Growing up December 5, 2006 ~ 7:00 pm
Posted by Julie in : Deep Thoughts , trackbackSaturday my friend Jordana and I were sitting around, kicking stories back and forth for our book, and somehow got to talking about our friend Jessie, who became a mother a week and a half ago. Jordana said that she had seen Jessie and she looked radiant and the baby was adorable. I said “And now you really want one, right?” because I knew that she and Thabs had been talking about it. She replied, “Well, a bit more than that.” “You’re pregnant?!?” I said in disbelief. She nodded, and I shrieked. At least I guess I shrieked, because the other people in the coffeehouse looked at me funny. She then told me that she was just past three months and had wanted to tell me for ages, but there’s that whole superstition about not saying anything before the first timester was over. And that I was the first person outside the family she’d told, and would I think about being the baby’s godmother?
Would I? What the hell kind of a stupid question was that? Of course I would. I even cried a little. I haven’t cried for joy like that…well, since the Steelers won the Super Bowl last year.
Somehow, I feel like we’re crossing a bridge here. One of my best friends from college, Dawn, is due to have her first child on January 7. Jordana is due in early June. My friends are having babies and I guess we’re growing up.
One could say at this point (and I know that one of you will) “But Rick has kids! This isn’t exactly a new thing.” One would be right, in a sense. One would be an unsufferable git in another sense and completely missing the point. Yes, Rick has kids. Those kids were born when I was 14 and 17, respectively. It’s not quite the same as when people your own age start having kids. I have a friend who had a child when she was 20, but that didn’t feel the same, either. We all knew she was young to be having a kid. There was no judgement, but neither was there a sense that “Hey, the rest of us could just as easily be mothers.” The two women who are pregnant now are old friends of mine. They have been through some intense years of change with me, and I’m close to them as a result. And the fact that I am now old enough to be a godmother? That means that HOLY SHIT, I’m old enough to be a mother.
Do not EVEN start. That is SO not going to happen any time soon.
My first act as godmother will be to get my godbaby a good book for bedtime reading. This is the book: Why Mommy Is a Democrat. Hey, part of being a godparent is looking out for the kid and helping to raise it to be a good person. Well, this baby is going to be raised right left!
Comments
AWESOME!
Congrats, Julie!
Okay, three seconds after my last comment, I’m now feeling old and depressed and all my friends are married and having babies ARGH
SOMEONE MARRY ME AND SPAWN
ANYONE
I wish to add:
I WILL DO THE DISHES ALWAYS
Retro~I don’t see how any woman could pass up an offer like that. Seriously, someone to do the dishes?
Aimee~I think so.
Are you at all sad? I only ask b/c when my friends hit the marks that made me think, “Wow, we’re, like, grown ups now,” it was a little sad for me. Overjoyed for them, of course, that should go without saying, but a teeny bit sad too.
Love the book.
The Wife and I love the book!
All I can say is, it sounds like it’s in the water. You know what’s going to happen. Soon. I predict before you’re 32.
You watch.
I’d marry Retro, but I can’t spawn anymore. Of course, my little spawnling is really cute and we could share!
KtP~A little sad, yeah. I was thinking about it this morning and was like “Well, that’s the end of staying out all night at a club. And we never even made it to Coney Island to watch the sun come up like we’ve been planning to.” On the other hand, hey, cute little person! That I can buy and knit for! It’s a little bittersweet. I can only imagine what it’s like for the parents-to-be.
Scout~It was a gmail pop-up ad.
Vince~Dude, shut up. Literally bite thy tongue. In half.
Aimee~Your spawnling looks like me. Maybe *we* should get married.
I’m so excited for Jordana!!! And Horray for Godmommy Julez!!!!
My friend elizabeth is younger than me, and has already had 2 kids.
but congratuations, godmamma julie! you are going to have to be the cool “aunt” who (assuming it’s a girl) paints her fingernails for the first time while you’re babysitting, or gives the drum set as a christmas gift. basically all the stuff that endears you to the little rugrat, but you get to skip out on the consequences of
I just love GOOD news like that!
So…are we going to have to address you differently once you are godmommied? 
I think it’s lovely! And I adore baby’s first reading material
Congrats, Julie. What a wonderful honor to be asked to be the Godmother!
When I found out my wife was pregnant I told her we should also wait until she was around 3 mo in before we started telling people. That lasted until around, the afternoon, when I was tipped off to her having spilled the beans by members of her family congratulating me.
I liked this post. Congratulations. I’ve never been asked to be Godfather ’cause I’d do Brando impressions forever. God-forsaken motherfucker, though, yeah, I’ve been called that.
Congrats and what a great book for the kiddo!
Aw, yay you.
I’m glad you’ve got your priorities all in order
That’s so awesome. I just found out that one of my very best friends is pregnant, and I’m so excited. Not just excited because she’s having a baby, but because she’s becoming a mom. And being a mom rocks. (and so does being a step-mom).
dude, this is funny - go check out your old blogspot address.
i thought i was going crazy when this strange blog name showed up on my bloglines.
I know what you mean. Hell, when I got married first, and my little brother started having kids, that feeling hit me. I’ve had several friends around me have kids. It’s sad because it makes me want kids, but i’m not in a place to have them now, but was a few years ago. Life is strange sometimes, but I wouldn’t give up being an Aunt and I’m sure someday I will have kids. It’s funny though because while I feel like I have ages to have a kid, I think about my mom when she was my age, and she already had a 12 year old and a 10 year old. Scary.
The wild part ( about having kids) for me was that all my friends started having them MUCH younger than I did. Hubby and I decided to wait awhile first- I didn’t have my first until I was almost 32.
Which means now all my friend’s kids are entering College, while I still have one in Elementary school!!
Makes it easy to find babysitters though!!!!!
KC~Here, everyone waits to have kids. NYC is the ultimate land of “We’ll just wait until we’re older.” Which means you ask your friends to babysit, not their kids.
Colleen~When my mother was my age, she wasn’t even pregnant with me yet. It’s all about perspective, man.
ESC~That’s fuckin’ nuts. Why is it a search engine looking for Bettie Page now???
E-Lo~It’s very cool. But I think I’ll leave it to others to be that cool for now.
Jay~I have been waiting years of my life for someone to say that instead of “You’d better get your priorities straight!” Thank you.
FD~Thanks!
Michael~Funny, I’ve been called that, too.
Gooch~Apparently the family is a legal loophole to the first trimester announcement. Perhaps it’s in the by laws.
Jenny~It really was an honor. You know you’re close when someone asks you to do that.
Lisa~I thought you would.
Seamus~Damn skippy. Start calling me “Supreme Overlord” now, mister.
ESC~Friend who had her first child at 20? Now has 3. And she was the last one we would have expected to be a mom. Life is crazy. And I get to be the one to take the kid out to get his/her ears pierced. Because I am cool like that. And the godfather lives in Canada.
Nanner~ Me too!