Chatter

Things That I've Heard in the Last Two Weeks from Library Patrons That Would Make Immediate Labor Induction Very Attractive if It Meant That I Would Not Need to Hear or Answer Them Again in the Next Two Days:

• "Are you still pregnant?" (Uh, my OB said that Monday, actually.)
• Any variation of "How many babies are you having?" "Are you having twins?" "One or two?" "Oh, you're having twins!"
• "You're huge!"
• "You've dropped a lot in the last few days." (This, rather disturbingly, from a male, middle-aged patron, not the same one who gifted the elephant.)
• "Why are you still working?"
• "Are you coming back to work?"
• "When are you coming back to work?"
• "What babysitting arrangements have you made for when you come back to work?"
• "What hospital are you delivering at?"
• "Are you dilated at all?" (This, at least, was from a fellow pregnant gal.)
• "Is this your first?"
• "Boy or girl?"
• "Have you picked out a name?"
• Labor advice and stories, such as: "Drink tons of water." "Don't get an epidural!" "GET THE EPIDURAL!" "Try the breathing exercises--they really give you focus." "Breathing exercises don't do anything." "I was completely naked during delivery." Etc. Etc, etc. etc.
• "You're probably sick of answering all these questions!"

GAAAAAAHHHHHHH. In all fairness, people just seem to like the pregnant ladies. (Can you blame them? Especially if they don't live or work with us or otherwise see us for long periods of time? [My poor family and co-workers.])

And there is some stuff--true or otherwise--that I certainly don't mind hearing:

• "You look good!" (Probably because of the smile glued to my face.)
• "You're glowing!" (Probably because of the sweat beads oozing from my face.)
• "You'll have so much fun!"
• "Enjoy every minute!"
• "Good luck!"
• "Best wishes!"
• "Congratulations!"
• "I'm so excited for you!"
• "I hope I don't see you next time I'm in!"
• "I think Miss Jamie is really pregnant!" (This from the preschool-age sister of a child in my toddler program to her mother.) / "I think that girl is pregnant!" (This from another preschool-age kid to his mother.)
  

And my co-workers? Are in another class altogether. Like family, they pretty much say anything they want, and I don't (can't?) really mind...