This year has realigned my perspective.
I started 2020 super pregnant. We just returned from Hawaii where we spent the first week of 2020 celebrating my brother-in-law and his wife’s (my sister-in-law) wedding. We were able to see my husband’s side of the family, particularly my sweet little nugget nieces and nephews. It was such a treat, even if it meant dragging my pregnant ass on three flights / two flights either way.
Days after we returned to the east coast, my husband flew abroad for a period of several weeks. Though I was not crazy about him leaving during my last two months of pregnancy, and even hired a doula in the case that our baby arrived early, this was a blessing in disguise as I purposefully kept myself quite busy. Work and scheduled social plans with everyone who I wanted to catch up with, many of whom I would not have otherwise made a point of reaching out to had my husband been in town (my partner in cancelling plans), prior to the Pamper Pirate arriving kept me busy. This also included the baby shower, when I got to see my mom, grandma, sister, BIL, and soul cousin. I am so happy that I was able to see my nearest and dearest girlfriends and gayfriends prior to lockdown.
The Pamper Pirate arrived a week into working from home two hours into the due date. I was in labor for 26 hours. We were lucky that my husband was permitted in the delivery room with me during the birth; my doula was prohibited from my birthing suite. That might be the most annoying phrase ever uttered.
We consider ourselves lucky that we were able to bond as a family during our quarantine time. It would be unlikely that we would have left our home otherwise. Glass half full: the pandemic eliminated feelings of FOMO.
The Pamper Pirate and I took an extended vacation to the Gulf Coast for the autumn. My parents quarantined before driving up to the District and driving us back to the house where I grew up. I loved spending time at home with the Pamper Pirate even if that meant that we did not get the full coast experience. Too many people down south not taking COVID-19 seriously equates to me being especially vigilant about where and when we ventured from my parents’ house. This also resulted in a full home quarantine by all members of our family when the Pamper Pirate and I returned to DC.
This has been the Pamper Pirate’s first holiday season. While we are disappointed that he was not able to spend it with lots of family, we recognize how lucky we are this year. With that, signing off until 2021.
Guys, it is going to be a great year.