I will be holding a memorial service for my beloved IBook tonight. It has passed on. The screen is broken, the keyboard hath cometh apart, and all my beautiful baby's pictures remain locked inside. That lovely little white machine has traveled to 3 countries with me, kept me company during endless hours of pregnancy insomnia, and remained a true companion to the very end.
But sometimes, without thinking, you pick up the thing nearest to you and throw it at your husband. In this case, the nearest thing to me was my poor IBook. I rushed it to the Apple Store and the help desk attempted CPR, but it was too late. She was dubbed "Not Cost Effective To Fix."
That day I decided that I would finally see my doctor about the - *gasp* - postpartum depression he warned me about. I think depression in my family manifests itself as rage, withdrawal and serious negativity. I was obviously depressed my entire pregnancy, but I refused to talk to a professional about it because it seemed weak, self indulgent, and pathetic. I'm not one to pop pills or whine to a shrink, but as I look at my poor, broken IBook, I wonder if I wouldn't benefit from at least talking to somebody about how difficult the last year has been. I guess I have felt as though I am the one who is "Not Cost Effective to Fix."
Until then, my punishment will be trying to live without my mechanical friend until I can afford another $1500 to replace her. I will spend my time cyber-window shopping on Apple.com and fantasizing about which color I will get next time.
I'm thinking Black.
Jonas is finally sitting up on his own (for short periods of time.) This is a major milestone and I'm THRILLED about it. He also has two beautiful bottom teeth and it seems like more are trying to break through (or so his fussiness would have us believe.)
I'll post a "sitting" photo when I can.
This is a message to the Editor of Parenting Magazine.
My husband subscribed us to parenting magazine about a year ago when I was pregnant. We were desperate for reading material that could help us through this great transition into parenthood. However every month that I receive your magazine in the mail I am deeply disappointed and offended by the cover. Why, each and every month, does your cover proclaim "Parenting: What Matters to Moms?" Have fathers become declassified as parents? Do you assume that no father would be interested in reading anything that relates to parenting? I know many fathers who would be very interested, and I'd be willing to bet that more fathers would pick up your magazine if they weren't discriminated against right on your cover. Why does your magazine so obviously state that the Parenting contents are relevant only to mothers? Besides my own husband, who is an extremely involved, devoted father, I can think of many, many fathers who are offended by this. What about single fathers? Aren't they parents? Should your magazine not be relevant to them? If this specific publication is geared toward women only, like Cosmo or Vogue, then why is it not titled "Mothering Magazine" instead?
If you want to help fathers bond with their children (as one article in this months issue does) then start by including them in the Parenting process rather than just selling your articles to women so they can regurgitate information to their husbands.
That cover statement alone is why my husband and I will not
be renewing our subscription, and why many involved fathers I know will not buy
your magazine at all. There is a market
out there for selling parenting materials to fathers, and your business could
not only benefit from jumping into it, but could also positively impact this
generation’s father/child relationship.
Sincerely,
Gina Crosley-Corcoran
Disappointed Parent
Today, after learning yet ANOTHER person I know is pregnant, I have decided that the number of pregnancies that have occurred in the last year is far from coincidence.
I have hardly ever known a pregnant woman in my life, let alone two pregnant women at once. Currently, I know at least 7 pregnant women, no, make that 9, not including the billion celebrities whose expanding bellies we have all bared witness to this year.
Babies are so in right now they are the New black. A burgeoning belly is a more fashionable accessory than a Coach handbag.
As far as I can tell, there is nothing happening in the world that would justify or cause a baby boom. Furthermore, I know that most of these pregnancies were unplanned.
This leads me to only one, fairly obvious conclusion.
---The government must be putting fertility drugs in the water.---
Or maybe they're teaming up with the Pepsi Corporation to lace our soda with fertility treatments. Either way, I'm sure they're behind it.
The only question is: Why? Well, if the government has somehow devised a way to cause not only spontaneous pregnancy, but also genetically-programmed political party affiliation, then G.W. Bush may just be forming the next generation Republican Army.
Don't fool yourself. These pregnancies are not a series of happenstance events. Count how many pregnant women you know right now, and you'll see that I'm right.
And to the new and soon-to-be Moms: While it may already be too late, try your very best to deprogram your child and teach them to rebel against any and all Republican thoughts or affiliation. Oh, and stop drinking Pepsi.
