The social joys of pregnancy

Okay, so at approximately 7 months pregnant (29 weeks), I am very much showing. As I have been told, I look like I'm carrying a basketball under my shirt. With all of this gestational glow about me, it has become clear that the normal personal-space and privacy-loving rules of American culture that we all hold so dear simply don't apply to pregnant women. I realize I'm big. I was getting annoyed with people telling me that, after all it's not polite to tell anyone but small children that their getting big. As an aside, my mom always bemoaned the fact that when she was pregnant you had to wear big bows and sail boats as if you were a giant three year old. As if being pregnant isn't about the most adult womanly thing you can do! So this is yet another way that pregnant women are treated like kids, it's odd really. Anyway, I'm brushing off the big comments with a little Amanda-style sarcasm (laced with bitterness, when necessary). The new encounter I have to get used to is total strangers wanting to tell you everything and I mean EVERYTHING about their pregnancy and birth. These are usually slightly crazy women, and it usually happens in the check-out line. I'm beginning to dread shopping, which may be a good thing. They continue to talk even if all I do is smile and nod until I have paid for my things and quickly leave. The world is a very different place for a pregnant woman!