September 11

It is hard to believe the attacks of September 11, 2001 are already 7 years in the past. In a way, it feels like it was a long time ago, and in others, it feels like it just happened.

When I was pregnant with Little Dude, my due date was September 11, 2006. For me, that date too, is long ago and yet feels like just yesterday. I remember how oddly many people would respond to my due date. Asking a pregnant woman her due date (even though only a small amount of babies actually come on their due date) is something everyone does, and honestly, something I love to do when I see a pregnant mama. But when I would respond, some of my joy would get tarnished by the reactions people would have...why? Because some people are just crazy.

I got some pretty crazy reactions. One lady at the mall (crazy people always seem to be at the mall...)actually told me she "wouldn't have a September 11th baby because it's an evil day".

Uh, what? Exactly.

Others told me they would get the shivers, and then tell me their Sept. 11th memories...and as sad as that day will forever be, hearing the horrifying attacks retold over and over, was, well, depressing and really deflated my excitement in sharing my due date. And yet others would ask me "aren't you scared to give birth on THAT day?" Well, in general, I wasn't scared because my body, as a female, was MADE for birthing babies, and I had awesome doctors.

Still others would tell me to drink this or eat that or use this pressure point in order to go into early labor and avoid plaguing my child with such a horrible birthday. And a small few, would try to not look uncomfortable with my due date and would say, "oh, um, that is nice, perhaps they will make it a national holiday and he will always have the day off from school." One of my old co-workers gave me that gem.

Very few got truly excited for the day, and one of my other co-workers actually said I should not put it one the work calendar because it would seem disrespectful to celebrate that day. Oh bummer.

So, I got around it by saying my due date was the second week of September and drew a thin line through the whole week in celebration of my Little Dude's coming.

Little Dude was born Sept. 4th, 2006, and people quit asking my due date. But I know what it was, and I know that somewhere there were many beautiful babies born on the day that was my due date.

And so, on the 7th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, instead of agonizing over a tragedy I can't change (but still want to be respectful of), I would like to wish a very happy birthday to all the babies born on September 11, because they prove that there are still wonderful joys deserving of great celebration.

And, who knows, perhaps one of those babies will grow up to bring peace to this unpeaceful world of ours.