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has your maternal instict ever surprised the heck out of you?


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my oldest just returned last night from a choir tour in eastern europe. my husband and I were disagreeing about what time to leave for the airport. I wanted to leave earlier than he did, especially since the flight was coming in early. he kept saying that it would take time for them to get from the gate to baggage claim, and we had plenty of time. I felt it would take the same amount of time to get from the parking lot to baggage claim and we aught to just hustle on out the door. our youngest overheard all this and even got in on the action, rooting for the earlier departure; he's very good with numbers and was very reasonable about the whole thing, as was I.

 

finally I realized that reason was getting us nowhere fast and I snapped. normally I sense when I am becoming irritated and I think to myself, golly, I'm irritated. I wonder why. not this time. I heard the words come out of my mouth, at a rather high volume: "listen, I carried that child, I gave birth to him, we're going to get him. now!"

 

I am not a sentimental woman. I did not really even miss that boy terribly, though the house seemed empty, and at first it felt vaguely like something was missing. but once I knew he was in the country, I needed to go get him. it shocked me.

 

to my husband's credit, boy did he respond to my little outburst. I have never seen that man move so fast, not even when I was in labor (when, actually, he seemed to move in slow motion). he grabbed his

keys and we were out the door, pronto!

 

has this happened to you? have you shocked yourself?

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But, were you correct?

 

Yes, and it drive dh crazy.

 

When my youngest dd was very young (maybe 18 months,) I had this feeling that I needed to be with her. I kept telling myself, "She is safe. She is only at the park with her father. What could happen?"

 

Well, I just couldn't stay away from the park. I had to go quickly. As I am getting out of my car, I hear a baby crying: my baby.

 

Dh is pushing her on the swing like he wants to send her to the moon. My three year old was squeeling with delight. He didn't even notice the little one was crying.:lol:

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Yes. Right after my first was born, we went to visit my family. My folks had recently divorced and things were very strained. I had gotten dragged in the middle of things by my dad and it was ugly. Anyway, we were at my dad's house. He had taken my baby, who was about 3 months old then, outside. Something told me to take a peek. He was standing there holding my baby and smoking. I was livid. I charged outside and told him we did not care for him smoking around the baby. What did he do? He did not drop his ciggie. He handed the baby over to me! Yeah, that was more important.

 

Why is this a big deal? I stood up to my dad and told him what to do. He has always squashed me like a bug. You don't do that to him. I did and it took every last nerve I had. But something took over and I charged like a big momma bear! I have since learned to stand up to him pretty well now.

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Oh! This weekend!

 

My son has my "monkey toes", as we call them. They're all curled over and funky looking. His pinky toes are weird, his third toe is a bit long, you get the picture. It's genetic - we're used to it. We're always REALLY careful measuring his feet because of it (that, and because he has a wide forefoot and a narrow heel).

 

I happened to look down at DS's open front sandals and commented that they were officially too short and needed replacing.

 

MIL was visiting. (need I say more?) MIL launches into a tirade about how DS's feet are deformed because we have crammed them into ill-fitting shoes. She is intensely familiar with this subject because it is what happened to my husband's feet, apparently.

 

[insert lots of non-spoken swear words here during a PREGNANT PAUSE]

 

I point to my OWN feet and remind her that I had to wear a brace as a child. DS announces that it is genetic, and that his toes have always been this way. DH announces that it is genetic and that he personally measures DS's feet. We drive right past the store that MIL wanted to go to and go instead to REI and buy DS a new pair of sandals.

 

Witch. I could fill a book with stories like that.

 

 

asta

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Several years ago when my dd was 7 or 8 she was invited to a birthday party with our next door neighbor. The party was being held about 1/2 hour away and my other two children were pretty young at the time so the neighbors offered to drive my dd. The night before the party I couldn't sleep and had a bad feeling that they were going to get into an accident. The next day I just couldn't let dd go to the party. It turns out that they did get into an accident. Everyone was ok but I still wonder what would have happened if dd went with.

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Several years ago when my dd was 7 or 8 she was invited to a birthday party with our next door neighbor. The party was being held about 1/2 hour away and my other two children were pretty young at the time so the neighbors offered to drive my dd. The night before the party I couldn't sleep and had a bad feeling that they were going to get into an accident. The next day I just couldn't let dd go to the party. It turns out that they did get into an accident. Everyone was ok but I still wonder what would have happened if dd went with.

Oo. That was very spooky.

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I can't remember now why everyone was visiting - my folks, the IL, dh's college roommate and his wife. Oldest dd must have been about 3, middle dd was somewhere around 0-6 months. MIL and roommate's wife were doing something with oldest dd, but it was in those "let's talk to the toddler cutesy like" voices. It was just sending dd over the edge when she needed to be calming down. Thing is they thought that's what they were doing. I walked into the room and sent them both out in that "you will obey me now!" voice usually reserved for your own children. And they did! I calmed dd down and we got on with whatever was supposed to be happening - getting ready for nap? Getting ready for church? I don't remember anymore.

 

I've never needed to do it again.

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My daughter was about 10 months old when she overnight developed a rash all over her body. I was unable to get to the doctor until the evening and even then only into Urgent Care. Her usual pediatrician wasn't working so we had to take whatever doctor was on duty. The doctor walked in, looked briefly (15 seconds) at my daughter and stated she had shingles. He handed me a prescription. I tell him this is not possible since she hasn't had chicken pox. He says he is the doctor and knows what is right. I leave. I never fill the prescription. I knew the man was wrong. He didn't know my baby at all. This man had 11 more years of education than me but I just knew he was wrong.

 

I took her to her a new pediatrician that next morning and he said I was right. I also lodged a complaint about the other doctor. :D

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