As much fun as pregnancy is, there's one part I'm really ready to be done with- and it's not what you're thinking, I guarantee it.
I'm ready to stop answering the question "what pregnancy is this for you?"
I hate this question because answering it is never easy, and either way I answer I'm left wondering if I answered correctly for myself.
You see, the contexts where I'm asked this question are generally medical-related, so they want to know "how many times has your body been pregnant?" And the correct medical response is 2.
But to say only "2" leaves out a HUGE part of my family & causes my heart to feel like I just betrayed my beautiful adopted daughter whose "labor" was more time-consuming and painful and rewarding than anything I've ever experienced.
And yet, I've been unable to find an un-awkward way to answer the question fully enough for myself (I'm aware my discomfort has nothing to do with the person asking the question). Sometimes I'll bring it up later in the conversation, but then I always feel like I'm trying too hard to fit it in somewhere. Sometimes I let it go- after all I know the truth & that should be enough... but it isn't always. And sometimes I stutter so much over the answer "2" I'm sure they don't believe me & are assuming there's some secret teenage abortion I'm hiding. But at least then I've given myself a reason to clarify my confusion- "It's just that I have an adopted daughter, so I always want to say this is my 3rd kid, but I know the answer you're looking for is 2."
All that to say, being done with pregnancy won't mean the end of questions with awkward answers, but it will mean the end of that specific one, & for that I'm grateful.
