Weird Parental Smothering

I probably was not a cuddly baby. I'm not a huggy person. My "intimate" space is about four feet in diameter. And I LOATHE being smothered.

That said, last night I was on my (almost) daily walk ... I've almost given up on yoga, due to various inconveniences, none of them having to do with actually being pregnant, so I've replaced it with walking several miles a day (or trying to). I had to call and ask my mom a question and since we don't have long-distance on the land line or get good cell reception in the Hobbit Hole, I thought I'd call her while I was walking.

We chatted for a few minutes, then ended the conversation like this:

Mom: You're not going to be walking after dark, are you?
Me: No, mom. I'm almost done (and it wasn't even close to being almost dark).
Mom: Is Himself with you?
Me: No, mom. He doesn't like walking, and I like the quiet time.
Mom: You should make him go with you.
Me: (Trying, very hard, not to sigh loudly into the phone while rolling my eyes)
[In background: "Ask her if she carries pepper spray"]
Mom: Your dad wants to know if you are carrying pepper spray?
Me: [what I wanted to say]: MOTHER! What on earth is all this?!
Me: [what I DID say]: No, mom. I have my cell phone and my keys.
Mom: You should get some pepper spray.
Me: *sigh*

I refrained from reminding my mother that I have lived on my own for well over a decade now, that I've been married for nearly half a decade (yikes!), that I am ready to produce my first child, that I've lived (and walked and jogged) in bigger cities than the one in which I live now, that I stick close to home and take precautions and that I'm thinking more about going into labor during my walk than having any sort of altercation - which is really why I bring my cell phone with me.

Since then, I have been telling myself that the weird parental smothering is only because of Baby Girl's pending arrival and not because my parents have actually decided that I now live close enough to smother (that would be my worst nightmare about moving to The Frontier).

When I got home, I told Himself about the conversation. He was as puzzled as I was, especially the part about him accompanying me as some sort of body guard.

I'm thinking the next phone call home will be announcing the arrival of Baby Girl. We'll just skip the "Hi mom, going into labor, headed to hospital now" conversation, because if I'm getting smothered over walking I can just imagine the smothering that will go on regarding labor and delivery.

300 miles is too close some days.