The Return of Mr. T

Mr. T has come home. It's been wonderful to have him back. I believe that absence makes the heart grow fonder and both of us appreciate what we have so much more when we've been apart for a time. Though I don't want him to go anywhere again for a long while!

But there is always a period of adjustment too. When my hubster is away, I get into a rhythm and my own little routine that inevitably has to change when he returns. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I'm just acknowledging.

So here is my list of five things I have to return to getting used to when he returns:

1) Stubble! Over the time he's been away my face has lost its immunity to the bristles. It takes time to build up that resistance!

2)  Cooking for two. I love cooking but I get used to preparing light salady-type meals just for myself and then all of a sudden a hungry-man beast appears on the scene! Bring on the potatoes, rice, bread, meat etc. (Btw he always cleans up, that's the deal in our house :-) 

3) Having someone sleep next to me, who also steals covers, snores and gets up to pee in the middle of the night! I have to re-learn how to sleep through all these disturbances.

4) Being quiet in the morning when he's still asleep - no throwing open the curtains or cranking up the stereo.

5) Getting used to the constant ringing of his phone. It really doesn't stop. If someone's not calling him on one of his TWO phones they're calling on his computer - please God give me peace!!

Okay now it sounds like I'm complaining. Maybe I am, just a little :) But I truly am so delighted that he's back. To prove this, here's my list of 10 things that I LOVE about having him back (they're in no particular order):

1) Being held in his arms.

2) His smell. I particularly miss smelling his neck. There is something so wonderful about a man's neck.

3) Laughing together.

4) Eating breakfast together and sharing our plans for the day.

5) Having someone to snuggle up to in bed.

6) Just knowing he's in the next room and I can go and give him a huge hug whenever I want.

7) Having someone to take out the trash! I hate doing it.... such a princess, well I do prepare the food :)

8) Watching a movie together, so much better than watching it alone.

9) Just sitting together. Anywhere. Talking, dreaming, sharing.

10) Kisses! Life is not worth living without kisses! Yes, even with beard bristles!

A HypnoBirthing birth center story

This is the birth story of my class members--Kate & Aaron, who took a group class in January.

Our birth story

12:00 am Sunday March 9th, I woke with some cramping and back pain, but nothing that wasn’t normal to me because it had happened the past few nights. After laying in bed for a few minutes, the sensations continued to come strong and stronger. I decided that I would try a warm shower before calling Aaron home from work.

The shower relieved a lot of what I was feeling, but I was pretty sure this was the real deal. Lying down was the most uncomfortable position for me so I decided to go for a walk around my neighborhood. After walking for a short half hour, I wanted to go home with sensations of having to go to the bathroom! I sat on the toilet on and off for about an hour bringing us to 2:30 am. My surges were consistent and coming on strong. We both thought there is no way that I’m ready to go to the UCSD birth center and I kept saying to Aaron I don’t want to get there and only be 2 cm, so we continued to do what we were doing. I then decided to try the birthing ball. It worked for about 10 minutes until I stood up and my water broke. At this time we knew we needed to get ready to go.

When I arrived, 3:30 am, all I could think about was finding a toilet to sit on! Once we were in the delivery room, my midwife came and said, “Oh, you're just in the beginning of labor. There’s no need to check you just yet. Why don’t you hang out and let me know when you are feeling lots of pressure,” which I already was and had been for the past hour! I told her, “No, I really think you should check me. I’m further along then you think.” When she checked I was already 9 cm! Everyone around was in disbelief. I was so in control and calm that no one believed that I was already 9 cm dilated. In a matter of an hour, I was pushing and within 25 minutes, Noah Patrick was born! 5:37 am he weighed 7.8 pounds and was 19 inches long! We are both loving being parents and are enjoying every minute with out little man!

Carol, thanks so much for teaching such an awesome class! It was the best thing I could have done for my baby and myself. I will recommend your class to everyone!

Thanks,
Kate, Aaron, and Noah

Thanks for allowing me to share your birth story! Congratulations again & enjoy your babymoon!

www.AWellLivedLife.Net
www.AWellLivedLife.blogspot.com

Learning to Swim

My husband's two little cousins came to visit yesterday, two adorable girls, the youngest is five. She and I have always had a special bond - I've known her since she was 18 months old. When we're together we're like glue. The day she arrived she begged me to take her swimming, so off we went. 

The sun was hot but the water was still icy-cold. She clung to me as we tried to brave the shock of the water. Once we were in and warmed up a bit, I said I wanted to see how she swam. She struggled. Always the teacher I started teaching her to swim (swimming is my favorite sport, when I was younger I used to compete). I held her hands and encouraged her to kick, I showed her how her legs should stay straight and how she should kick from the ankle and not from the knee. We both held on to the side of the pool and tried to make the biggest splashes we could. I showed her how to exhale under water by blowing bubbles out her nose. We played games and when she got tired she clung to me. It was at this moment that I felt the pain. Or more like an emptiness. 

I knew everyone at the pool assumed she was my child. And that I was a mother. From the outside we must have looked like any mother and daughter having fun at the pool, but oh how reality is far from this! If only they knew that she is actually my husband's cousin and that I am not a mother but someone desperate-to-be-called 'mummy', desperate to do all those mother-child things, like learning to swim. The burning pain inside my chest grew stronger as this moment, this interaction, this reality brought home the truth of how much I want to be a mother. That this is me. This is so totally who I am. At that moment the longing for a child that I could call my own, consumed me.

While she splashed around, I fought back the tears and regained my composure. I could see her teeth had started chattering and so we got out and warmed up in the midday sun. It was then that I mentioned I had a bowl full of strawberries at home. It is strawberry season in Morocco right now. And with all the rain we've had this year, it's the best strawberry season I can remember. Oh pure delight! Do you have creme chantilly too? She asked wide-eyed. We'll have to whip it up ourselves, but yes. I replied with a smile. We have to go home right now! She commanded. I laughed as she already started picking up our towels and suncream, adamant that strawberries and creme chantilly just could not wait.  

After whipping up the cream and arguing over whether any sugar should be added, her elder sister joined us as we lay on the bed, eating our strawberries and cream (one pot with sugar, one without), watching Madagascar 2 on the TV. Yes it was a wonderful treat. As much for me as for them!

We lay there with our strawberry stained mouths and fingers, giggling at the penguins and singing along to the theme tune 'I like to move it, move it...'. My husband's uncle appeared at the door, saw us and laughed 'Les enfants sont bons, non?' Children are good, no? Yes they are. They're amazing.

At this point I know I will go to the ends of the earth to have a child I can call my own. A child to eat strawberries and cream with, to watch silly cartoons with, to teach how to swim. A child to fall hopelessly in love with.