September 17, 2008 or How We Spent My 33rd Birthday

The day before my 33rd birthday, I met my friend Kisha for tea. It was long overdue. We had been taking a small business class together that we both ended up dropping - she, because she had just gotten into graduate school and me, because my midwife and my body had both told me that it was time to slow down. We had missed each other, so, after much back and forth with our schedules, we settled down on a cozy teahouse on a sunny Sunday and got to finally sit with each other, sip, and spew.

I told her that I was turning 33 the next day.

"Wow, 33, huh?! Girl, you are going into your Jesus year!,"

I'd never heard about this, but K went on to explain how 33 is the year when Jesus died. How 33 was the "bearing your cross" type of year. How Jesus did basically most of whatever it was he did in his last year (oh, & let's not forget - was crucified, ha ha). I didn't like the sound of this. Surely, she got it all wrong on me though. 33 was supposed to be my year of being a glowin' first-time mamma.

I wasn't having any of this Jesus year crap. So, that morning I was projecting the easiest, most peaceful birthday ever. Mimmo and I headed down the coast on Highway One to Half Moon Bay for the day.

It wasn't sunny on the coast ride down, but it was beautiful. We stopped along the side of the road where the artists were setting up easels. When we pulled into Half Moon Bay, I could not wait to introduce Mimmo to my favorite Sushi restaurant in the world. The waitress was one I had never had before. An older Japanese woman who was quite the eccentric. After everything she said, she would have to add "because she's pregnant"...like "yes, this, this, & this are cooked," then she'd wink at Mimmo "because she's pregnant". She told Mimmo that he should have me sitting on the outside "because she's pregnant". I wasn't just pregnant. I was a whale at this point.

We walked around the main street and were treated like locals. "When's that baby coming?," total strangers would ask me on the street, in the restaurant, in the shops. "Any moment now," I would smile. "You have to come back after he's born so we can all see him!," said one of the shopkeepers. "Oh, we will!,". At one point, a young Vietnamese women, who was also pregnant ("la tua compagna," Mimmo would point out whenever he'd see another pregnant women) stopped me so excitedly. "When's your baby coming?," she asked. "Soon," I said. "Me too," she said. "I'm so scared.," "Why?," I asked. "The pain!," she said, like DUH. "Oh, it's going to be alright," I told her. I touched her belly and she touched mine.

I didn't want a birthday present this year. I wanted to get something for Salvatore. We stopped inside a store that sold mostly sea-themed gifts. It was there that I found Salvatore's book. A beautifully written and illustrated lullaby by John Denver that told the story of a Dolphin's birth. I starting crying as I read it, it was so beautiful. "And, you're coming so soon, boo,". We made our way to the beach, parked the car, and Mimmo started heading down the sand dunes while I answered my cell. It was my cousin, Vassi, wishing me a Happy Birthday. While we were talking, I made my way from the car to the top of the sand dunes. "Oh, my god, Vass!,"


There were birds everywhere. They covered the beach and covered the sky. People were gathered, taking pictures, laughing. I had never seen so many birds in my whole life. "Can you receive pictures on your cell?," I asked Vassi. "Yes. Send them to me! I want to see," she pleaded from Brooklyn. I burrowed myself in the sand, like a sea lion preparing to give birth, and snapped away. These pictures don't even do justice.

Mimmo and I sat and just took it all in. The sun was getting ready to set and I wanted to go to a special place I had found one time with J. It was called Redondo Beach, which I found amusing the first time I had passed the sign. Redondo Beach was the place in Southern California where I was born and spent my first 6 months of life. My mom spoke often of how that summer before I was born, she went to the beach everyday "That's why you love the ocean so much," she mused.

Mimmo and I hiked down, not an easy feat with Salvatore in tow in my tummy. I remember a part that was so windy, narrow, & steep, I hugged every part of the earth to make my way down. It was well-worth the journey, though! When we did arrive on sand, we found ourselves a lovely, secluded spot to watch the sunset. We read Salvatore the dolphin book together and listened to the accompanying cd, Mimmo with one earphone, I with the other. We both teared up.

The next day, I sent an email to all our closest friends and family from our day. I joked that I was sharing the last photos of my very pregnant belly and Salvatore's parents before he came into the world.

Later that night, I went into labor. Salvatore was born 2 days after my 33rd birthday.