Ode to my big bad pregnant self

At our benefit on Wednesday, I worked the check-in desk.

I had picked up some standard-issue silk maternity top the previous week, in an effort to be practical and not spend money on a dress I would wear only once. Since I was Clio's age, I have had a love affair with dresses, especially special-occasion gear (in Junior High my favorite past time was trying on prom dresses at the mall), and I suppose you can't fight nature. I relate a little too well to Carrie on Sex and the City showing the severity of her wedding aversion by explaining that she's not even interested in shopping for the dress: "Me, no dress!". Let me add that the benefit had a travel theme, with a sort of 60s/70s twist, and the only thing I like more than special occasion wear is costumes/ theme party attire. So after determining that the top I bought, while perfectly nice in its own right, actually made me look like I was going to give birth tomorrow, and the one thing that can make you feel even bigger than you already do is a steady string of well-meaning people saying "any day now, huh?," I broke down and bought a new dress on my way home from work the day before the event. And it was perfect. (The good news is, it's not maternity, it's even my usual size, and I should be able to wear it again.)

I have been feeling huge and uncomfortable and cranky, and more broken-down and physically compromised than in my first pregnancy (this perhaps is a side effect of being more physically challenged by chasing a toddler around, not to mention the fact that I can't sleep at all) and actually dressing up and putting on some makeup did wonders for my current state of mind. Collecting compliments all night went about 10 steps further (Call me vain, but I love nothing more than being unofficially voted "best dress." And when the event planner declared mine the best dress he had ever seen on a cute pregnant girl, I almost forgave him all the extra work he created for all of us by not doing his job just a little better.)

Back to the check in desk: I didn't even mind standing in heels for an hour while my ankles swelled, such was the fun of greeting our guests from a position of happy confidence: for once, I looked good. Our lovely Board Member Joanne Cassullo proclaimed my gorgeousness upon her arrival, setting a positive tone for me for the night. She even insisted on taking my photo on her phone, and sent me the picture this morning.


Sadly, I fear it's all downhill from here....