Being knocked up

It was in this month eighteen years ago that I found out I was pregnant with my kidlet. I had been wanting a baby for at least a year, and it took a bit of time for me to be able to get with child. I was in awe when I looked at the pregnancy test, not quite sure if what I was looking at was real. How amazing to know that because something changed in an activity I had done many times before, in forty weeks a small human would come into the world whom I had carried within me. My period of gestation was essentially uneventful, although I had nausea for what felt like all of the time for the first twelve weeks. My clothes fit up until about the fourth month, as in the end I only gained about 33 pounds. Maternity clothes are a lot cuter now. I often thought I looked like a beached whale. The worst things were the tent dresses. How is one considered attractive in any way while wearing something like that?? I craved hot Cheetos all of the time. And scrambled eggs, except I could not eat them once they were on the plate. They made me gag. I really, really missed beer. I don't remember what else I wanted, but I don't think I ate anything bizarre. The kid was quiet after I ate, and never really had a schedule for kicking me. The hiccups were funny, but the headstand on my bladder was not. And running. I really missed being able to run. I walked a lot, but it was never the same. I know some women run thru their entire pregnancy, but I did not want to chance that. Not sure if it's true that exercise is a way to start labor, but I truly think that my sister did it to me when she made me laugh. Not just a garden-variety guffaw, but the kind of laughter that ends in stomach pain, tears, and breathlessness. She had been trying to artfully, fashionably cut up her jeans while I was in her room with her. When she put them on and turned around, half of her ass was hanging out and I thought it was one of the funniest things I had ever seen. That night/early morning, I went into labor for what ended up being 27 hours, three weeks before my due date. I have since asked nurse friends of mine if it's possible to go into labor because to laughter, and they responded affirmatively. I was pregnant three more times after that, but all ended sadly, so I am eternally grateful I had the joyous, awe-inspiring, sweet experience of carrying my baby.