Saturday, March 31, 2007

The Saturday morning, cartoon-watching, eyes-glazed-over look

Friday, March 30, 2007

In need of distraction

Today, when we weren't out walking laps around the city, we pulled some stuff together for Liam's birthday party. I can't believe it's time for another one of these - I think this year went by even faster than last (the past two weeks notwithstanding).

When we originally began thinking about a party, we considered a kids' party, and I'm glad now that we're going the family route instead. I don't know what kind of shape I will be in come April 14th, but I am growing more and more sure that I won't be feeling up to entertaining or chasing around a bunch of toddlers. One will be enough! And hopefully our families won't mind if we eat on paper and plastic, and all the food comes from our local Subway and/or grocery store take-out. And you never know... depending on how things play out, we might need to call them up right before the party to defer it. Easier to mess with our families' minds than our friends'. :)

Given the amount of free time I've had lately, you'd think I would have been able to come up with a party invitation, but I couldn't think of anything myself so I ordered some online. They finally arrived today, and I got them addressed during Liam's nap and then we went to the post office (on foot, of course - thank goodness it hasn't been pouring rain all week, or I don't know what I'd do) when he woke up to mail them. I also finished up favours for the party during his nap, and during one of our forays out on foot, we hit a new dollar store and finally found the streamers, dishware and balloons I'd been hoping for. We also confirmed our cake pan rental. So all in all it was a successful party-planning day.

Now let's just hope the event actually happens! Lately Liam has been very into the birthday talk (partly on account of Chad's coming up first), and he knows that he is one now and will be turning two, and he's looking forward to it. It's a real long shot that we'd be in the hospital on April 14th, but the possibility exists... so I'm bracing myself for that exact scenario... just in case.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Hopes go astray

I wish I could say I've been absent lately because I've been in the hospital, but that's not the case. Actually, it's been more like a mild case of depression that has held me at bay. Yesterday I had another check in with Dr. Bailey. It seems that I have made negative progress since last week (I have never heard of such a thing, have you?), she thinks it very unlikely that I will deliver in the coming week, and we started talking about induction.

This upsets me on a whole bunch of levels.

* I totally don't want to be induced. I am just so, so, so against it.
* This is my third week off work, and still no baby!
* Induction would be on Easter weekend. Because really, when better to be stuck in the hospital than over a holiday weekend?
* At this point, I think my hopes for a March baby are pretty much out the window. The odds of Little Miss sharing a birthday with her father, her brother or (heaven forbid) April Fool's Day are rising significantly.

In the grand scheme of things, I know there are greater tragedies in the world and that none of this matters very much. It matters a whole lot more that Little Miss gets here at all, and that hopefully, her debut is a safe and healthy one. Still... the universe is not unfolding as I expected it to, and it isn't sitting well with me.

So... we've been out walking, and walking, and walking. I had half a mind to jump on the treadmill and run a couple of miles during Liam's nap yesterday afternoon; maybe that really is how I evicted him so quickly. (Bear in mind it's been at least a month since I last ran - since before we all got so sick). Alas, the nap never happened, so the run didn't, either. (Not that I think I'd really be capable of it at this point.)

There is one last hope I have left. My doula called this morning to say she's been called out of town and doesn't expect to be back until tomorrow. Until then, she's given us the name and number of a backup partner of hers. I figure if anything is going to happen this week (let alone this month), it will be when our best laid plans have the most opportunity to go astray... and it sounds like this could be it.

When Liam wakes up, we're going out for another walk.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

A question for you

What does the widget say when you look at it?

For me, it's "40 weeks 1 day so far"... but then when I click on it, it changes to "1 day to go", and if I click on it again, "1 week 1 day to go". Good grief, I hope not! If it's not sending out a viable message I will remove it altogether. Who needs the reminder, anyway?

This is now my second Tuesday in a row at home alone without Liam. He seemed happy to see the other kids at Cindy's this morning, but it still feels strange to dump him there and come home to an empty house. I just came home from the gym to find a message from our doula on the phone, asking what's new. I'm not so much looking forward to calling her back in order to say NOTHING.

Yesterday it was in the 80s here, which would have been lovely, if I had any summer maternity clothes!! Liam and I made a trip to our local greenhouse to see if we could find something for the planters on the front porch - hoping for pansies and pussy willows. Unfortunately, I think we are ahead of the game. They are still overwintering last year's perennials and have nothing ready to go for this year yet. We did find a great assortment of kids' Crocs and Liam tried on a few pairs. I like the Sea Blue; his favourites were the pink and yellow - go figure.

