Of Cake and Coping
August 15, 2005
I'm working from home today and trying not to think about it too much.
I ate leftover cake from my baby shower for breakfast.
Which was wonderful, by the way, and the cake was nicer than my wedding cake, and looked like this:
Unbelievable, right? Way too pretty to eat.
Somehow, I have managed.
(Come and get it, flour beetles! You miserable little shits.)
I have completely amazing friends. Friends who went out of their way to make me feel spoiled and pampered and stuffed to the gills with mind-blowing chocolate cake.
(It takes three people to plan a shower for someone like me, apparently.)
(Also, hello and welcome to the Supersized Amalah! Good lord.)
We picked a really, really bad weekend for the shower, as about 75% of the guest list couldn't attend for various important and not-made-up reasons, I swear. But it didn't matter at all, because everybody who was there -- and even people who couldn't be there but took the time to make sure there was a gift or card or a message on my phone (one person called just to sing me a little "I'm so sad I'm not at your shower" song that she wrote especially for the occasion) -- made me feel very loved and fussed over and totally pretended to be interested in seeing my ultrasound pictures for the hundredth million time and tell me how gorgeous my baby is going to be.
(Yes, I have all of his ultrasound photos in an album, right down to the original tadpole blob one. And yes, I will make you look at EVERY DAMN ONE. Repeatedly.)
And my mom was there. And Jason's mom. And man, does this little baby have the world's greatest grandmas.
(My mom's in red, Jason's mom's in pink. And I look very shiny and bedraggled because it was, no lie, over 210 degrees Fahrenheit this weekend in D.C. Am not exaggerating in the slightest. We all nearly died but were saved by the healing power of chocolate cake.)
Our dads stayed home with Jason and painted the nursery. Yes! It's painted. A lovely, boring shade of off-white that took us hours and hours to decide on. Jason's mom will be back soon to do all sorts of artistic painty things and the furniture we ordered has arrived and will be delivered shortly. So the room is still in shambles, but at least it's moved on to "shambles with a purpose and goal" versus "shambles with which to drive the poor pregnant girl crazy."
Before:
After, sort of, and yes, the ironing board is still in there:
So all good things. All very good things.
I just really hope my mom's surgery goes well. That would be the best thing of all.
I'm going to go eat more cake.
Amy, I have no doubt that your momma will be just fine. :-) And you, and the lovely ivory color in the nursery, look gorgeous.
Best of luck with your mom's surgery.
I hope your Mom's surgery goes well and w/out complication.
You look fab, by the way!
Love the dress.
Best wishes to your mom!
Your mom will be in my thoughts and prayers today, Amy.
Thinking very positive healing thoughts. There's no better way to go into surgery than filled with chocolate specialty cake. How did they make that bow??
I think you look fab pregnant. Am having trouble understanding, though, how the bigness in the tummy makes its way down and out. Why didn't evolution create, like, a zipper or something? Hell, even velcro would do.
Sending good thoughts your way for your mom. I hope everything turns out ok.
I recently found your blog, and I really enjoy it.
Congratulations on your pregnancy. I am hoping for one of my own after two+ years of trying, including some clomid hell of my own.
Hang in there.
I'm sending good thoughts and prayers your way today. And Am drooling over the cake. Stoopid wedding diet.
Thinking of your mom today, hope everything goes super good.
And what a fabulous shower, I've never had a cake that gorgeous! Glad you had a good weekend. :)
wow, that is one PRETTY cake and one Beautifully round belly..:*) But a beauty it is! You are so cute dude, it's almost a sacrilege.
I digress...
But the real reason I am commenting is to send you and Amalah-Mom good wishes for the surgery.
Best wishes for your Mom's quick and successful recovery..........
You look beautiful! (Hopefully my honey doesn't read this - but I'm a tee-nincy bit jealous!)And, over in Sterling, the temperature on Saturday was around 350. I was tempted to cook a turkey in my purse. Hope all goes well with Mom!
Praying for your mother Amy! And just look at you- you are absolutely glowing. Glad you had a good time at the shower.
I hope your Mom's surgery goes well. And now I really want some chocolate cake.
I have everything crossed for your mom: I'm sure everything will go just fine.
And man, that is some chocolate cake!
I have to put my comment in list form to make sure I cover everything.
First of all: I am sending warm fuzzies your mother's way in hopes that her surgery is a success.
2. That cake is so pretty. I have a shower this weekend and I would be thrilled just to have a homemade cake and a can of cream cheese frosting beside it with a spoon.
3. Damn, look at that belly! I honestly can't wait til my belly is as big as yours. You carry it very well.
4. Uh, that's it.
That cake? So yummy, so pretty! So very pretty and yummy that it looks like it could end wars! Herald the second coming of the Lord! Cure my morning sickness!
And so, based on that cake alone, I am sure your mother will be fine.
And though it is probably completely unnecessary, I am sending happy thoughts and well-wishes to you and your mother.
Your mom is in my thoughts today.
And that's the best looking cake I've ever, ever seen.
