Other People's Pants

I packed away my too-small pre-baby pants today. I’ve been wearing maternity pants for at least a few weeks now. They are liberating and comfortable (you mean my belly can have as much room as it needs? No sucking it in? Huh).

Some of the stretch panels look ridiculous, and are still too big. Some of the pants slip down and none really fit “just so.” I am wearing a mix of stuff I got from thrift stores or from friends. I now know why so many of the maternity clothes one sees in a thrift store have initials inked onto the tags, something I wondered about at first. People loan them out and pass them around before the items ultimately end up at the thrift store. I’m wearing pants regularly with my friend’s initials in them, remembering that she wants them back when I’m done with them. She’s hoping for a second baby sometime soon.

It’s an odd feeling, wearing other people’s pants. I’ve long shopped at thrift stores, and it’s not the idea of “used” pants that feels odd to me. I guess it’s the sense that I’m suddenly wearing a whole new set of pants that will be temporary. Old favorite jeans are set aside for these months in favor of “strange” pants, pants that may have seen a couple people through this temporary time. I think it’s one of the first things that’s really been a tangible reminder that things ARE changing for me, and that my life and body won’t be the same after this baby adventure.

It’s been about week since we used technology to take a peek at the “junior tummy resident” as WF likes to call him or her. I have mixed feelings about ultrasound, but both the midwife and doctor agreed that I am “big for my weeks” and asked about twins. I wanted to know, and didn’t mind having the extra little assurance that things are all in place. Things seem fine; (there is just one!) and it was nice to have a small glimpse of this new being. We do have a few pictures, but I find them a bit strange and don’t want to post them here. It was not unlike this experience, actually.

My parents are loving them (look! A little skull!) and telling everyone they have their first pictures of their new grandchild. Yes, indeed, he or she is in there, and even appeared to be giving us the peace sign (two fingers up) at one point. Wow. The world is changing, and it’s going to mean more than just changing pants!