Friday, April 10, 2009

Welcome!

This blog marks the start of a brand new adventure. I have two kids with my ex-husband--an 18 year old son and a 15 year old daughter; two weeks ago, much to my amazement, my boyfriend and I found out I am pregnant. I was 21 when I learned I was pregnant with my son; I will be 41 next week. I look forward to sharing the journey here, chronicling the differences between pregnancy in one's 20s and one's 40s, between 20th and a 21st century new motherhood. Some of the differences are pretty clear already--I was in college when I first found out I was pregnant; now I teach college. I still had baby fat on my cheeks when I was pregnant the first time; now (horrors) I find I am developing a wattle along with a baby bump. Another thing is crystal clear: maternity clothes and baby gear are so much cuter than they used to be (and so much more expensive! I hope I'll be as lucky with hand me downs this time around.)

Thanks for joining me on this wild and unexpected ride--I'd love to hear from you if you've done a second round of parenting later in life, yourself...

9 comments:

  1. Holy cow!! Congrats all around around. Forty is a good age to revisit motherhood.

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  2. What wonderful news, Gayle!!! Congratulations and many blessings!

    I had my last child at 37--I tell myself that she keeps me young. :-)

    Cheers,
    Doxy

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  3. Oh, Gayle!!!!!!!!! What wonderful, exciting news!!!! I'm looking forward to sharing in your new journey to motherhood!

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  4. What a pleasant surprise! I was looking forward to you becoming a young empty nester in a few years, and now this! :)

    Looking forward to all the juicy details.

    I'm thinking we need to thank your Kwan Yin statue... She may have broken in half a few months ago, but that was for a good cause. Kwan Yin stands for fertility, after all (though it'd probably also mean that your new baby will be a boy rather than a girl). Kwan Yin is surely weird - she never gives birth herself (she's transgender after all), but she surely makes lots of women pregnant - you included.

    I'll certainly be following your pregnancy. I already mentioned it in my novel blog (where I'll have to deal with the pregnancy of my alter ego Kirsten).

    Rach

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  5. Fantastic news!! Looking forward to following your growing bump along with your flourishing career. Many congratulations and lots of love...from someone who knew you when you still had those adorable baby fat cheeks!

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  6. Aw, thank you so much everyone. It is lovely to feel so supported as I embark on this startling new journey!
    xoxo
    gayle

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  7. Gayle!! I had my Max when I was in my early 40s and it was the most blissful pregnancy on earth! CONGRATULATIONS!!!

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  8. Startling new journey is right! Wow, another MYWG baby...congratulations and much, much happiness to all of you. xoxoxo
    Linda

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  9. Thanks so much, Caroline and Linda--I'm so grateful for your support. :)
    xoxo
    gayle

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