11 June 2009

Mrs. Waddlesworth

While there are still days that I don’t believe I’m pregnant, I can no longer hide the fact that my body can’t always keep up with my will. I came into this pregnancy in peak physical condition and, most-likely, in the best shape of my entire life. Despite my efforts to keep up a good exercise regime (to counterbalance my gargantuan diet), I find myself unable to endure the same physical challenges or endurance that I used to have. Namely, there’s no ignoring the fact that my feet are starting to swell after long walks and, an entirely new sensation, I actually get sweaty when the weather goes over 20ºC. This is quite a contrast to the girl that usually only stops shivering and removes her sweater once the thermometer hits 30ºC.

Today I attempted my usual 40-minute walk to and from the Byward Market during lunch hour, only to be greeted with aching calf muscles and an undeniable waddle to my gait. To make matters worse, it feels as though the baby may have shifted and was putting more pressure on my bladder. Usually I don’t have “potty issues” but today it seems like I have been running to and from the ladies room. Just picture this lovely image…a sweaty redhead, face as pink as the shirt she’s wearing, waddling and praying all the while that she won’t wet her pants. Yes folks, this is the “nitty gritty” of pregnancy, the fun stuff that your Mothers never tell you about. One day you feel you could run a marathon, the next you’re staring enviously at the spry 70-year olds tearing up the sidewalk.By the time I reached my final destination, Chapters, I must have looked a fright. I think I probably weirded out my fellow bathroom users by letting out am audible sigh when I sat on the blessed toilet.

After emptying my bladder and silently berating my son for putting me through such agony, I decided to browse the children’s section for some of my old favourites. I am embarrassed to say that I couldn’t make it past the Robert Munsch section without crying. After reading only one page of, “Love you Forever,” I was blubbering. Several tissues later, I was bogged down with a bag of not one but six children’s books to add to the nursery library. I’m bound and determined to teach this child to love reading, just as much as his father and I do. Some of my favourite memories from childhood involve being curdled up in bed by my Mother’s side listening to her read stories.


My walk back to the office proved to be just as enjoyable. Rinse and repeat the same scenario, although this time I was loaded down like a pack mule with my new purchases. I think I summed it up nicely when my boss saw me lumbering my way towards my office. “Are you okay?” he asked. “Perfectly fine,” I puffed, “…just pregnant.”

Something tells me this summer is going to be “fun”

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