Pregnancy hormones are no joke

Things that have made me cry this week:

1) some Christmas commercial for a jewelry company that features a tween-age girl telling her dad what to get her mom for Christmas (jewelry, of course), not because of the content of the commercial, but because it made me think about what Katie will be like when she is 11 or 12, and then oh, my God, she will be so grown up! and then I'll miss my little girl! 

2) re-telling (out loud, to Geoff) the story that the chaplain on ER told Abby in this week's episode about the boy who tried to lift the rock and couldn't until he used all of his strength, which in his case meant asking for help, because sometimes using all your strength means you have to ask for help.

3) thinking about or talking about Stephanie.  (Ok, the fact that my sister in law died less than 2 months ago probably would have caused tears even if I weren't pregnant, but in the past few weeks it has been out of control and without limitation as to time or place.  Grocery store?  Sure!  My office?  Yes, of course!  While watching My Name Is Earl?  You betcha!)

4) the night we were out of diet Coke and I felt really tired and sorry for myself.

5) the evening I had to stand on the el platform in the cold and wait for 15 minutes before the el came, and the fact that when it came, I had to stand up the whole time.

6) thinking bad thoughts about what could happen with this pregnancy.  And, of course:

7) thinking good thoughts about this pregnancy.

This doesn't even include all of the tears caused by radio host commentary, commercials, children's tv shows, or by reading about or thinking about anybody else going through anything difficult or wonderful in their lives or the lives of those they know and love.  Happy or sad, it's cause for crying.  It's a festival of tears around here, basically, is what I'm saying.

Comments

[Charlotte]

Time to buy some stock in Kleenex, hm?

No, really. I'm sending you lots of happiness and sparkly night and the hopes that number 7 occurs much, much more than number 6.

[Joanne]

I am a crier not pregnant but pregnant I am a MESS, like, all the time. I cry during football games, the Amazing Race, at doctor's appointments, etc. etc. I've gotten to the point where I'm not even too embarrassed about it anymore.

[jana]

Glad you're writing, no matter how sporadic.

[JennB]

I'm 17 weeks today, and I am so weepy at everything, it's silly. I cried at the end of Meet the Robinson's yesterday. I cry whenever I sing holiday songs, I cry when I get to a good part of my book. I'm with you and the weeping, for sure!

Glad all is going well, and i look forward to comparing notes as we both progress toward chlld #2!

[amy]

Nice post. I especially like the lesson from ER. I remember realizing the same thing, while drowning in a swamp of depression once, feeling wimpy because I knew I was a strong swimmer (so to speak) but I just didn't have the will to swim. It suddenly occurred to me that there is another kind of strength that I COULD use and that is LUNG: I could yell for help. The reality-translation of this over-extended analogy is this: I picked up the phone. Over and over. I called everyone who loved me and was able to listen to me admit how bad I was feeling. It helped. A lot.

I wonder if the purpose of pregnancy hormones like you are experiencing might be to cause you to build up a good strong support system? You're going to need it when the baby comes, right?

Handing you virtual tissues...

Thanks for sharing your story.

[an-gee-la]

i am laughing so hard right now, but only becuase i completely understand.
i cried at Deal or No Deal tonight. WTF????