My Happy Place.

Last night's class was actually relatively normal. I don't have any silly anecdotes to share, as both Joe and I were on our best behavior...and Miss Priss barely gave me a second glance.

We learned about different pain medications (I took copious notes), Cesarean birth and other rare but emergency birth situations. Then we pulled out the pillows and yoga mats to practice more breathing techniques and labor positions.

I'm pleased to report that we weren't the ones giggling through the breathing exercises this time - it was totally another couple. Love them!

The labor positions were actually kinda neat to practice. It wasn't cool watching perfect strangers propped up on their husbands all spread eagle (isn't that what got us in this situation in the first place?) and it was even WEIRDER watching Madelyn do them. I believe I've mentioned her weeble-wobble-like stature before...but she was surprisingly very limber. Go fig.

We also did some really cool visualization/relaxation techniques, and while I usually find things like that to be a bunch of mumbo jumbo, I really enjoyed myself last night. Madelyn had us all close our eyes and relax as she talked us through experiencing our "happy place" with all five senses.

She started by telling us to go to a safe place. And with no rhyme or reason I was instantly in my Grandma Neveau's kitchen. She passed away a few years ago, but was as vividly present in my mind as she's ever been. (Which is SO weird because my sister has been experiencing some of the same weird "Grandma is here" moments lately.) Anyway, I was sitting at her kitchen table and she was wearing her kitchen coat and open-toe slippers. She smelled of smoke and soap and was standing at the stove, like always. I could even feel her rough hands and raspberry kisses on my cheek. My Grandpa was there, too (he's still alive) and was smiling and laughing and talking at an unnecessarily loud decibel.

Again, I usually think this kind of stuff is hogwash and silly...but I was somewhere else entirely last night and it was so very cool. I certainly hope it works in a month or so when I would probably rather die than continue with labor pain. Help me out, Grams, will 'ya? :)