Coming Out

I sent Valentine’s Day cards this year instead of Christmas cards. I decided to wait because by Valentine’s Day, I could tell people that I’m going to have a baby. Marc and I are very excited about this. The baby is due on August 18, a day before my birthday—at least, so far. What has kept me intrigued (other than the massive body changes) are the metaphors that are used to describe how far along a pregnancy is. The baby went from the size of a grain of rice, to a teaspoon of rice, to a grape, kumkwat, lime, jumbo shrimp—it was a big milestone to make it to seafood from fruit! The language that is used in the scientific/medical worlds has always struck me as poetic (most of the time)… I think that’s why I continue to write about the science in Antarctica. I also love to read poetry about medicine.

Another thing that has kept me quiet (other than the standard 12-week wait) is waiting to hear about this new job opportunity. Even though I work in a somewhat liberal (professionally, not politically) place, I was slightly worried that I would be looked down upon for taking a new job and having a baby within the first year of that job. Of course that was misplaced worry (at least as far as my immediate team is concerned), but is still a very real concern with many women in the workplace. So far I’ve only heard positive things. I hope that's the way it continues.