21 week salute

I decided last night that all 3 baby birds are staying in my belly, forever. Scott was at the Notre Dame game and my parents had just gone home from entertaining me for a day. (Which was really fun!) So I was really bored and since I am allowed to go sit in movies, I went to see a terrible movie by myself (Sat night, movie alone = sad. BTW, Skip "The Kids are Alright" that movie is not alright) So when I get out, I see a text message from my brother who is in the middle of nowhere camping that says, "Please pray for Cohen (my 4 yr old nephew of a twin set), he hit his head and has a skull fracture and several stitches." I instantly freak and feel alone and think how quick something like this happened. Of course, I can't get anyone on the phone, including Scott - so I am alone in my hormonal thoughts as I start to get hot all over and cry like a crazy woman leaving the movie theater.

Between my mom and sister and text messages, we put the pieces of the ER disaster together, and Cohen will be just fine. In fact, the ER Dr told Katie he was shocked w/ twin 4 old boys that she hadn't been in yet (mental note that the ER is to be expected). He will just have a serious gash for show and tell at preschool and will get a lot of ice cream for a week. But it hit me, Oh my gosh - when they come out of you, that's it for the ultimate protection. We really have no control over what happens when they are learning to walk and you turn your head for a second or better yet, when they are 16 and get in that car and drive away for the first time. There are so, so many things you don't get about your parents worrying until you create life. And mine are still safe and cozy in utero! I guess the only thing I can take out of this experience is that every second we get with our children, and family and friends for that matter, are important and precious. Be present and WITH your children when you are with them. Which is one of our parenthood vows. (Scott and I are re-committing our vows with a picnic ceremony w/ just us, to promise vows to our children...so far those marriage vows have worked, so why not give the same to them?!) We plan to do in the next few weeks, so I will share to "have witnesses" when we are done with them. Anyways, the whole event put into perspective that not having a job, not being sure of where we are living, having the perfect strollers or even having the pregnancy and delivery you imagined, just don't matter. Those precious, precious little lives are what matters. Thanks for the life lesson little sweet Cohen Robert :)

Today is a day that actually feels like a snapshot of our old normal life...it's cool enough for me to be outside, so we are out back and Scott has made me a serious comfy concoction of a bed out of our lounge lawn chair. So I'm laying here reading and writing while he is hitting golf balls. I've been reading The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp. I love how it gives newborn babies a voice of their "4th trimester." I'm reading up on all those books now while I have the time. And I feel like such a rebel.. as Scott drinks a Blue Moon I am enjoying a can of Orange Pellegrino... what a crazy Labor Day!

(Will post pics of belly later! It is quite the display!)