A few months after my nephew Jack was born, my family and I went to San Diego for his baptism. During the time we were there, we did a few touristy things. We were walking around the Hotel del Coronado and environs one afternoon and I began to notice that anytime we crossed the street, my brother would put himself between traffic and the rest of us, especially Jack. I don’t think Joe even noticed he was doing it, but that fatherly protector instinct was in full force.

I remember thinking at the time, “The guy I end up with will be that protective and paternal. So sweet!”

Fast forward four and a half years later…

I am taking a trip to Seattle for work later this week and will be staying in a hotel room. Over the past few months, I’ve stayed with friends when I travel north, but they were all either out of town or otherwise occupied that night. So I had our executive assistant book me a room at the totally decent hotel right next to the Washington office. I’ve stayed there about a hundred times before; it’s safe, clean, and has a gym.

And GTB is PISSED about this. He doesn’t think it’s OK to be four-and-a-half-months pregnant and staying in a hotel room by myself. And he can’t understand why I don’t see this. I don’t understand the logic, but I do get that what is going on with him is that protector instinct coming into full swing.

And you’d think I’d be amused by it, or grateful for it, right?

Instead, I’m annoyed. What does he think I am, stupid? Am I just some dumb little girl? Am I going to forget to lock my door? Will I, in a state of pregnancy airheadedness, wander into the hallway naked and without my keys, thus attracting to the lusty attention of a fellow lodger who just happens to be a sexual predator? Trust me, that dude would take one look at my gut and run the other way.

So while I should be appreciating the paternal side emerging from my sweet little husband, what I’m really thinking is that I should be more careful about what I wish for.

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