Easy Labor

My managing editor, Jen, who is my closest coworker who has a child, loaned me this book that was really helpful and informative: Easy Labor: Every Woman's Guide to Choosing Less Pain and More Joy During Childbirth. (easylabor.net) It offers the perspectives of medical establishment (OBs, anestheseologists, nurses) and more holistic focused folks (doulas, midwives) and lots of women who have experienced childbirth themselves. It really helped explain my options and made me a lot less anxious and a lot more educated.

My best friend from childhood, Shana, delivered her daughter on Saturday! Mazel tov, Shana and Jonah and TK name baby! I cannot wait to meet you. And I'm thrilled that we are both having girls in the Year of the Pig. This is supposed to be good luck. Two Chinese women have noticed the pig charm I've been wearing on my necklace, and have commented on how it is good luck to be born that year. (Note: My mom and I are both the year of the pig--the Chinese cycles are in 12-year increments.) My Chinese manicurist said, "So you're 24?" I was like, "Nice try. I'm 35--36 at my due date. And PS no extra tip for the compliment, but thanks!"

I sent Shana and Jonah a cheesecake from Junior's, the institution on Flatbush Avenue in downtown Brooklyn (juniorscheesecake.com). Hopefully they will love it. I think I'd love it if someone had food delivered to us?? I love cannolis and Napoleons, in case anyone asks, but I'll pretty much eat anything sweet without complaint.

Had a fantastic, warm yoga class at noon today. I gave thanks that I like this yoga class within walking distance from work, that I can leave work for an hour in the middle of the day to practice my yoga, and that Ing and I were gifted with Tiny this time around: first time of trying after a year off, no pre-ovulation sonogram, no pregnancy test. Just waiting, fluttering, and now, kicks. All the time. Tiny, are you going to be a kicker for the New York Giants???