Normal is Relative

Yesterday, a friend tagged Rico in a video that made him realize something: 

normal is relative.

We watched (and laughed) and then he said something to the effect of, 

"I forget that some of those things aren't normal to everyone"

Wednesday night he had had a similar experience. He's been meeting a group of guys at Old Chicago for beer tour night on sporatic Wednesdays for the past 5 years. Last week he told them that this was likely his last visit (baby coming and all)

In a RARE glimpse into his Wednesday night conversations

 (because apparently the "bro code" is a real thing) 

he came home and said that at one point someone said something like, "Wait, you're not having the baby in water are you?!" 

Like that was the craziest idea ever spoken.

Normal is relative.

I have similar experiences quite often, like when the ladies in my department politely nod thier heads when I talk about my blog, or maternitiy photos, or when I wear clothes to show off the bump, or when they heard about our "gender reveal", or when any of my (apparently) less "normal" pregnancy/birth/and parenting choices come up. Then they say something like, "Wow, things sure have changed a lot since I was pregnant!"

Normal is relative.

One that REALLY got them: the push present. 

I'll be honest, when I first heard of it I rolled my eyes (but I also first saw it on a show where a woman DEMANDED diamonds of a certain karat and had a scheduled c-section for convenience followed by immediatly getting her "baby nurse" to take over most of the mothering…clearly we see life in very different ways. Normal is relative.)

Then, I started hearing about "normal" people getting a push presents. 

People I knew.

My sister got an iPad. "GENIOUS",  I thought! Something that she can utilize in all those wee hours of the morning when she was feeding the baby. She uses it to take pictures and video of her little one ALL the time (thank goodness, because sometimes those pictures are the highlight of my day). She uses it to facetime with me so I can watch my niece as she gets new tricks. Clearly, THIS was a push present I could support.

So, I let operation "A push present is a totally normal thing…and everyone does it" begin.

Oddly, with all the decisions we've made about birth that are in the minority- this "Everybody does it" argument is one of the surest ways to get Rico to do something. 

(It's a good thing I have so many crunchy friends) 

My ACTUAL push present is an iPad mini. Yes, I totally stole my sister's idea. A few friends said that full on iPads were a bit too big to be easy to handle when breastfeeding and suggested the mini. I've TRIED not to even see it…but my husband is a man who LOVES to give presents the moment he buys them- so I've seen it. 

He synced it to my phone and laptop so all my photos and music could be shared- but I've still managed not to touch it. Even when he tried to force me to. 

I actually feel like I have gotten TWO push presents though. Oddly, I might be equally excited about both. 

Rico stopped biting his fingernails for me!

Why is this a present to me?

He did it so that when he tickles me during labor it will feel better. 

If you've ever had chewed up man hands tickle you, and then a girl friend or mom do the same thing- you know that there is a BIG difference. 

One feels nice- the other sends goosebumps! 

He almost gave up. I mean, this is REALLY hard for him. Finally one day he even said, "I need SOMETHING- what about my thumbs, they don't even get used when I tickle you!" 

So, yes, if you check out my man's hands you'll see some nails that actually resemble fingernails…

Just don't look at the thumbs. 

I've had a sneak peak at their powers…OH MAN IS THIS A GOOD PUSH PRESENT!

An odd push present? Maybe, but remember:

Normal is relative.