Life
I Fell In Love With Eight People When I Was Preggo
Our partners can, sometimes, get the rough end of the deal when pregnancy symptoms and side effects hit. It's so much easier to take things out on the ones you love the most, while managing to hold it together for distant friends and colleagues. In fact, when I was pregnant, there was a growing group of people I loved more than my partner. Those people were giving me just what my big ole' pregnant self needed, at the specific moment I needed it, and they didn't have to put up with any of my nonsense for the rest of the day (mostly because they were strangers or I was paying them, but I digress).
In the late stages of pregnancy I had some diva moments for sure, and my poor husband took on what can only be described as the duties of a butler. He fetched me things, made dinner, and generally took care of the big baby I had become. He was also on duty to bend down and pick things up that I had dropped past the horizon of my growing belly that were, therefore, lost forever without his assistance.
If he was my servant, then I was one very unforgiving lady of the manor. Yes, I can (and will) blame it on the hormones and the general grumpiness that sometimes accompanies those last few days and weeks before your baby arrives, but I wasn't always all sunshine and rainbows. So, honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't mind that I had fallen in love with the following people:
My Pregnancy Body Pillow
OK, fine. Yes, a pillow isn't a person, but I loved this full size body pillow so much. It easily replaced my husband for cuddles, while simultaneously supporting my heavy tummy and aching back. It took up so much room in our bed that it was like partaking in the most pedestrian threesome imaginable.
If you haven't tried one of these bad boys out, let me tell you: like Ryan (Gosling or Reynolds) it is worth getting pregnant just to sleep with one.
My Massage Therapist
My massage therapist was training to be specially licensed to work with pregnant women, and even had a massage table with both a hole for your face and one for your tummy! I don't know exactly what she did, as I was so zoned out during every session, but I went in there as a slightly deranged, angry-with-everyone madwoman and came out as a chilled out Earth Mother. Massage is the best.
Top tip: I found my massage therapist in my local career college. Because she was still in training, just by answering a few questions about my experience I received some free massages. Score!
My Amazing Colleague
I was still teaching when I was pregnant, and shared a class with an amazing teacher who became a very dear friend. Before I was even showing, she covered for me so I could go and pee or puke (because it was a toss up, depending on the time of day). She was my first trimester savior.
The Convenience Store Owner
Every morning during my commute, Vik, the owner of the convenience store at my bus terminal, would line up my purchases: a bottle of water, a gossip magazine, and a banana. On Friday's he would edge a chocolate bar into the pile and say, "It's on me."
I loved that man almost as much as chocolate. Almost.
My Yoga Teacher
OK, so she doesn't know me at all, as she is famous British yoga instructor, Katy Appleton, but I followed her online program fanatically. Her soothing accent reminded me of home, and as she sported her own beautiful pregnancy bump, it gave validity to her expertise in prenatal yoga.
The Cute Guy Who Gave Up His Seat
I was barely through the first trimester, but that didn'tkeep me from rubbing my tummy and arching my back whilst mimicking a look of pained resignation. It surprised me just how few people were moved by this display and, more often than not, I would have to stand awkwardly knocking my bump into passengers newspapers and practically falling in their laps.
That's why it was easy to get a major crush on the really cute guy who routinely gave up his seat for me. (Calm down, it was all in my head, I am happily married and I am sure he was just raised right. But, damn. He was hot.)
The Thoughtful Nurse
I had a monster appetite when I was pregnant and my OB nurse quickly realized that the growing numbers on the scale were stressing me out, especially when my appointments started occurring on a weekly basis. She would thoughtfully place her hand over the display so that I couldn't see, record the number, and then move on. In other words, she was my hero.
The Delivery Boy
First it was just pizza, which is worth celebrating all by its self. However, when I realized the delivery boy could also bring sundries from other stores (like candy, magazines and even a decaf latte), he became my number one dreamboat.
I really loved being pregnant, but it certainly was hard work. I am glad I had kind and thoughtful people in my life, especially when they arrived armed with chocolate!
