babies

I love holding babies. But since I am now barren ("ute yank" a couple of years ago), I have to count on my friends to have babies. My girlfriends have not let me down. Last year 3 of my friends who were turning 40 all had their first baby. The best story of the three is the story of my friend Ann. She married a fantastic man who is 10 years older and has 3 children from a previous marriage. Sam wasn't too keen on adding anymore offspring to his brood, so Ann figured she wouldn't have children.

One day I get a panicked call from Ann- she's pregnant! She can't imagine having a kid and has no idea how her husband will take it (note to all you kids out there - pull and pray is not a reliable form of birth control). She comes over and I reassure her that Sam will be fine and that she'll make a great mom. Her husband is out of town and so she calls him that night to tell him. He is calm and very sweet but as the evening wears on she gets calls from a progressively drunker Sam. He's a little freaked out.

As the couple start getting use to the idea, Ann has a miscarriage. They are devastated. But she has the fever - she wants a baby! So as soon as the doctor gives them the okay they start trying again. She gets pregnant quickly but is fearful she'll miscarry. She calls me on her way to the doctor's appointment to hear the heartbeat, scared there won't be one. I'm nervous too but tease her and tell her that after age 35 your chances of having twins goes up significantly. Kind of your last gasp at fertility - your ovaries just start shooting out eggs, hoping something will stick. Anyway I tell her to call me after the appointment. When she calls her voice sounds crushed. "Oh no," I say. "They didn't find a heartbeat." Ann replies, "They found a heartbeat alright - baby A and baby B." Now she has to tell Sam they are having twins!!! Again Sam is great.

Behind their backs we are all saying that they don't know what they are in for - they are in way over their heads. This is the couple that eat at the hippest restaurants, go to concerts, and stay up past 9 (p.m. that is). These babies are going to rock their world. After a scary pregnancy with lots of bed rest and hospitalization, Ann gives birth to two healthy girls. I have never seen a mom slide into the role more gracefully. I'm sure she has tough days, but she rarely shows it.

When it came time to decide whether or not to go back to work Ann calls me for some input. I truthfully tell her I don't know anyone who is better suited for the job. I tell her that if she is even thinking about it she'll never regret staying home.

So now Ann is a stay at home mom and loving every minute of it. And just imagine - she just about missed out on this crazy thing called motherhood.