The good, the bad and the stupid. Now with TMI!

Sorry I've been MIA but I've been feeling kinda hibernatorial. Don't know why, it's just that post-20 week crunch - you know, when you realize all the cool ultrasounds and tests are done with and now ... wait for it ... you are/might actually (be) having a baby. And there's TONS of shit to get done. And no more cool ultrasounds. So I've taken care of stuff that has nothing to do with the baby. Baby? There's a baby coming? What? I can't hear you!!

Father's day was nice and low key. Jr is with the biobitch and she didn't even have him call to wish his dad a happy day. Is it a wonder I call her the biobitch? But John and I spent a nice quiet Sunday together and it's all good. He is the best thing in my life. Fact.

My garden is going absolutely wild. Tomatoes are growing. Carrots are flourishing. We've eaten lettuce and spring onions already. The cantaloupe and watermelon are trying to take over everything. Squashes are popping up. Yikes.

My belly has also popped up, seemingly overnight. I'm either 5+ months pregnant or I'm getting very fat. One of the girls at work said "wow, you're getting really big!". Of course, she weighs as much as one of my (formidable) thighs, so she has no perspective. Hmmph.

Neat pregnancy things I've noticed:
1)Colostrum - yeah, I think it's neat, I'm kooky that way.
2)Lots more "flutters" and whooshes in my stomach. I actually felt one with my hand on my belly the other day. Cool beans.
3)A sign in the local supermarket's parking lot for "expectant mothers". No, I didn't use it. I won't till I'm HUGE. Which won't be long, it seems. Yikes.
4)Not gaining much weight lately. Yes!!
5)Stressing about baby registry and nursery crap.

Not-so-neat pregnancy things I've noticed:
1)Pain in hips and knees (oh my hips!)and other miscellany as noted below(although pain and swelling have improved with braces (wrists) and compression stockings (ankles). Nothing helping the hips yet.
2)Assvice and horrifying labour stories from women I work with.
3)Missing my sister's 50th birthday because I was too nervous to drive ten hours to Canada. Doc didn't think it was a good idea either.
4)Inconsistent bowel habits and stress incontinence. Yeah. I warned you about the TMI.
5)Stressing about baby registry and nursery crap.

Oh and stupid things people have said to me. I'll pick the best one.

It seems that fertiles don't have the market cornered on stupid comments. There is a woman at work who is infertile - she is mid-forties now and it's my understanding she and her husband (they are now separated)tried for a long time but couldn't conceive. She was semi-sympathetic to the things we were going through but she also kept talking about God and how God would provide and I just needed to have faith.

{sidebar}Now ... my faith and however I feel about God are my business ... it's my opinion that God, if s/he/it exists, has better things to do than involve itself in each person's individual issues - IOW, my fertility has little to do with God. Or religion, for that matter. Yes, I had an abortion when I was younger. No, my later lack of fertility was not "divine punishment". That kind of thing. Anyway, I'm digressing. {end sidebar}

I tend to be very sensitive around this woman. She really is a lovely person and her fertility issues are obviously painful for her - I know enough not to salt the wound. I say little to her about my pregnancy, although my burgeoning stomach speaks for itself - and for the most part, she has been happy for me, despite some pointed comments here and there about how I shouldn't complain, etc etc.

So, the other day she calls me to count narcotics(yeah, we have to count them each shift, we can't just take em home, more's the pity). It's the end of the day and I'm knackered. I mean absolutely beat - a long day on my feet and I'm exhausted. I walk over to her quietly and reach for the control book and she says to me nicely "are you tired?" . And I say softly "yeah. Very.".

And she says: "Well, you should just be GLAD you're pregnant!!".

I was blown away. I hadn't said anything. I hadn't opened my mouth. SHE asked!!

So I turned to her and said as nicely as I could: "Listen, J. YOU asked. If you don't want to know and don't want to hear about it, DON'T ASK!!!" She had the good grace to mumble her acknowledgment.

*sigh*. Some days you just can't win.

Oh and please go visit Day and wish her the best. She just gave birth to their much awaited (and gorgeous)baby boy and is having some complications. I know she'd love to hear from you!