Ever Been to a Virtual Shower? You're Invited!
This year’s shower will benefit the March of Dimes and the celebrant is expecting mom Virginia Kerr, the anchor on Channel 4’s early news show, Awake. Hang out with us and Virginia in real time via the live chat room during the online broadcast.
The focus of the shower is celebrating and honoring the transition of a woman to motherhood. A time worth celebrating and remembering! In honor of the event, I'm sharing a story from my book app, Sleeping with the Laundry on my friend Cinda's Home-the-Same-Day birth story. Yes! Really! Do you have a fun birth story. Share below!
How can you support March of Dimes through this event?
• Make a donation via the ChipIn widget on http://www.momisborn.com/.
• Buy a Holding Hands bracelet for yourself or a loved one.
• Support A Mom Is Born sponsors: Build-A-Bear Workshop, Kolcraft, Goodnite Rooms, Pixie Posie Photography, Overlook Farm and Sleeping With the Laundry
ENTER TO WIN: I'm excited to share that I'll be giving away 5 FREE Downloads of Sleeping With the Laundry. Just retweet my post @moxiemom_com to be entered.
Here's my story to share in honor of March of Dimes and happy, healthy births everywhere!
The Most Popular Mom: a Real Mother’s Day
The other day I was the most popular person at the health club where I work out due to my role in my friend Cinda’s childbirth. Surprisingly, the thrill of popularity has not changed despite the years of perspective and wisdom I have supposedly gained since my youth.
A few weeks back, I had been swept up in the spirit of Cinda’s baby shower and opened my mouth to offer to help out. Other friends were volunteering to take care of her first son during the upcoming birth so I did the same. My experience in caring for two children at once is limited – in fact nonexistent. Unsure of my parenting skills with my one toddler, I usually shy away from such responsibility. But, I had baby shower euphoria or maybe something was in the punch. Cinda was getting ready to have a newborn and a toddler, certainly I could handle two boys. So I threw in my offer.
I wasn’t first on her list, however I was the one home when she called on the bid day. My son and I met the family at the hospital for the hand-off of the first born. Cinda’s husband shuffled the car seats and threw his son into my arms. I was excited to be part of the action, that was, until Cinda doubled over with a contraction. Suddenly, I remembered her first labor had lasted only two hours, TOTAL. I jumped in the car and hastened away using the boys as an excuse.
My expectations were set low; if they would both nap at the same time I would crown myself a raging success. Having two children around the house was almost easier, dare I say it. They played together and hardly needed me, except for one very earnest squealing match over the red wagon.
Cinda called that afternoon to tell me about the birth and the statistics. Her baby girl arrived about 40 minutes after checking in. She was feeling great and planning to go home that evening. I asked if she was still on drugs, but she had gone natural. Cinda must have been busy on the phone since I got several calls from friends wanting to know if I needed anything. With every caller, I shared my view of the proceedings and flaunted my part. The lady who called to schedule my dentist appointment even got an earful. I was almost sad when they picked up their son to go home that night, except I realized it made a great finale to the story.
The following morning, I was still feeling the rush. I headed to the gym where several of our friends work out. Most days, I barely make it in before the child care closes. This time I was there at 8:00 am sharp and the best stationary bike was open. The first friend arrived and gave me my cue, “So I hear Cinda had her baby...” It was all I needed. I was off giving the blow- by-blow account of what I knew. I concluded the story with the topper, “and SHE WENT HOME THE SAME DAY!”
This first friend had taken the stair master right beside me while I pedaled. I was barely done when another friend walked in. She took the next stair climber and I retold the whole thing. In no time, I was surrounded by a pack of women on work out equipment. I was the popular one although Home-the-Same-Day Cinda had done all the work. In each rendition my crucial role as caregiver for the toddler grew and the time between when I had seen Cinda and when the new baby arrived shortened.
I was a celebrity. I had the spotlight. I felt like Bonnie Booth, the most popular girl in high school. Bonnie was the first girl who had really kissed a boy. We had gathered around after home room to hear the scoop. Over the years, Bonnie was often the first with knowledge of all things of the opposite sex. She was a cheerleader and beautiful, the antithesis of me. I was the one who barely ducked out of the horrifying moniker “sweet sixteen and never been kissed.” Truly one of the great high school worries.
After my last rendition of the story, one friend asked if I was in charge of the sign up sheet for post-delivery meals for Cinda and her family. I could have kicked myself, except by now I was worn out from riding the bike and running my mouth. I knew Cinda’s super organized neighbor Kelly had probably already taken charge. I rushed home and called her. Using the negative, I asked, “You AREN’T organizing the dinner list are you?” But my favored position was already fading. While I was basking in the reflected glory at the gym, she had started the list. It was quiet again at my house that afternoon, no ringing phone and no extra boy to liven things up. My son seemed a little lonely although he had the red wagon all to himself. I could picture the phone ringing off the hook at Kelly’s. At last the phone did ring. It was Cinda calling to thank me again for helping out. And that’s what friends are for, to make you feel good even when a little red wagon is more popular than you.
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