the chronicles of the belly: my belly-- a conversation piece.

it is a strange and funny phenomenon but when you are pregnant and get to a certain stage in your pregnancy (namely the stage where you are very much showing) every one comes out of the wood works with advice and theories and the insatiable need to touch you. everyone predicts the gender of the baby dependent on how you are carrying the babe, whether or not you are experiencing morning sickness, how much heartburn you have, if the baby appears to be high or low and so on and so on and so on. people are so sure at just one glance that they know exactly what you are having and when it is due. today i was shopping around at target and i was in the check out line when the cashier was like, 'you're having a boy aren't you'? with which i replied by saying, 'nope, little girl'. she then responded with, 'oh you're carrying her so high'. yet, i've heard from countless others that you can tell for sure that you are having a girl when you are carrying the baby high and that if you're carrying low then it has to be a boy. in the past two weeks these are the many words i've received:

"You are carrying the baby so high. Doesn't look like the baby will be early".
"Oh my gosh, you're baby has dropped-- you're carrying the baby so low. Looks like any day now".
"Oh my goodness, you are so small it's just like a small basketball that you are carrying around".
"Oh my gosh, you're getting fat".
"You're experiencing a lot of heartburn? That means you're having a baby with lots of hair".
"You must be having a boy because you're carrying so high".
"You must be having a girl because you're carrying so high".

in addition to the various comments i receive, i have had more people rub my tummy and ask to touch me. i think it is fair to say that this will be the only time in my life where i will have the experience of witnessing people's excitement about touching my stomach. it is hilarious how people want to touch you all the time when you are pregnant. i don't mind it much. i find it to be interesting, but the funny thing about it is that it doesn't matter if you know the person or if the person is a complete stranger chances are they are not going to be able to keep themselves from placing their hands on your belly. they touch it and they ewe and awe over it and it somehow makes them feel connected to this miracle inside you. they get all giddy and happy after touching your stomach, as if it is some good luck charm.

all this to say, my belly has been getting a lot of attention these days and it's a bit strange and surreal.