Some Things I'm Learning- Part 2

Pregnancy books, internet resources and articles can make any new parent honestly believe that their child is for sure going to wedge themselves between crib bars, die in their sleep, be strangled by their pacifier clip, fall off a changing table, grow an extra arm from the evil baby monitor radio waves, or get brain damage from an incorrect angle of their car seat. I learn much more from the parents in my lives, that, would you believe it, haven't had their children die from completely arbitrary baby-product mishaps. 

My friends aren't helping me in my quest to not gain 500 pounds during this pregnancy. Actual conversation: Me- "Here. I bought two cookies. Take one." Friend- "No. One's for you. One's for baby. Baby needs a cookie too." Me- "My one pound baby does NOT need a one pound cookie." Friend- "Fine. Take half." Me- "Fine. But it better be the smaller half."

I'm oddly sensitive about people's comments regarding my pregnancy physique. It's a little weird knowing that the people you see on a regular basis are checking you out and then making comments about how much you are/aren't showing. Some of these people are openly dieting. I'd like to think that, in turn, I should be able to say to them, "Ya know, you're not really losing as much weight as I thought you'd be." But that'd be catty. I'm just glad I'm not to the point where I've got a huge baby bump and people think they can touch my stomach at will.

Now that I know I'm having a girl, my shopping bug is on overdrive. I thought it was bad in the beginning of the pregnancy. I'm having a hard time not going across the street to the Carter's outlet store every other day. And I've had to convince myself that I don't need everything from this website and this one. Don't you think my baby needs these? 

When I heard stories about couples that had a baby and two days later still didn't have a name, I scoffed and exclaimed in complete judgment: "You've had NINE months to pick a name and you still haven't figured it out? It's not a game-time decision folks." I now must seek forgiveness from these people. I struggle immensely with this decision. Partly because I think I'm trying too hard [I keep expecting a grand celebration to occur the moment I find the right name, much like what happens to Harry Potter when he finds his perfect wand]. Partly because Jericho's main contributions are in vetoing my ideas but not in presenting any counteroffers. I threaten him by reminding him I will be the one filling out the birth certificate and if I have to, I will put down whatever name I dang-well please and, depending on my mood, I may not even put him down as the father. I also resorted to dramatically handing over the baby name book and telling him if he could find a name that he was over the moon, crazy excited about, I would accept that name, no questions asked. He flipped open the book and read the first name he saw: Imogen. I rescinded my promise and have assumed responsibility once again.*

*Update since I started this post: The middle name is set [and the last name]. And we have the first name narrowed down to two.  But I think we're going to keep it under wraps. I want it to be a surprise and I don't want anyone's opinions psyching me out. On the other hand, I know about a dozen people having baby girls this year and if I make the name public, I can hold intellectual property rights on that name and anyone who uses it before I do will be copying me. What do you think? Public or secret?