Every day, coworkers, friends via email or text message, my family on the phone, and definitely John ask how I’m feeling.  It’s a much heartier question now than the simple, “How are you?” that is just being polite.  And that’s been an unexpected blessing because I know that people really care about the Peanut and me.

At work, I try not to go into too much detail, but I’m surrounded by moms and pregnant women and I’m a little more honest with them.  Otherwise, I understand the question is more of a courtesy, even when genuinely offered.  But I know with John, my family, and my closer friends—especially those who haven’t yet been pregnant—there is a different kind of curiosity, and it’s one I’d like to address.

So. For those who really do want to know how I’ve been doing the past five months, or for those about to embark on their own pregnancies, I’ve written a creative rendering of my pregnancy.  Because I don’t have shoeboxes in my apartment to fashion into dioramas, I give you another grammar school favorite, all grown up.

Ladies and gentleman (mostly ladies), I offer you the first of three original acrostic poems.  And maybe if I get some good comments on these, I’ll write a haiku about labor/delivery, too!

Full of joy and anticipation, I’m

Intrigued by the many ways my body’s about to change.  But I

Really need those seven hours of sleep now

So that I’m not totally exhausted every morning when I

Trade a glass of juice for a can of ginger ale with the bubbles stirred out.

Trying to make my way to lunch, although I don’t want to eat, I’m still

Reeling from waking up from another crazy dream.

I’m stressed about the sick days I’m allotted at work and all John and I have to figure out in the next few months.

Meanwhile my head aches, and I’m wondering if there’s an

Extra grace for a pregnant lady who gives up chocolate for Lent.  I feel like a

Spy with an undercover secret at work,

Though I’ll learn later that most people have already caught on.

Excuses keep me from the prayers I need to say to sort all this out.  I’m

Ready for my belly to start growing, for more people to know, for the next phase to start.  I hear it’s much more pleasant.

Look out for the next installment in a few weeks!