29 weeks

Twenty nine weeks today! Other than being unbelievably tired pretty much constantly, I am feeling good and Baby Z is doing well. The pregnancy updates remind me that our baby is growing rapidly right now, so maybe that's why I'm so tired.

Now that I'm firmly in my 3rd trimester and appearing quite pregnant, it seems that my life (or at least my body...)has opened up to commentary from the whole, wide world. Strangers run up to me in stores and I seem to answer the questions, "when are you due?" and "what are you having?" at least three or four times a day.

Below I've compiled a list of my "favorite" stranger/pregnancy interactions.

When are you due? Sometime around January 29th. Oh! Don't you just wish that baby would come a little early so that you can get a tax break? Um, 5 weeks plus is not just "a little early." An early entrance before the new year would land our baby in the NICU. Not really worth the tax break, but thanks for playing.

What are you having? A girl. Oh! Just don't go crazy with the pink! My (hairdresser's daughter, dog walker's sister-in-law, etc) was told she was having a girl, but when the big day came, it was THREE BOYS instead! Thanks for sharing?

Is this your first? Yep. Oh, well let me tell you about the birth of MY first. (Insert crazy story involving tearing, bleeding, horrifically long labors, and botched circumcisions on surprise baby boys identified as girls in utero.) Just WHY do perfect strangers think I want to hear all about such personal, private matters? Sadly, I'm usually too stunned to think of a good way to stop the person cold before they can divulge too much information.

Oooh! Can I feel the baby? Who are you? Have I known you longer than the duration of this conversation? Then no. You may not grope my abdomen. (It usually helps to take a step back as soon as the person starts with the "ooh!" as "ooh!" is often accompanied by a reaching hand.)

But hands down, my favorite stranger interaction is this one:

Is this your first? Yep. When are you due? Sometime around January 29th. Do you know if you're having a boy or a girl? A girl. Oh! A girl. I have daughters. She will be the best thing that ever happened to you. Enjoy her and savor every moment, including these last few months of pregnancy. Time will fly by. Good luck! Thank you. Really. :)