Motor City Mama

Friday, Friday...

I woke up (for the second time, yes, but for "real") this morning feeling as if I'd slept in ridiculously late, only to find that it was a measly 8:05.  Perhaps this is my body preparing me for years of children who will inevitably wake up at the crack of dawn.  Or perhaps it's merely a result of waking up for shifts starting no later than 7:30 more days than not. 

Either way, I had bizarre dreams of my boy guppy repeatedly attempting to escape, and of my child being born (and of being thoroughly baffled by the fact that she [in the dream, don't know the gender] was healthy despite being 22 weeks premature!).  24 weeks (six weeks from now) is generally considered the earliest date of viability, and it's definitely not a given then.  Seriously though - it's crazy to think that I'm carrying a child who might be able to survive outside the womb in a mere month and a half!  I'm hoping he or she decides to stay in for at least a few months longer. 

It's not that I'm particularly enjoying being pregnant - if anything, I'm rather impatient to have my body back.  The idea of meeting a child's physical needs by, y'know, doing something appeals to me much more than merely giving things up as one must do during pregnancy.  I have been finding it helpful to view pregnancy as the start of parenting though.  My mother, as someone who thoroughly enjoyed being pregnant, finds this incredibly baffling.  I find it encouraging to think of giving up this or that as a means to a healthy baby.  Viewed in this light, pregnancy becomes quite possibly the easiest (albeit, least fulfilling) chapter of parenting - my body is, for all intents and purposes, a live-in nanny with no need for days off or a salary. 

And really, this pregnancy is going by much more quickly than I expected.  Our bebe is nearly halfway ripe, and while I may bitch about my body not behaving like it did before, I'm really having an easy pregnancy.  The weight gain has slowed, I'm still able to work (and to do everything at work), and running three miles is still easier than it was pre-preg.  If the rest of pregnancy goes this smoothly, going back for round two in a few years isn't totally off the table.  And given how miserable so many women are while expecting, I really have no room to complain even if it's not this easy.  This is the Goofy's Barnstormer of the roller coaster world as far as pregnancy goes...smooth enough that it's ok you finished your lunch while waiting in line to ride it.