Someone needs to put a limit on my daily Google searches. I should get like three. And when I use those up, there should be no way for me to Google anything at all until the next day. Maybe that will teach me.
The following is a list of things that I Google that I SHOULD NOT GOOGLE and reasons why it is a bad idea (not that many of them need any explanation):
Number one:
Offending Search Term: Every symptom I have followed by the word "pregnant"
Examples: "mood swings pregnant", "hair falling out pregnant", "my nose itches am I pregnant", "is nails growing particularly fast a common pregnancy symptom"
Reasons That It Is A Bad Idea To Search That: As it turns out, every pregnant woman ever has had every symptom ever and they just freaking love to post about it. I can't tell you how many times I've read some late night post by a woman who has just suddenly noticed that her toes are hairy or her freckles seem more pronounced and said woman wants to know what such a thing could mean. Inevitably, there is an onslaught of assurances that she is definitely in the motherly way because Poster #1's sister and Poster #17's mother-in-law had the exact same thing happen and they were both pregnant with triplets. A few days/posts later the original woman joyously announces that everyone was right and she was pregnant the whole time. Only with sextuplets. These stories, they give me hope. But they should not. Because my body is crazy and it gives me whatever symptoms it feels like and I fill in the gaps by making up the rest. Each cycle there's a new one to convince me that this time and with this unique symptom I am definitely knocked up. Yet I never am. Turns out sometimes I just get really hungry or hate smelly things or have a metallic taste in my mouth for no reason at all. Fun!
Why I Do It Anyway: Because this time is different, you guys. This time is the time!!
Number two:
Offending Search Term: "adoption agencies in my area"
Reasons That It Is A Bad Idea To Search That: Because I'm not actually at that stage yet. We're not in a position to adopt. It's expensive and it takes a long time and I'm not ready to give up on conventional (or even unconventional) methods of childbearing just yet. Only it turns out that when I'm not actually ready to help them, staring at pictures of children who have no (or who have really crappy) parents is super freaking depressing. They all just want love! How could their parents abandon them!? And why did those parents get to be parents in the first place when I don't?
Why I Do It Anyway: I don't know, really. Maybe I'm hoping I'll fall in love with one of them and be saved from this whole process. Or maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment.
Number three:
Offending Search Term: "pregnancy announcements after infertility"
Reasons It's A Bad Idea To Search That: Ugh, this is a big one for me. I watched some of these videos this morning. There are so many on YouTube! The wives usually set up some kind of cute surprise or present to tell their husbands and said husbands are shocked and keep asking "Are you sure?" Then they tell their parents, who cry and scream and keep saying how happy they are. Generally there's a lot of hugging. And by the end of the video, I'm always sobbing. One hundred percent of the time. Ugly crying, too. No single, powerful tear drop framing my face. Nuh uh. We're talking red-faced, scrunched-eyes, snot-filled bawling. I'm happy for them, I'm sad for me, I'm generally emotional all over the place. And then I'm in a mood for, like, hours. Husband hates it. I have to do it mostly when he's not around. Which is worse because then I'm alone and crying alone is one of my least favorite things to do ever.
Why I Do It Anyway: I get to live vicariously for a moment. There's something gratifying about seeing someone else in my position get what I want and then broadcasting their emotions about it online. And sometimes crying feels good. I think when it builds up to a certain point I need to let it out, and these videos are a super easy trigger.
Some other things I Google that I shouldn't include:
nursery themes
cute baby announcements
my potential due date every single cycle
babies in Halloween costumes
And, finally, I have literally searched "when will I have a baby?" on multiple occasions. As if the great internet gods can answer me and my results page will just say "tomorrow, and it will be a boy." Somehow, that is never the case.
Do you guys have any bad Googling or internet habits like those?