Belly Dancer's Nightcap

Our Last Flight Out

April 27th – May 4th

Wednesday

Ezra

So the little guy and me took one last trip before he gets too big for me to travel. After two long flights from Denver to Chicago to Atlanta and a shuttle to Chattanooga I finally see my sister Amy waiting to pick me up. I’m happy my nephews are still awake when we get to the house because I missed them awfully. I was blessed with so many years with them and having a strong bond and I’m always afraid they’ll forget me. Of course they pleasantly surprise me with their enthusiasm rather than looking at me like, Oh yeah, you’re that Aunt we used to hang out with, what’s you’re name again? They are great boys. They show me their justice league action figures and ask if they can sleep in the guest room with me.

Thursday

Miss Marlow

I wake up and want to see my little niece Marlow because she was already asleep last night. I creep into Joseph and Amy’s room where I see Amy passed out. In the back is Marlow’s room and I hear a little crinkling noise coming from that direction. I walk back to her crib and see her tiny cantaloupe size head faced away from me as she plays with a butterfly. I call her name and she crawls quickly up the crib bars with a look of excitement on her face. The excited look changes to a look of horror because she doesn’t know who I am. She’s only about ten months old and the last time I saw her was Christmas. I carry her as fast as I can to her Mom while she makes tiny, panicked whimpering sounds while staring at me. It takes about a day for her to get used to me. By the time I leave she’ll even reach her arms out for me.

We spend the morning at Rembrandts having a lavish breakfast of French toast, pumpkin bread, fresh fruit, tea and decaf coffee. I’m so happy I get to be pregnant with one of my sisters – Amy is six weeks behind me. I wish we lived near each other but I soak up the time I have and appreciate it. After breakfast we drive to Amy’s midwife appointment at the midwife’s house, which is a nice long drive through the woods and country. I asked Ame to try and make an appointment while I was in town so I could meet her. She was Amy’s midwife when she had Marlow at home and I’ve heard a lot about her. After meeting her I know I would like to use her when we move back to Chattanooga. Midwives are kind of like celebrities to me right now - I love talking to them and getting a glimpse into their interesting lives.

After that we drive straight up the mountain to see Alex’s baseball game. I watch him playing and think back to being his nanny when he was only two. Now he’s ten, growing up tall like his mother and talks like a little adult at times. I talk to him through the fence and to all of his friends and cousins who I know well. They’re all huge. I feel like I haven’t been growing up and they have. Soon Alex will be taller than me. We start to get rained out and I tell him I love him and run to the car with little Marlow under a jacket.

Marlow after a bath in her frog towel

Later that night I go to the new independent, Imaginary Heroes, at the downtown theatre with Joseph and Amy while the children are watched by one of their Uncles. I like moments of the movie but it feels kind of empty.

We get home and I crash dreaming of my husband who should be sleeping next to me.

Friday

Ezra and Asa hanging out on the front porch

I wake up with Ezra next to me. He’s curled up like a little koala bear. Asa stumbles out of his room with sleepy eyes and joins us. We lay in bed trying to get my baby to kick. They insist that they can see something but I can feel him curled away sleeping. We wander down for breakfast and it’s a lazy day. We have lunch with my Grandparents who have come into town from North Carolina. Grandpa suggests one of our favorite restaurants; Sweet Basil and we feast on things like Chicken Massaman and drink Thai iced teas and coffees. Asa and I share two Thai teas and giggle secretly at our end of the table.

Later that night I drive over to my Father and Mother in-law’s house and have dinner with them. I also get to see my nephew Christian and sister in-law Angel. We have a huge feast with some of my favorite dishes that my Mother in-law makes for me. I love food more than ever right now so I’m pretty excited about her good cooking. It’s so nice to sit around and talk with them. I look through my husband’s baby book and get to go through and have some of his baby clothes. I go home and crash with a very full stomach next to Asa cause it’s his turn.

Saturday

When I wake up Asa is passed out next to me. Amy and I go through her baby clothes today and she gives me a bunch. Thank goodness for all the nephews that came before my little boy - we’re racking it in. Amy and I go shopping for the shower tomorrow. When we get home Beth and little Zoe have arrived. Zoe is small and perfect. It’s wonderful to see Beth. She’s a natural at being a new mother. I watch her and hope I can do that well. Zoe’s little cousins surround her and I picture she and Marlow playing tea party in the near future.

More family arrives very late that night from hours of bad Atlanta traffic – Keith, Mom, Kelly and the three little girls. I’m in such a deep sleep I don’t hear them come in.

Sunday

I wake up to the knowledge that the house is full of family and it makes me happy. Before I can wake up Kelly comes and sits by my feet. I think she is wearing a beautiful nightgown but it’s the dress she wore to our sister Lica’s graduation the day before. She was too tired to change. We talk for awhile as my little sisters pile onto the couch one by one giving me hugs. We tromp downstairs for breakfast and coffee. I’m reminded of other times, good memories. My Mom looks at my stomach and says, “Oh, yeah!”and gives me a hug. We spend the morning talking and getting the house ready for my baby shower.

