The belly rub 5/6/09

As you know I teach English to Spanish speakers four days a week for 2 1/2 hours a day. There are mainly women in my class. We spend so much time together that we are very close. A few weeks ago I told them I was going to have a baby. When I told the class I was expecting a baby, one lady said, "Are you going to have twins?" I said, "I don't know we will find out." She then told me, "I think you are because you have gotten fatter than a normal person does during the first trimester." Now those of you who are familiar with the hispanic culture know that calling someone fat is not a big deal.

I smiled and thought to myself, "Yes but most people don't go on a Whopper Jr. bing." I checked the bank account two days before my student's comment and realized I had gone to Burger King 6 times in 2 weeks. I cut the habit after the realization. I guess you could say it was my first guilty pleasure during pregnancy.

On Saturday, I was in the grocery store with Dennis and Becky when I heard my name called. It was one of my students with her husband. I said hello and we began to chat. All of a sudden she started to rub my belly. She kept looking at her husband and talking about the beautiful baby. I wanted so badly to tell her she could rub all she wanted but my belly was not going to give her any luck like when you rub Budda's belly. I also was tempted to tell her she was only touching fat and the baby was way too little for her to feel. Needless to say I stayed quiet because hispanic people do not get sarcasm.

It is interesting to see how my class responds. After I told them I was only having one baby they came to a mutual census that I had just gotten fat fast. I laughed. I really think our society would be better if everyone was ok with how they were and if fat was not such a negative idea to so many.

I can honestly say that I would like to be a little fatter right now so that my pants would stay up. It is day 2 of wearing the same pants and I will be borrowing or purchasing suspenders. It is for my own sanity. Or maybe I should go back to my guilty pleasure of Whopper Jr.s.