Tag: Pregnancy

Katie to the Rescue!

On By Anna EastlandIn Friendship, motherhoodLeave a comment

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Have you ever had one of those months where you get a mouse in your kitchen, your stove breaks, you’re pregnant during what feels like a heat wave (and wearing charming compression stockings that make you look and feel about 80), the leftovers get burned and set off smoke alarms late at night, and on top of it all, your back goes out?

Times like this, it’s amazing to have a mind-reading friend, a really good old friend from university, one of the people who is like family to you, email you out of the blue and offer to stop by and bring you dinner. The friend you wanted to call for help but didn’t want to disturb, who heard your silent prayer and took time out of writing her thesis to help you. This is what happened to me.

My friend Katie brought a green salad, Thai chicken soup, cherries and her sweet company. Simply wonderful. We dove into a great conversation about homeschool, writing and being contemplative in the midst of busy daily life. How being prayerful helps us to focus and be inspired when we write. Nothing like a really good talk to feed the soul.

Here are some pictures of the dinner we were lucky enough to receive!

Thai Chicken Soup with red peppers:

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Don’t forget fresh lime…

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“Yum!” says baby.

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My 8 year old said: “It tastes Thai-tastic!” and “The cucumbers are cucumber-licious!”

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She’s my big helper.

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“Aaah, that’s cool!” My 6 year old had seconds of chicken and salad and said “It tastes good.”

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So Katie, thanks for being so lovely! My world is a more beautiful place because of you, and dinner was delicious, as was the break from cooking! 😉 Getting to chat with you over iced coffee (life-saver!) reaffirmed the goodness of the world, and put little struggles in perspective. Life can’t help but be wonderful when you are loved.

Also recently my Dad brought me flowers, my mom called to say how much she loves me, my brother found and cleaned up the icky dead mouse (heroic!), my landlords bought us a brand new oven, my friend Ida brought us bread from Cobbs and Milton brought us treats from Starbucks, and my friend Sara took my big girls swimming with her daughter twice to give them an outing and me a break. There is so much to be grateful for! For every challenge, I bet we could all count three blessings. One of them is that challenges help us to be humble enough to reach out and ask for help, which gives people a chance to be heroes and show us how much they love us.

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May you all be blessed with friends and family like mine!

Oh, boy! It’s a girl!

On By Anna EastlandIn Family Life, motherhood13 Comments

Yesterday I watched my little girl do her version of gymnastics…squirming about, limbs this way and that, hanging on to her toes with her little hands, playing and putting on a little performance.

It was the first time I saw her dance.
Because she is only 20 weeks old.
And is dancing in my belly.

It was a joy to see her, and my sister-in-law Karen was there with me, which made it extra special. There’s nothing like a sister to share an unforgettable moment with.

We have four girls already, and one little boy, but we couldn’t be happier. Each of our girls is totally amazing and unique and like our latest Iittle one, likes to dance like crazy.

Everyday is a dance party, and that’s part of what makes Crazy Land so special. Our little guy knows how to shake his booty, too, with gusto and a lot of laughter. We are so happy to have him, too. He’s our little prince and we all adore him.

But contrary to the belief of many little old ladies from all over the world, he wasn’t the “point” of all these kids, the final “Aha, now we got it right!” So I had to laugh when I found out when we are having another girl, because I’m so happy, and because every child of ours is welcome and the perfect one for us. No matter what.

So on that note Karen and I decided to celebrate by buying lots of pink candy from London Drugs, where the innocent cashier asked,

“Oh, is it your first?”
“No, sixth.”

Her jaw dropping.
Me grinning.
Rather fun.

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So little sweet one, on behalf of all your family, and in the words of your Nanna, “welcome wee dancer!”

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Remember

On By Anna EastlandIn motherhood, Poetry3 Comments

Here is a poem I wrote last year, before I started my blog. I stumbled upon it and thought I’d share it with you now, as the growing warmth of the sun is hopefully bringing up happy childhood memories of summer in all of us.

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Remember

I remember sprawling in the grass
in my shorts and t-shirt
making a perfect imprint of myself in the ground
seven years old and utterly at home
as the afternoon sun pulsed red
through my closed eyes

Nothing but the singing of birds
and whisper of butterfly wings in my ears
no thoughts
nothing beyond the moment
perfectly content

Now I’m thirty-two years old
and nine months pregnant
leaning back in my lawn chair
as my toddler snuggles in my lap
and gives me Eskimo kisses

Our resident hummingbird sings heartily
unphased by the vroom and bang
of townhouse construction next door

The faint familiar scent of cut plywood
wafts over the fence to blend with the smell of garden manure

My five year old feeds the chickens
one scrap at a time
and gives me a play by play:
“Rosie ate a piece of lettuce off Chickeny’s back
and the brown chickens are fighting over a tomato.”
“Mmmm…so funny,” I reply sleepily.

