Friday, September 3, 2010

Pregnancy Memory

I should start with the fact that instead of blogging last night, I was at a swim meet, so the blogging happened LATER last night and this morning. Thus my tardiness... And BECAUSE I was tardy, I thought it was a good day to go with my random list... So here it is...

A randomly generated thought sponsored by LISA![http://lisahgolden.blogspot.com/] My random number generator came up with 26-- the line that went with a pregnancy memory.

So here we have it...

I'm invincible, right? Have been forever, like... Not in a stupid way. I don't jump in front of buses or jump off buildings, but I DO do some things that might not be considered smart (certainly not in Michigan, where car is king (have I complained to you about how in Michigan cars have been given the right to vote, but are not required to pay taxes? It is totally not right)--can you say JAY WALKING?)

So anyway...

One gets preconceptions... pre-conception... I always figured myself for a 'stay active, be a super-preggo' type of gal. I have been active since I was 17, and so at 28 and pregnancy #1, why on earth would that change... Sure, the jogger might slow to a walk and all that, but... I had spent the prior year doing aerobics 5 days a week. PLUS, I periodically WALKED the six miles from campus (Portland State University) home (in NE Portland near the airport) just for fun (I can be a nut that way)--I STILL have days I walk 6 miles just because I want to.

And then I get knocked up. (planned—though perhaps not well thought-through)

And my body rebels. WTF?

So my memory to share with you was my realization that I was physically vulnerable for the first time in my life.

I worked at a pub in NE Portland—McMenamin's 'fern bar' was the nickname... anyone who knows Portland called it 'The Broadway' (based on the street). It was busy much of the time, and I was the ROCK THE KITCHEN gal on Friday nights... I don't remember what night I was coming to work, but I parked my car on a side street a block over (there was no lot) and did my normal jay-walking across Broadway, only to spot a car coming a little too fast, so I tried to pick up the pace...

I swear I transmitted the message... My legs couldn't go... it was like one of those quicksand dreams where you are making every effort to move but your limbs are just STUCK. I couldn't MOVE. I mean I was moving, but I couldn't pick up the pace—AT ALL. It was the most vulnerable I think I've ever felt... a victim of my body (and the little being in my belly who was surely a teenager EVEN THEN—certainly from the first time she could talk).

Speaking of that teen... here she is cheering her team mates (the blonde one with no cap) last night and diving into the water for her relay...




Still swamped, but hopefully only until mid-day or so... Have a great day!!!

17 comments:

Natasha said...

And will her Tartiness please tell me what the connection is between the number 26, and a pregnancy at 28? Knowing that you are my twin, I am sure there were a couple of steps involved in getting from one number to the next, but I would like to know what it was!

Cruella Collett said...

Omigosh - cliffhanger, much? I know - you're here, so we know you survived, and so did the unborn teenager (as I've seen her as an actual, live teenager), but HELLO!

"Then the car came towards me and I couldn't walk any faster. Dun-DUN! The End?!?"

Did the car eventually slow down, or was it a Michigan car? Or did it stop DIRECTLY in front of you, an inch from your belly and then your water broke and your baby was born right there on the street? Or did the car actually speed up, but then a handsome vampire managed to stop the car, last minute, with his bare hands? Or did he wear gloves?

We can't NOT know how this ends!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I'm assuming the car didn't hit you?
Had I ever gotten pregnant, I would've been an egg with legs. No thanks!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Waddle faster, Hart!
And if I had a pregnancy memory, well, that would just be wrong on so many levels...

Old Kitty said...

Ok... I know you lived to tell the tale and have the gorgeous daughter to prove it but by golly!!!!

What a way to end your pregnancy blog!! Good grief!!! I'm just so glad you and your baby were ok!

take care
x

Erica Mitchell said...

Gah! What a horrible feeling and how did that little story end. Was the car phantom and vanished into a mist?
I actually know the feeling of feeling physically vulnerable but mine was due to a back injury and then having my lumbar fused back together like titantor. Ugh that feeling makes me cringe remembering it.

Hart Johnson said...

AHHHHH! You can see how scatter brained I am at the moment! And that pregnancy ALSO affected my memory, as I don't REMEMBER anymore, however, I ALSO assume it didn't hit me. I was in Portland, so the driver probably actually slowed down, though he might have sworn at me. Oregonians occasionally yell rude things, but they don't very often get violent.

*giggling at image of a pregnant Alex* BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That cheers me up.

Thos pictures sure are a lot darker online... hmph. I wish I was a better photographer... not enought to actually make any effort at it, mind you...

Jan Morrison said...

oh thank goodness you sort of finished it.eek.
yes, bodies can betray us. oh well. wait until you're my age missy! she said waving her cane. no I can't wave anything because it is a thousand degrees here.
Jan Morrison

LTM said...

LOL! I was the same as CC/Alex--AND??? sigh.

That picture made my stomach hurt. Did you get the rash? I got the PG rash ALL over my stomach. Me to doc: How do I get rid of this? Doc to me: Give birth.

Me: Thanks.

I don't really miss that. :D (I'm also w/Rayna: what does 26 have to do w/PG line? Did I miss a post?)

Hart Johnson said...

The 26 has to do with my random topic file (in excel) and the random NUMBER generator that chooses the topic by generating the number, so the TOPIC was on line 26...

Oh, yes... I was NOT communicating very well this morning...

Jan-you don't seem to be suffering any aging limitations... you walk, you swim, you naked garden... I figure you can do pretty much anything!

Cheeseboy said...

So, swimmer pregnant? I liked this post, but I am a little confused by the connection. Likely that is how I am supposed to feel but I am too dumb to figure it out.

Hart Johnson said...

CB-YES, swimmers make you pregnant! And I do seem to be confusing a lot to day, so it's not you, it's me...

RaShelle Workman said...

Alex pregnant. Interesting . . .

Hart - Hope you're having a great night! And I hate those feelings of your body ruling. It seemed to happen most during pregnancy too. At least that's all I'm willing to admit to myself right at this moment. LOL

Ella said...

Pregnancy throws your balance off...I can relate.
I was so huge, both times..."Oh, you are having twins" NO, just looked like I was~

You left us dangling, in midstream...it was a dream, NO! A pregnant woman was driving and could relate...?!

The swim meet looks like so much fun; How did it go? I use to be like you said, I'd ride my bike 5-10 mls for fun! Always active..on the go! I know to be continued~

Hart Johnson said...

RaShelle- *giggles again* Alex is a good sport... Yes, HATE the body not under control...

Ellie-ACH! I bet you have a shorter torso. I never LOOKED that pregnant, but by body rebelled nevertheless.

lisahgolden said...

Hey, my suggestion came up! (Thanks for the link!) I was not prepared for how my body would not be mine alone anymore when I got pregnant that first time. It was the strangest sensation.

And thanks for sharing the photos of your daughter. I hope she has all good meets this season.

Walter Knight said...

I love McMenamins's. They restore old building and make hotels or taverns out of them.

The McMenamin's in Centralia, Wa., not only has a hotel/bar/pool hall/restaurant, but also there is a theator where you can eat and kick back on couches while watching a movie.