The Art of the Waddle and "What would Harper do?"

I've seen it before; the legs slightly bowed, back arched, shoulders back. I wondered if this was some universal way of signaling, "I am uncomfortable" or possibly even an exaggeration meant to bring on the sympathy of those who took the only available seat or the last cookie. Wonder no longer, this is apparently the posture that all of us pregnant ladies are inflicted with at a certain point in time. This new look is not something I have taken lightly. Afterall, I am the girl that critiques every jogger's running form as if I am somehow superior or don't look just as nutty when I am out doing my own version of running (which was really always more of a shuffle than a run). Yet, here I am today, humbled, and with a waddle that matches the best of them. I tell myself that anyone would do the same with 4 pounds of human hanging off the front of them not including all of the other baby-making body parts that have expanded of late. Still, I feel wholly self-conscious as I make my way past the texting and skate-boarding young college students on my way to meetings. It doesn't help that I am also noting the looks of sympathy on my morning walks, at the grocery store, etc and I am not sure that I like that gaze that says "poor you, look what you've done to yourself." Yet once again I must remind myself that this is all for the very best of causes and if waddling is what I have to do, waddle I will!

As the day of Harper's arrival grows ever more near, not only is my body changing but my mind as well. Although she's yet to make an impact on this world, I have somehow awarded my daughter with an air of authority (maybe even superiority) normally reserved for world leaders, and other movers and shakers. I quite often find myself in situations where I literally think, "What would Harper do?" A long wait at the DMV?, a disappointment at work?, the rising cost of our health insurance? In all of these instances, I think of her and I think, you know what, Harper would just shrug this off and move on.

Is this strange, aren't I supposed to be the mentor in this relationship? My only explanation is that I have already bequeathed Harper with the absolute best features of her Father and I. This means she will have infinite patience (that one comes from Kevin if you can't guess), be insanely driven (me), and have an overall sunny outlook that outshines both of her parents. With these features, she will surely be the example and me the student. I know it's a lot to ask of a little zero year-old but somehow I think she can handle it and somehow it makes me feel a whole lot better about life's frustrations.