My bestest friend in the whole wide world is pregnant with her second, and she’s due in THREE DAYS!!!! Almost three years ago to the day, she gave birth to her daughter, and she and her ever-understanding-of-my-craziness husband invited me to join them in the labor and delivery room. I got to be part of the miracle that was their first child. How cool is that?!
A few months before their daughter was born, I had to have an emergency c-section with my son. I was so bummed. I wanted to see a birth. I wanted to hear “PUSH! YOU CAN DO IT!” and then experience the doctor holding the baby up to the parents and everyone collapsing in happy tears. And when my gal pal invited me to be by her side, she gave me all that and more.
And I’ll get to be there with them again this time! How awesome is that?! I’ve since had a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) with my daughter, so it’s not like this was another pity invitation like the first one! Despite having been BFFs since 8th grade, becoming parents together has taken our friendship to another level. It’s not every day that a girl holds her sis-from-another-miss’s leg and helps her breathe through a contraction, ya know?
When I was getting frustrated with nursing, my pal literally helped smash my boob into the “sandwich” position and that is how my daughter latched on. I attribute my nursing success to my friend, and I love her for not flinching when I whipped out my teat and shrieked, “HELP ME!”
The most inspiring part of our friendship is that this chica hasn’t had the easiest lot in life. In fact, she’s had it downright difficult. She lost both of her parents before she was 25, and her first true love, her grandfather, passed away before he could walk her down the aisle. You know how family can be–supportive or NOT and she’s encountered both in her journey to becoming an independent woman. (If you feel the need to break out in some Beyonce moves at the mention of “Independent Woman,” I support your decision and will wait.) Anyway, my friend has lived in different homes, worked different jobs, and had different passions in life, but one thing has always remained the same: her optimism.
So today, dear readers, think of my best friend while you go about your business. And remember: when life hands you lemons, you mix that shit up, throw in some vodka, and have a party because life is nothing if not a celebration.
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Want to learn more or participate in Project Optimism? Feel free to grab the button in my side bar and check out this post for the instructions!
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If you’re bored and want to cast a vote for moi in the Top 25 Funny Moms, I’ll give you a lap dance love for you forever. My goal is to be in the top half and the competition is fierce. So many funny Mamas!
GO JEN…that is all
🙂
The friendship you describe warms my heart. Good luck to you, BFF and BFF’s DH!
Thank you!! I hope to have another post about her baby boy within the week!
What an illustration of OPTIMISM! Your friend sounds like a trooper! She definitely knows how to smile in the face of adversity. I can’t wait to read the follow up post to witnessing the birth of her second child. Good times!
By the way, how do you like your new blog’s home. Are you settling in okay my dear?
I can’t wait for round 2!!!! I’ll be sure to post about it 🙂 My new home…hmmm…at this moment in time, I’m having one tech glitch after another AND I’ve lost all of my readers/subscribers, so I’m a little sad to start all over. People are starting to come back slowly, but surely, but I feel like I’m constantly bothering everyone with my begging. So, Anka, have you re-subscribed yet?! HA!!! Shameless. I shouldn’t be allowed to communicate with others today. 🙂
I didn’t think I had to re-subscribe. But, I will do it once I complete this comment. Hopefully, your posts will show up in my Reader again! 🙂
Thanks, lady–I appreciate it 🙂
Hi Stephanie!! Ugh…I thought you were going to show up in my Reader! Sorry I’ve missed a few posts! I will try to catch up! I’m going to follow you through Facebook now so hopefully I don’t miss anymore! Love this post! Friendships like these are so hard to find!
Hi, lady! No worries–this switch to self-hosted is a real project!!! Thanks for the FB follow AND your kind words about my friend. She really is pretty super duper awesome 🙂
How lucky you are to have such a beautiful, loving, gracious friend! She sounds like the type of women we ALL want for a friend! And I LOVE what you said about the lemons–story of my life. And btw I’ve been voting for ya! 🙂
She’s a good gal, that’s for sure! And THANK YOU for your votes–you don’t know what they mean coming from a hilarious Mama like yourself! You’ve been getting my support every 24-hours, too!
Sounds like a fab friend to have. Letting someone into the birth room with you is extremely privileged! Well – someone who knows you. I guess the 12 or so midwives and doctors who wander in and out throughout don’t count.
I always wanted to experience the whole waters breaking/here come the contractions/panic the pants off your hubby birth stories and I never got to.
So does this mean your labors and deliveries were seamless? Tell me you’re one of those rock stars that delivered naturally, sans epidural?!
I will have to write up my birth stories on my blog sometime. Both of my monsters were 2 weeks late, so I have an appointment and turned up to be induced without a single contraction before hand, so no chance to wind up the hubby 🙁
MM1 was born with epidural, MM2 would not wait that long once prompted and was au natural, with a lot of swearing!
OH bless you, woman!!!!!!!!!!!
That is great! Has she had the baby? I’m still waiting on my sister. I finally got my butt over here and subscribed.
Hey lady!!! Great to have you back 🙂 YES! She had the baby on Friday night in TWENTY SIX MINUTES! I was on my way to the hospital and BOOM! The kid meant business 🙂 I’m writing about it for Project Optimism tomorrow–make sure to come back for the whole shebang 🙂 Maybe today is the day for your sister?!