Bladder Olympics

I haven't really had trouble with overactive bladder thus far in my pregnancy. I've been drinking my midwife-recommended 80 oz of water each day to even out with my activity level, but I've been peeing what I consider to be a normal amount. Until today.

I went into New York City with my mother-in-law and Corey's cousins. We stopped first at a fantastically wonderful chocolate shop for hot cocoa. And I saw they had a bathroom. I used it twice during our half hour visit. Then we met the owner and learned all about how she silk screens her designs using cocoa butter and go to talking and soon enough I had to go again! But we were already on the move.

I tried to breathe deeply and pray for McDonalds, then sneaked into Giggle as a diversion. I thought I could look at frog shoes and hippo onesies and not concentrate on my exploding bladder. And then a door opened, right by the bath toy scoopers, and a golden light as if from heaven shone down upon a toilet! Right there in a cute little Manhattan boutique. It occurred to me that stores catering to babies and moms must ALL have bathrooms. I think that might have been the best pee of my life. You know how when you have to go super bad, like so bad you think you'll burst, and then you finally pee and it feels so wonderful? That was this pee in this baby store. It made me want to buy something. I think when the baby comes along I actually will buy many of the things in there in gratitude.

Finally, we made our way to the Pearl River Market and tried to ogle the three floors of cheap, Asian-themed stuff. I was halfway through the aisles of chopsticks when I had to pee. Again. Now, I never imagined there would be a restroom on the premisis. This was, after all, a super crowded store packed with cheap, cheap, cheap goods. But Ellen asked a little man carving narcissus bulbs and they indeed had a bathroom! For a store with a slight film of crud, the bathroom was actually quite excellent. There were even three stalls in there, so many people could pee at once. Best bathroom of the day for me.

We ended the evening at a restaurant, where I only had to use the bathroom once. I would say that my bladder is slowing down and returning to normal again, but as I type this I feel the urge to empty it again. Luckily I am not crammed into the sidewalks of Canal Street and the bathroom is just a few steps away. This is only going to get more pathetic as the months go on.