Potluck!

While I was pregnant, we had the pleasure of attending a childbirth class with Julie Keon over at The Letter Writing Revolution. This was a class geared towards clients of midwives, and for some reason, I had an image of Julie as a hippie-woman, with long curly hair and birkenstocks, burning incense while we filed into the room. I guess I just assumed that anyone associated with midwives were radical people, and that the childbirth class would consist of meditation, deep breathing and using our mental powers to get through pain.

This couldn't have been further from the truth! The class was down-to-earth and very honest, and prepared me to have an unmedicated birth (oh, and Julie does not have long curly hair, and I don't think she wears birkenstocks).

But the best part of the class (apart from the solid information and support!) was the friends we met. Our group of 12 (6 couples) seemed to hit it off really well, and by the second class, we were already making future plans. One by one, we all had our babies, and excitedly shared all the details with each other. Some of us had planned hospital births that turned into home births, but all of us got through natural chilbirth without any major snags.

Since then, we have continued our friendship, meeting at least once a month for potlucks, which we take turns hosting. This past weekend, Tom and I hosted the  potluck, and as usual, we ended up with way too much food! The kids (no longer babies!) thoroughly enjoyed our muddy, messy yard, which we have been re-landscaping.

Holding hands

Our eco-kiddies composting!

Friends forever

Having your first baby is such a special time in your life, but let's be honest, it can also be stressful and scary. These friends have been a wonderful support for us, and we enjoy sharing stories, tips and even childcare! Every time we meet, we marvel at how fast our "babies" are growing, and share in the special knowledge that time is so very fleeting. Because wasn't it just yesterday that we sat in a circle, big bellies and swollen ankles, excitedly planning how we might bring our babies into the world?

Cheers to good food, good friends and muddy backyards!