Another childbirth class tonight. We are the couple with the earliest due date (our classes end next Tuesday, the 6th, we're due on the 10th...we're not cutting it close, we just wanted everything we learned to be fresh in our minds!). It's cute that everytime we come in, others in the class say something to the effect of "We're glad you made it!" or "You were late, we were afraid that you had already had the baby!"
I'm thinking, "Don't be afraid. I like you guys and all that, but I'd rather already be hanging out with my little boy than still pregnant here with you!" Really, our class is great, we love our instructor, and the couple that sits next to us is really nice, we've exchanged phone numbers (just in case we don't make it to the last class) so we can get together later.

So, yesterday I promised to pack my bag. It is now packed. Although, we then talked about the 100 things we want to take that are not yet in the bag (games, CD's, a CD player...) so I guess I'm not really packed.

Other "To Do" items: thank you cards from this weekend. I want to get them done quickly because if I don't do them now, it's going to be a long time before I get around to them. I assume that I'll have other things to think about after the kiddo makes his debut. I also have this pair of p.j. pants that I started sewing in a sewing class I was taking last month. Funny thing is, I didn't finish them in the class, so I took home the pieces to put together. I put them together entirely wrong, and ended up with something that didn't really resemble pants at all. I took them apart tonight and, with Dan's help, I think I figured out how they should go. I think that they'll make nice "recovery clothes" because they are comfy like pajamas, but they are cute (OK, the fabric is cute, I hope that when the pants are done, they'll be cute, too), so I won't feel like quite such a bum. I've discovered through this pregnancy how much of a difference my clothes can make to the way I feel about my day and what I can accomplish. When I am in my bathrobe or sweatpants most of the day, I feel like laying on the couch. When I put on "real" clothes, I feel like being out in the world. I'm not talking about "dressing up", I just mean putting on "jeans" instead of "the same sweatpants I wore yesterday."

I guess that's enough for now...

Shower Report, and It's Time to PACK

The weekend was wonderful. Saturday we had our shower. My mother came from Lubbock, in an attempt to surprise me. It would have been a surprise, except I happened to call in the middle of her ordering her airline tickets, and, lousy liar that she is, she couldn't keep the secret well enough and I guessed. He he he. Nice try, mom! But, it was really nice that both she and Sarah were able to come and be there for our party. I also had some friends from college drive up from San Antonio for the big event. We were surrounded by so much love and support and excitement. It was really wonderful. Oh, and one of the party organizers brought a chocolate fountain. And, it's just what it sounds like. You hold strawberries, bits of cake, marshmallow, bananas, whatever tastes good with chocolate (OK, then, anything) under the flow, and it turns out all fondue-like and delicious! I thought about just sticking my tounge under there, but then I thought other people might want to enjoy it, too :-)

Saturday evening, we went to a baby shower for friends of ours. They are due 2 weeks after us, so our kiddo will have a play mate almost exactly the same age. There are two other gals pregnant within our group of friends, too, so we have already started talking about organizing babysitting co-op and playgroup situtations. It's a little baby boom around here!

Today's big event is to back a hospital bag. I know, this probably should have been done a little while ago. Dan has told me that the baby won't come until I have a bag packed. Murphy's Law says that the baby will come precisely because I don't have a bag packed, but, so far, that tactic isn't working, so I guess I'll get packing.

-Laura

Dr. Time and a Party

I went to the dr. again today. Everything is good. The baby is head-down, like it's supposed to be, I'm dialating and effacing and all that good stuff. The dr. said everything is ready...but that means nothing. In other words, at this point, the little boy could decide to come tonight or he could hang out for another 3 weeks, until he gets his eviction notice in the form of some pitocin.

Tomorrow a couple of friends are giving us a baby shower. I was concerned at first about the late timing (one of the organizers was busy this last month getting married, going on a honeymoon, etc, but she really wanted to be involved, hence the 2-week clearance!) but now I'm kind of glad. I know that a lot of new moms tend to drop out of society for a few weeks, part out of physical necessity, part out of pure exhaustion, so it'll be nice to be surrounded by friends shortly before I take a little leave of absence from the outside world.

From yesterday

So...

What I was going to write about yesterday...

We had our childbirth class last night. It was the one where the instructor told us all about all the pain medications available, what they all could do/could not do, what the side effects were, etc. She is very gung-ho about doing it all without medication, but she told us that 75% or so of women do use some form of medication, and that we shouldn't feel like we "failed" or "chickened out" if we do too. Nice. Some of the discussion was a little intense, and there were a few points when Dan and I were both cringing, but it's good to know all of this ahead of time, instead of trying to pay attention to explanations when you're actually in pain. Also, a lot of the books I've read have been pretty "hippie", so there has been a lot of negative information about drugs of any type, so it was good to hear from a Labor and Delivery nurse that babies are born responsive, awake, etc. even if some kind of medicine has been given.

Dan's cute comment of the evening: "Some of the things Julie said about epidurals didn't sound too great. I don't think I want one." Yeah...cuz they're going to be offering you one, dear :-)

So, physically, I am so ready for this to be over. Sitting is not quite comfortable, lying down, I usually get comfortable at the same time as I have to go to the bathroom again, and sleeping is just a major difficulty. (Although I am a champion napper during the day, I have a hard time sleeping at night.) I want my body back. I want to be able to pick up things I've dropped, to be able to wear normal clothes and see my feet again. I want to be able to get out of a chair without help. I'm not too demanding, am I?

