Ginger and lime tea

You would think a woman who underwent natural, non-medicated labor would be completely opposed to the use of painkillers for, such a flimsy thing as menstrual cramps!

I have been taking ibuprofen for relief, albeit reluctantly, but today I just brewed a hot tea of freshly juiced ginger and a squeeze of lime.

I cant remember which is more painful, labor or cramps.

I know that with the labor, i knew that I could send any medication straight into my baby's bloodstream and I was not down for that. Also, the kind of interventions that often begin with epidurals were unconscionable to me ( new buzz word). Very many labors that involve epidurals end up in C-sections. C-sections are more expensive than vaginal deliveries,  harder to recover from, and complicate future child birth processes.

Ginger and Lime tea. Sip.

10am and baby still sleeping! What!

I sneaked out of bed, about an hour ago, and she twisted and turned, as i crept along the floor, heart in throat. I am so surprised. This never happens. Almost makes me wonder if she is still alive.

Give thanks though.

I have had a moment to myself. Lorenzo has gone to work. Akashi and Kai are still sleeping upstairs. The house is in a mess. Dishes pon the sink. Breakfast to make. But I aint doing non' for nobody but myself for a minute.

It is nice to do this: type away in an endless stream of consciousness.

Often times I don't feel like I am in America.

America is New York. My America. That's what it's supposed to be, anyway.

Que Empire State of Mind- Keys and Jay

I live in a working class neighborhood in Detroit.
Everything is regular here.
So regular that I might as well imagine myself somewhere in Nairobi.

Poverty.
Poor Transport.
Neighborhood drama galore!

Did I mention how  a neighbor pulled out a gun on Lorenzo? Caused a huge scene early one Sunday morning, because my husband's parents' dog got loose , ran over to Jason's house, and apparently bit him.
Apparently is the key word.
 I had heard loud bickering, and thought a neighbor was putting his wife out only to step out of our door and in the view of other neighbors, see what I later learned was Lorenzo, being yelled at by Ms. Jocelyn's mid 30 somethin' year old son, with a gun pointed at him.

Gawwd Dayam!

Detroit.

Baby up.

Today we start potty training.
No diapers on all day- African style.

Ashei.