Metal Meredith

....I am required to go get my first Mammogram. Don’t get me wrong, I am aware of the importance and necessity. I will go down to that office with confidence and knowledge that I am doing the right thing. But I am pretty nervous. Not that anything will be found, not to have strange women hold my breasts in their hands. Nope.

I am scared of that huge machine that presses them into pancake form. I am nervous that it won’t stop like some creepy vice on a cartoon and squish it until it becomes more flat that it already is (vertically, not horizontally, btw). Many, many women have done it and in March, I will be one more. Goodie.

I can hardly believe that today I am the mother of 2 kids. Had you told me 5 years ago, I knew I wanted children but really had no idea what I was getting myself in to.

Phil was nice enough to print me out 141 photos as my gift. We keep all of our photos on computers, so to have prints is a luxury we don’t typically allow ourselves.

As we were looking through them, I saw this photo:

This is a photo of the day after I had Henry. I was just starting to feel the various pain killers wearing off. I was just starting to let it sink in that I had a new kid to take care of. I was just starting to love him.

This one is not so hot:

Vivienne was a far more scary experience, just because I had no idea what I was going to do with this little person. I was so proud of myself for getting her out of me. Now what?

The thing is that although both of these pictures are me without makeup, after a long day in a hospital, I still think these are the most natural pictures of me that I have. I can’t help but wonder why women take a make up case to the hospital in order to ‘look better’ in photos after the birth. My face is broken out, my hair is dirty, I am extremely tired and just running on adrenaline mixed with fear and excitement.

I was telling Phil last night, as it hit me like a tidal wave, these have to be the most natural that a woman can be. These are the most emotionally open I have ever been on film.

This is me, as a mom. 

Just to prove to you all how crafty I have become, below are the various ways we prepare pancakes on weekend mornings.

Mickey Mouse:

Snowman:

Caterpillar:

I have now run out of ideas, however, on things to construct with round objects. Anyone have another?

One year ago this week Phil and I were jaunting around the London and Amsterdam pretending we had much more money than we do. It is unreal that it has been a year and both of us have commented on it at least once in the past few days. Phil commented “It has been one year and what have we done?” Um, sweetie, we created a life. Does that count?

Although time is flying by, I still can feel it slowing a little here and there. It does seem like yesterday that we were on the trip. However, didn’t I have a baby forever ago? Pregnancy is just a blip and the birth feels like it was a few seconds long and forever ago.

It is always fun now to watch television and movies and get to shout out “I have been there!” when they show Big Ben or tulip fields. Feel free to peruse the photos and reminisce along with us!