I like "expecting" as a euphemism for pregnant. I like it because it sounds gentle, delicate, hopeful. I like the way that when you say it out loud the combination of the second and third syllables force your lips into a smile. "Pregnant" seems to include so many things - how you happened to wind up pregnant, the sickness and cramps and swelling, the pain and struggle of labor. "Expecting" seems to exclude those things and leave only the idea of the baby, as if you would simply sit quietly in your newly painted nursery and the baby would appear in your arms, new and fresh and unspoiled. I like the focus on the waiting, the anticipation. I like the way it seems to capture how wrapped up in the waiting and yourself you become, how your whole life seems to focus on this one thing, how no matter what else you are doing you are always, always expecting.
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Comments (21)
It does have a nice ring.
Years ago they (at least my Mother) used the phrase "In a family way" Also not bad.
Posted by cassie-b | May 10, 2005 4:17 PM
That's rather poetic :-)
Posted by etherian | May 10, 2005 4:35 PM
I feel like I'm "expecting" a pizza when I hear that.
Posted by Annie | May 10, 2005 4:39 PM
This is so true......doesn't matter what you are doing, how you are feeling- the "expecting" singularly dominates your every thought and awareness.
Makes it hard to focus at work sometimes... :&
Posted by j | May 10, 2005 4:40 PM
I like it too. It's a very genteel way of saying it.
Posted by donna | May 10, 2005 4:53 PM
I'd never looked at it that way.. I guess because I've never been pregnant. It's beautiful, and it made me smile :)
Posted by ava | May 10, 2005 4:59 PM
Awww.
Posted by Dawnie | May 10, 2005 5:08 PM
I'd like to second Dawnie's Awww.
Posted by bmh | May 10, 2005 5:22 PM
It sounds even better when you describe how that word makes you feel :-)
Posted by Nina | May 10, 2005 5:26 PM
My grandmother STILL calls it "with child".
I think I'll mess with her and wear the shirt that that says "knocked up".
Posted by Melanie S. | May 10, 2005 5:31 PM
Its like being "next". Didn't some comedian do a routine on that? Being next is better than being first. The first guy in line is already at the window and getting his movie tickets or talking to the bank teller, so he's already out of the picture. But the guy who is next, he's the guy everyone wants to be. Next.
Posted by Jon in Michigan | May 10, 2005 8:58 PM
I know what you mean. Somehow "pregnant" screams out, "Look!We 'did' it!" Even to your mom and dad...
Posted by Marcia | May 10, 2005 10:38 PM
Ok. I just said the word expecting five times and my lips DID form the little smile. If I'm in an uncomfortable social situation, I'll just say "expecting" and make the little smile.
Posted by verucaamish | May 11, 2005 9:29 AM
It reminds me of that weird man in downtown Dallas who always walked around mumbling "Well, what do you EXPECT, anyway?"
Posted by Queen of Ass | May 11, 2005 10:41 AM
I think expecting is kind of like being engaged. One of those beautiful, in between times where you don't really know what's coming but you know it's something good. :)
Posted by littlerazz | May 11, 2005 10:43 AM
Very poetic.
Much more so than "knocked up."
Posted by kat | May 11, 2005 1:24 PM
I like the way you wrote that - I remembered exactly the excitment that kept building and building when I was expecting my boy! Totally brought it back to me!
Posted by Laurie | May 11, 2005 4:38 PM
"expecting" makes it sounds like you know what you're in for.
HA!
I kid...it was lovely and mushy and warm and fuzzy. You rock pregnant lady
Posted by Pamalamadingdong | May 11, 2005 5:42 PM
You know when I Love Lucy had a baby? They couldn't even use the word pregnant--it was so taboo. The episode was called "Lucy is enciente". Sounds sexy, huh?
Posted by ing | May 11, 2005 8:13 PM
Personally, when I am 'expecting', delicate, feminine, and pleasing to the ear as it may sound, I plan to refer to myself as 'preggies'.
Posted by Sammy | May 12, 2005 2:04 PM
Ha, I got such a kick out of this because when you said 'you would simply sit quietly in your newly painted nursery and the baby would appear in your arms' I thought to myself, yea, this is a 'first born' cause there is nothing, no nothing at all that is going to even resemble THAT remark when you are deep into labor and screaming 'Push this, M%&her F*&^!@r!'
In all seriousness, all the luck in the world to you. Where did you get those lovely rose-shaded glasses?
Posted by wlfldy | May 12, 2005 2:22 PM