Cheers!

I'm having a hard time not laughing at the irony that you can only have virgin drinks at a time when virginity is very clearly non-present.

If the doctor's time estimations are correct, I was just barely pregnant when I turned 21 years old. I had been anticipating that birthday for quite some time, and not even for the alcohol priveleges. I just looked forward to the end of being too young for something. I loved 16 because I could drive and 18 because I could vote. Naturally, 21 was right up my alley.

As soon as the window on the pregnancy test faded into a positive sign, I knew my life would be permanently altered in a lot of big ways. But pregnancy is also about learning to make small sacrifices. I enjoyed a glass of wine. I liked downing an Irish car bomb with friends. I loved sipping on a white russian. Not any more.

When I told my cousin, Rachel, that I was pregnant in November, she said, "Well, your days of enjoying 21 were short lived."

I don't miss taking too many shots and losing my ability to walk like a normal upright Homo sapien. Instead, my nostalgia is generated by not being able to drink something special- something unique from water, milk or apple juice. So far, however, I've found a few ways to take the edge off.

This past weekend, I went to Gatlinburg with Roy and 10 friends, all of whom were of legal drinking age and definitely not pregnant. So when they started cracking open beers after dinner, I would stir up a couple quarts of Kool Aid. I'm not saying my favorite black cherry concoction is the healthiest beverage available, but it never fails to please.

When the other girls at the cabin brought a glass of wine with them to the hot tub, I microwaved a mug of apple cider. Since I could only stick my legs in the water, the rest of my body stayed out in the cold Smoky Mountain air. A dose of cider, however, warmed me up like I was bikini-clad and neck-deep in the steaming water as well.

If you're looking to mix something up, try sparkling water and fruit juice. I love to play cards, so while all the guys were drinking bourbon and cokes, I swallowed up some sparkling water and fruit juice. I'm pretty sure Roy gave me tonic water, pineapple juice and orange juice before I played countless hands of euchre. While the citrus didn't exactly quelch my acid reflux, it was delicious.

I'm beginning to learn that thing are only as good as you make them. If you only dwell on what you can't have, you'll have a hard time appreciating the amazing things pregnancy offers. Total sobriety means I can feel every single kick because my mind is always clear. More importantly, it means I'll have a healthy little girl.

If that doesn't convince you, try this on for size: Kool Aid, cider and fruit juice are much, much cheaper than alcohol. What college student doesn't love to save cash?