An ode to pregnancy

Just a little reflection about pregnancy... The presence of a tiny "zygote" in your womb begins an amazing, permanent upheaval in your life. Being an expectant mommy changes the way you react to food and certain smells, the way you fit in your jeans, the things that make you sad or annoyed, and how long or short your fuse is. In August of last year I would have said that a great day involved being able to eat and keep down three meals and having any friends left at the end of the day. Not only was I a bit wrapped up in self-pity from my all-day nausea, but I became surprisingly bold. You know the filter that helps you not say everything you think? That filter took a vacation during my pregnancy. I think I voiced every opinion that crossed my mind—especially the negative ones. One day while I was exercising my newfound boldness in a pizza parlor, my sister said I was scaring her. When I looked at my mom, completely expecting her to defend me, she advised me to turn it down a couple of notches. Okay, a couple dozen notches. Thankfully, their honesty helped me reign in my tongue and not drive my husband and friends completely insane. Pregnancy is a time of exaggerated emotions. I learned to enjoy and be thankful for the moments when I was on the mountain instead of in the valley. Any degree of happiness was wild happiness. Anything remotely good was supercharged and became “the best ever!”