That same afternoon sun pulses down
red on my closed eyelids
and out of my mind
too tired for thoughts
begins to float poetry

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The Perfect Parent Lives in Timbuktu (and is likely a Sasquatch!)

On By Anna EastlandIn Family Life, Marriage, motherhoodLeave a comment

I haven’t met the perfect parent. It’s not me. It’s likely not you either.
But that’s ok. Children are born of love, not perfection.

Still, sometimes we wonder if there is a scientific formula for being the perfect parent, a special combination of elements that will help us get it just right.

Our society encourages this; we are told we must have the right economic, educational, medical, emotional, and intellectual circumstances to responsibly have a child. It seems a very dangerous and risky business, and one must be perfectly prepared.

Sometimes people wait their whole lives to be perfectly ready. Baby room painted just so. Millions in the bank. 800 parenting books read. Relationship so stable it makes mountains look wispy and wobbly. Health just so, taking the right 60 vitamins, and doing yoga 10 hours a day.

What happened to something that used to be so natural? A creative overflow of love? Isn’t the sincere love between parents already giving your child a lot, especially in today’s world?

But our fear of being imperfect parents in an imperfect world really paralyzes us so much as a society. We fear traumatizing our kids and are haunted of visions of their future therapist’s couch before they even leave their cradle.

We are told we better consult the experts constantly, because we as “mere parents” (just rabbits really) know nothing. I don’t think all this fear is actually making us better parents, just less confident and optimistic ones.

If we risk having one, we think we shouldn’t have another, because we’re not perfect yet. The funny thing is though, that having another child helps us to grow better, more mature, relaxed and confident, and therefore helps our first child, too. Experience is a good teacher.

So please don’t let fear of your imperfection stop you from loving; that would be a terrible tragedy. None of us had perfect parents, but we’re still glad to be here, in this messy, imperfect, absurdly beautiful world.

While I haven’t met perfect parents, I have met perfect babies.
Actually many of them.
More specifically, ALL of them.
Each baby is perfect.
A perfect gift, a perfect miracle, a perfect parcel of love.
Each one makes the world more beautiful. That means you, too.

Siblings help each other to grow as well, precisely through their imperfection, their foibles and stubborn streaks; experiencing all this children learn, in a context of love, how to get along with, embrace and accept others.

If we are teaching our kids to love, to care for others and help them when they are down, we are doing a lot toward making the world a better place.

My kids can squabble as much as the next ones, but I was happy to see my older girls stepping up and caring for the younger ones this week when they weren’t feeling well. Here’s a picture of my 5 year old reading bedtime stories to her little sister. Without being asked. That made me really happy.

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So stop worrying about being perfect, unless you want to go live with the Sasquatch, who can maybe give you some pointers.

Personally, I think what you need as a parent is love, commitment, and a willingness to adapt and grow, because as much as parenting will make your children grow, it’ll make you grow more.

Happy trails! And may you be abundantly blessed in love.

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Giving Birth: Better Than You Think

On By Anna EastlandIn motherhood5 Comments

This post is on honor of my friend who’s first baby is due today. “If pregnancy is this hard, what can labour be like?” she asked recently. Well, here’s a few reasons it’s better than you think.

Because, after all the waiting, the getting bigger, the feeling awkward, the heart burn and poor sleeps, labour sets you free. It is like an awesome thunderstorm relieving the pressure of dense dark clouds…and making way for the sunshine of your child’s first smile.

Because even if you’re nervous, you’re much stronger than you think. Your body is an amazing participant in the creation of new life, and you’ll discover your autopilot knows what to do.

And because weakness is ok. A delicate flower can open and reveal new life, and gentleness is one of a mother’s greatest gifts.

Because patience, which is love extended over time, will carry you through. Try to offer up each moment for a special intention; it will help the time pass. But ask for whatever help you need, whether it’s to hold hands, drink lemonade, be held tight or be given space. Embrace your labour for what it is, and don’t worry too much about how you planned it. Being at peace with how it actually is is even better.

Giving birth is wonderful because, in a way like never before, you’re husband is going to be completely awed by you, revering your ability to lovingly bring forth a miracle: your baby, the incarnation of your love. You will fall in love again, with your baby yes, but also with each other.

Because after all the tense waiting and preparation, as before the grand opening of an art show or piano concert, it ends in the revelation of your masterpiece. Applause! You will never see something more beautiful than that tiny newborn face, those little dark eyes looking at you for the first time.

So to all women who are due to give birth soon, many blessings of peace and strength be with you!
You can do it! And it’ll be more worth it than you can imagine.