A Playlist for Uncertain Times

While we are stuck here in this limboland of slightly pregnant (so don't get too excited...), I decided I wanted to create a feel-good playlist of songs to serve as a soundtrack for our uncertain times. A playlist to bolster the baby and send good vibes, to let the universe know that I AM NOT GIVING UP on this being pregnant business, to just plain take my mind off things and remind me that no matter what I have a good great thing going with my husband. It's an eclectic mix, for sure. I thought I would share my annotated playlist, in case it would be helpful for anyone else who is going through times that require a little extra musical encouragement.

The Feel-Good Playlist (in no particular order)
- Don't Stop Believin' by Journey (the chorus is the key part... "Don't stop...believin'...hold on to that feeeeeeeling!")
- Today is a Good Day by Anna Ternheim (The song is about a defunct and dysfunctional relationship, but the chorus "Today is a Good Day" makes me feel good)
- All You Need is Love by the Beatles (Without love we wouldn't be in this predicament! Our love will make this happen...)
- Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi ("We gotta hold on to what we got, it doesn't make a difference if we make it or not (well, actually it does but we aren't even considering that possibility), we've got each other and that's a lot...for love--we'll give it a shot! Ohhhh we're halfway there... ohhh-ohhh, livin' on a prayer! Take my hand, we'll make it I swear." So appropriate!)
- Yellow by Coldplay (Just a really pretty love song that makes me happy)
- Clocks by Coldplay (This song always makes me happy even if the lyrics aren't necessarily appropriate to our situation, although I think the tiger waiting to be tamed is this whole infertility business)
- Viva la Vida by Coldplay (Another song that makes me happy and is upbeat, and roughly translates to woohoo, life!)
- Oh by Dave Matthews (Another happy song, a beautiful love song that includes the phrase "I love you oh so well, like a kid loves candy and fresh snow." I choose to ignore the fact that the subject of the song is actually dead.)
- Two Step by Dave Matthews Band (A very happy song, and includes "Celebrate we will, for life is short but sweet for certain." There's my live and celebrate for today philosophy in one of my favorite songs!)
- Inside and Out by Feist (wonderful retro disco song about deep love, could be applied to my love for my husband or the tiny, warrior babyling inside me.)
- Dog Days Are Over by Florence + the Machine (Man, do we hope the dog days are truly over. This is an awesome anthem for finally beating a shitty circumstance. And a genuinely happy song!)
- The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson (A lovely love song that is very uplifting.)
- How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) by James Taylor (Super happy love song, and could be applied to both my husband and the tiny baby)
- The Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga (I love this song! And we are on the edge of glory. I don't see full on glory until that baby is out of me and in our arms, but we get closer and closer to the edge each day.)
- If The Stars Were Mine by Melody Gardot (This is such a beautiful, sweet jazz song that is meant for romantic love but could be stretched to mommy love as well--who wouldn't want to make the birds sing only for their baby?)
- Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show (I love this bluegrassy love song, and the phrase "rock me Momma like a wagon wheel, rock me Momma any way you feel, heyyyy, Momma rock me" is most definitely inappropriate for a baby but it's Momma, and for the time being so am I!)
- No Bad News by Patty Griffin (This is really cool, because it's played both times I received a call from the clinic, and my iPod is on shuffle so I have no control over what comes up when. The chorus is "Don't bring me bad news, no bad news, I don't need any of your bad news today.")
- Sweet Disposition by the Temper Trap (Another just plain feel-good song, but there's also phrasing in there about not giving up. So he's talking about a girl, but I can apply it to not giving up on this pregnancy.)
- New Soul by Yael Naim (Fun song, happy song, and I've got a new soul multiplying in me. Enough for me!)
- All I Want Is You by Barry Louis Polisar (This is from the Juno soundtrack. A lovely folksy love song, but really All I Want Is... this baby to stay! "All I want is you will you stay with me?" Perfect!)
- Anyone Else But You by the Moldy Peaches (Another Juno soundtrack gem, just a lovely, silly love song.)
- Rings by Leo Kottke (This song does nothing but make me smile every time I hear it. It's our wedding song, and I knew it would be our wedding song from the first time I heard it. Very early in our relationship. Sometimes I am a little creepy. But, it reminds me of the happiest day of my life to date, which is leading us to the new happiest day we will have together.)
- Fighter by Christina Aguilera (This baby is a FIGHTER! And I am a fighter against evil infertility that we have hopefully conquered for this round. This is an anthem for my strength, and an anthem for the babyling's strength. Keep fighting, baby! "Makes me that much stronger, makes me work a little bit harder, makes me that much wiser, so thanks for making me a fighter.")
- I Believe in You by Cat Power (Another song that's really about a dysfunctional relationship, but I love the phrase "I believe in you" because I believe in the little womb warrior!)
- I Feel Lucky by Mary Chapin Carpenter (We are wicked lucky. This song is about being given a dire horoscope outlook for the day and then winning the lottery despite horrible predictions. So even though the stars are stacked against us, we feel lucky, and we will win this freaking lottery! So there.)
- Hold On by Wilson Phillips (Definitely the cheesiest song on the list, but it's telling the baby to "hold on for one more day." I almost didn't add it because I didn't want one more day, I want 35 more weeks. But, in keeping with that "today" philosophy, one more day every day will get us there.)
- You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate (Ok, so admittedly it's weird to have your baby referred to as a sexy thing, but the phrase "I believe in miracles...since you came along" makes me so happy. It's my new mantra. I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES!)

So there it is, my feel-good playlist. Feel free to suggest some new songs--this playlist truly makes me happy and boosts me up when I am scared and waiting for a call that could give us more good news or bring everything tumbling down. We refuse to entertain the tumbling down until it happens (which it won't), so this playlist is a soundtrack for our victory!