Friday, September 14, 2007

Still Hiding

While I am basically "outed" for this pregnancy, there is a still a group I try to hide it from. My neighbors. I don't know exactly why this is, except that in other cases, like work and the general public, I had no choice. I couldn't hide it forever. With my neighbors, well, it is easy enough to quickly walk to the car, with my purse or other items held in front of me if they happen to be outside.

Is it working? I have no idea. Perhaps a few have noticed, but because I have also avoided any actual conversation besides calling out hello as I continue to walk, I wouldn't know. I don't want to chit chat about baby girl with them. Or hear about how "happy" they are for me. Or answer again "Well, is everything okay?" (which, by the way, is the #1 question I get asked these days. Yes, it is okay, but it was all okay with M too.)

Seeing as we live in an apartment with a shared laundry room, Mr. G has been doing a lot of the laundry lately.

3 comments:

Mrs. Collins said...

I only have a neighbor on one side of me and I suspect he thinks I sell babies. Since I was past my due date when I lost Jimmy, I was quite big. I know he saw me. I'm sure he has noticed that we do NOT have a baby. And now, I'm pregnant again (5.5 months after losing Jimmy). I'm surprised he hasn't called he cops on me. Yeah, I get that same question a lot. With Jimmy people asked me how excited I was or would talk to me about what I would do after he arrived. Now people hold their breath when talking to me and always have such concerned look on their faces. Like they are the one who is pregnant. I think they mean well and that they are truly concerned for me. I just wish they would lighten up sometimes.

meg said...

Yes, Ms. G I am in the same boat as you are. I am hiding from the neighbors too.

I've been using the canvas shopping bag over the belly for the past couple of weeks. And I sneak out the back to the car--while checking the backyards on either side first. I also have a wardrobe of sack type clothing that has (so far) worked to hide the belly. Maybe they think I'm just fat?

I have almost a phobia about this whole thing and the last thing I want to do is to talk to the neighbors (or anyone) about it.

My husband is walking the dog a lot and chatting to the neighbors (I suspect they think I might be buried under the house!) I really don't care what they think, I just gotta keep any sanity--any way possible!

niobe said...

I think this makes perfect sense. Why "out" yourself to anyone that you don't have to and run the risk of hearing things that you really don't want to hear? Also, many people are so oblivious to anything except themselves that they may not have even noticed that you're avoiding them.