Did you know that eating unripe papayas is a no-no during pregnancy?
Hell if I know it's a myth, but according to the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board, "an unripe or even a semi-ripe papaya is rich in concentrated latex and research indicates that it may trigger uterine contractions."
Yikes! No more Vietnamese papaya salads for me.
The number 1 lesson from a 5-year fertility challenge?
Amidst a surfeit of uncertainty, you learn to let go. Let go of the past, the future, the hopes, the ups, the downs, and instead, find pleasure and sustenance from what is now good and right.
Sometimes, the pleasure can come from a day perfect in its simplicity.
Like today.
Nobody would have called it special. Hours tinkering with PhotoShop jazzing up old and much-loved photographs, a simple brunch of chicken and tomato omelette, the devouring of a great book alongside a comforting cup of ginger tea paired with crackers and good cheese. Renee Fleming and Leonard Cohen played in the background – the latter a gifted artiste whose music I heard and loved for the first time today.
A day like this may be elusive when the baby arrives, but let me enjoy it while it's here. The perfect days of the future will take care of themselves.
Any men out there?
If you want a tip on winning your woman's heart on Valentine's Day, this song should do the trick!
So Rahm Emmanuel, White House Chief of Staff, used the word "retarded" to describe some liberal activists, and suddenly that's unleashed a firestorm of debate about the political correctness of the "R" word.
Does anyone stop for a minute and just say "Enough already?"
Clearly, Emmanuel wasn't referring to any mentally disabled child, nor was he directing hurt intentionally at any mother of such child. The whole thing's been blown clear out of context. To take Sarah Palin's position that Emmanuel should be fired simply for that utterance (in a closed strategy session at that!) would suggest that in her view, the "R" word is so offensive it should be erased from the English vocabulary.
Can a word be offensive merely because it's so accurately descriptive?
Maybe it's time that we NOT soften the meaning of our words.
Used to be that "shell shock" was just "shell shock". Now, it's post-traumatic stress disorder. Oooh…maybe if we give it a more civilized name, the trauma won't be as severe. What bullshit.
Children with Downs Syndrome - their mental development is significantly arrested. As a society, it's not for us to sugar-coat this fact, but to come to terms with its reality, no matter how harsh.
This issue has some personal import for me. In three weeks, I will receive my amniocentesis results that will inform if my baby has Down's Syndrome, and the question I will have to face is "Do I have what it takes to raise a retarded child?"
I'd rather make that choice with knowledge and appreciation of the full and complete meaning of that word.
Typically, when I tell folks what HiveMoms is all about, the reaction comes in one of two ways.
The first is overwhelmingly positive. Grandmas share stories about how babysitting co-ops saved their lives "back in the day". Younger moms hoot with delight. Once, a mother-and-daughter pair pulled up alongside the HiveMobile and motioned for me to wind down my window. Amidst wide grins, they gave me the thumbs up and yelled out "Great Idea"!
Then, there are the naysayer moms. The ones who say "I don't use babysitters. Never. I don't believe in them." I respect their choice, but inside, I go "Whoa, how do you NOT go crazy being with kids 24/7?"
Mine is, of course, the perspective of a future Nazi Mom.
"Mommy, are you going out tonight?"
"Yes, sweetie. Both mommy and daddy are going out tonight."
"But I wanna go with you…" So begins the petulant high-pitched whine.
"You're too young; you have to stay home with the babysitter."
"But I don't wanna!" Big tears welling up.
"Well, that's tough, baby. Deal with it."
Of course, my friends who have kids laugh at me. They've started a bet on how fast Nazi Mom will be eating her words in the coming years.
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