These Are A Few of My Favorite Things...

A lot of people talk about getting pregnant and how hard it is to lose your pre-pregnant body shape. I'm sure when I'm on the other side of this I will miss my body and be depressed about my new shape and new stretch marks. But really, I'm not that worried about it. There a lot of things women have to give up in order to actually carry a baby. It's a distinction between the sexes. We give up a lot more than men, in my humble opinion. But so many women do it knowingly and willingly.

For me, I knew I was ready to start trying when I realized I was wiling to sacrifice somewhat in my career. I've always been so driven by my academic goals (to get a Ph.D) and my career goals. I've worked very hard to get where I am and I work very, very hard in my job. But, I realized that all of that was no longer my priority. I am more excited about the idea of sitting at home and watching my baby grow up. Now, don't get me wrong...I get sad about the idea of somehow "falling behind" or "missing out" on opportunities at work. And I by no means am planning on being a stay-at-home-mom, but I definitely can get on board with the idea of working part-time. An idea that, only a year ago, I would have scoffed at. Part-time? Me? My career is way too important for that! Not anymore. In fact, the idea of having a baby makes the annoyances of work seems so trivial.

So, if I'm not worried about getting fat or getting behind in my career, what, you may ask, am I sad about sacrificing?

Two very specific things.

Thing Number One:

Wine.

Seriously, I know this will make me sound like I have a little bit of a problem, but I absolutely love wine. I love the smell of it, the taste of it, the act of opening a bottle and sharing it with someone...just the overall experience of wine. It is a hobby for me, a pleasure, and something I share with my husband and friends. Not only that, it helps me to relax, damnnit! Soooo without wine, I will miss out on my evening ritual to calm down after a difficult day at work. I will miss out on participating in a large portion of social events with my friends. And I will miss the experience of sharing a bottle of wine with my husband on a Friday night. *sigh*

Thing Number Two:

Horseback riding. I have ridden my entire life and currently ride Dressage (you know, where the horses dance around prettily like in the Olympics?) at least once or twice a week. It is another stress relief and major hobby for me. At one point in my life, it was more than a hobby, but now, it's just something I enjoy doing. Some women choose to ride throughout their entire pregnancy. Some ride through the first trimester. But really, it's just too dangerous for me to consider it. The movement itself can cause placental abruption and then, if you fall, well...not likely to end well. And yeah, yeah...I haven't fallen in years (knock on wood), but the point is, with horses, you can never be 100% sure. And so yes, some women choose to keep riding. But then again, some women also choose to keep drinking wine.

What will you miss?