Expectant Motherhood

I was reading an adoption blog the other day, of a woman who is adopting from China. She was talking about the fact that she was still feeling sad about the thought that she will never be pregnant. I think that's a totally legitimate feeling on her part, and, as someone who HAS been pregnant, I started to think about how this experience has been different from pregnancy. I think there are pros and cons to both:

So, here's my list.

Adoption v. Pregnancy

1. I can have margaritas. Lots of them. :-p
2. My hips don't ache. :-)
3. No one is kicking me in the rib cage repeatedly, for their own amusement (or so it seemed.) :-)
4. I am not starving 24/7. (Um...maybe I'll take that back. I am starving 24/7, but, I don't feel like I will rip the head off the next person who comes into my office unless they come bringing snacks.) :-l
5. No one asks me when my baby is due, or wants to chat about whether I know the baby's gender. :-(
6. I don't have any idea when my "baby" is due to come home. :-(
7. Strangers don't look at me with happy faces and ask me what I'm going to name the baby.
8. I do not have to wear maternity underpants. :-)
9. All of the really adorable tiny baby clothes are off limits at the store. My "baby" is going to be way to big for them. :-(
10. I don't get to wear those awesomely comfy maternity jeans with the stretchy panel in front. (Why can't they make regular jeans like that???) :-(
11. When I am grouchy at work or home, people do NOT do nice things for me because they "know how uncomfortable" I'm feeling. :-(
12. I obsess with equal fervor about what my child is going to be like. :-l
13. I am contemplating decorating the spare bedroom with the same care and attention, and this time I cannot claim to be unable to paint due to "fumes". :-l
14. I am not throwing up all day. :-)
15. There is a 36 hour plane ride to look forward to with a toddler, as opposed to 36 hours writhing in pain...hmmm - nobody wins on that one...
16. I can eat soft cheeses to my heart's content without the doctor scolding me. :-)

LM