There are only 10 more days until the baby is due! I have a sneaking suspicion that the baby will be late, but even so, we are still getting really close. The funny thing is how many people seem SHOCKED when they see me, ask me when the baby is due, and I tell them less than two weeks. Why is that? Everyone says, "You don't look like you're due in two weeks/10 days/fill in the appropriate length of time!" Why is that? I mean, maybe it is just me, but I honestly feel my stomach is pretty far out there.
I was thinking about it and was reminded of a trip we took to visit one of Rajeev's uncles about a year and a half ago, before he headed back to Nepal. Rajeev and I had been married for maybe a year and a half at that point, and had not seen him since our wedding. We arrived at his house and he freely proclaimed upon seeing me, "You look fatter than before! I have pictures from when you were much thinner and not so fat!" Great! He then insisted on going to get those pictures and showing everyone how, yes he was indeed right, and I was fatter!
In order to illustrate the story, and because Liz recently showed me how to add photos to my blog (we'll see if it works!), I will post one of the actual pictures he showed us of the time when I was "not so fat".
You see, in Nepal, it isn't a big deal for people to comment about your weight. People tend to think of it kind of like commenting on the fact that you're wearing a blue shirt or your hair is black. Of course, this takes some getting used to for those of us who feel a little awkward talking about weight. I still can't say I love this custom, but at least I know now that it isn't something that is ever done to intentionally hurt someone's feelings.
However, I can't help but think of what would happen if I ran into some Nepali people and they asked me when the baby was due. I have a feeling that instead of saying something like, "You don't LOOK like you're going to have a baby in 10 days" they'd possibly say something like, "Well, you have definitely gotten fatter than you were before!" And that would definitely be the truth. And since I've made it this far and I'm still holding up alright, I don't think I have too much to complain about.
I was thinking about it and was reminded of a trip we took to visit one of Rajeev's uncles about a year and a half ago, before he headed back to Nepal. Rajeev and I had been married for maybe a year and a half at that point, and had not seen him since our wedding. We arrived at his house and he freely proclaimed upon seeing me, "You look fatter than before! I have pictures from when you were much thinner and not so fat!" Great! He then insisted on going to get those pictures and showing everyone how, yes he was indeed right, and I was fatter!
In order to illustrate the story, and because Liz recently showed me how to add photos to my blog (we'll see if it works!), I will post one of the actual pictures he showed us of the time when I was "not so fat".
You see, in Nepal, it isn't a big deal for people to comment about your weight. People tend to think of it kind of like commenting on the fact that you're wearing a blue shirt or your hair is black. Of course, this takes some getting used to for those of us who feel a little awkward talking about weight. I still can't say I love this custom, but at least I know now that it isn't something that is ever done to intentionally hurt someone's feelings.
However, I can't help but think of what would happen if I ran into some Nepali people and they asked me when the baby was due. I have a feeling that instead of saying something like, "You don't LOOK like you're going to have a baby in 10 days" they'd possibly say something like, "Well, you have definitely gotten fatter than you were before!" And that would definitely be the truth. And since I've made it this far and I'm still holding up alright, I don't think I have too much to complain about.
posted by Karen at 4:38 PM
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