Ah yes, the heat, the sunshine, and that sweet taste of freedom that comes with a Midwest summer. This is the season we’ve been dreaming about since those long winter months when we were bundled up by the fireplace while our husbands were outside shoveling snow and questioning all of their life choices.
Summer in the Midwest is practically a reward for surviving winter. It’s the season of fresh air, swimming, fishing, working on our tans, and gathering around a bonfire with friends. After months of scraping ice off windshields and wearing enough layers to resemble a marshmallow, we earn every minute of it.
This summer, however, looks a little different for me.
At six months pregnant, “Hot Girl Summer” has officially been replaced with “Pregnant Penguin Summer.” Instead of gracefully strolling around in cute swimsuit, I’m waddling from place to place, searching for shade, snacks, and the nearest air conditioner.
There will be no White Claws while I float peacefully on my tube. No spending hours burning on the beach in pursuit of the perfect tan. And perhaps the greatest tragedy of all, no mowing the lawn.
I know, I know. Most people would celebrate getting out of mowing duty. But not me. I genuinely love hopping on the mower and spending hours turning a jungle of grass into a perfectly trimmed lawn. It was my first job as a kid working at John Deere. There’s something oddly satisfying about those neat little lines and watching the yard transform before your eyes. It’s therapeutic. It’s peaceful. It’s my version of self-care.
Unfortunately, much like horseback riding, mowing comes with one major issue: too many bumps for the baby. Apparently, my little passenger isn’t interested in joining me for lawn-care adventures. Ugh.
So instead of mowing, tanning, and sipping summer drinks, you’ll probably find me parked in a lawn chair, feet up, snack in hand, looking suspiciously like a penguin that wandered into the wrong season. Part of me wants to use a liquor bottle as a water bottle this summer just for the entertainment value and to keep everyone on their toes, but I’ll behave. This summer may not be exactly what I imagined, but it’s bringing something far more exciting than a tan line, a baby.
Still, if anyone needs me, I’ll be sitting in the shade, watching my husband mow our lawn and trying not to tell him he’s doing it wrong.
