I am 8 months pregnant this week. That's a lot of months. And it strikes me how similar pregnancy becomes to old age, especially the closer you get to D Day. And I know about old people. My grandpa lived to age 98, my grandma lived to age 101. And I adored them and miss them terribly. So believe me when I say that I know what I am talking about here.
Here are the ways in which, as an super duper uber gestator (is that a word?), I have become like a very, very old person.
Napping:
Like many old folks, I simply cannot get through the day without a nap. If I do not nap, I find it very hard to get through the rest of my day. I remember my
abuelita nodding off in front of the tv for several hours at a time. She would wake up suddenly, surprised that it was 2 hours later.
This weekend I told Phillip, "I am going to go lay down for a few." And a few
hours later, I woke up to find that several hours had passed and I never even realized it because I was so deeply asleep.
Drooling:
I should be really embarrassed about this, but I find it so noteworthy that I have to put it out there.
I drool when I sleep. A lot. I have to lay a towel over my pillow. For most of the pregnancy this has happened only during nap time. The later it gets into the pregnancy, the more I drool in my sleep even at night. Last night I woke up abruptly to find the entire side of my face wet with drool. Um, I'm just going to say it so you don't have to:
gross! Then I thought to myself, "What if I drown in a pool of my own drool? How undignified would that be!!"
But then since it was the middle of the night and I was exhausted I feel back asleep right away. Still in my own drool. Again,
gross.
Please note that this only happens to me in pregnancy. I am not typically a droolin' fool. Although I have met women who have told me that they had a terrible drooling/excess saliva problem even when awake to the point where they had to constantly spit into a cup. I am just lucky it only happens to me in sleep.
Getting Off The Floor:
If I get myself down on the floor, I will need a crane to get me off it. Or at least a strong helping hand. Would you ever allow your grandparent to sit on the floor?
NO.
Because you know how hard it would be to get them off it again. Same goes with pregnant women.
Don't let them do it.
Getting Up From Couches:
This
is another agility issue. Getting out of a chair is fine as long as its at a decent height and does not recline. But getting off a deeply cushioned couch or out of an armchair requires wriggling around and trying to lurch forward to launch yourself out of the chair
using your own inertia
. A helping hand is always appreciated. I remember helping my grandparents to get up from the couch or armchair many a time. These days, I remind myself of them.
Getting Tired Easily:
Elderly folks do not have a lot of energy to do stuff. They can get things done of course, but are exhausted afterwards. This is what I am a bit worried about because I am moving at the end of the month and have an entire house to pack up. Between getting tired and napping, that really cuts back on my productive time.
Daydreaming:
My mind longingly wanders to the halcyon days of my youth. The elderly also often get lost in daydreams of rosy times gone past. Actually, I am referring to just 8 months ago when I was a powerhouse of energy (well, comparatively speaking)! At least I can look forward to a baby at the end of all this and getting back to semi-normal.
Picking Items Off the Floor:
Another agility issue. I used to be able to bend at the waist to get toys and things off the floor. As I am sure my grandma was able to do when she was young. But by the time she was in her late 90's, although she could still do it if she made the effort, she looked like Bambi trying to stand for the first time- feet planted far apart, wobbly, and off balance. She would bend her knees a little to get closer to the floor, shimmy around a little to find the right balance, and then hang an arm down and use a pincer grasp to capture a portion of the item in question at its highest elevation. And that awkwardness is mine today. I should really take a picture of myself trying to pick something up. If only for laughs.
Run Plus Fun: This clean indoor playground (pictured at right) is a good place for kids to let loose, no matter what the weather is like. There are slides, ball pits and an area reserved for babies and toddlers. For parents there are couches and free Wi-Fi -- win-win!
