Chubby Bunny

Spring is a time for bright colors, sundresses and new life. I must admit I am happy about the new life- especially my small new life inside of me! Sundresses are a Godsend for expanding bellies and hot flashes. But bright colors? Obviously Spring did not get the memo that I cannot go to the tanning bed and look like Casper trying to go tropical! To make matters worse a nice tan helps make you look thinner all over and at a time when looking the slightest bit more thin can do wonders for your ego, its really a letdown!

Needless to say I donned my bright Easter apparel and set off to spend the weekend with the fam. The first people to see me were my aunts. I met them at a shop and they immediately hugged me and had to rub my belly. Neither commented on how great I looked but neither commented on my bulging body either! 0 Points for my ego. So while I was shopping with the aunts I decided to purchase some large gaudy earrings that would hopefully draw people's attention from my midsection to my face.... or at least my ears! Anything to help confuse the masses.

Our next stop was dinner with all 18 of my family members. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Cousins babies, Maw Maw... you get the idea. As each person trickled in, the reactions were hilarious. My brother didn't even want to look at me below the neck. When he did he had a funny look on his face like someone had just offered to put honey on broccoli and feed it to him. And when I told him to touch my belly because it was starting to get hard I thought I had sent him over the edge. Minus 1 Point for the ego.

My oldest cousin couldn't stop smiling (this might have to do with the fact that he is a proud new papa himself) and his girlfriend wanted to know everything. They were the most excited but I think it is because they are secretly hoping my child will be louder than theirs and I will get dirty looks and they can point to theirs and say "Look how good ours is acting!" Or maybe that is my paranoia setting in. 1 Point for the ego so back to 0.

Everyone else hugged me and wanted to feel my belly and let me go on and on about Baby this and Baby that. They patiently looked at each ultrasound picture as if they cared to see the fuzzy black and white pictures of Skeletore while they were eating. And of course each one decided what the sex was going to be. 5 Points for the ego.

Leave it to Maw Maw (my mother's mom) to make me feel like the prom queen. Midway through the meal as she sat halfway down the long table and I was at one end she loudly declared that she thought I looked more beautiful than she had ever seen me and that she thought pregnancy agreed with me! WOW! Now what girl doesn't want to hear that everyday of her life! Score 10 points for the ego! So needless to say I was on cloud nine the rest of my time with the fam.


But the weekend wouldn't be complete without stopping in to see my Grandmother (dad's mom) on the drive home. Hubby and I were so excited. We were going to visit with her, have an awesome home cooked meal and get to pick up the baby bassinet that was my father's and has been used for every baby on that side of the family since. Our child will be the 12th in 54 years! AMAZING! As we pulled into Grandmother's driveway she came out to greet us on the porch. She gave me a hug and a once over and we went inside. As we sat down I thought my ego was going to get another boost when she began a sentence saying "You don't even look pregnant!" Of course I began to beam. But it was short lived because the next words out of her mouth took the wind right out of my sails! "You just look like you are getting chubby all over, especially in your arms!" WHAT??! CHUBBY?!?! I have never been called chubby!!! My life is over! Minus 50 Points for the ego!!! But then I couldn't help but laugh because the scene was so comical! Hubby was trying to pick his jaw up off the floor and couldn't decide what to say, Grandmother was just so darn proud to be having another great grandchild housed in a "healthy" vessel and I was trying to get compliments like "You don't look pregnant" when I am over 5 months pregnant!

As we got in the car to come home Hubby looked at me pitifully and I assured him I was ok but that he should have been there through puberty! We laughed and drove away feeling just a little deflated but so excited about Spring, new life, sunshine and family!