This system is obviously a jury rig.

If I were a blind watchmaker, I'm sure I could come up with a better way for people to reproduce, blind or no.  This way is totally ridiculous. 

I finally went swimming today, after a 2-week hiatus. It was wonderful. Getting that baby off my organs was wonderful. Getting in and out of the pool was not so wonderful, but I can still do it. (Barely.)

I talked yesterday to Trapeze Girl, who's due to have her second kid in the summer. She trumped all my pregnancy complaints. I'm feeling tired and beat up? She's been barfing for 10 weeks. I've got some occasional back pain? She's wearing an attractive back brace. I'm thinking a lot more this time around about worst case scenarios? She works in a NICU, spending all her time with desperately ill newborns. I felt much better after talking to her. I've got it easy!

However, Trapeze Girl is petite and slender, and thus is not told on a regular basis that she must be expecting twins or be already far past her due date. I understand that being pregnant makes a person kind of public property,* but I think everybody should think twice before implying (or outright saying) that a pregnant woman is the size of OctoMom.**   Here's a tip: "You look great!" is a sure-fire winner. You really can't go wrong with that.***

I'm feeling a little besieged. I think it's partly because I've been working in a large office during this pregnancy, and all the people I pass in the hall automatically default to talking about the pregnancy, since it's the easy topic. I'm looking forward to returning to a life in which I'm not defined by my reproductive status. Not that I don't end up talking about kids a lot with my coworkers (easy topic!), but it's not the same.

Anyway, tomorrow is the first day of Dutch's spring break! We're kicking it off with a grocery-shopping trip.

*Though I do think people should avoid saying "What are you having?" because it's really difficult for me not to snark at them and say "A baby!" or "A hedgehog!" or "A heart attack because YOU'RE SO LAME!"

**Even if she is.

***Even if she doesn't.