She was supposed to give birth today so…
…we arranged to go out last night.
I was excited and planned to wear my favorite satin pencil skirt.
It was supposed to be her last pre-maternal hangout.
At around 6 PM, I got an SMS.
“I am in a lot of pain. I don’t think I can go out. Sorry.”
“It’s okay. Woo hoo! I’m gonna be an aunt again! You’ll make a wonderful mom. Love you :* “
I then sat in my room wondering what will happen next.
At 1:20 AM I got another SMS.
“I did it! I gave birth to a baby boy at 9! His name is Laith and he is SO cute! It was OK!”
I stared into space.
My best friend is now a mother of another human being. A boy called Laith.
Happy. Puzzled. Curious. Reluctant.
I called her today.
“OMG! You can talk!”
…like I’ve never interacted with new moms, seven times before.
“Does it hurt? Are you in pain?”
“Yes. Stitches and all. But it’s alright.”
“OMG. You are a mom!”
“I look like crap. I want to get a manicure and a pedicure and have someone pluck my eyebrows.”
“You’re seriously thinking of these things?”
“I wanted to do these things before I went to the hospital. There was no time though.”
“Oh!”
New moms want normal things. I knew that but this was the first time I recognized it.
“My husband looks younger than I do.”
“You’re prettier than he is. How’s the baby?”
“He is good. Breastfeeding now. I don’t know if anything’s coming out though. “
My best friend breastfeeds. For real. My best friend.
“Did you change his diapers yet?”
“No. Last night was my maternal honeymoon because the nurses did everything. Tonight is the real thing.”
“So, like, YOU’RE A MOM!!! I am so happy for you. But I can’t believe it until I see Laith.”
“Come over any time.”
I hung up and went to tell mom.
“Mom, she gave birth last night and yet talked to me on the phone!”
“Yeah, so?”
“So…nothing.”
You’d think I know the drill by now because I have been there for every new birth in the family. And I do know it. I saw my sisters and my brother’s wife right after they popped babies, saw what new moms do and don’t, what they like and what they dislike, and certainly knew that they can chat normally and crack jokes if need be.
But this was my best friend, who’s 8 days younger than I am, and that makes a world of difference. I mean, this means that I too can have a baby if I want to (which I don’t), and that fact seems to be very shocking to me because I have never considered it to be very true. It’s as if it has to be someone my age, someone I know very well and care a lot for, to go through these big milestones, for me to understand that I, too, can go through them at one point. A revelation.
I am an aunt, for the 8th time, and counting. These kids make me feel old.
I know what you mean. My little brother — two years younger than I — is getting married in 3 weeks. To me, the idea of getting married seems like a total fantasy, something other people do on TV.
I feel very… out of sync.
Some single friends told me that once their friends became mommies, they stopped being so “friendly”. I hope this doesn’t happen to you and your friend.
Stitches ? is that only needed for ceasarian delivery or always ?
eeek never liked the word popped to describe delivering a baby, it’s too graphic a word since I find the process disgusting and miraculous at the same time.
Great post. It was a good read.
As for that… none of my friends have gotten married yet, so I I don’t know what that feels like.
Well congratulations on becoming an aunt…
I haven’t had the privilege of being one yet… and it’s not happening anytime soon since I’m the eldest in the family and my younger sister is still 14.
But with the way things are going… u never know…
I remember d time wen a close pal gave birth.
Just couldn’t believe that she MADE a new human.
I meeting some one new, not a friend of hers,
but some one she brought into dis world!!!!
mabrook!
off topic:
wain ro7ti ya bint il nas!
but yeah a break is always good..keep in mind that your material quality is just fine..its a blog box,not a NASA “humanity future dependant” database, so you’re never below expectations,at least not mine,and you do know that my opinion automatically rules out the rest so..
until later..
wait….
satin pencil skirt? yamma!
maprook to your friend
and you, ms. auntie!
Hello Tololy!
I can see what you mean.. a great friend of mine, whom I ve been in contact with very irregularly in recent years (geographic dispersion), has recently told me she s now pregnant.
Not only did I almost fall off my chair (or couch), she s a couple of years younger than I am. I was engaged long before she was, but am still afraid of making that step.
The idea of having a baby one day scares me to death, I must say, and yes seeing my younger sister or younger friends have turned into grown women, this makes me feel really old too :-s
What s really frightening: I m writing my PhD. I enrolled in university 8 years ago, and now I see people who were born in the 90ies (yes, in the NINETIES) go to university.
This makes me feel very old too :)
All the best to you and your best friend – life sure changes, I hope you ll still be able to remain in the close connection. I m very sure you will, because you ve basically grown up together (I loved the episode you told of getting tattoed and getting bellydance clothes -damn why did I never have girl friends who cared for bellydancing! I was alone with my passion :)
If you ve shared so much, the connection will remain. 100% sure.
For me and my friend, actually 2 friends of mine who I love very much, but we happen to live far away and met on an exchange program only years ago.. one is now getting married, the other married some time ago and is the one who is now having a baby..
I keep thinking, damn, why in those years did we not travel together as we ve planned so often :-(
I guess this is pretty much over for the moment..
Take care Tololy, like your posts so much, enjoy your sabbatical,
Dina
Oh one more thing.. where can I get a satin pencil skirt?? I love satin, and I love pencil skirts.. the combination sounds WONDERFUL :)
in general I think I ll have to go to Jordan just to shop, the most beautiful skirts and dresses seem to be from Amman!