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All Things at Once

As the co-host of MSNBC’s popular show Morning Joe, Mika Brzezinski has established herself as a leading political news journalist and beloved television personality.
But success hasn’t always come easy for Mika. Growing up the only daughter of former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski, she struggled to find an identity in a family of overachievers. She worked her way up the ranks of network television to surpass even her own ambitions, reaching the very top of the ladder, only to get canned less than a year later. After an unsuccessful stint as a stay-at-home mom, Mika went back to the workplace with encouragement from her eight-year-old daughter. She decided to start all over again with a beginner’s job at age forty, a step back that proved to be a brilliant career move. Mika stumbled into Morning Joe and the rest is history. Now, in a time when many women are losing their jobs or struggling to find the perfect balance between work and home, Mika guides women of all ages to a place where they can find peace and fulfillment in their lives.
In the tradition of Gail Sheehy’s classic Passages, this illuminating book shows women how to reach their full potential in all areas of life and at every stage of their journey. Blending the personal with the prescriptive, Brzezinski’s book will address the perpetual question of how to ?have it all” when it comes to work and family; the importance of remaining equally humble in the face of great success and seemingly devastating setbacks; as well as the necessity of knowing and embracing our limitations so that we may transcend them.

Day 3

So on Tuesday I wrote a little bit about how I was having back pains, but I still ran some small errands anyway. I didn't really think I was going to have Aubrey on Tuesday, even though my husband had strong feelings that she would be born on October 5th. I don't know what it was that made him feel that way, but it turns out he was right.

After I came home from shopping on Tuesday, I basically spent the rest of the day just relaxing at home. I was chatting with John and told him that I was having some slight back pain, but I really didn't think the baby would be born that day. I was just at the doctor the day before and when I told her my husband said he thought she'd be born the 5th, she told me "tell your husband, probably not until Friday". Though back pain is a sign of labor, I also knew it could last for more than a day, and I wasn't having any other symptoms of labor...until later in the day. John came home from work a little after 5, and neither of us really felt like cooking (he's the cook, I usually do the clean up). I really had a taste for chicken noodle soup from Panera Bread, so he went out to pick up some quick dinner. He came home around 6:30 and we had dinner together, Well, I tried to have some dinner. I just didn't feel right. A little before 7, the contractions started. I called my parents to let them know what was going on because someone would need to stay with Kenzie if we went to the hospital...and my parents live about an hour away. I decided to take a shower to ease the back pain, then I called my doctor. By this time I had already been timing my contractions and they were 2-3 minutes apart and were getting stronger. She told me to go ahead and go to the hospital so I could get checked out, but I don't think she even thought things were progressing as fast as they were.

Fortunately, the hospital is right down the street. We had no choice but to bring Kenzie with us, since my contractions were getting stronger and I was really in pain. We must have arrived at the hospital a little before 8 p.m., the whole time my pain was getting worse. I have no idea what time I finally got to triage, but John had to move the car to the parking garage so I was on my own waiting to get admitted all the while contractions getting worse. John and Kenzie finally get to triage, but he's told he has to wait in the waiting room because Kenzie is only 2. He decides to go home and hopes that by now my parents are there.

My labor is already more than halfway progressed, so I was moved to a delivery room. I was in so much pain and just wanted something to take the edge off (an epidural was out of the question at this point), but until they could get an i.v. in, I couldn't get anything. Needless to say, they couldn't get an i.v. in because either I was moving, or I was being moved. My doctor wasn't there, and there was no sign of John. The doctor told me to push if I felt like I needed to. The only thing going through my head at this point is to just have this baby. I just knew that once she was born, the pain would go away. Before I knew it (according to one of the nurses it was only about 3 pushes) Aubrey was born at 8:56 p.m. But John wasn't there. Not even 5 minutes later, he came through the door with my mom, and I told him she was born. They already heard because one of the nurses passed him in the hallway and said "Congratulations. Your daughter is born." I think John and my mom were both in shock that she was already born.

I've heard that second babies tend to be born a lot faster, but I never expected it to be this fast. Apparently, Aubrey wanted to make sure she was born on the 5th like her daddy said she would be. She sure made a grand entrance.

