a loving universe

I sometimes read my horoscope. There - I said it. I find it a bit embarrassing that I turn to horoscopes like a crystal ball when I'm stressed about something, but I do.
Anyway...here's part of what it said...not what I was worried about, but so very nice...about the nicest thing I could imagine reading:

If you have children, you will see them protected and cared for by a loving universe. You need not worry about your children!

"protected and cared for by a loving universe" - isn't that just the best?

the power of motherhood

feast your eyes on the lovely Ruah Bhay and her handsome boy...love it! If you are in NYC, check her out her amazing yoga classes.

Golden Birthday

So my baby boy is 7 on the 7th today...his lucky year. And seven is such a watershed year anyway...it is said by some that every seven years our cells complete a cycle of change and we transform a bit...

He's not someone who has self esteem issues so far! At this moment, he's in the other room making himself a crown to wear. When he told me that the entire cafeteria sang to him at lunch, I asked if it was cool or embarrassing, he said it was awesome! He's very specific about what he wants...for instance, he asked for Chinese food for breakfast (so we ordered it last night), a cake that is not chocolate or ice cream, to eat at "the place where they cook in front of you" (Japanese hibache), the game "Jenga" are what we have heard so far, though his ideas keep coming.

I do love him so...

a sneaker-clad step toward growing up

Yesterday my youngest, 6 years old, got new sneakers. His first lace-up sneakers, at his insistence. He recently learned how to tie shoes - we even bought a cute book with instructions, pictures and practice laces. He's so proud of himself and I'm proud too...but, well, a bit wistful. Maybe because this is right on the heels (no pun intended!) of cleaning out little kid clothes and saying goodbye to all those tiny, tiny underwear. It's not that I love Velcro sneakers so much, though I imagine they have certainly had a positive impact on maternal sanity...and of course I celebrate this step toward independence, but every little move toward growing up means that soon he will be needing me less and less - a bittersweet thought.
And to tell the truth, I also groan a bit internally, knowing that this will mean lots of knots to untie and extra time waiting to get out the door when we are running late.

I hope I will exhale and allow him time to get it right.

another snippet of motherhood

A breakfast conversation:

8yo son: "Mom, can we start going to church? I like those God crackers I tasted that one time"

Me: "Well, they are called Communion Wafers and not all churches have them. Is that the only reason you want to go to church? Because we can go, but not just for crackers."

Son: "Hmm...I don't know - I'm just curious. Of course, we would need different clothes..."

Motrin tweet

Wow - so the Motrin thing is big enough news that public radio station WNYC's Brian Lehrer had on NY Times columnist Virgina Heffernan on today to talk about the offending ad and the way that new technology (in this case, Twitter) is changing the way consumers and companies interact. Within hours of the ad, moms united, sent thousands of messages to the company and the ad was pulled. Apparently the company was likely marketing to an Urban Baby-type crowd (judged by Virginia Heffernan to be a bit more cynical, less "sincere" mothers who would respond well to the ad) but misjudged how other moms would take it. Here's a compilation of twitter tweets...

The interesting part (to me) was that what overwhelmingly came out of the whole thing was not that people don't like the product anymore or want to just come out as pro-sling, but rather that companies need "CMOMs" - ie., more mothers in high places in companies to give a mom perspective. Good point.

"Dancing shoes optional"

That's what the invitation to the memorial service reads. Hmm. Today is the Celebration Of Life for the husband of a doula colleague. I've been asked to read the piece I wrote about this "doula couple" and how death is a lot like birth for the column I write for www.themotherhoodmagazine.com/

I'm never one to shy away from basic black - it's sort of my uniform and a clothing/shoe color to which I have always naturally gravitated (much to my mother's dismay - I think she was concerned about me as a child). But today I'm planning on mixing it up, as the invitation also said "summer casual dress". But are my red platform espadrille sandals with bow a bit much? I want to honor what has been requested - not to dress like it's a funeral (for once). Perhaps I'll bring a second option with me...

I hope I can keep it together while reading. Just like birth work, this isn't about me - it's about this family. I'm just there to assist, to bear witness. And maybe dance a little to celebrate the life of this man, this father and husband, who would have been 49 today. Happy birthday Duke.