There’s a new virus going around – and it’s producing babies.

That’s about the only explanation I have for why just about everyone I know either just had a kid, is pregnant, or wants to be pregnant.

I know I’m “at that age” where people tend to start popping out future farm hands, but it’s getting ridiculous. Many of the people I know in baby mode aren’t even my age.

Every week, Anne gets off the phone with one of her friends and announces that they’re pregnant. Having kids is great and all, but there’s something strange going on.

Literally every woman I work with regularly is in some stage of baby production. Half of them look like they’re smuggling basketballs under their shirts. Now of course as an engineer, there generally aren’t many women around, but still – all 3 in my department have infants or about to have them. Another guy’s wife had a kid last week. We have special parking for women in late-term pregnancies close to the building – they’re always full. It’s just crazy.

Whenever we go out, we see pregnant people everywhere – in restaurants, stores, or walking down the street. There’s definitely more than there used to be.

All of this is constant reminder that, hey! – we’re currently childless! But we have no immediate plans to change that. Peer pressure is definitely not a good reason to have a child anyway. Plus, children are scary and expensive. I really don’t understand how people have the time and money to raise children a single child, nevermind multiple at once.

What could be causing this new baby boom? Post-Iraq war optimism? Low mortgage rates? A growing economy? Imminent alien invasion? Maybe it is some new virus.

Me, I’m still getting over a cold from last week.

Oh, crap.