Monday, July 13, 2009

How I Feel About Maids, Giving Birth and Chopping Wood

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This week's topic is "Three things you did not know about me"!

Okay, thing one. Even though I live in Mexico and all the cool kids are doing it, I REFUSE to hire a full-time maid. For fear of offending any of my dear friends who do have full-time help, I will abstain from writing my miriad reasons, but suffice it to say that I have five able-bodied children and we should be able to clean up after ourselves. I'm not judging anyone, really, this is just right for my particular family. Just for the record, I do have someone who comes in to help for four hours each week, and she mostly holds the twins, because they're in love with her, and tries to keep them out of her mop water.

Thing two. I love to give birth to my children without the aid of anesthesia...of any kind. Again, for fear of offending all of my dear epidural-loving friends, let it suffice to say that there are hormones that are produced during the pain of labor, such as dopamine and seratonin, that just will not be present unless you go through the pain. These hormones give an extreme natural high to both the mother and the baby, and help both to bond after childbirth. During this time after giving birth, I feel like I want to run a marathon, climb the highest mountain, or eat a huge plate of Nachos Bell Grande, and have. One of my brother's friends said, "You know, if you want to get high, I could hook you up with something a little less expensive." Funny. Nope, I love my after-birth high and I'm not giving it up any time soon. Unless, of course, it's another c-section. I do have some sense.

Thing three. I love to chop wood and am really good at it. Once I went camping with another family with my five children, the youngest of whom was 5 months old, and without my late husband, as he was serving in Korea for a year. The other couple had three older children and a very loud dog.

After our belongings were unpacked, the kids and I had the tent set up in about fifteen minutes, then went to help our friends with theirs as they were struggling something awful. Now, normally, this is not something I would ever bring up, lest you think I toot my own horn, but because of what happened next, I couldn't omit it. Unfortunately, there was very little firewood, but there was a large tree that had fallen down, about a foot and a half in diameter. I told the husband that I could chop this up for our firewood and that it would probably take me about an hour. He began laughing hysterically and said that it would take me at least five hours, and it would be dark by then. I was determined to prove him wrong. With the extra adrenaline he had just provided me, I began making "V" cuts with the hatchet to get the log into managable pieces to split, then after I had finished with that, I split the wood into perfect camp fire-worthy pieces with an ax. I did this in 35 minutes. I tried not to gloat, as I could see this guy had enough problems when I witnessed his wife commanding the kids to brush their teeth and commanding her husband to do it, too. Right now.

Yes, I like to chop wood.

Okay, there are three things you might not have known about me! What about you? Any weird idiosyncrasies we need to know about? Love to hear it! Thanks for listening!

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12 comments:

MadeInCanarias said...

I like to chop wood too.

Cambria said...

Oh you are so awesome!!! We are just such kindred spirits! I have now had two home births and wouldn't have drugs if you paid me! Child birth CAN be great! And more power to you on the maid thing, I hear ya sista! =) When are you going to come inspire us with your yummy cooking? Oh- and super congrats on the next pile of clothes! I am so excited for you!

I am Harriet said...

I have given birth both ways. It's painful no matter what you do. But, worth it.


Just stopping by via the blog hop to say hello.
http://iamharriet.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-hop-3-things-you-did-not-know.html

Cheryl B. said...

Curious, do you still have contact with the family from the camping story? Are they still a married couple? Wonder if she has any idea what kind of a relationship they would have if she treated him with respect? Not saying he doesn't have his faults ...he is human after all, but the o/~ "R-E-S-P-E-C-T" o/~ that Aritha Franklin sang about goes ditto when applied to husbands too ;-}

Stacie said...

I never chopped wood! Have a great day!

Anonymous said...

I like cleaning my own house. Not sure if I would want a maid. I am kind of with you and think we should clean our own messes. But like you said to each his own.

I have had all 4 of my children with no help from drugs. I was Lucky to have easy deliveries and decided I could deal with the pain.

On the wood chopping....YOU GO GIRL!

Emily said...

I'm with you on one and two, but I have never tried chopping wood. Very impressive!

Angela @ Nine More Months said...

The wood chopping story is the best! Did they ever invite you to go camping with them again? :)

the brown couch said...

Poppin'over from Brown Couch Events
browncouchevetnts.blogspot.com

and Comfort Joy Designs
comfortjoydesigns.blogspot.com

Deborah

P.S.
You are invited to my Stella & Dot Jewelry Party happening all week at Comfort Joy Designs! Hope to see you there!

Jessie and Byron said...

Jen,
I really enjoy reading your blog, you always have such fun good stories and experiences. You are a super strong woman, I cant believe that you have given birth to all your kids naturally. I gave birth to Clayton naturally (not my choice but the anethesiologist was out, only in safford can that happen lol) and I never had that great high you talk about. In fact, quite the oppisite, I will never do it again, because it was so long and awful that when he finally came out, I was so exhausted I dont even remeber holding him for the first time, then I fell asleep and was out for several hours before I was even semi coherant! You are lucky to have such easy pregnancies and not awful labours! Hope this next one is just as easy for you!

Michelle Gibson said...

Hi! Hoppin' around here and there, so glad I hopped here!

I loved all your things, but especially Thing Two! Here here on no anesthesia! I learned that after my 4th. I birthed my 5th at home unassisted and it was the most intense and most thrilling moment of my life!

Gonna go look around! 9 kids, I love it! Looks like a fun blog. :-)

Frantic Holly said...

Just hopping by to say Hi and visit your list!