Monday, March 26, 2007

40 weeks (subtitle: You cannot be serious!!!!)

I was a bit fearful of logging on today... I was wondering what happens when my ticker/widget hit the end of the line. Do they implode? Do they automatically trumpet "She's here!!" - now, wouldn't that have been a depressing sight to see? Only marginally more depressing than the big fat "0 DAYS TO GO" - ha! Wouldn't that be nice! Oh well. At least I am here enjoying a beautiful spring day with my own agenda. Chad is at the office, facing a chorus of "What are YOU doing here? Still no baby?" Better him than me... I think I would be going postal on my coworkers for it!

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Spring

Friday, March 23, 2007

Thinking I need to stop posting for a while, because there are only so many ways to say, 'Arrrrrrrrrrrghh!!'

I may not be officially overdue, but I am now later than I was with Liam, which makes me Late According To Me. To all those friends I called as their due dates came and went, to inquire after their well-being: I now understand just how frustrating it is to have nothing new to report. We spent all morning out walking today, since that's my only recourse. This is when those thoughts start to creep in: Maybe if I had eaten better... maybe if I had exercised more... she'd be ready to hatch now rather than weeks from now. (Because I DID do better with those things with Liam, and right now he seems to be living proof that they worked!!) Even poor Liam is suffering: here he is chowing down on his very first Happy Meal. This is what happens when your parents refuse to buy a big load of groceries, thinking instead that they will be busy with other things during the coming week (ha!) Liam loved the Happy Meal, but I think I will make a concerted effort in the grocery department this week; I don't want it to become a habit.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Having entirely too much time on my hands



A direct Dr. Bailey quote

"Things don't look promising."

I'm taking this with a grain of salt (even though I am growing increasingly anxious as my widget counts down). With Liam she first said he would be early, then she said he would be late. She also estimated him to be both under 6 lbs and over 8 (he was born at 7.2). Given the fact that I've never been the type to get any of the work of labour out of the way beforehand... I'm not counting on it happening now.

She did, however, strip my membranes, which doesn't seem to have done anything for the advancement of labour, but hurt like hell.

Liam and I got out of the house early today, before the rain came, for a brisk walk downtown (both to try to get things moving, and to drop off my ROE at the EI office). Later on we went out to pick up a few groceries and check out a local party supply store to stock up for Liam's birthday. He was amenable to wearing his new raincoat and boots this morning - up until now, he's been telling me he doesn't want new boots - and also settled into the double stroller well for our walk. (We tried it for the first time on the weekend, and he didn't seem too sure about it then.)

Anyway... that's where we stand. Maybe it's just as well: one of Chad's coworkers was at a local OB's office this morning, and reported back to him that her doctor has already delivered 2 babies this morning, and has 3 more on the verge. I think there are only about 7 L&D rooms at the hospital. (Yes, they would force someone who's already delivered out if we went in; I just rather liked the fact that, last time, we had the place entirely to ourselves.) This is probably the March Break baby rush that Dr. Bailey warned me about, just happening a week late.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

The first, and hopefully last, of the false alarms

Last night, I really and truly thought I was in labour.

I spent yesterday afternoon out running errands, hopping from store to store, trying to take care of some upcoming stuff (e.g. Easter Bunny shopping) while it's still convenient to do so. I followed that up with a walk downtown to run some more errands. By the time I got home from my walk I was decidedly uncomfortable, and it wasn't long after that that the contractions started in earnest. Not only were they a lot stronger than what I'd had earlier in the week, but they were also consistent (every ten minutes) and long (a minute or so), and all signs seemed to point the same way.

After a couple of hours of this, we started running around making last minute arrangements. I finished packing my bags and Liam's, and charged the camera batteries, while Chad took care of getting this week's garbage and recycling ready to go, and then headed into work to wrap some stuff up and leave instructions for a big monthly meeting he was on the hook for today. We gave Chad's parents the heads up that we might need to call them in the wee hours of the morning to come stay with Liam, and Chad called his boss to say he might not be in today.

Well.

I'm sure you can tell by now... none of this stuff actually happened.

By this time it was close to 10 p.m., and the contractions started to die down. Faced with the choice of either getting some rest or going for a few laps around the block to get things moving, I decided to lie down and sleep while I could. I fully expected not to make it through the night. Surprise! At 6 a.m. Liam came toddling into our room and climbed into bed with us, and I realized that not only had I made it through the night, but there was absolutely nothing going on anymore.

