Week 23: My favorite accessory

My newest accessory is a hand magnet and conversation starter. You can’t get it in stores. And my husband and I get excited about it whenever it moves. What else could I be talking about? My baby bump!
It popped in the last couple of weeks, and there’s no denying it’s there, which I love. As odd as it sounds, I take it as a huge compliment when someone tells me I’m obviously pregnant or comments on my pregnancy without hesitation. It means I don’t normally look like I’m smuggling a bowl under my clothes.
There are perks to having my pregnancy so blatantly advertised:

• People get excited, and their cheer is contagious.
• I get offered a seat on the train much more readily than ever before.
• When I feel full after a meal, I don’t have to suck it in like the days of yore—I can relax and let my belly hang out.

Of course, there are downsides too:

• Some people can’t resist reaching out and touching my stomach without warning; for someone with personal space issues (like me!), it’s disconcerting.
• I’m still not used to how much space my belly takes up, which means it gets bumped into chairs, tables, and counters a lot more than usual. Sorry, Roo!
• My bump has turned into a crumb shelf, which (in)conveniently catches my bits of food and drink that would otherwise go to the floor. It makes me feel ashamed of my piggishness.

As with other side effects related to pregnancy, I’m getting accustomed to the cons of my baby bump. All in all, though, it’s not a bad deal, especially when I catch a glimpse of my reflection or feel Roo’s reassuring thump on my insides. My bump is a sign of the life growing inside me. My son will undoubtedly be among my proudest achievements, so why not show him off proudly, crumbs and all!