One lousy push present
I never received a push present - not with any of my three children. And that’s okay, because not only do I find the term “push present” fairly obnoxious, I never actually pushed.
How about a “guts on a platter present” instead?
Don’t get me wrong. I love presents. I especially love presents that Kyle has chosen for me. He’s unusually attentive to my offhand comments: “Wouldn’t it be nice if…?” or “Oh man, I’d love to have…” I don’t even have to drop hints.
So I suppose it’s because he scores big hits on all the major gift-giving occasions that I wasn’t wishing and hoping and praying for a little robin’s egg blue box each time I gave birth.
Well, that and the story his mother told me about what his father gave her after Kyle was born: a twist board and a blonde wig.
Just what every post-partum mother wants to receive - the message that her husband wants her to be a brand-new woman.
Fortunately, Kyle didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps where it comes to gift-giving, and to my father-in-law’s credit, he has evolved significantly in the last thirty-something years.
The moral of this story? Don’t get your panties in a wad if the father of your children doesn’t present you with a pair of diamond studs after you’ve squeezed a baby from your loins. Remember my poor mother-in-law, and thank your lucky stars that he doesn’t expect you to don a wig and shake your post-partum booty to the beat.
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April 18th, 2008 at 6:23 am
I have never heard of a push present. I figured that was the placenta?
But YIKES on the twist board. I think I would have found something else to twist *ahem*
After 14 years of marriage and 2 years of dating bliss I finally got my studs. FINALLY. I’m thinkin’ I’ll never take them off.
OMSH’s last blog post..Chill out
April 18th, 2008 at 7:26 am
[…] One Lousy Push Present […]
April 18th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Niiice. I’d need the “guts on a platter” variety too. But I don’t get presents either. That’s okay though. It would probably just make me cry and then worry that he spent too much money.
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April 18th, 2008 at 8:19 am
I never knew it was that common and that it was referred to as a “push present” but my sister-in-law liked to brag about receiving a piece of jewelry after giving birth to each child. And now they’re in debt. Bwahahaha! My husband and I didn’t do the gift thing. As far as we’re concerned, that new little bundle is the push present.
April 18th, 2008 at 8:27 am
I honestly do not know if I have a single friend who has received a push present. Flowers? Well, yes. A present? Nope. Nice gesture, but certainly not expected. A nicer gesture would be a full night’s rest.
April 18th, 2008 at 8:49 am
I spit out my tea at “guts on a platter present.” Nope, I didn’t get one of those either and I find the whole concept (of push presents, not just guts on a platter) pretty disagreeable!
Now, if my husband had taken more than 1.5 days off of work when my son was born … that would’ve been a welcome gift.
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April 18th, 2008 at 9:36 am
My hubby is also a really great gift giver, and I never have to drop hints. He really puts me to shame, cause I suck at gifts.
I did get a push present, but after all our difficulties getting pregnant (with all the needles and exams that come with that), a miscarriage and the not easy pregnancy, it was more of a Thank You For Going Through All That present.
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April 18th, 2008 at 10:35 am
My husband had a necklace designed for me with all our kids birthstones in it after our youngest was born, but I didn’t even get a card or flowers after the others, so I just thought he was sweet to make such a gesture.
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April 18th, 2008 at 10:51 am
considering baby daddy #1 left me in the hospital alone so he could go walk his dog and get high, the fact baby daddy #2 is willing to stick around (other than to go fetch me things) the whole time is gift enough.
and that term IS obnoxious and i refuse to ever repeat it.
April 18th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Oh my Lord. I would have been so insulted.
April 18th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Push present? Never heard of it.
That being said, I did get a hell of a gift for giving birth. I saw a grown man so consumed with love that he became physically ill in seeing me in pain. My pain made him ill. I think that’s pretty powerful and much better than something shiny (although I wouldn’t have argued with anything shiny in addition).
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April 19th, 2008 at 9:53 am
the husband once gave me a gym membership for my birthday and a pair of lululemon yoga pants for our anniversary. kinda the same thing, no?
April 19th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Funny. You have the right attitude. I hinted, begged, and carried on until I made it very clear that I wanted a push present. He ignored and delayed and finally gave me exactly what I wanted after I had long since given up. We gave it to his mom for her birthday and I couldn’t be happier.
April 20th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Great post, I really had to think for a moment as to whether I ever heard of any of my friends receive gifts after giving birth. I’m 61 so it was awhile ago. In our days they brought flowers, and plants. You usually left the hospital with boxes of Christian statues filled with plants, or bouquets of flowers.
I had a great time, trying to remember…creaky old memory lane..
My best,
Dorothy from grammology
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http://www.grammology.com
April 21st, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Yep, that’s about as bad as the engagement gift my mom got when my dad asked her to marry him. A ring you think? Nope- Hiking boots!!! Luckily, he made it up to her with the kids, but still.