October 31, 2007
New Column: The Last Birthday Party
Posted by Susan under Literary Mama column, Living, Momming | Tags: Adoption, birthday, Literary Mama, party, Sandwich Generation, teenager |
My latest “Life in the Sandwich” column is up at Literary Mama.
At the end of the column, I’m wondering where she’ll be celebrating her birthday next year. The answer is here.
October 31, 2007 at 12:38 pm
It’s official?!?!?! That’s GREAT! (My birthplace!)
October 31, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Well, knock wood, it’s 99% official. Yeah, she’s ecstatic! We’re still waiting for the last 1% though.
November 1, 2007 at 12:53 am
sigh.
great piece Susan; you are living my near future. fingers crossed from me that “parents weekend” will coincidentally be birthday weekend next year.
November 1, 2007 at 6:23 pm
oh, a badger!! i’m an honorary badger (my parents met as grad students in madison, wi, and i was born at the university hospital there.)
congratulations on a wonderful rite of passage for both you and your eldest daughter.
as someone still on birthday #4, 17 seems so unbelievably far off. i know, i know…blink and it’ll be here.
November 2, 2007 at 8:06 am
What a lovely column! I can’t imagine that there will be some day when I’m not responsible for my children’s birthday parties, but that day will come.
November 2, 2007 at 8:35 am
I loved this, Susan. I got a little teary–again, always–at the mention of Samuel and your preeclampsia.
I hope to feel the relief you felt at your daughter’s birth when I have my second daughter (hopefully in four months).
But yay for birthdays! I’m with you. I love celebrating them.
November 2, 2007 at 11:38 am
lovely column. wow wisconsin! Congrats!
November 5, 2007 at 9:09 am
I’m crying. Really. I’m crying. M will be 17 next year, and when she goes away to college, the nest will be empty. Yep, I’m crying.
What a wonderful idea for a party, too, Susan! I may have to steal that next year for M, because although she hasn’t had big parties for the past couple of years, I don’t want next year to go by without one. For as you say, it will be the last at home. The very last for R and me, as once she goes away, we’re back to being alone.
Something off topic and odd to share. First - congrats on the decision for Wisconsin!! P is loving UVA, and we were up there weekend before last. Now, I cried a little when I dropped him off in August, but I WAILED on the way home from this weekend. I have no idea why, it was like a delayed reaction. I have been missing him terribly, much more than the first month or so. Something to be aware of.
November 21, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Dear Susan, women go through so many different stages in their lives.
Especially mothers ! How we identify ourselves as individuals and to those around us. As the natural nurturer
In so many ways we are the center of our children’s, husband, mother, father universe. We give of ourselves, sometimes too much, too little, often never feeling like we are giving enough, never fully okay about how much we keep for ourselves. Our loved ones rely on us, pull for our love, attention and just as often push us away to seek their own space and interest. It’s a constant tug of war of emotions. And at crucial stages of separation for them we all too often a step behind recognizing when they are ready to move forward. It takes a bit of time for us to get used to them not needing us after needing us for so long.
These times feel weird because once more with that separation we have the opportunity to have some breathing psychic space to see ourselves again. Except this time,we see ourself no longer wearing the same role. “Well, I guess that outfit no longer fits, NOW which outfit/role will I wear now ?”
It’s been both sad and exciting those times. I miss the old comfortable role, am excited about embarking onto a new scene and a bit scared as to if I can pull it off.
I’ve been visiting that place for the last couple of years with the advent of getting older, feeling the physical pain and limitations of my body getting older, getting new parts ( two knee replacements, two heart stents, two cataract surgeries) friends getting older, doing less, career winding down. The spirit has been all too willing but the body had not always cooperated. Now I’m just getting used to this patched up body, trying to find how
what I want to do, wanted to do can be accomplished AND figuring out WHO this person inhabiting my body IS these days.
It’s been interesting.
November 21, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Dear Susan,
I posted on your blog because I could not post a comment on your Literary Mama site.