Pregnancy Stinks

As if pregnant women didn't have enough to look forward to (stretch marks, fatigue, lack of anything fun to eat or drink - I believe I covered that important topic in blog 1, and raging hormones, to name a few) apparently, one of the tell-tale signs you're pregnant is an unusually heightened sense of smell.

According to What to Expect Before You're Expecting you should be on the look out for "smell sensitivity" while TTC.  "Does your nose know something you don't know (but are hoping for?) Some newly pregnant women report a heightened sense of smell early on - and that could be owing to the increasing amount of estrogen in your system during early pregnancy. If your sniffer's suddenly more sensitive (and easily offended) pregnancy might be in the air."

Easily offended? Oh boy! Sounds fun! Perhaps this is God's twisted way of preparing women for diapers? But really? Did he have to throw in a dog's sense of smell for anything untoward? To me, this seems outrageously unfair, given the fact my gag reflex has a hair trigger. Of course, this brings up the other incredibly unjust aspect of this phenomenon .... of course I think I'm pregnant every time I turn the corner.

First I was accosted by a quart of milk that - according to the date - had one more perfectly good day. And PS - I would never EVER smell milk to make sure it's fresh (that's just gross.) I was about to pour it into coffee when I about keeled over and died from a waft of it.

• Me: "Jared, UGH, smell this milk. Gross!!! Is it sour?
• Jared: "It smells like milk, milk isn't supposed to smell good." 
• Me, more insistent this time: "But seriously, smell it again. Is that normal? No way. It's sour milk."
• Jared: "Wait, it's cuz you think you're pregnant, huh!!!!!" Followed by some good natured ridicule about how I'm totally psyching myself out.

That pretty much describes about 10 subsequent conversations over the next few days, pertaining to various smelly things, such as a wicked bush we walked by on the way to the gym, the gym itself, and a mysterious garlic smell that strangles me every time I open the fridge. Common theme? Me, convinced I've got super human smelling powers, and Jared, convinced, that nothing smells out of the norm (always sure to throw in the disclaimer that he has allergies, presumably, so that if I am pregnant, I technically won't be able to say "I told you so."

The kicker? What to Expect When You're Expecting continues: "But (and there's always a but) some women also experience this smell surge during PMS." The most cruel thing about this whole TTC process is that pregnancy symptoms are virtually indistinguishable from PMS. Really? Boo on that God! Throw us a bone so we'll know if we can enjoy our favorite ahi burger and a good IPA! Until then ... smell ya later! - Dawn.