Shy Moments 16

Being a parent changes your life. But it also changes with each baby. Here are some of the observations parents have made after having a second and third child.

FRONT VIEW
I was very careful with what I ate when I was pregnant with my daughter Sarah. At eight months, I was fit and still had a good figure which I maintained by keeping myself active—although not strenuously so. My favorite item of clothing then was a short flowery dress, which my husband also adores. He says I have lovely legs. One afternoon l was in town shopping and dreaming about my baby. I had just come out of a clothes shop along Biashara Street when I heard hooting and hollering behind me. I turned to see what was going on, and saw a car full of young men trying to get my attention! I had to laugh. I could see their shock when I turned and they saw my bulging tummy!

SO PERSONAL
I had not told anyone about my two-month-old pregnancy. One afternoon, my uncle offered us a ride to a clan’s party. There were four of us who had to fit into the back seat and I was the last person to get in. My uncle who likes to pick on me took it as a grand opportunity to say. ‘If Aggie enters this car, it won’t budge. It can only take one more, not two!’
I was appalled and quickly blurted. ‘Hey’ that’s personal.’ Everyone else was shocked at my reaction. They knew I loved my size ten and would never be affected by such a joke. The silence that followed was telling. What a way to announce my status.

SPOOKY!
My best friend is my cousin Leah. When she had her daughter Brenda I was like a second mother to her. At one of our family gatherings, the girl, then 15 months old, came up to me and poked one of my breasts saying ’baby’. I laughed, thinking how cute she was, and how fast she was growing. But Leah suddenly began looking at me more carefully. When I asked her what was wrong, she answered ‘that’s how I found out I was pregnant again. Brenda came up to me one day, poked my stomach, and said “baby”.’ I said no, that there was no baby in there, but two weeks later, I found out that I was indeed pregnant, and two months at that! Very Spooky.

Fatherly Rights
I was very upset with my husband. It was the umpteenth time he had gone to the supermarket and forgotten to bring me the patco sweets that I so badly craved in my sixth month of pregnancy. I stormed into the bedroom giving a deaf ear to his infuriating pleas and excuses.

He came and sat on the bed where I was lying. I turned, giving him my back. Not to be deterred, he came around, put his face on my bulge, and started blowing and rubbing his face onto it. ‘Tony!’ I retorted.

‘Hey, If you do not want to talk to me, I can at least talk to my baby. So, can you please excuse me as I bond with my son?’ He asked. I could not help but laugh. This happened many more times again. Talk of fatherly rights!

END: BL16/76