For Pakistani Mommies (to be)

Some experiences are just so beautiful and private that you want to cherish them secretly and not have them lose sanctity by sharing with the rest of the world... but, I think it I'll jot down a few things that I think most moms-to-be experience at some point during their 9-month journey... :-)

I hate hospitals, medicines and injections... I'm scared of needles and the sight of blood makes me physically sick... But, over the past few months, I've willingly had several blood tests and taken all sorts of evil-tasting tablets. I've used all kinds of public bathrooms (and for someone who doesn't 'go' even on 16-hour flights to the US because of the general yuckiness of airplane bathrooms), this has been quite a traumatic experience...!

If you're a working girl in the Pakistani workplace, your 'state' can be quite embarrassing... How do you break the news to your male co-workers/supervisor? Or do you just wait until you start to show? How do you deal with (accidentally) falling asleep at your desk as a result of forgoing your morning coffee? How do you respond when a male colleague looks at your tray during lunchtime and comments, "Wow, that's a lot of food!" :-P

Getting ready for work or dressing up to go to someone's shaadi can sometimes reduce me to tears... When the clothes just won't fit, the buttons won't close and nothing in the cupboard fits right, Mr. F gets an earful for telling me to "hurry up or we'll be late!"

Forgetfulness... It isn't me, I swear! Last week, I'd come home in a hurry and when I was ready to go out again, I simply couldn't find the house & car keys (I carry them together)! Spent a frantic hour looking for the keys and even called the maasi to help me look until, at last, I discovered my key chain behind the sofa cushions :-p

Another time, poor Mr. F had to turn back twice on our way to work, once when I'd forgotten my laptop bag and another time because I'd left my cell phone at home (sorry!)