Rhubarb pie, babies, and being in love

I started this entry many many times in my mind and i even got so far as naming it but then life would intervene.

Let's first start with the rhubarb pie.  Oh i love food so.  cornmeal crust with a yoghurt lemon mousse with poached rhubarb resting gently atop.  Drizzle each pece with a rhubarb, black pepper, cinnamon sauce and it is spring, oh finally it is spring.  Much like my kids, my work and my love food consumes me.  I wake up almost every morning thinking about what i can make next.  What region of the world we can explore through it's food.  I dream of dinner parties, elegant dinners, casual cookouts, country bake offs.  Our cooking class out here is proving to be a fun and pleasurable way to make elaborate meals for the friends who participate.   AAAHHH food, apparently enough cannot be said.

Babies, babies, babies.  food and babies, and friends and babies, and sleep and babies, and more babies.  It is funny how many times i have sat and readied myself to write this only to be interrupted by the phone beckoning me to another home nearby or far away waiting to see the newest member of our world.  

The last few weeks have been quite busy and full.  There have been many mamas and papas with so many different stories and histories, hopes, and dreams.  

There was a family still freshly mourning the loss their first child and welcoming a new baby joyfully into their hearts. unimaginably heavy and weightless at the same time.  Mother's day was  a sweet relief for them.  

There was the patient strong mama waiting and waiting and waiting for the right time for her baby to come.  Finally at 42 weeks and 3 days her lovely one made it's way gently into the world, swimming up from the water to join his parents and quietly look around at his new home.

A family welcoming it's seventh child.  An easeful birth in the water for the first time.  She had said, "I just want to see what all of the fuss is about".  I love never touching a baby as she glides into her parent's waiting hands.

A glorious vbac.  A triumph.  No words can describe how healing this was for this particular family.  A nine and a half pound glorious mellow girl.  Healthy, ready to nurse and so calm and patient.

These were just a few but of course the one that is freshest for me i just got back from a few hours ago.  I had just met this family a few weeks ago.  I am always a bit worried about people who come so very close to their time but she had been receiving regular prenatal care and just couldn't settle in with the midwives she had chosen.  It's funny but there are just some times when someone walks in the room and you know.  You just know they will have a lovely birth.  Sometimes when i am arriving at a family's home for the 36 week home visit there is a flash, just a moment where again i know with what feels like absolute certainty that there will be a baby born in that house.  I had that feeling when this couple walked into the office.  Certainty.  This woman's labor began when her water broke, she had some cramping but nothing else.  Things remained this way for a day or two until her body and her baby agreed it was time to get the show on the road.  She labored so swift and strong that she took herself by surprise.  The baby sat right at her door until she could gather her mind and body together in order to push her all of the way out.  A lovely little peanut of a girl.  Yelling her way into the world and then immediately calming herself in her mother's arms.  The rest of the evening was spent eating pumpkin pie and loving the baby while listening to the parents tell stories of their dreams of their daughter before she was born.  We cleaned up, did some more dishes, pet the dog, hugged and kissed the family and drove home across the border to a sleeping family full from the dinner party i had cooked for but missed.  I kissed my own children in the dark.  Pet my dogs and slid under the sheets next to the man that i love so much for a couple hours of rest.