International Women's Day

Not only is it International Women's Day, in Russia it is a really big deal, check out this awesome Google Doodle that was up all day today, http://youtu.be/Q34Fz5hNqpY.  Four years ago on March 8 my daughter, Ziona Sofia, was born on her own terms, and pushing herself out when she was ready. According to our Jewish calendar, her birthday is after our holiday Purim which is next weekend, so I figure lets start the party today and continue for the whole month.  My parents came a week before I was due with her, my first baby, Eli Tzvi was three days early, she was due on a Friday and they were flying out on Sunday.  The whole weekend passed with no contractions although I was four centimeters dilated, my parents had to fly home to help my brother, and I was OK with it, it was our second child, and we knew it was a girl, so there would be no immediate ceremony.  Monday morning around 5am the contractions started, and my Doula came over, they were coming close and intense, we waited as long as we could staying home just like I wanted, by the time I got to the hospital at around 7am which was 10 minutes away, I was 8cm and water broken, just like with my first baby. The intern tried to put in an IV, but I told her to get out of my way, because my daughter was coming out on her own, I laid down on the bed and just breathed and let her do her thing.  She is the boss, everything is her way, nobody will ever mess with her strong character, she is fierce, she is beautiful, and I celebrate her intensity and take on the challenge of mommyhood, it has definitely been an adventurous ride so far.

The video below makes me think of my mom and my daughter, my mom is a conductor, she graduated from Moscow Conservatory, and I know she will appreciate this amazing little girl running the show, just like my daughter runs the show.  

Happy International Women's Day!

Coach Yulia