My new blog

Hello Mamas! It's been a while since any of us have blogged. I know we're all so busy living life that it's often hard to write about it too.

As part of my new and exciting career path I have set up a new blog Not Just Another Cupcake. It is still very much a work in progress. It's a bit of a tongue in cheek wink toward all those mums who start cupcake businesses. As a "home creator" I'll be writing about crafts, food, style, parenting, health and gardening. Additionally, with the purchase of our new house I'll share the transformation as we renovate and make it our family home.

I have transferred a number of the posts I have written on this blog only to fill it out a little. I'll also post on this blog too as it's a nice open letter to my friends across the pond.

Mama N xx

Introducing Mini Master L

Well- I can't believe it- MiniMaster L arrived- three weeks early! It was quite a labor and delivery experience so I thought I'd share my cautionary tale to all of you pregnant mamas. If you are in labor- run, don't walk to the hospital. Master L was almost delivered in a cab- by Mr. R. I can't even imagine.

On Saturday, we had a quiet afternoon, going for lunch and just walking along the waterfront. I had some cramping, but thought nothing of it. At about 11 p.m. my water broke. I was in denial. It was three weeks early, we had no plan to care for Master A, we had no bag packed, no list prepared of Master A's schedule. We were not ready- but Master L was.

I called the doctor and she told me to come up to her office in Tribeca. It turns out I was only 1 cm dialated and had a "thick cervix". My OB told me it would be hours and I should just labor at home till I was closer. I didn't think it would take that long because it was only a few hours with Aidan but I didn't want to be in the hospital all night. Thankfully, my brother in law was in town this weekend, as many of my mama friends I may have called were not. He came over to stay for the night.

I got home a little after midnight and within a half hour the contractions started coming faster. Some weren't terrible, so I wasn't sure if they all were contractions and how far apart they were. We frantically tried to write up some lists on Master A, pack a few cosmetics in a Ziploc, and grab my non-filled out preadmissions paperwork for the hospital. Then, the contractions became much worse and only about two minutes or so apart. I had just left the OB only two hours ago. I didn't think there was any way I could be that far along. By 2:30 a.m., Ryan dragged me out the door. We jumped in a cab and headed to midtown. About halfway through, I became delirious. I couldn't get comfortable on the seat and was just groaning. The cabbie started flying through the city. When we arrived, he had to back down 59th street the wrong way to get us to the emergency room door. I am just thankful that I didn't think to push to alleviate the pressure. I was so miserable that I absolutely would have- not thinking of the consequences. Some nurses at the hospital told me that some taxis will deny pregnant women (though it's illegal) b/c they don't want to deal.

We went upstairs and after telling them I needed to push and my OB had called and said I was a direct admin (she was on her way by bicycle), they told me I was 10 cm plus one. I was absolutely miserable b/c I knew there would be no epidural for me. (I loved my epidural with Master A. It is great if you want to deliver naturally, but I had no desire to be a super hero. I never had any intention on delivering naturally.) Everyone was running around the room, pulling off my clothes and my OB raced up. Within 15 minutes and four pushes, Master L was here. I couldn't believe it. Although it wasn't long, it felt like hours and I really felt like I was going to die.

When he came out, we saw that the cord was wrapped around his neck 2xs and also had a knot in it. We were extremely lucky. If I had my epidural, it would have slowed down labor and Master L would have probably gone into distress. I don't even want to think of it. So- in the end it was a blessing. It's funny, I was never officially admitted to the hospital, it was called a "precipitous delivery". The moral of my tale- spend more time laboring in the hospital- these second babies come barreling through.

I decided to try breastfeeding with Master L. It wasn't for me with Master A (I know I'll hear about it when he's older- how I loved Master L more to give him a better start). Wow- it is tough and painful. Any advice from you experienced mamas would be appreciated.

