The first few weeks of pumping were gratifying. I felt like SuperMom. I would go to work, do my job, and simultaneously be a milk factory for my sweet little baby. Deegan was getting what he needed and we didn't have to spend money on formula... Super!
Then it got old. Work got busier. I would sit through those 40 minutes and think about all of the other things I could be doing. I tried to do work while pumping; but I always ended up with breastmilk on my work or on my pants, and that isn't something you can explain easily to children (or co-workers)... "oh... don't mind the smudge on the paper, it's just breastmilk."
A co-worker was reading a book in the lounge one day when I asked what it was about. She gave a brief summary and shared how "hooked" she was. Then she offered to pass it on to me when she was done. A few days later, Emma & Me by Elizabeth Flock showed up in my mailbox.
I started reading during pumping sessions, and soon I found myself actually looking forward to pumping because I knew I would be able to read a few pages of a great book! There were times when I read that I looked down to see the bottles full of milk and actually felt disappointed that I had to stop reading! I had found a way to make my pumping time enjoyable!
This book ranks in my top five. It was a great read, and the other women at work who read it found it to be captivating as well.
The story is told by Carrie Parker, an eight-year-old girl who spends all of her time with her younger sister and best friend, Emma. They live with their mother and step-father, Richard. Their lives seem to be split in two; before their dad died and after. The memories of their father are warm and loving. Their step-father, Richard is an emotionally and physically abusive alcoholic. Carrie and Emma try to run away to escape the abuse and find a new life, but their plan fails.
As the story goes on it is touching to hear how a child views a world that is so cruel. In one part of the story, Carrie talks about their hiding place behind the couch.
"Behind-the-couch," she says, "is like another room for me and Emma. It's our fort. Anyway, we usually head there when we've counted ten squeaks from the foot pedal of the metal trash can in the kitchen. The bottles clank so loud I think my head'll split in two."
As the story unfolds, Carrie and Emma cling to each other to find love and support. The ending will leave you thinking, and knowing that there are children in this world who do live in households that have abusive, alcoholic or emotionally vacant parents makes Emma & Me so much more memorable.
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