5 Things I Read Happen to Pregnant Women, but I Didn't Think Would Actually Happen to Me

Like most first time mothers, I've done a lot of reading about pregnancy and birth. The main books I've read are "The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy" and "What to Expect When You're Expecting." I found both to be great, the first more funny and light-hearted, and the second more medical. But, for some reason, I thought I was special, and therefore would not suffer from many of the common symptoms (or maybe side effects is a better phrase) of pregnancy. So, here are the ones I was most surprised about. Don't worry, I'll leave the yuckier ones out of this post.

1. Frequent Urination - OK, so I knew this was going to happen, but I had no idea just how frequent it was going to be. It's so frequent that I annoy myself! Sometimes, I have to go right after I've just gone - literally!

2. Forgetfulness - I didn't really think this would happen. It doesn't sound like a very scientific symptom. I mean, how exactly do they know this happens? But, it IS happening to me. I have to write myself little reminder notes now, and that doesn't always do the trick.

3. Clumsiness - Yet another symptom that doesn't sound very scientific, but it really has happened to me. I'm always dropping things while performing simple tasks. I curse myself outloud (without using profanity - most of the time), and Eric thinks something major has happened like I've injured myself. Usually, I've just dropped something and made a mess of things.

4. Hemorrhoids - This is the only yucky thing I'll mention, and I don't need to say anything more on the subject.

5. Swollen Feet/Increase in Foot Size - I can't believe it, but my feet have actually grown a half size. I had to buy a new pair of closed toed shoes this weekend because I can't quite get away with wearing sandals yet (when will Spring actually come and stay?) and the rest of my shoes don't fit. My mom says she grew a half size with each pregnancy and that her feet never went back to their original size. I think I better stop with 2 kids because I don't want to be anything larger than a size 10.

Commute from Hell

Last week I thought I had experienced the commute from hell. As usual, I took the express bus home from the corner of 79th and Madison at 4:50 p.m. I can count on getting home between 5:45 and 6:00 p.m. - that is until the Yankees started playing again. Had I known that there was a Yankee game getting out at about the time I was leaving work, I would have found another route home, but since I'm not a Yankee fan, I was clueless as to their schedule.

Needless to say, the traffic was horrible. Our bus would go 2 blocks every 15 minutes or so. At one point, I had to go to the restroom so badly that I begged the driver to let me off in Harlem, even thought that wasn't a stop. I told him I would find another way home. He seemed sympathetic, particularly when he noticed I was pregnant, but he wouldn't let me off the bus because the next stop wasn't until the Bronx and he isn't allowed to let people off anywhere but an actual bus stop.

I finally made it home at about 8:00 p.m. I thought that was the commute from hell.

My story in no way compares to the 69 passengers who were stranded on two trams between Manhattan and Roosevelt Island yesterday. When I got home last night, I turned on the news and found out about their predicament. That night, Eric and I went to our birthing class. When we got home at 10:00 p.m., I turned on the news again and was shocked to see that those poor people were still stranded in the air, and it looked like they would be there for even longer. When I woke up this morning, I found out that the last passenger was removed at about 5:00 a.m. - I couldn't believe it. That has to go down as the worst commute ever - THE commute from hell! My little saga is nothing compared to that!!!

Racial Profiling

It happened to me yesterday, and it has happened before, but it's always disconcerting.

For reasons I really don't want to get into, I had some time to kill while going through some tests at the doctor's office (don't worry, nothing serious). My doctor's office is on East 60th and Madison Ave., so there is some great shopping in the area, and I decided to take advantage of it.

I walked casually into Calvin Klein and thought I could at least look at shoes and accessories. The security guard welcomed me and I proceeded to browse, but he followed me around and made me very uncomfortable. Then, after I had been looking for a few minutes, he asked me if there was anything I was looking for. That's not his job, right? He's not the sales person. So, I told him I was just looking at shoes because that's the only thing that would fit me right now. I was trying to be causal and funny, but he kept following me. I couldn't take it for much longer, so I walked out of the store.

So, is that racial profiling? It sure felt like it. I am a little browner now from our trip to Puerto Rico, and Eric told me that security guards are trained to look at pregnant women more suspiciously because some women want to appear pregnant just so they can stuff things under their shirt.

Anyway, I hated feeling like I didn't belong in a store - whatever the reason. Maybe I just didn't look posh enough.

Walking Slowly with a Limp

I'm longing for the days when I first noticed that I was walking slowly (People Passing Me By) because now not only do I walk slowly, but I also limp around. Right before we left for Puerto Rico, I noticed that my right foot was swelling more than my left and that the top of that foot hurt when I walked or put any kind of pressure on it. I tried to ignore it, but it didn't get any better the entire week we were in Puerto Rico, and it still isn't better now. I was sad that I couldn't bare the pain enough to walk through some of the hiking trails of El Yunque (the rainforest), and that I quickly ran out of steam while shopping in Old San Juan. How annoying is that? Just two days ago, I limped my way home from the bus stop and burst into tears when Eric asked me how I was doing.

From all accounts, what I'm experiencing is quite normal, so I guess this is something I'm just going to have to endure. And, I realize that I am blessed and privileged to be carrying this child. I continue to feel more and more love for her every day.

Back from Puerto Rico

We are reluctantly back from Puerto Rico. It was so beautiful down there, the food was amazing, and we didn't really want to come back to New York. But, real life beckoned and we obeyed.

It was so nice to be in a very warm climate, to go the beach, and to hang out at the pool of a yacht club that Eric's dad belongs to. The picture above was taken on one of our beach days. We found a great spot that was virtually our own where a row of rocks blocked the waves and kept the waters pretty calm. This was great for me because I'm somewhat fearful of big waves and don't like salt water anywhere near my mouth. As you can see from the picture, I was on cloud nine. There's nothing like feeling weightless when you're 7 months pregnant!

The main reason we went to Puerto Rico was to attend the wedding of Eric's cousin. It was a beautiful reception, but I can't say how the wedding was because we missed it. I quickly found out that everyone in Puerto Rico is very laid back about time.

The wedding was set to start at 3:00 p.m. on a Sunday. We spent the late morning and early afternoon at the Eric's aunt's house, which was wedding central. At 2:00 p.m., we finally left to get ready ourselves. They hadn't even started working on the bride's hair, so I wasn't worried about being a little late. So, Eric and I got ready, but Eric's dad didn't start taking his shower until 3:00. By this point, I was a little concerned. We finally left the house at about 3:20, but then made a stop because Eric's dad wanted to introduce us to some of his friends. Can you believe it? Then, just blocks away from the wedding site, we got a flat tire, but were still able to make it to the wedding by 4:00 p.m. Right as we entered, the wedding party was recessing. So, we flew all the way to Puerto Rico and missed the wedding! Had we been 45 minutes late, we would have been fine, but an hour late was just too much.

Remarkably, no one was upset that we were late. In fact, we weren't the only late comers. The reception was, by all accounts, the highlight of the wedding anyway. Everyone knows how to party down there. Another thing I quickly found out was that the party never ends.