There's nothing like the smell of cigarette smoke in the morning...

... to make a pregnant woman sick!

Seriously, since I have been pregnant my sense of smell is so strong, I am like a bloodhound. I can smell what my neighbors are having for dinner; I can tell you what flowers are in bloom in the park a block away, and don't get me started on my darling dog. :) Did Jason feed Norah? Not a question I have asked for 7 months. I can tell when the container has been opened. So when the smell is right in my face, or seemingly soaking up every air particle I breathe, it turns my over sensory bloodhoundedness (new word!) into a tail spin. The worst of it: cigarette smoke.

On my way to work in the morning, I have to walk by the crowd of smokers outside the building next to mine. It literally must be like the place to been seen if you are a smoker on my block. They are out there in the dozens. And it's like, 9am people! Have you even checked your email yet? When I was in my first trimester (now a distant memory, thank goodness!) the cigarette smoke literally made me sick. After a few times of running to the near by bakery restroom, (or, sadly, closest street garbage can), I decided to chance it no more. I would cross the street before I got to that particular building, and then cross the street again to get back to my building. I have kept this routine up ever since. But recently, construction has started on the sidewalk on that particular safe haven side of the street. You can tell where this is going... back to smokers row for me. So now I hold my breath, bury my head in my jacket, and quicken my step past the clouds of filth. It's embarrassing, but necessary.

A word on perfume/cologne: I enjoy a good scent as much as the next gal, but listen, guy next to me on the el, one spritz is enough. Anything more is just uncalled for. And if I find myself wishing that there was a window to roll down when its 30 degrees outside, it's just plain overkill.

Another thing; Air fresheners, you'd think, by name, are meant to freshen the air. Not so much the case to a pregnant woman. Some of those concoctions that they come up with are just plain foul. Lavender; pleasant. Double pumpkin with honey and cinnamon with a twist of corn; not so much.

I've stopped using my regular soap, I've changed toothpastes and shampoos. All because I can not stand the smell of them. Or pork, or pita chips and hummus, all which I used to love.

Although despite all of this, I held a baby in my arms last week and I couldn't get enough of his smell. If you've ever held a new baby you know exactly what I mean. So, at least we know that once the baby is here I won't have to ask it to please go to another room. That is, until the dirty diapers begin-- and that's when I call on its daddy. ;)