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After the drunken and dillusional rage that was my stepfather, Jacob would appear as quite the gentleman. But the terrible truth of it is, that despite the fact that he is good to my mother, and my youngest brother loves him, I cannot stand my mother's boyfriend. He is a simple man, the type...  read more

The other day, I took Ericka to her first doctor's appointment. I stayed in the waiting room and leafed through the material that they'd given her. I have come the conclusion that being pregnant sucks. Morning sickness, swollen ankles, the anniliation of a perfectly good vagina.  Yet an...  read more

A new baby changes each family member in a unique way, but none more than the mother.  One of those changes is (at least temporarily) physical.  Here is a small collection of Mandy throughout her pregnancy with Stella.  It's amazing to see the changes, and recognize that with each ...  read more

Pregnant! Unfortunately this has meant more than five weeks of complete bed rest, constant vomiting, and insurance company-induced headaches over disability coverage. It's also, as you may well imagine, an extremely exciting, nerve-filled phase of adjustment. Neither the adjustment nor the vom...  read more

A mother with four children in the 5- to 10-year-old range got on the subway during the evening commute. It wasn't particularly crowded, being a holiday week, so the kids all found spots next to each other, which was next to me. The mom went to sit before she realized they were a seat short, and ...  read more

In less than two weeks, I moved into a new apartment, left my old job and started a new job, and discovered that I'm pregnant.

32 Weeks.  That means only 8 weeks left until I am full term and you are scheduled to show up. Less, actually. Closer to only 7 weeks. Aye Carumba. You have gained something like 4 pounds since you were conceived, whereas I have gained - oh, around 42 pounds... hmmm, something isn't quite ad...  read more

We had been trying for another baby.  Ben was getting older, and my heart broke to think of him as an only child.  I wanted my children to have the same gift that I had as a child - brothers and sisters.  Siblings who would always be there to love and support and encourage, to make...  read more

And once again I find myself in the most vulnerable of positions, sitting on the toilet and squinting at a little plastic stick, thinking "Oh boy". Or girl.Life has this way of continually bowling me over. It knocks me from the side, where I don't even see it coming. Gets me every time....  read more