Canada Day mom?
July 1, 2008
This lovely friend of mine (who pregnancy suits mighty well, might I add) is due to have her baby boy today. I hope she doesn’t have the baby today because her baby would have to share his birthday with Canada (it’s Canada Day) and it’s the same day as his grandparents’ wedding anniversary! Basically July 1 is overbooked already in my opinion. When we add that his uncle’s birthday is on July 14, I really think baby boy should hold out for a July 6 or 7 birthday. That being said, my guess for date of birth is July 3, birth weight is 7lbs 2 oz (or was it 3oz? I forget what I told the mom-to-be) and I have a guess at the name too (they aren’t telling anyone ahead of time): Luka.
This is a shout out to Jov because she’s been such a trooper and has made pregnancy look pretty darn good. When I saw her last, she looked to me like she could carry him for another nine months, easily (she said otherwise though, surprisingly). The kicker is as of just over a week ago she had only gained 16lbs over the entire pregnancy! I’m the kind of person who would dearly enjoy having a reason to overindulge (you know, other than “It’s a day of the week ending in the letter y!”), but Jov is a different sort of person as this fact and many others that I won’t go into now would easily show you.
Her having a baby will definitely change things between us. Our friendship has been evolving since November 16, 2001, when she met the man she would marry almost four years later. It hasn’t been an easy thing for me, and it inspired this poem a couple of years ago. Over the years, I’ve found myself struggling with being so deliriously happy for her that I honestly feel like I could not be happier, and feeling an equal and opposite sadness for myself that none of her good fortune is rubbing off on me. I’ve talked mostly to my mom and sister about this, and they have been helpful in helping me recognize that those two different sets of feelings can coexist, and I’m not a bad person for feeling sorry for myself at times. I love my friend, and I cannot wait to meet her little boy. I know I will love him too.
Although this isn’t a race, I am hoping that one day I’ll be sharing my own versions of these things she’s experienced—an engagement, marriage, a child or two—with her. It helps that she’s looking forward to that happening as much as I am.
It’s great that you are so honest with yourself about how you’re feeling. It definitely doesn’t make you ‘bad.’ I think a lot of people have feelings like this, but many try to hide them away or deny them.
I agree with you that birthdays and things should be spread out. Hopefully, this new baby will share our concern about this important matter!
Oh, that’s so soon! I hope everything goes so smoothly for her! You’ll be a great honorary aunt or whatever title you’ll give yourself!! And only16lbs?? Wow! Lucky chick! I gained 34. Though, I lost 24 by the time I’d left the hospital! All water weight and baby I guess!
Lol @ it’s a day of the week ending with a letter y. You r a hoot.
Don’t worry about it, Prince Jummy is one his way and i agree with ur mom and ur sister. It’s only natural to feel that way.
I hear you, Jooms. (Are you sick of reading that I hear you?)
My situation with my best friend is the same — my happiness that she has something that is healthy and whole sometimes wanes because of my jealousy that I have yet to have anything that resembles healthy or whole.
Sigh.