Wow!

The place I hang out during the daytime is my grandmother's house, she is stock full of wisdom and lots of love. I wonder what it might be like to see my grandchild pregnant--expecting a tiny miracle to arive and knowing how ill prepared she is. What ad vice can I give her? Does she even understand that her entire life will be devoted to this little bundle? I had no clue... It was nice spending time with my favorite person all day, grandma and grandpa always knew just what to do to make all the grandchildren feel special! I want to be just like them someday. The good/bad thing about being at their house was the food! Mmmmm "Eating for two ya know!" Let me tell you, I did too! I soon watched my wasteline expand, along with the rest of me. I started to dread my gyno appoinments, the weighing in part anyway. My Uncle would take me to my appointments and at my begging would wait until after the scale to take me to lunch! ( like that mattered right?) I told you I was young--17 years old. I had no idea what it was to be a woman let alone a pregnant one!

Time to Gather Baby Stuff and Prepare the Nest

I beleive other animals have it down to a science; justation periods are quicker and yet, they have their nesting ground all ready. The one thing animals have that we don't, is the ability to know how long to keep the offspring--some of us never got that memo.

Here I am, planning the themed nursery, painting the room, dressers, tiny Raggety Anne and Andy figurines, and lining the drawers with all my wrapping paper. The bassenette is painted yellow, with green trim, blankets and stuffed animals are carefully placed in preperation for our new bundle of joy. Alright, so I'm just three months along; I'm not a procrastionater. Being a young mother, I just had way to much time at home; BC, ( before children) I could have my house cleaned in seconds. Oh heck, I had lots of things BC...like a nice figure, no boobs, a quiet home, little grocery bills, and well, you get the picture, if not now...soon, my pretty. *evil laugh*

Maternity clothes?

I have to admit, the moment I found out about my baby, the first thing I wanted to do was shop for pregnancy clothes; something that would let the world know! Well, come on Cathy...sooner than later it would be VERY obvious! With your first, I guess you are just so happy. My mom bought me a cute spring-time blouse; it was sweet.

Telling the Family!!!

So we went to my grandma's house, my mom and I and told everyone there the big news! ( ok, so it was my mom that er um blabbed)Their little girl was expecting--another generation coming into the world. Wow! I'm really going to like this pregnancy thing; everyone is caring about and for me! Aunt Sally buys me pies, Uncle Andy takes me out for lunch, Grandma fixes me fresh hot tortillas; they are all concerned with my comfort. This is very nice. I love all this attention. My grandparents are the best!I didn't know it then, but my life, and my waistline was going to change DRASTICALLY!

That did not take long!

It did not take very long for my mom to um, take over! Mom made an appointment for me with the doctor who delivered a few of my brothers; I said a few, because my mom had ten children. ( I guess that’s why she knew—eh, who would have guessed?) By they way all you young ones...they didn’t have over the counter pregnancy test—still had to kill a rabbit! Where was PITA then? Well, I went, not the most exciting day of my life; oh it was a good day but not too thrilled to have my mom in the room while the doctor checked me out. Not to mention, a joke here and there at my expense. I guess I am grateful we didn’t have cell phones back then; my mother couldn’t wait to tell the world my news. Not to mention just think if she had a camera phone!!!

Mom always knows.....

A week into the tummy upheaval, my mom made a surprise visit, she wanted to take me to lunch for fish and chips, the malt vinegar was my favorite part usually, but not that day! We drove up to the restaurant, the overpowering odor of fish frying in grease made my stomach do flip-flops; the color green washed over my olive skinned face. My entire body went limp, and anything that was in my stomach —leaped out!
My mom, concerned about my health asked if I was sick—duh!Of course I was sick! I told my mom I’d been like this for over three weeks. She gave that smile; the one where she knew the answer to all the secrets in the world and worse really.

It's starts!

That pivotal moment when you realize you will be responsible for a life; you will be the one that molds and guides this individual into a masterpiece of art.
I was a very young mother; married at age sixteen and became pregnant in April of the same year. My mother did not explain anything about sex, or what to expect if and when the moment came for children. I was sick—morning, noon, and night for weeks, my husband smoked and the mere puff of that vile stick sent me running for the porcelain god.
We were living in a motel with a kitchenette, not a bad place but it was not what I expected for newlyweds. I would walk to the nearest ice cream shop and order a vanilla soft serve cone; slowly eat the cold creamy treat and then, in minutes the ice cream would make an unexpected revisit. I still had no clue what was wrong.