Enjoyable Stories and Advice From Moms:

I am getting some great feedback from my wonderful mommy relatives and friends. I have been saving them in my email and just thought "why not share post?" I think everyone can learn from these and, at least, get a great laugh. I will be adding to this post from time to time as appropriate emails, comments, posts come in. Enjoy and thanks to those of you who are so sweet to share your experiences with me! Love, Meghan

Here is my cousin Sallys account of labor with her first child Joey. It is important to note that she now has four grown children! Its hysterical:

Meghan,
I just want to share my experience with being pregnant for the first time. I was soo excited. I was soo sick to the day, 3mos, then I caught a really bad cold until I was 6mos. Back in the day, they would do NOTHING for you. I called my dr all the time, the answer was the same. We can do nothing for you. We weren't suppose to take anything, to help us. Oh and Yea, we couldn't paint. (which I love to decorate.. soo) hard one. I remeber having awful nightmares, and towards the end, my boobs leaked. I actually thought Joe peed on me during the night. They didn't have ultra sounds, but I knew Joey was a boy. I went into labor on Friday night, during the night we went to the Hospital. They sent us home. I wanted the house nice and clean when we came home with the baby. So I got cracka lacking, and cleaned like a crazy woman. I went to my moms and did my laundry. Hung out all our clothes in bare feet. It was fathers day. We had a cook out, but no one would let me eat b/c I was in labor. Then things really started happening. Alll night, I kept waking up every 2mins with contractions. So back to the hospital. Well, they say, "put your feet together, and relax your knees. I wanted to die! My feet were greeen as green can be! b/c of them cutting the grass and me hanging out clothes on freshly cut grass. OMG! II wanted to die!, I politely covered my green feet with the sheet. The doctor didn't say anything! I think they were embarrassed for me! Who can see the bottom of your feet when you are in the shower at 9 mos. pregnant, right? sure you can post it. the moral of the storey is, don't walk around in bare feet when you are in labor.
I think they gave me socks to wear.
anyway, after the whole entire weekend of being in labor, I was only 2cm dilated, tired and starving. So, they induced me. Everytime that damn doctored check me, he reached for my lungs. UUUGGG!!! When they induce you it hurts more. I screamed like a banchee for like 10hrs. Joe said, " I can't beleive you are in all this pain, we are only having a baby. Ya, Like you lay here buddy and do this, right? Poor guy, he was a wreck, he had circles under his eyes that went down to his chin. I remeber telling Joe, I can Never do this again.
Finally this wonderful nurse came in, helped me get control. (they didnt have epidurals back then) Towards the end, I over heard her tell the doctor, " I told her 2 more pushes, and they were going to take me down to delivery room, b/c she thought it would encourage me" "Bullshit encourage me! I thought this baby is coming out NOW! I got down there, and all I kept saying was, Get HIM OUT! GET HIM OUT NOWWWW!! Finally, they did get him out, (apparently) Joey's head look just like a cone. Just like the cone heads on Saturday night live. You might not remember that show.
Sadly, they wouldn't let me hold Joey. I don't know why. Right after he was born, everybody ditched me and was down the nursery looking at him. Felt like hours.
The next morning, Joe came up and bought everything blue. He was soo cute. By now I was really happy and excited. So in love with my new blue eyed baby boy. I said to Joe, " Lets have another one right away!" hahahhaaa, poor guy, I thought he was going to pass right out!!! hahahaha poor Joe! after putting him all through that.
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Following is a response I received from my girlfriend Deanna when I asked her what was one item that she had for her two children, Kate and Gabe, that made her life easier when they were babies. I thought the response was great - I think it the idea of being able to move a sleeping baby from room to room is a huge bonus. Thanks for sharing Deanna!

"I have tried to think in the past about the most "must have" item and I don't really think there was one amazing thing. But, if I had to pick something that might have made life the easiest, it would have probably been the little reclining seat that sort of bounces when the baby moves and also has vibrating settings. Ours also had a removeable mobile bar that had hang down toys, played music, and had a little light show. Both of our kids loved it as a baby and it certainly helped when I needed an easy, portable place to "store" them while I cooked, cleaned, or took a shower. Then, if they fell asleep in it and I wanted to keep them near while changing rooms, I could easily carry it around the house.

I am just soooo excited for you guys! I know you are going to be an awesome mommy and love those sweet little boys! I know there will be moments when you wonder what you guys were thinking....and what God was thinking to give you two at a time!, but in those moments remember that they do pass quickly! Enjoy it all and rest at every opportunity!!!! :)"
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Here is part of an email I received from my graduate professor that I got a kick out of. She wrote me in response to the blog I wrote questioning what I needed for the boys versus what I felt I had to get from others pressuring me and crafty marking. Enjoy:

"Thanks so much for sharing your blog--I really enjoyed reading it. It sounds like you are doing GREAT! You are right, you do not need half of the "must haves" on the market. I really enjoyed the idea of a thermometer for the bath water--whatever happened to testing the water running into the bath with the inside of your wrist, or with your elbow after all the water is in the tub? REALLY! The BIG thing for us when Justin was born 34 years ago was a car seat. At the time not many people used them, but we thought it was important. As a matter of fact, some people even criticized us for using one rather than holding him. Trust yourself and your boys will be fine :)"