In preparation for Elliot's birth, Husband and I signed up for a ten-week class on childbirth and what goes along with it. It was the only English-language class in town and overall, I would recommend to any one. Not for the advice**, but for the fellow classmates.
From almost the beginning, the mothers have had weekly get-togethers. Every Tuesday afternoon we have "Tea and Cakes"*** at one of our homes. The babies play and we all visit. It's made a world of difference in getting adjusted to things with Elliot.
Not only are all the women good company--each is smart, accomplished, kind and funny---but it's been fantastic to have a group going through all the same things, at almost the same time. Recovering from childbirth and all the culture shock that follows, changing relationships and roles, working through baby sleep issues and figuring out how to fit into our clothes again. But, the pregnancy and baby things are giving way to the beginnings of good friendships.
And as we're getting to be friends, naturally what follows is having a party. It is summer, after all. But this time, we decided to add in the whole family, because other than a few moments in passing, we haven't all visited since one of the last classes.
So of course this included the dads.
Husband and I picked a date that worked for everyone**** and organized a cookout. And everyone showed up. And by everyone, I mean nine families. Nine moms, nine dads, nine babies and one grandmother. Between all of us, there were ten nationalities.***** We are geologists, journalists, human resource managers, financial service people, engineers, primary teachers, musicians, quality managers and other things I am forgetting. It's a diverse group and a lively one, too.
We parked the baby seats by the door and set up a play area with toys and soft blankets.
Husband manned the grill on the back porch.
And then he had some help.
Husband, Elliot and I provided the main course of all sorts of pølse as well as brownies and key lime pie.****** Everyone else brought side dishes. We had glutenous rice, which is not just rice stuck together, but a savory concoction of rice and vegetables. There was lentil salad and apple cake, a recipe from the chef's hometown in France. We had stuffed baked potatoes with fancy sour cream, which was a mix of oniony, herby goodness. Then chicken on a stick covered with a satay sort of goodness. The table was covered with all sorts of culinary yumminess. If Husband and Elliot weren't blocking the table below you could see it, too.
A grandmother who was in town for a visit came along. Since she clearly had much more experience than any of us do, she shared advice.
We passed around our babies.
And I learned that whipped cream doesn't just exist in Cool Whip cartons or fancy restaurants. It can be made in regular people's houses as well.
We also had a Magic Cleaning Fairy. Well before I could even make any protests, the kitchen was straightened and I could see the counters again. It was not necessary, but so so appreciated. (And isn't her hair fabulous?)
Everyone was casual and hung out exactly as they wished. Occasionally, babies and a parent or two would take a break for a nap or an attempt at pacifying.
And little by little, families trickled off home...Most of them anyway. A few stayed on and after a while, we reheated leftovers for dinner.
Overall, it was a really good day.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
* I am referring to the guest list, not the menu.
**Though I was promised a balanced agenda, it was heavily skewed to the all natural, a perfectly acceptable method for many people, one of which I am not.
***I suggested "Knocked Up Meet Up." It never really caught on.
****We are missing one couple, but we're hoping that they show up again in the fall. Also one couple in the group did not attend the class. We adopted the mom from a yoga class.
*****American, British, Scottish, Irish, French, Norwegian, Dutch, German, Singaporean, Australian
******I LOVE key lime pie. Every year, I have it instead of birthday cake. I have specific opinions on when it is appropriate to add a dollop of whipped cream to the top of a slice. (Never) And if I could have found someone to make a GIANT one for our wedding, we would have. I was explaining this one of our guests yesterday. She told me that it's traditional at Dutch weddings to have pies instead of cake. And at their's a few years ago, they had tables of all varieties of pies...chocolate and fruit and butterscotch. If it had been my wedding it would have been all key lime. Mmmmmm key lime.
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