Breadcrumb 9 - Ginger Bread

Even during my pregnancy I kept on running to the restroom because I kept on feeling sick. I had never heard of after-four-months-still-morning-sickness. Have you? Well, I had it...

 

And ever heard of the statement that giving birth to your first child is the worst? I did, and so I assumed this would be the easiest job in the world.

Not so!

This was the worst thing ever. I had never been so excruciated with pain in my life. I wouldn't even wish this pain to my worst enemy. Not that I had any enemies. Who doesn't make friends, won't make enemies?

Worst of all was when Ace walked in the room nonchalantly. Like I wasn't crying out of pain.

Okay, maybe it wasn't the worst of all. Worst of all was when he began screaming like a girl. Not that I saw him like the most manly type in the world (he really isn't - I mean, look at the clothes he's wearing), but this I hadn't really expected. So I had to take command and tell him to bring me to the hospital. Immediately!

Which he did, and so we brought back home this crying and complaining little boy. Tiger would be his name; Tiger is his name.

But before you've formed any opinions about my boy, I need to tell you a little something. It isn't as if Tiger isn't the sweetest boy in the world (which he really is). It's just... he's not as outgoing and relaxed as our little Rye is.

Let's say... Rye is the son that lets you sleep for hours and hours at night, never requesting anything, lying silently waiting for you to get up whenever you please and stretch out his arms to take you out of his crib. Then he waits to be feeded, waits till you'll change his diapers, and play quietly when you put him down on the floor.

And Tiger... He's just as sweet in his own way. In his own clingy way. He loves to be with his mom, with me indeed, and he just doesn't really like... being anywhere else.

Anywhere else being... anywhere near any other person beside his mom. Like, his brother. He doesn't do the playing-quietly-thing when he's anywhere near his elder brother. Or near Ace, though he does seem to get accustomed to the fact he has a dad who also cares about him.

Though, on his own he plays exquisitely well.

After Tiger had been born, it seemed Ace got back to his first thoughts...

Everything was going according to plan. His plan.

My favorite music playing (Rockabilly), the lights dimmed, flowers on the table, wearing his best suit, my favorite dish on the table (spaghetti bolognaise)... The curtains would have been closed, if it wasn't for the fact we didn't have any curtains (have to make a note to myself that would be the next thing to buy).

I felt so awkward when walking into the living room (wearing my best clothes as Ace had insisted), feeling him staring at me in expectation.

"Sooooo, that looks good," I said, feeling even more awkward, as my voice didn't seem to belong to me anymore. I tried the cheering expression, trying to turn attention to the beautifully-done plates instead of the topic of conversation that soon really would be the topic of conversation...

I tried the casual conversation... Talking about our boys - then came the thought he could easily use that as a starting point, so I changed it. Asking about his job - then realizing this would be another way to introduce the topic, so I changed it again.

"We've already been so long together, cohabiting," was the way he started on the topic.

Though I should have expected it to come (we had been silent for about five seconds, with me feeling helpless because I couldn't come up with anything casual anymore). Yet still I choked on a piece of meat.

"Excuse me..."

And at that moment it just happened that Tiger started to cry. It couldn't be anyone else than Tiger, as Rye never seemed to cry. Not at night at least. And for once... I couldn't be happier with Tiger. My rescuer.

Yeah, I know I shouldn't be really thinking this, but, anyway, I did.

"Come here, sweetheart, let mummy comfort you... All will be alright."

Who was I really comforting?