One Step Back

Today we woke up to a few inches of snow on the ground. It's all everyone is talking about (especially because it's followed several weeks of mild weather). There's a non-stop grumbling in the office today about how winter will never end.

While I'm slightly annoyed that we had to scrape off the cars this morning, will need to shovel the steps at lunch, etc., part of me is also a little relieved. With a due date around the middle of April, I have it in my head that this baby is A Spring Baby. And as spring marches ever closer, I get more and more nervous. I thought I wouldn't start to worry until next week - spring officially starts on the 20th. And that's the week of Easter, too. What could be more spring-ish than that? But a couple of days ago I was rounding the path to the back door, glanced over and saw that not only are the crocuses up - but the snowdrops are already flowering. Talk about a reality check.

We've waited for this baby for a long time. Nine months is quite a stretch, not to mention all the hoping and planning before that. This baby has been a part of our lives for so long already that actually having him/her seems almost like a cursory formality. Obviously, we are really looking forward to The Big Day. But the thought of The Big Day being a really long, and really painful one, still gives me great pause. Chad bounds out of bed every morning singing, "Only 27 more days!" He is beside-himself-excited. And I'm excited too, but it's an excitement that's tempered with a good healthy dose of fear.

So I guess I don't mind this two steps forward, one step back approach to spring - it's given me a chance to calm down a little today. Tomorrow the temperature is supposed to be back up in the 40s. There will be plenty of time to worry about things then.