Best of wishes for your Mom's surgery,and an abundance of cake just as pretty as the baby shower cake for afterwards.
Also,that gorgeous maternity dress totally makes me want to be pregnant just so I could wear it. Well, almost.
Ok, so I was all, why didn't she identify who was who in the Moms photo so I looked for identifying features and figured the woman in red is your mom because you totally have the same nose. And the cute nose continues in Babalah! And then I continued reading and found out I'm an excellent identifying feature identifier.
I hope all goes well with the surgery. That is the fanciest shower cake I've ever seen! So pretty!
Best wishes to the Momalah today. And I do believe I'll indulge in my own "sympathy-cake" for y'all later. The power of the chocolate cake, it is strong!
Longtime lurker coming out of the shadows to say that I'm keeping your mom in my thoughts.
Can you send me some of that cake? I am in great need. It looks so amazing!
Thinking of your mom/babalah's "Nana". Hope she does ok and that all goes well.
Hi, Amy--
Long-time lurker here (okay, well, at least for a few months) who found your blog through Mindy's link at The Mommy Blog. Just wanted to let you know that I'm thinking about you and have said a prayer for your Mom.
I live in the CA Bay Area, but am in Maui on vacation with my husband. I recently found out that my Mom is in the hospital back in PA (since I know you're a fellow Pennsylvanian, it's Reading, PA, to be exact...) with a malignant colon tumor. She didn't want anyone to tell me because she didn't want to ruin our vacation.
Of course I freaked out, and then I thought about you and your Mom, and you being pregnant, and realized that although I was sympathetic when I first read your post about your Mom, I really couldn't know how you were feeling till it happened to me.
My Mom's surgery is today, too. Just wanted you to know that I'm thinking about you, and that I'm probably here in Maui having very similar thoughts and feelings (but I'm NOT pregnant, so I can't imagine what that must be like for you).
I'm flying back to CA tomorrow, will check in with my kitties and doggies, and then will probably fly out to PA the next day. If you need to talk or vent, send me an e-mail. Otherwise just know that I'm thinking about you and praying for your Mom.
Run-on e-mail is now finished (and I was an English major, too--must be the stress....)!
--Susannah
Best Wishes for the Mamalah. Hope she comes through the surgery with flying colors. Now go have some more cake :)
Thinking positive thoughts for your mom, Amy.
Your mom is in my thoughts & prayers, you hang in there, ok?
P.S. That cake is amazing!
I hope this is the only surgery your mom has to have and that she pulls through with flying colors.
Also, am jealous of your cake.
That cake is truly gorgeous and lovely and contains healing powers.
Sending all good thoughts and prayers to Momalah - for peace and strength to be with you as well!
This post made me smile. What a happy weekend you had- surrounded by lots of loving friends (with excellent cake-choosing abilities) and family (two great moms and dads who paint!). Also, the nursery color choice looks perfect! It's like yummy vanilla ice-cream.
Most of all, I'm hoping for the best for your mom today. Please keep us posted.
The healing power of the chocolate cake will stay with the Gradmalah all day, I'm sure. Saying a prayer for you two!
I hope so too, Amy.
When I read the first post about your mom I couldn't even respond because I was so choked up. Shortly before your post, I had found a lump and the days between finding the lump and getting the biopsy results were some of the worst in my life. The results were just what I had prayed for and all is now good. I am keeping your mom and you in my thoughts today, knowing that you will be strong and she will be fine.
Your mother has been in my thoughts--you are both so strong and Shall Overcome.
And...oh? OMG that's an amazing cake....
That is one beautiful cake. You have awesome friends.
Praying for your mommy. And you.
I'm keeping good thoughts for your mom.
You and your mom are in my thoughts today.
Do you know where the fabulous cake came from? I'm sure your DC readers (like me) could send them some business!
Your Mom will come out of surgery with flying colors!
Thanks everybody -- I just got off the phone with my dad, and my mom is out of surgery. Very, very sick from the anesthesia, but is at least in a private room. I'm going to call her later tonight.
The doctor said the surgery went "okay." Over-analyze that as you see fit.
(And the cake is from Balducci's, and seriously, I have eaten four pieces today.)
OMG, that cake looks SO good. My biggest weakness in the world is a good piece of cake.
The room looks great, it will be done in no time.
LOVE that dress you had on for your shower, it's so cute!!
Hoping your mom's surgery goes well. Fingers crossed!
Yay!! Fun post! That cake is freakin amazing!! Who made it!?
Glad to hear the surgery went okay and that she has a private room for her recovery. I hope you two have a good talk tonight.
Also, I am jealous of the sheer quantity of your chocolate cake, let alone its beauty.
that cake is incredible!!!!
Positive energy is coming your way for you and your mom.
Man Alive is that cake magnificent! gimme please.
Regarding the "ok" comment from you mom's doc, they have to be noncommittal like that because they don't want to get sued. Along the lines of 'under-promise over-deliver.
good thoughts!
Amy,
I'm pleased the surgery is over. I'm confident your mom will come out on top. She has a babalah to get ready for!
The cake is magnificent, who would expect anything less for you :)
Great friends too - you are all lovely and beautiful inside and out.
