on petiteness

So to make this post make sense, I need to explain something to you all.

I. Am. Short.

I stand 5 feet 3 inches tall on a GOOD day. I weigh only 115-120 pounds and have a waist 23 inches around. I'm TINY. As such, I get lots of silly comments.

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When I was at work today, one of my co-workers and friends from grade school whom I hadn't seen since August (or thereabouts I think) commented, "Oh wow, I'd forgotten how TINY you are!"

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I held out in my parents' veterinary clinic yesterday. I did a lot of cleaning. At one point, I had to help hold a puppy on this table. This table comes to the lower part of my ribcage. This puppy was a 3 1/2 month old Saint Bernard. I have to wrap one arm around this puppy's neck and the other around his stomach. I was on my tiptoes and could barely reach. It was annoying.

The puppy, however, was absolutely adorable.

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I was teaching an arthritis class at work one day, and I had a lady inform me that kids would do away with my hourglass figure. I find it amusing that people think I am unaware of what pregnancy does to a woman's body. I watched Mom pregnant with my four younger sisters, as well as most of my friends' moms when THEY were pregnant.

YES, I KNOW MY STOMACH IS GOING TO GET BIGGER WHEN I AM PREGNANT.

(This, however, is a physical impossibility at the moment. And shall remain one for a while. Not because of birth control, either.)

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My coworker and I were reminiscing about grade school. (This is the same coworker who'd forgotten that no, I'm not very big.) As she pointed out, in fifth grade, I was one of the tallest girls. If I remember correctly, only four or five were taller than I was - not counting this coworker. In fifth grade, I was 5 feet, 1 inch tall, and I think I weighed about 100 pounds. And I was as tall as or taller than most of the boys in my grade, too.

However, I only grew another two inches and gained another 20 pounds. (I was SKINNY and straight as a stick before puberty got the better of me.) Now, 14 year olds who used to barely come to my waist way-back-when are now six to eight inches taller than I am, and I have to crane my head upwards to see their faces. Time has its way of reversing the tables.

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I'm not really into shopping. I know that this is a strange abnormality in a female, particularly in my age range. However, allow me to make all things clear to you with one simple statement: I am short. I just had to buy two new pairs of jeans. One pair are regular length, the other are short. The regulars are about four inches too long. The shorts...are about one inch too long.

Part of the problem is not only my tininess in height, but also in waist size. I mentioned that I have a 23 inch waist...well, apparently those who make jeans don't count on women having such a severe hourglass figure. PARTICULARLY women as short as I am. Gaping waistbands are uncomfortable...so that adds to it.

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I've complained about being short and shared some strange stuff from my past. However, one thing shall be quite enough for me. It makes all of the shortness and tininess hilarities that take place at my expense or because of something I do worthwhile.

Phinwe and I fit well with our heights. :)

-enna

Photo credit: Jeffrey Jones Photography, 2010

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