I don't know how much their little feeties change, but right now baby Noah has feet *exactly* like mine but in miniature; I can't tell you how much this thrills me! It's hard being away from my family - Abby & Noah have been figuring out the breast-feeding thing, and he is slowly starting to put weight on. My sis is a total rockstar for the way she's persevering through the challenges and doing what he needs right now.
I am a very proud big sister/auntie.
I also wanted to share this tweet from Danielle because it really made me smile and i thought you guys might like it too:
Welcome to the world, little beautiful baby Noah... I have no words to describe how amazing this little chap is, but I know they will come to me soon. Just need to get a good night's sleep, one of the major perks of being an auntie (you get to come home). But i miss him like crazy, and I miss his mummy even more. She endured a 26-hour labour and was so brave, so amazing, so primal warrior-woman. It was an honour to help bring him into this world; I will never forget how his face looked as he slipped from my sister into the waiting hands of the (lovely and sweet) doctor......
Noah Irving Birkbeck, born at 7:57pm on April 1st 2010
We spent a few precious hours together today, a pocket of sister time where we talked about birth plans, ate pastrami sandwiches, bought a canvas bag (for nappies!) and generally waddled around Bath enjoying the sunshine. When Abby picked me up this morning we discovered we were wearing matching outfits - the only differences were that i had my jeans tucked into my Uggs, and my sister had a gigantic basketball hidden under her blouse... not long to go now!
TheKiwis treated me to a champagne lunch for my birthday yesterday, so it was doubly special to then come home and find all your birthday comments - thank you so much!
Last year i woke up to snow on my birthday; today we have blue skies and sunshine, which in itself would have been enough to lift my spirits, but then i logged into my email and found this:
Those beautiful women are from my Summer 2009 Unravelling class - can you believe they did this?! I still can't and have the dried tears on my cheeks to prove it! Thank you ladies, you have touched my heart forever!
So, 37-years-young. I just looked back at last year's birthday to-do list and enjoyed crossing off the items I've achieved, and shook my head at how many were left yet to be done. This year's list was scrawled in my diary last night, and reading it back it see that it's a rather do-able practical list... but that's okay. I like the idea of this next year being do-able - bring it on!
37 things to do before I turn 38:
1. Move back to London 2. Visit San Francisco again 3. Get my driver's license 4. Buy some running shoes 5. Start using the running shoes 6. Try internet dating 7. Finish the book & give it to my editor 8. Get a new tattoo 9. Get my teeth cleaned 10. Buy more flowers 11. Do something with the big canvas 12. Stay optimistic 13. Investigate reiki 14. Try acupuncture 15. Find help for PMS nightmare (see 14) 16. Visit Morocco
17. Have regular Sunday brunches with the Kiwis 18. Visit Christine in Brighton 19. Teach at Squam 20. Test drive the new Polaroid camera 21. Help birth my nephew into the world 22. Take Polaroids of nephew & get broody 23. Get rid of TV once and for all 24. Watch last season of Lost 25. FALL IN LOVE 26. Paint toenails emo-black 27. Sit under tree and read once a week 28. Take a day off once in a while 29. Find p/t admin help 30. Make spiced cider 31. Shoot with the Hassy more 32. Wean myself off coffee... eventually 33. Eat more fruit 34. Start swimming again 35. Wear more skirts 36. Continue being an ex-smoker 37. Love Polaroids with all my heart
Eight women, three days, one cottage. We really did have the bestest time, filled with laughter, music, reiki, home-cooked meals, tarot cards, honesty and a roaring fire. The girls even got to meet my sister on Saturday afternoon... Thank you Emma, Jo, Leonie (chef extraordinaire), Lisa, Megg, Penny and Sas (who made it all happen). You all truly rock my world.
After all the colour and clatter of the festivities, I want to sink into silence for a few days. My plans for 2010 are clamouring for my attention, as if a switch has been thrown and now they are free to run around the playground. But right now i'm more intrigued by the clear white space of a new year, open for possibilities, new beginnings, clear-headed thinking, dreaming, manifesting. Letting go of the old year, and all the mistakes, and welcoming in a new way of thinking - positive, hopeful, optimistic. Ready. Clear. Free.
I've made this desktop wallpaper* for January as a reminder - I find it difficult to say those super-loving affirmations to myself (you know the ones: I am beautiful, I am a radiant being of light, blah blah blah) so i figured if i we say it to each other it would be just as powerful...
