The horror, the horror (in other words, the best birth control ever)!!

Side note before I begin: I am currently watching "The Holiday" on TBS. I adore this movie. I so understand Kate Winslet's character and want to be her, except I want to go to England and not L.A. in a house swap. Anyway....

Disclaimer: If you are currently pregnant, especially if pregnant with your first baby, you may not want to read this! Wait until you experience the miracle of childbirth for yourself!

My oldest and dearest friend welcomed her first baby to the world last week! I finally spoke with her this evening and when I asked how it all went she replied with one word, "Horrible." Eek. She then described in excruciating detail her 20 hours of labor, which eventually led to a C-section. I won't go in to details, but I am thankful she shared the nitty gritty details because I will remember this story the next time I see a cute baby and start to feel those motherly yearnings. I mean, I definitely shuddered several times and may have felt some sympathy pains in my nether-regions and all but it sort of made me thankful I don't have to endure that sort of marathon of pain any time soon. I have plenty of friends who have children, and most describe childbirth as this wonderful, almost mystical thing. Not this time. In fact, I joked she should go visit high school health classes - I bet she could single handedly drive down the rate of knocked up teens at area high schools.

I called my mom to report news of the baby's arrival, and after she asked how big he was when born (I know this is something I am supposed to ask new moms but I never do. I don't really see how it's relevant. Seven pounds, eight pounds, who cares?) I told her about the "horrible" experience and she responded in only the way my mom can...."Well, you know, the older you are, the more difficult it is. I mean, my experience with you was similar and I was only 26."

Gee whiz, thanks, mom! She might as well have told me to just give up because by the time I have a baby I will probably die in childbirth. It may be her way of encouraging me not to reproduce, who knows. After the story I heard today, I am thinking reproduction is not high on my priority list for the immediate future anyway. So there!