Another Good Report

I saw my OBGYN yesterday and am pleased to report that I had another unexciting visit! The baby is measuring about 1.5lbs at this point, which I think it just wonderful. I have seen babies at the NICU smaller than that. I was a little worried because he/she hadn't moved much since the night before. During the beginning of the ultrasound there was no movement at all (we usually see a little soccer player in there!) so I was holding my breath until he/she woke up and started flailing around. I am now a little over 24 weeks, passing that critical point of "viability"!

Jeff and I have been discussing all of the new experiences that we've had with this pregnancy. My OBGYN gave me information and a chart for me to count the baby's kicks for an hour each day, to make sure he/she is doing fine and not in any distress. I've heard of "kick counting" before as a method of determining troubles with the baby, but when you are hooked up to a monitor 24/7 in the hospital, you don't have to count any kicks. It may have cost a fortune a day, plus my freedom and dignity, but wow- that was some personal attention! Sure, the food wasn't the best, but I didn't have to cook it.. or clean up the mess. Sure, I didn't get to wear any of those cute maternity clothes I bought, but I didn't do laundry for a whole quarter of a year! One of the biggest shockers for me with this public-pregnancy thing is the amazingly stupid things people say. With the boys, I was only visibly pregnant out and about for two months tops. Then, I was in the hospital before I was all that big. This time, I have joined the ranks of my friends who have complained of the insensitive and just plain stupid remarks. For instance, pretty much every third day I have an encounter similar to this one:

Woman in line at Publix, "When are you due?"
Me, smiling, "October"
Woman, "Wow! You're big!"

Um... how exactly is one to respond to such a comment? I just stare. With a confused smile and raised eyebrows. At first, I thought it was just a fluke comment, but no. It is repeated ALL THE TIME.

Foreign woman in the YMCA locker room: "How many month are you?"
Me, "Five".
Woman, "Whoa. Big baby!"

The waitress at dinner, random stranger at the gas station... are you serious?? To my surprise, I have noticed that it is mostly women who make this monumental blunder. I guess the men have had the daylights scared out of them about such remarks in the past and have learned their lesson. Perhaps I should start letting my internal reaction fly out of my mouth. "Wow. You're big!" "Wow! You are too!" or "Well, there ARE five in there" or "What about you, when are YOU due?" or "Wouldn't you smack your husband for making a stupid comment like that?!" I have also thought of simply saying, "Next time, you could just say 'You look great'. I'm sure it will be more appreciated." Or, I could just use my sister-in-law's response. "Well, you're an @$$ hole."

The interesting thing is, I'm not all that big. I'm measuring on target and I look
like the typical 5 month pregnant woman at the doctor's office. I think people assume that you are newly pregnant and not showing, or you are showing and almost due. Anyone in the middle just appears huge, I guess. And, the boys do think that I look like a Sneech.

Anyways, this is all a very new experience... my first public pregnancy. I am thoroughly enjoying my mobility and freedom, but I do miss those yummy smoothies and Wednesday's taco night. Miriam always brought me a double plate.