Legal road rage in a minivan

I am currently 100 weeks pregnant (realistically 32 weeks) with baby number three and this pregnancy has been … different.
Besides the obvious things such as: having prenatal appointments cancelled because of the pandemic, getting constant updates with new hospital regulations and changing birth plans based on what visitors can come, and of course wearing a face mask to each appointment, it has also been different because I am angry.
This is my third baby and third girl. With my first two pregnancies, I cried over everything — and I mean EVERYTHING. I cried because I couldn’t remember if Rachel and Ross ended up together in “Friends,” I cried anytime anyone commented on the way my body looked, and I cried when my family started an Easter egg hunt without me because I was napping. I think it is safe to say that I was emotional.
This pregnancy, however, there have been much less tears and much more road rage (legal road rage, of course). If people are going too slow, I’m angry. If people are going too fast, I’m angry. If their blinker isn’t on long enough, I’m angry. In other words, I am my husband (to clarify, he is the calmest human — just not when he’s driving).
For those of you who have never experienced pregnancy anger, just imagine a stranger is near you, doing nothing but normal things, and you want to yell at them. That’s exactly what it’s like. You never know if you’re being rational or irrational until days later.
Another reason why I feel like having my third baby is different is because it has propelled me into a whole other class of moms since I officially joined the “van clan” by purchasing our first minivan last weekend. We got ourselves automatic doors, captain seats, and more cup holders than any child should ever need. Since then, I feel like I need to wave to all the other parents out there driving a minivan — or maybe only to the ones driving the correct speed limit.
Overall, this pregnancy has been good. I don’t get too sick, I don’t get too tired, and I haven’t had any major complications. I know I am lucky and I am grateful that my biggest problem is anger. I count my blessings every day, along with the days I have left until I am rational again.
Published in The Tremonton Leader in June 2020



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