The third trimester

Now that I am firmly in the third trimester (celebrating 29 weeks today), I have noticed a shift in my interactions with the public when I’m out and about with the two boys.

1.  People are starting to ask, “When are you due?”  That’s fine and certainly not offensive…but it’s always asked with the assumption that my due date is much sooner than it actually is.  A kindly older gentlemen at Walmart asked Paul if I was “due tomorrow.”  I wonder what they are going to be saying in another two months?!?  I’m not sure I want to find out!

2.  Everyone’s cheering for a girl.  It took the checkout lady at Lowe’s two seconds to eye my wiggly boys in the car cart, my pregnant state, and the can of pink paint I was buying.  She perked right up and said, “This one must be a girl!  How wonderful!” Another man saw me walking out of a store firmly holding the boys’ hands and said, “I hope this one’s a girl!”  When I said it was, he responded, “Oh, good!”  Let’s hope this is not a reflection on my boys’ behavior in public or my apparent inability/failure to handle them!

3.  Offers of help are freely and frequently given.   Whether it’s rushing to open a door, returning my empty grocery cart to the store, or even grabbing my tray of trash at the end of a meal, strangers are eager to lighten the load (ha!).  The lady who took my order at Dunkin Donuts this week (Don’t judge – it was a rainy day, and the boys and I needed an outing and sugar break desperately.) was falling all over herself to assist me.  She carried my tray to the table, hurried to wipe it down, and then offered to get us glasses of water.  Before leaving the table, she said, “If you need anything, just ask.”

I really do appreciate the help and would encourage everyone to look for opportunities to serve someone in a similar situation.  The small things mean a lot.  The funny thing is that I often forget that I’m pregnant (keep your snarky comments to yourself now!).  I forget how it must look to others to see me juggling bags, food, etc. while dragging the boys along.  It wasn’t until I was driving home from Dunkin Donuts that it dawned on me why the woman had been so over-the-top in her service. 

Suddenly the world is a much friendlier place!