Tuesday, December 30, 2008

The big announcement

Ok, so I can finally announce the secret I have been holding on to for the past few months. Although pretty much everyone who reads this blog already knows the news.


Posted by Picasa

Yup...we here in the land-o-cynicism-and-bad-attitudes are havin' a baby. Ok, so maybe it's just me with the cynicism and bad attitude as the husband is very, excited. And who am I kidding...I am very excited too. But just so we are all on the same page here...here are the top three things that I am scared about:

1) I am waaaay to selfish of a person to have a child.
2) I don't want having a child to change who I am (see how selfish that is?)
3) I'm not going to like the baby and it will be too late to return it


Fortunately, I have my hands on a copy of "Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year" by Anne Lamott. I am currently on my third reading of it.

I find it incredibly refreshing and hopeful to read about someone else's experience with having a baby...particularly when that person is honest enough to share the reality. My sister says, and I agree with her, that there is unfortunately a group of women (and some men) out there in the world who would like to perpetuate the myth that having a child and raising a child is easy as pie, as fun as fluffy kittens and as sweet as bowls full of candy.

I am thinking I would be better prepared if I were armed with the truth. Not only is Operating Instructions" a very good representation of the truth, but most importantly, I am finding it very inspiring to read about someone just as cynical and of bad-attitude as myself. Because then I know I am not going crazy...or rather, that while I may be going crazy, there are plenty of other crazy people around to welcome me to the crazy-team with open arms.

So there you go...the big news. I am super glad to not have to hold it in anymore because believe you me...I have PLENTY to say about it.

Anyway, I hope you all had a great Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Festivus and have a chance to enjoy some New Year's festivities.

6 comments:

  1. CONGRATS CONGRATS!!!!!! May I also recommend Jenny McCarthy's The Parent Trip. I haven't read it myself, but some other new mom friends have and it's apparently hilarious!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congrats once again! Trust me, it's a Really Good Thing that pregnancy takes 9(ish) months, because it will give you a little time to prepare psychologically for the big changes. (Even more necessary in our case, when the pregnancy itself was a surprise!)

    For me, the process has changed many times over the course of the months. Started feeling zen somewhere in the 2nd trimester. Now that the date draws closer, I'm starting to panic again -- like the roller coaster I used to ride as a kid that had a "Point of No Return" sign at the top of the first hill, that always made me think "Nooooooo!" and want off after it was too late. But luckily she's getting bigger and kicking more and more, and that helps in feeling like there's a relationship developing with a real little person, not just a theoretical construct. Though I'm sure we'll still freak out when they actually try to send us home from the hospital with a new, tiny, needy human being!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I always like it when my spidey sense -- much like my gaydar -- is spot on. *thinking back to our "bun in the oven" post convo months ago* Yay you, again! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Congrats! I am happy for you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Congratulations. I'm a little late getting here to say so, but big congrats. You want some honest talk about having a little one you are welcome to read my livejournal (didn't I friend you on there?) It hasn't been all roses for us, but it is worth it. Especially after the first two months. You'll enjoy most of it I think. Again big congrats to you!

    ReplyDelete