Mentally...hmm....can you ever be ready? The room is almost there. My sister Sarah took a load of my teaching stuff up to Lubbock to my parents' house to store for the year, so that corner is cleared out. Now, the room is just full of the baby's stuff, in an almost-organized fashion. I've read about 20 books on everything from breastfeeding to how to get the baby to sleep like...well...a baby. I've talked to a bunch of mothers of young children, kept up with Andi and Brian's log which is a wealth of good info :-) But, I just feel like it's soooo much bigger than all of that. I know that every moment will be a learning experience. I guess that I'll just have to accept that, and be flexible.

-Laura

I just wrote this big long post and somehow lost it. Phooey on technology, or rather on my inability to use it!

I will have to refuel and post it tomorrow. Now I'm grumpy and not in the mood.

Your comments

Thanks for the comments so far, guys. Andi and Brian, it's good to learn from your experience that things will go so smoothly!

More getting ready...

Dan and I spent yesterday afternoon and evening in the nursery. We bought a few baskets to go on shelves for organizing stuff, and then washed, folded, organized and put away most of the stuff we had. We actually just reopened the boxes from the Wisconsin baby shower, so that was really interesting. It was fun to see it all again, it was like opening the presents all over again, since we had forgotten about a bunch of it already.
Sydney even got in on the fun, stealing one of the little rubber ducks (there were a bunch of little rubber ducks floating in the punch bowl at the shower, and we got to take them all home) and pretty much destroying it. Dan finally had to take it away when she started to eat the plastic. We are going to have to make a big deal about what are her toys and what are not. But, she's pretty good. I have a few things that she mistook for hers at first, but after a few stern words, she figures it out. She's going to be a good big sister :-)

Another big event yesterday: Our diapers came. So many cute little diapers! I hope I still think they're "cute" in a few months! I only ordered the newborn/small size right now. Just in case they lose their appeal.
Unfortunately, the silly company was out of the covers I wanted, and didn't bother to tell me that before shipping. So, now I have to either re-order and wait for them to restock (and probably pay shipping again!), or order from another company. I might contact the company and complain. I guess that's how things work, but it would have been nice to have a warning, so I could have cancelled, or just decided to make the entire order from someone else, and only pay shipping once.

I've been reading a bunch, all on the same theme, of course: The Happiest Baby on the Block, Your Baby's First Year: Week by Week, The No-Cry Sleep Solution, etc. I feel like such an expert! I am sure that with a deft combination of all the suggestions in all of these books, our baby will never cry, will sleep through the night the first night home, and will walk and talk right "on schedule." I know it's just the combination of too much reading and serious inexperience, but I think I'm ready :-)

Happy Birthday Aunt Cate!

So, the dr.'s appointment went well today. My last dr. was the super-efficient type. She seemed to have a very short checklist of things to talk about, and then would ask, "Do you have any questions for me?" as she was standing up to leave, in a way that didn't exactly invite questions. I guess I should know this when our appointment choices are only 10 minutes apart. I guess that means that she has 10 minutes budgeted per person, and if you have any special needs, they really better not take too long!

This dr. actually began by asking if I had questions, and then stayed seated at the end to ask again. Maybe it was just because it was the first visit, but it was relaxing.

-Laura

General Update

Baby progress:

It's week 36-37. I have a dr.'s appointment tomorrow with a new dr. We switched this week so Baby G could be born at the hospital literally in in our back yard. We can actually see the hospital out the back window, and, although there is probably no real danger of not making it to the hospital on time, blah, blah, blah, it just seems nice to be so close. There are other things I like about this hospital and the practice that the dr. is with too, but it will be so convenient!

Baby G is a night person. He and I are up every night way too late. He likes to make his presence known, kicking, jumping, doing Tai Chi, and I don't know what else for most of the night. I know he does it during the day, too. Maybe I'm not paying enough attention, maybe I'm distracted with other things, I don't know, but it seems like he's most active at night. Just practicing to be a tough little sleeper, I guess.

Baby Room Preparations:

(Dan and I are both procrastinators, but we're doing pretty well, I have to say...)

The room is approaching ready. He has a place to sleep, he has a changing table, he has a ton of clothes, thanks to awesome friends and family for all the gifts and hand-me-downs. He has toys and books. He has a stroller and car seat. I ordered the diapers yesterday (We are going to brave cloth! Wish us luck!). We are practically ready. There are still a bunch of boxes in his room, but they should be in Lubbock before Baby G arrives, and if not, we are hoping he doesn't notice. I think the only things that are not quite prepared are our minds...I'm not ready to give up sleeping and having my own schedule. I guess I'm not really the decision maker on this one, though, am I?

I'll update after our appointment tomorrow.

-Laura

Baby's First Post

I decided that it was time to get this little guy his own weblog. The family members are all on pins and needles, full of questions, comments and concerns, and I feel like if I don't call or e-mail everyone every day, I am letting people down with a lack of information. So, here goes: this will be the anticipatory daily update of Baby G's activities. This probably won't be the permanent name, since it's kind of silly! Maybe once he's born and has a name, we can call him something other than "Baby Boy." Or, maybe we'll just decide that's the perfect name and stick with it :-)

So, Grandmas and Grandpa, Aunts, Uncle, and anyone else lucky enough to stumble upon this blog: start counting down the days, if you haven't already been doing so!

23-ish days....

-Laura