So this morning as I was walking back up the road (quiet cul de sac) after taking my children to school, my neighbour who lives at the top (late 60's, Head of the neighbourhood, chief gossiper) opens her window and shouts to me "When's your baby due?"
I'm NOT pregnant.
I'm slightly over weight (but only slightly and have actually LOST weight recently).
I just answered "I'm not having a baby".
She then put her hand to her mouth in exaggerated shock, and said "Oh. Really? We all thought you were!" Then she added with a laugh, "You've just put weight on then have you!"
I didn't say anything and went into the house.
I'm guessing she's drawn that conclusion because I've recently started wearing tunic style dresses with think black tights (not maternity ones obviously but she wouldn't know that) just because I feel comfortable in them (I don't feel right in jeans or trousers. That's just my preference).
I'm not going to change the way I dress as that's the style I feel happy/ comfortable with.
I have so much going on at the moment and currently having counselling as I suffer from depression and panic attacks, so I am trying to brush this one under the carpet as it really is a minor issue in the grand scheme of things.
I just wondered if anyone else had ever been in this situation (where someone asked if you were pregnant and when you were not) and how you dealt with it.
I know I would never dream of asking another woman when her baby was due unless I was 100% certain she was having one!
After I came back into the house, I saw her doing her rounds, going around all the houses (I'm guessing to tell them the news that I'm not pregnant after all and "just put weight on").
For the record I'm 43 and a single mum.
Full time carer to my youngest who is severely disabled.
No reason for anyone to jump to the conclusion I would be having another baby (apart from the tunic dresses which I refuse to give up wearing as I love them).