Pampers Someday, Pampering Today (Part 2)

If you've never had a facial (and you're a female), I recommend getting one before you do the whole pregnancy-thing. That way, nothing will weird you out. After my massage at the spa, I was directed to a "relaxing room" where I was to await my next consultant.

Because I hadn't eaten lunch (remember, I had to leave home in a hurry) and it was already 1:00, I was happy to find a basket of fruit & nut bars sitting on a side table. As soon as I grabbed one, a consultant called my name. She immediately had me get on a cushy table in another floral-fragrant room. She covered my eyes with some cooling eye-mask thing, and turned on a bright lamp. She inspected my face. I mean, she checked out every pore. With the direct light and all, it reminded me of going to the dentist. I felt like I should offer apologies, too. Maybe, "Sorry, I've never had a facial" or "Is the moisturizer I'm using any good? I should be paying more for one, shouldn't I?"?

For the next half hour, she scrubbed, rubbed, massaged, and moisturized my head/neck. At every step, I kept thinking that she couldn't possibly add another layer, but she did. She spread something warm on my hands and lower arms, wrapped them in plastic, and put what felt like oven mitts on them. She said she would let me rest and then left the room. I tried to visualize what I must've looked like at this point. I had a towel wrapped around my hair, a mask covered my eyes, a layer of beauty-stuff coated my face, mitts hid my arms, and a sheet covered the rest of me--Tim could've tripped over me and still not known who I was.

Then there was the matter of the fruit & nut bar. I was starving, and all I could think about was the bar in my purse. Worse, I knew I was too coated in slick stuff to attempt to safely get up and grab the bar (plus, the mitts were electric and plugged into the wall). Even though Enya-type music played, it took ten minutes for me to stop scheming of ways to get the bar and relax. I waited. I think I was expected to fall asleep, but I was too paranoid to do that in a strange place (what if one of the candles tipped over? My oiled-up skin would light like a match!). When the lady finally returned, I was firmly between the real and dream worlds. May I have more of your heady rose water, please?

After some more floral water and my beloved fruit bar, I was led to the lunch area. I had a tasty chicken salad sandwich with cranberry juice, which brought me back to my senses. Soon a consultant came for me: manicure time.

I've never had a manicure, either. If you haven't figured it out by now, I'm not the girly-type. I'm a bit practical, so jewelry, having a plethora of shoes, and weekly manicures aren't really my thing. Don't get me wrong, I'm just as big on skin care products and quality lipstick as the next gal, but I don't do the whole beauty regimen thing.

The manicure went well. Sure, I eyed the poor woman like, "What are doing to my hands? Is this part necessary?" but overall, I felt it was a positive experience.

By the time Tim picked me up, I looked, smelled, and felt like a flower fairy. The spa still owes me a pedicure and makeup session, but we're scheduling that later. Like I said, I'm not big on the whole beauty regimen thing, but it's nice to have someone else fuss over you. I imagine after the baby is born, there will be days where I long for someone to pamper me. I'll remember the soothing massage and cooling eye pack, and what do you think I'm going to start asking for, my dear Tim?