Last night, my husband and I had a rare night out with friends. We had a few beers, some pizza, good conversation, then went downtown for a play. There’s nothing quite like hanging out with good friends…friends with whom you can discuss politics and religion, have differing views, then end up laughing about old Seinfeld clips a few minutes later. Friends who have seen you at your best and worst. Friends who have helped you when you’ve most needed them. Friends you could call anytime, day or night, and they’d be there for whatever reason. Friends you can’t even be embarrassed in front of, no matter how hard they might try to embarrass you.

We had a nice evening without the kids around. No noses or butts to wipe, no food to make that someone won’t want to eat, no baths to give, no crying, no injuries, no toys to clean up, and no arguments between siblings. As we were laughing over dinner, I couldn’t help but think how good it felt to be there.

When we got home, we paid the babysitter, let the dog out, checked e-mail, cleaned up the kitchen, and watched the news. We did all the boring, ho-hum stuff we always do. After I put on my pj’s, I went into my daughter’s bedroom like I do every other night. I tucked her in, kissed her on the forehead, and then went to my son’s room. I took about twenty toys and books out of his bed and kissed his forehead…but last night, instead of tucking him in, I climbed under the blanket with him.

And, as I snuggled up next to him and watched him sleep, I couldn’t help but think how good it felt to be there.

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For a limited time, just about anything your heart desires comes in pink. A Kitchenaid Mixer, a t-shirt, even a hammer. But, if you’re running low on cash, The Breast Cancer Site has made it easy to help. Simply by going to their site and pushing the “Click Here to Give” button, you can help fund free mammograms for low-income, inner-city and minority women.

Do it for your mothers, your sisters, your aunts, your cousins, your friends. It only takes a couple of seconds…and it’s FREE! Every click counts, and if you know someone who has fought a battle with breast cancer, you know how important early detection can be.

Click here to help save a life!

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Pregnant women make me sick. Literally. So does the smell of freshly applied wallpaper, the Before These Crowded Streets CD from The Dave Matthews Band, lotion from Bath and Body Works, and walking into my ob/gyn’s office.

Don’t get me wrong…pregnancy is a beautiful, amazing, miraculous process, and I think sharing a child with someone you love is a wonderful gift. But, I was not a glowing, happy, expectant Mother. I was sick. A lot. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I threw up every day for months. Not just the first trimester, but through most of the second as well.

Ordinary odors usually sent me running for the nearest restroom. Luckily, I had some seniority in the office where I was working and I had all sweet smelling lotions, sprays and perfumes banned from the department. Some things, like walking my dog and picking up her poo, were unavoidable. I would try to hold my breath, but would inevitably end up gagging and retching in my neighbor’s yards. How attractive is that picture?

But, it wasn’t only tummy upset. I was actually sick, sick. I developed some freakish auto-immune disorder that only affected me when I was pregnant. I blew up so big that if someone had tied a string to my foot, they could’ve entered me in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. All in all, I can’t say it was a pleasant experience until my children were actually outside of my body.

So seeing, hearing and smelling things that remind me of that time tend to make me queasy. To all the pregnant women who are at their best and feel so good when they’re pregnant, I’m really happy for you. But, don’t be offended if instead of stopping to chit-chat with you, I hurry myself along.

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