I had a UTI-typical in pregnancy, slight kidney infection (um ok) and possible kidney stones...for real? WTH?! It seemed as though pregnancy was only getting better and better. The doc checked to make sure I wasn't experiencing any contractions or symptoms of pre-term labor, which I wasn't, thank God. It just was a lot of pain for 18 weeks. 

I was ordered to do a kidney ultrasound which was clean. The doc told me my kidneys were "beautiful". Which meant that my pain for the moment was just pregnancy...I wanted to cry again, but since I'm under emotional in this pregnancy (more about that later) I didn't. Instead I developed my usual bad attitude, thanked God for clean kidneys and went on about my day. 

"So what can I do for the pain?" I asked my doc. Then he gave me words I love to hear...

"Ya know pregnancy is strange, they say you can't drink, have coffee or whatever. You can't have aspirin or motrin...but you can have NARCOTICS!"

Tylenol 3s for me! Thanks Doc!