ex(PR)essed

We are exactly two weeks from our due date! I suspect, as do some wise others, that we might meet Baby Lorow before August 12, but it’s crazy to think about the nearness of this grand event after nine months of preparation.

I’ve been following the Henry Louis Gates story pretty closely. I’ve been weighing each side, trying to sort my bias, and each day re-evaluating what I think. I’m really appreciating blogger Jenell Paris’ insight.

I was pretty naive in high school. A classmate recently posted some videos on Facebook of the high school antics of many of my classmates. I don’t think I ever fully comprehended the amount of drinking that went on at my high school. It’s has been fascinating to read people’s comments about the videos; turns out that we were all pretty stinkin’ insecure about ourselves.

For the past few months, Jeff and I have played countless games of Yahtzee while enjoying bowls of ice cream. I like this tradition. I wonder if the baby will forever be soothed by the sound of five dice in a blue plastic cup?

Please tell your friends, family, and countrymen that it is never appropriate to 1) tell a woman that you noticed that she is putting on weight or 2) tell a woman that she is waddling. The next person to risk a waddling comment around me will have no choice but to waddle away from me once I inflict bodily harm. Listen, if you don’t know what to say to someone who is obviously pregnant, you could always resort to polite pleasantries like, “I hope you are feeling well today; we are so looking forward to meeting your little one.” Or, “You look adorable today; I hope you’re feeling well too!” Or, “I hope that baby is treating you well in these last few weeks of your pregnancy. We’re praying for a safe delivery and healthy baby.” Maybe instead of pointing out your weight gain to your husband, people could say things to him like, “I hope you’re being extra good to that sweet wife of yours.” Or, “We’re so happy for the two of you and can’t wait to meet the newest member of your family.” It’s really not that hard. Pregnant women are still people…even though our bellies are mis-shapen with the miracle of life, we are able to converse about more than our bodies, and we would appreciate if you made a similar effort. Rant over…for now. (Note: Snarky book or series of blog posts coming your way about pregnancy and the challenges of social interaction; stay tuned.)