Congratulations, and I hope your mom is up and around in no time.
Schmoopy - I'm waiting to hear that EVERYTHING IS OKAY with your momma, because I know that it will but until I hear those magic words, I'm going to think about you all day.
By the way, your cake has to be the most beautiful shower cake I've seen EVER.
I could use a piece of that cake today too so go ahead and have five(one for me) or you know, mail it to Georgia. Whichever you see fit.
Keeping you all in my prayers.
Hey? Amalah's mom? You look great!! You are totally going to be fine. Maybe Amalah will bake YOU a cake with special healing powers. Or maybe just buy you one. But either way, you are going to be so healthy it makes me smile.
All I can say is that I have been keeping your Mom and your family in my positive thoughts zone today. Your site makes me laugh and smile every day. You deserve only good and wonderful things!
Your mom has a lot to live for, which can do wonders.
Trust me, I know. My grandpa beat liver cancer so he could walk me down the aisle. Cocky to think it was all for me? Perhaps, but liver cancer has a pretty low survival rate.
Anyhoo, I'm not a prayer, but I'll think good thoughts.
And the cake? Yeah, it's nicer than my wedding cake too. Dammit.
Good thoughts to da momma.
And is the "congrats" tag made out of frosting, too, because WHY HAVEN'T YOU EATEN IT YET!?! You could send it my way any time ...
Amy I'll be thinking of your mother and sending the very best thoughts ever.
that cake is kick ass. i would have been reluctant to damage it with the eating. so pretty is that cake.
have you done professional pregnancy photos? you ought. you have a lovely belly and pregnancy photos are so beautiful. you can do them nude, half nude, fully clothed, whatever. i did part nude and nude. the part nude i wore like a teddy thingy that opened at the front and exposed my belly.
anyway! can't wait to see the rest of the nursery transformation.
Congrats on a great baby shower - that cake is gorgeous!!
I hope everything went well for your mom, I'll keep her in my thoughts for a speedy recovery. :)
I just decided what I'm getting Babalah for his Welcome To The World gift: a can of spray starch. He's going to be the best infant ironer of all time. An Ironman, if you will.
Your mom's in our thoughts over here.
I'm sending all the happy vibes I can your way.
If your mom had some cake too, then have no fear as cake heals all. keeping your family in my thoughts.
Praying for your mom. :)
Thinking about your mother... Hopefully, the surgery went well. By the way, I love your dress! You look great!
i also hope your mom feels well after the surgery and that she gets good news afterward.
and good lord, girl, you weren't kidding about the beach ball thing. teeeeny-tiny on top (meaning arms, face, etc., not in any way derogatory of your breasteses) and then boom. but that's probably a good sign that you'll just shrrrriiink back to tiny amalah afterward. lucky girl.
i am commenting for the first time to say i really hope everything goes well with the surgery, and i wish your mom a quick recovery. and your site is great!
Still praying for your mom, and that is the cutest cake ever.
Congrads on your mom, my grandmother had a double mas. done a few years back, and thank god there was no cancer after.
Hopefully everything will work out for the better.
Love the cake with the wee edible booties! You look beautiful, just tell everyone it's 'the glow'. All the love and best wishes I can muster to you and your momma!
What a beautiful cake, and gorgeous you, and look! I can see how that will so be an awesome nursery. Prayers to your mom--I hope everything went well. The prayers will continue.
Best wishes for your mom! Also, your shower cake is also prettier than my wedding cake. And it looks really yummy. Glad to hear your shower went well.
I hope today sees your mom feeling better and perhaps the doc will shed more light on the surgery. Surgeons aren't effusive or overly popular. Lets give him the benefit of the doubt. "okay" in surgeon speak may mean "fucking fantastic".
Smiles and hugs your way.
Best of luck Mom-alah!
And that is a beautiful cake!
Amy, I want you to know how much I've been thinking of your mom since I read about her diagnosis-- sending you both so much love and wishes for a healthy, speedy recovery. Your baby shower pics are too sweet and that CAKE! my god-- picture perfect.
Amy
Prayers are going up for your mom....You look adorable
Gorgeous cake.
Good luck to your mamalah, and the calmest day of waiting possible to you.
WOW! that is the most gorgeous cake i've ever seen! you are really blessed!
and i'm sure your mom will pull through with flying colors!
Tuesday morning now, and here I am at work thinking only 'bout your mom. Hoping your next post has tons of good news.
Fantastic cake. I truly believe in the healing powers of chocolate.
Take it from someone who's had plenty of experience trying to decipher doc-speak -- OK is good. Hope the news is good.
I'm holding your mother in the light honey. My mother has health issues too and so I understand the fear that creeps into everything. Best wishes to her and to you as well.
Best wishes to your mom, and here's hoping for a speedy recovery. And you and that cake! Everything is better with chocolate.
Thinking about you and your mom... I hope all is super okay on your end.
Sending healthy vibes to you, Momalah, Babalah, and Jason. May the chocolate and the wee person be enough to get you through with smiles on your faces.