It is much different this time, coming home to an active 18 month old and because I never had a chance to slow things down for my business- I'm having to put in a few hours for that each day. I wasn't sure if I'd need help- but now I know I absolutely will. Can't wait for you all to meet the munchkin.

A Multi-Cultural Birthday Celebration

It's been about four months since Master X and I have appeared on the TKM blog. I've certainly grown delinquent in my postings, although I can hardly blame the first trimester, since we all know what pregnant Mamas N, J and now H have been up to... baking, knitting, decorating, moving across the pond and across the country. I can say that I've been trying to get this story of mine completed before baby #2 arrives in December, which has taken every ounce of my (not so) creative energy when Master X is napping or sleeping or with his sitter, which he isn't when we're away at the beach.

That being said, I've decided to jump back in the ring, even though my post seems to have lines in it. I can't say we'll be as frequent as some, but Master X and I will do our best... he'll try to take long naps and I'll try to work on the brain waves part. And what better subject for our first return post than Master X's second birthday? (It was three days ago, but still...)

Two... can you believe it? Master X is the oldest of our playgroup friends, and therefore the first to reach this milestone. I found his first birthday to be extremely emotional for me, as it seemed only months ago that I'd given birth and I was completely awed by the toothy, crawling creature that had once been my infant. I have to say that I found two to be much the same way, in that it was equally as awe-inspiring to see him looking so much more like a kid than a baby, as he worked the room, opened presents and refused to eat anything but the orange carrot cake that his Vivi (my mother) decorated to look like a lion.

When he awoke at 6am on his birthday morning, happily singing the "Hello" song from Music Together, my first thought was, "I can't believe I've kept him alive for two years!" It was more of a throwback to the absolutely exhilarating and terrifying first days of his life when I realized that they were actually letting me leave the hospital with him than anything macabre. I know I'm a very competent mother. Still, toddlers are into everything and have no fear, as we are all too aware! Master X puts himself in peril umpteen times a day and it's my responsibility to keep him safe and unharmed. So I counted as Mister B and I listened to the singing... seven hundred and thirty days.

Master X is blessed to have a family that absolutely, unconditionally adores him. In addition to his aforementioned Vivi, beloved Auntie C and Uncle G, and grandfather from New Jersey, Master X had the privilege of visitors from very far away... his Nana from Tacoma, his eighty-eight year old Great-Grandma (GG) from Bainbridge Island, and Mister B's cousin Yayoi, all the way from Okinawa. GG is also Okinawan, although she has lived in the United States for approximately sixty years. It was a long trek for GG, since it is growing increasingly difficult for her to move around, but it was important to her to see her favorite grandson's child another time while she still felt well enough to make the trip. We were very pleased to have her here, since she is a gracious woman with many stories to tell... and because she loves Mister B and Master X very much.

Master X's birthday was full of activities, including a trip to the weekly farmer's market, where he dragged his significantly older Japanese cousin around like he owned her, and to the beach, where he played in the water with his aunt and uncle. Mister B took him to 'Crab Town,' where he saw the hermit crabs and then to see the bright orange kayak that was his Father's Day gift.

His official party - everything orange- began in the evening, and though everyone else feasted on homemade pizza, Master X insisted on carrying an orange bowl of tortilla chips around the house. His favorite part of the day was most certainly gift time, where he received everything from a water table and remote-control car to a kimono, complete with matching socks and flip-flops, and a golden boar full of sake, purchased in Okinawa to commemorate the fact that he was born in the auspicious year of the golden pig.

The mostly orange birthday celebration culminated in the cake, where Master X sang, "Happy Birthday to Me," and ate two pieces before settling for licking icing from the "2" candle. After that, he ran around for a bit on a sugar high and crashed into bed only an hour late, with his best friend Bunny and his entourage, ready to work his way to three.

Mister B and I collapsed into bed a few hours later, feeling blessed to have both an amazing, happy, healthy child and a very diverse family that will travel all sorts of hours to celebrate with us.