Approaching Mum-dom

Having wierd flashbacks to my childhood... (Mum seeing us off at the door in her nightgown before dressing, "doing her face", and getting on with her day)... as I see C-chan off to work still in my nightie. These past 2 days I have got lots done - a bit of shopping, Drs and hospital appointments, washing, assembling furniture, napping. More than I usually manage on a weekend.

Have had a bit of time to ponder how life will change post baby. You don't have to tell me things will change - we've already had at least 100 parents/grandparents tell us that "the first few years are hard, and then they become teenagers!"... Ha ha, hee hee. Ahem. But I refuse to accept at this stage that our social life will stop completely. Change - yes, be sometimes cut short or delayed by our childs sleep patterns a bit - yes. But not stop completely. I've seen enough people with kidlings out and about having coffee, turning up to parties with bubs strapped to chest etc to know a social life is still possible. And necessary, or you'll feel isolated and possibly depressed.

Despite this, was quite irritated with a friend of a friend on the weekend (who I usually only see every few months anyway) saw me off as if I was going on a year-long trip to the moon. Was wierded out by parting comments including: "I like to give pregnant people a wide berth; leave new parents alone to sort things out". As if she was even on the top 20 list of people that I'd call if in a spot of difficulty when the contractions start. As if I'd ever force someone over to see the baby after it is born. It hadn't even crossed my mind to suggest she pop around for a goggle at the baby because: a) I'm not sure how I'll feel in a month or two's time, b) she's not a close friend, and c) she hadn't shown any interest. In fact, it hasn't crossed my mind to tell anyone that yet, besides the obvious keen beans and family who are queuing up.

Very strange. Not strange that some people aren't interested in kids, or are even concealing various sadnesses around the issue - I always knew and expected that. But strange in the way these attitudes can seep out. That people feel the need to make a statement about it, as if the idea of not being into kids is beyond the conception (pardon the pun) of parents to be like myself. As if I haven't spent the last 12 years of my life on various kinds of contraception. In fact, finding people who have positive things to say about having kids has been one of the more rare events over the past 8 months.

And a big thankyou to the friends I have who appear interested and enthused and haven't written us off yet...