As I promised long ago, here is a list of some of the things I like about pregnancy. I should say that it's much easier to like pregnancy now that I'm in week 15 and don't constantly feel like I'm either going to collapse or throw up.
1. Grumpiness. This has been one of the pleasantest surprises about pregnancy. I am in touch with my grumpy side. It's not that I feel that pregnancy hormones have unleashed some irrational irritability--instead, it seems that the anger and irritability that have always been there are just a bit closer to the surface. I am less willing to put up with bullshit. I am my own authentic, grouchy self. This manifests itself in various ways:
- This past weekend, when my parents were in town, we were standing on the sidewalk eating gelato. A guy walked up, introduced himself, and began a shpiel that was clearly going to lead to him trying to sell us something. Almost immediately I cut him off, in a friendly but firm tone, and said, "Mike, we're not going to buy anything from you tonight. Thanks." And he stopped and walked off.
- Biffle actually figured out I was pregnant even before I knew, back in early January, when we were having a fight. He had a tone that I'd heard before and didn't appreciate, and I said, "I have had it with your condescension!" (Perhaps there was some swearing in there, too.) He was so shocked he actually stopped arguing and said, "I think you're pregnant!" And he was right, the fucker.
2. Priorities. Pregnancy has forced me to streamline a bit (a bit, I'm saying--I haven' t become some whole different person who's not multitasking). Since I haven't necessarily had the energy level to do everything and then some, I've had to pick and choose, and this has been kind of cool. Things that were stressing me out in the fall I've just let drop by the wayside. The things I really need to do (finish the book) have come into clearer focus. I like this.
I also have some clarity about other priorities, like the fact that I want to have a home birth. My recent encounters with the medicalized birth system have done nothing but solidify my certainty that I want to stay as far away from those folks as possible, unless the shit hits the fan and I really need them. Rest assured that I'll blog more about this soon.
3. My changing body. It's sort of fascinating that all these shifts are happening. I have to wear new pants or, as I'm doing today, wear my old pants with a rubber band holding the button to the buttonhole. Biffle points out that actually not that much has changed so far, and I guess he's right--but I'm noticing the differences, and they're like a constant fun reminder that something's going on. To relate back to my grumpiness point, one of my students suggested that I come home and say to Biffle, "You have to fix me dinner! I'm exhausted! I grew a lung today!"
4 comments:
heheh, you're pregnant and you called Biffle a fucker. How appropriate. There must be something in the air. Another friend of mine posted a photo on her blog today of her positive EPT apparatus. I'm very happy for her- though I didn't need to see something she'd pee'd on. And I would LOVE to see you honest-to-God grumpy. :) I've seen you incensed, and angry, and rightfully righteous, but never grumpy! I bet it's no fun to deal with- but a hoot to watch from a distance.
Actually, Alison, I didn't really think you were all that grumpy! :~)
"Sorry, I can't, I'm busy gestating" was my refrain. Glad you're enjoying it so far. Keep up the good work.
My constant refrain was, "I'm growing a person!" This worked especially well when I had to take a two hour nap in the middle of the day. Or when I simply couldn't be bothered to cook for myself. Or when I didn't feel like talking to anybody. I was also a rather grumpy pregnant woman. I still maintain, though, that growing a person is so much work I shouldn't have to have a good attitude on top of it.
Post a Comment