SERIES OF 4 SHOTS INCLUDED HERE.

I had a lump in my throat as I watched Mum & Dad help their little one to take her first few steps. I have included another 3 shots here to record this moment as it was SO SPECIAL, I will remember it forever.

Sorry It's taken me so long to get these latest pictures on here for you to see, but I have spent the last 6 days in hospital!! All is well now and I will continue with the Series, hope you like them.

On Monday 11 July I witnessed the birth of a giraffe!!! I was at a photographic workshop at Woburn Safari Park when we were told a giraffe was about to give birth and if we were lucky we may be able to photograph it. This giraffe had already given birth twice before, so she was an experienced Mum and was expected to give birth quite quickly. We set off in our safari vehicle and when we arrived at the scene we could see the two hooves of the baby’s front legs protruding and Mum seemed quite calm and relaxed. We were careful to keep our distance as we didn’t want to cause her stress. Her family were all around her and Dad, Casper, was keeping a close eye on the proceedings, every now and again he would wander over and lick the baby’s hooves. The birth certainly wasn’t quick, minutes turned into hours, but we weren’t going anywhere we felt so privileged to witness this amazing event. Slowly inch by inch more of the front legs appeared, then the nose, then the head and shoulder. Woburn Safari staff came over to ask us if we could see, with our large lenses, the baby’s nostrils flaring as they were unsure whether or not the baby was breathing, the birth seemed to be taking such a long time and we were all anxious. Mum walked slowly down a small hill and behind a tree trunk which unfortunately blocked our view a little, then suddenly we heard a big thud as the baby fell onto the ground!! The noise of the baby landing seemed to frighten the other giraffes and they momentarily fled in different directions, but once they realised what had happened they quickly came back and surrounded Mum and her baby. They all began to frantically lick and gently kick the baby with their hooves and we were holding our breath as we could see no movement from the baby at all. Then suddenly a little head appeared above the grassy mound and we breathed a huge sigh of relief, it was a magical moment. It was extraordinary to see, just minutes after birth, the baby trying to stand, fall over a few times and then struggle to its feet. We watched as Mum and Dad helped the baby to stand, balance and then with a very gentle push from Mum, to take its first few steps. We were told that it was quite unusual for Dad to take such a keen interest in the baby just after the birth and that Mum is usually helped by the other females. It was a wonderful experience, a memory that will stay with me forever and I have it all on camera to share with you.

Sock knitters everywhere know the frustration of Second Sock Syndrome. It goes something like this: A cute new sock pattern and soft, foot-warming yarn lead to many happy knitting hours, resulting in . . . ONE sock. The first sock is done (and it's adorable!) but pattern distraction sets in. Who wants to knit the same project all over again? There are so many new projects waiting to be discovered.

Melissa Morgan-Oakes ends the drudgery of the second sock by showing knitters how to cast on and knit two socks at one time on one long circular needle! Her method is captured in step-by-step photographs, clearly showing knitters how to turn out two socks at the same time. Goodbye to lonely, abandoned single socks. Hello to unlimited pretty pairs, knit on one needle (often finished on the same day), and worn with pride and that gratifying sense of accomplishment.

Oakes is a dedicated knitter, knitwear designer, and knitting instructor who has known the frustration of Second Sock Syndrome. Her easy-to-learn technique enables sock stitchers to adapt any pattern to her two-at-a-time method. But before experimenting with other patterns, readers will want to try Morgan-Oakes's 15 original designs. Fun and creative, they include simple to complex choices, a variety of yarn weights, and designs for women, men, and children.

Socks are small, relatively inexpensive, and interesting to knit — a favorite portable choice of busy knitters. Keep the fun in sock-stitching with the innovative new technique that produces two socks — yes, that's one sock for each foot — at the very same time!

Consumer testimonial —

"I am a new knitter and purchased 2-at-a-time Socks. Perfect! This is a book is the best investment I've ever made! I have a lovely pair of socks ... for the first time! Very comprehensive instructions, as well as a very easy-to-understand glossary in the back. I recommend this book to anyone interested in knitting socks. So much easier than the double pointed needles! — Deborah, Colorado Springs, CO