This week's topic: Push Presents.
I’m pretty sure when Salt-N-Pepa sing the song Push It, they aren’t thinking of moms pushing babies out in a hospital delivery room. But I can’t find a more appropriate theme song for this week’s blog entry!
Push Presents! I didn’t know what a push present was until someone asked me what I got for giving birth to my daughter. Get for what? For having a baby? My response was, “Well, I had a c-section, so I’m not sure that I qualify.” Ha! Ha! Yes, I honestly said that. I missed the memo on this thoughtful pinch occasion and because I was busy being a new mom, I didn’t have time to do any research on this gift. Twenty-three months later, right before I gave birth to my son, my hub handed me a present. I was confused, what was it for? It was a push present. I almost fell over for two reasons: 1) How the hell did he know what a push present was because I never told him and 2) After finding out that I was 8 weeks pregnant with my second, I set a goal to have a VBAC birth. The push present showed his faith that I would accomplish that goal - it sealed the deal - and yes, I had the VBAC. Push it real good!
The painting of the blue lady symbolizes how badly I wanted to have a baby boy. The mantra I chanted over and over throughout my pregnancy was "She believed she could, so she did." And my push present was a pair of sparkly diamond earrings.
Over the weekend, when I was getting gussied up for a Supper Club party (those are making a fierce come back by the way), I smiled as I put on the earrings. They are very symbolic of so many things that it’s too hard to put into words how I feel when I put them on. I’m such a sucker for mementos! Ooooh, baby, baby.
The hub and I were invited to a wine tasting event at a fabulous, hip restaurant and since I love me some wine, I jumped at the chance to go. Mis-informed, I was told the occasion was for our friend’s birthday. I showed up with a birthday present for this mama who had just given birth to her second baby. From experience, I knew that after giving birth to her first baby, she was back in a bikini a hot second later so I gave her a Stella and Dot sarong. Well, this occasion was not a birthday celebration. The wine tasting event was a Push Present!! How freakin cool is that?! At this couples’ wine tasting event, nine of us (my hub couldn’t make it) enjoyed charcuterie and cheeses and thanks to the certified sommelier, Jason Kallsen, we learned all about Italian red wines, “how to shop for them, how to age them, how to best enjoy them.” This push present for this new mom of two was not only a gift for the celebrant but for all of her guests. I have already shared one tip that I learned from that evening - the Italians drink prosecco before their evening begins in order to wash away the day. The new parents of two, who had been so generous and thoughtful enough to include us in their special event, are admirable and appreciated. Every time I drink Prosecco, I will always think of them.
Wine tasting events do not show up on Pinterest under Push Presents but you will find a lot of good stuff on the site if you are in need of ideas. Most posts feature jewelry and the one that caught my eye was a picture of a hand with a wedding ring = love, a wedding band = marriage and another ring that goes before the wedding band = baby carriage. Awww, isn’t that sweet? Another post on the site that caught my eye was a father asking whether or not fathers should receive push presents as he affectionately renamed the push present - a support gift. His reasoning was that the gift was symbolic for a milestone that both parents share. Hey why not? Women want equal rights so this makes sense… Oh the irony!
Since I have already put it out to the universe that I am creating an app to support Thoughtful Pinch, occasions like these Push Presents motivate me to keep going in that direction. My friend, after she gave birth to her fourth child, should have received a specific push present but it never happened. My app could have made it happen. I’m going for it because in the inspiring words of Salt-n-Pepa - “This dance ain’t for everybody, only the sexy people. So all you fly mothers, get on out there and dance. Dance, I said!”
Universe, I hear you and I will - ah, push it - push it real good!
Pinches,
Barb