I catch Keith and Kelly out on the front porch talking and go out to sit in the sun with them.

Marley vegging in the sun

People start arriving and there are so many people I want to talk to at once. I’m so happy to see so many friends I haven’t seen in awhile. Keith and Joseph play with the kids outside while we eat and visit inside. There are four Amys at the shower – my sister, Amy Gast with her brand new baby Dove and her older daughter Meadow with blue flowers in her hair, a childhood friend Aimee who drove down from Nashville with her newest little girl baby and Amy from Amy Loves Books who I’ve known for over a year through our weblogs but never met until now comes with her daughter Lily.

It was so good to finally meet Amy. Here she is with Miss Marlow.

A childhood friend Aimee with her baby Alexandria

Zoe all dressed up in her white dress

Two of my favorite people - my Grandma and mother in-law Carlene

Marlow helps me out with the gifts

After everyone leaves we start making dinner, everyone in the kitchen chaos and laughing. Alex was one of the few boys at the shower and is having dinner with us. He and Marley go outside and play baseball. I’m glad he’s so comfortable with my family. I can’t wait to move back to Chattanooga and see him all the time and not miss his baseball games and birthdays.

Monday

Mom, Keith and the girls have to drive back to North Carolina. Kelly is staying because she’s moving into Joseph and Amy’s guest room for awhile. Before they leave we make cinnamon rolls with orange icing for Bailey whose birthday is a few days away and give her our presents.

After they go Amy, Beth, Kelly and I pack up the kids to go shopping. Kelly takes the boys to the aquarium while Amy, Beth, Zoe and I go to places like Baby Gap. They closed all the Baby Gaps in Colorado Springs so I just want to look. But of course I don’t. I buy some things too. When we pick up Kelly and the boys they are in a flurry of sun-tanned excitement from playing in the water pools outside of the aquarium. Kell is a fun Auntie.

Kell with part of her new family

That night I go out with my in-laws to Sticky Fingers and order the largest Bar-B-Q plate I can find. They don’t know how to make Bar-B-Q in Colorado so I’m starved for it. Oh, the food of the South! Hanging out with them makes me wish for the millionth time that we lived here already.

Tuesday

That morning Kelly works on sketches of my stomach and draws me in a variety of poses. I get to see myself through the eyes of the artist. I’m extremely modest but loosen up for the drawings and wish we had more time to do this, especially when my stomach gets really large.

After that Kelly and I meet my friends Carolyn, Kriss and her little girl Judah at Rembrandts for lunch. After some of their famous tomato artichoke soup we walk around the Bluff View Art District and show things to Kelly. We part with them and Kelly and I drive over the bridge to one of my favorite shops in the whole world, Blue Skies. One of the loveliest people I know, Tina, owns it and she brings out a gift for my baby. It’s a beautiful soft blanket with blue satin on one side and soft whit cotton on the other side. I buy my baby some little, leather monkey shoes. Kell and I hit Greyfriars before going home.

Carolyn, me, Judah and Kriss

Judah kept saying,"Baby come out,"and lifting up my shirt. We tried to explain that he's not done yet.

That night, my last night, we all go out for dinner – Joseph, Amy and kids, Kelly, Beth and Zoe and Jonathan. We go to Lupi’s and chatter loudly over the happy music. My little boy kicks along to a Bob Marley song. After a nice long dinner we go out and walk on the new boardwalk, watch the kids run and the moon on the black water.

Wednesday

Ezra with Zoe

Last morning in Chattanooga – wake up next to Kelly buried in a nest of blankets like an auburn-haired bird. We are soon joined by Ezra, Asa, Marlow and then Zoe. I smile and dream of one day having a bunch of children pile into bed with my husband and I.

Kell and I drive over to Greyfriars and meet Joseph, Beth and Zoe. After coffee and muffins the size of our heads we say goodbye to Beth and Zoe heading out of town. We go home and I finish packing and say my goodbyes to the boys and Marlow. Amy drives me to the shuttle. I’m sad to leave but terribly excited to get back to my husband.

After a shorter flight than the previous I land in Denver. I sway uneasily off the plane balancing two heavy bags and a Pooh stomach. After a long while I believe I’m experiencing that thing they talk about in my pregnancy books, “the continued absent mindedness.” Yes, I’m directionally challenged but I’ve never had this much trouble finding the baggage terminal. My bags get heavier and heavier as I get off the train in the wrong places. I get to the point where I don’t think I carry my bags any longer and I start to panic. Finally I get to the baggage terminal and find out I’ve gone to the wrong one. I lose it at that point and stumble along crying as I walk to the East Baggage Claim. Finally I see my husband who gets a look of concern on his face as his pregnant, hysterical wife drops her bags sobbing. “I couldn’t find baggage,” I say through my tears, “and I’ve been here so many times.” He gathers me into his arms and says in my ear, “You’re home now.”

And I am.

Posted by M. of the Gypsies at May 12, 2005 2:52 PM