*sigh*

Nothing happening today, either, even though I tried my best by dragging Liam out this morning to get a haircut, go to the library, and hit the mall... also all on foot.

So I guess my guess of the 21st will come and go with nothing to show for it. My new guess is the 23rd. Not only is that Chad's guess (and preference - if it happened on a Friday night, he'd have a solid week off work afterwards), but Chad's birthday is the 3rd, Liam's is the 13th, mine is the 30th... all we're missing is the 23rd.

In the meantime, I have mixed feelings. Aside from being on pins and needles, I am both enjoying this last little bit of time with Liam as an only, and finding it incredibly frustrating. Today we watched for school buses out the window (living around the corner from a high school, there's probably one going by every 20 seconds in the morning), discussed the plight of our snowman (the only remaining trace of snow on our lawn), I dodged questions about the squirrel sleeping on the neighbour's lawn (he was hit by a car several days ago, and he's still out there), and we waited with great anticipation for the garbage truck to come. I really enjoy these little conversations that provide so much insight into what makes Liam tick. On the other hand... every time I eat something, I'm thinking, Is this going to come back to haunt me later? ...since I was a big-time puker with my first labour, and fully expect it this time around, too.

I have an appointment with Dr. Bailey this afternoon. We'll see what she has to say.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Once in a blue moon

I just read, on a pregnancy board I visit from time to time, that today there is an equinox blue moon. I have no idea what that means. I have tried looking up full moon tables and none say anything about March 20th being full (last one was March 3, next one is April 2). Still, my Aunt Joan, who works as a L&D nurse, is one of many who swear that full moons put people into labour - so I'm hoping that this equinox blue moon is a full moon of some sort, and that it might do the trick for me.

We didn't end up on a road trip yesterday after all. Instead, we made the most of the snow and went outside to play. We built a snowman, talked to the mailman, watched plows drive by... great entertainment for a 2-year-old, but it left a little to be desired for Mom. I still had a shopping itch to scratch, so we made do with a trip to a local department store, where I picked up a few warm weather things for Liam. At the very least they will tide us over until we can make a more serious expedition (really, when are Old Navy and The Children's Place going to start shipping within Canada? They already have stores here!)

With respect to the snowman... it was great fun building it and all... but then it warmed up quickly yesterday afternoon. I was standing in the kitchen when Liam came speeding in yelling "Mommy! Mommy!" and grabbed my hand to drag me to the window... only to see our snowman lying in a slushy heap on the ground. I hope it didn't scar him.

Today is a completely bizarro day because... Liam is back at Cindy's. His one day a week with her is Tuesday. So he is off, Chad's at work, and I am... home. With all the time in the world, and no idea what to do with it. This morning I made a leisurely trip to the gym and now I have the rest of the day before me; just considering my options.

Monday, March 19, 2007

39 weeks

39 weeks today... had contractions again overnight, but they seem to be gone now. Argh. The waiting has got to be the worst part. I really didn't go through this with Liam, as he came early and I expected him to be late. For some reason now I seem to think it could be anytime, which is driving me nuts! Actually, my guess is for Wednesday (21st) and Chad's guess is Friday (23rd) - we'll see if either one of us is right. With Liam we guessed the 14th and he was born on the 13th, so our track record is pretty good. (If only I could have hung on for another 19 hours last time, we'd have been the happy winners of the Sears Baby Waiting Game...)

So as it is, things are in limbo. I've been on the phone with HR this morning trying to sort out a retroactive pay that I am due, as well as getting my record of employment in order to allow those EI payments to start rolling in. I am toying with the idea of a quick trip to Windsor to get Liam some new spring/summer clothes. He needs a rain jacket and boots (and I'd like to get him a cute matching set), shorts and tshirts, shoes... pretty much everything. We picked up some new swim trunks for him a few weeks ago, but now that they're home they look awfully long and I can't decide whether to keep them or return them. I think the waist is OK but really... should a bathing suit be covering most of his legs? That seems odd. It is currently blizzarding outside, so a trip to Windsor will either have to wait for this afternoon or possibly even tomorrow... though if tomorrow came and the trip never happened, I would not be at all disappointed. :)

Saturday, March 17, 2007

How to celebrate St. Patrick's Day when you're only 1

Green pancakes it is. The green beer is out for another 18 years.

(Notice the construction paper leprechaun hanging on the bulletin board in the background - another one of Cindy's, er, Liam's ingenious creations!)

Friday, March 16, 2007

Now & Then: newborn edition

Still just trying to recuperate and get back to normal around here. I had contractions on and off all day yesterday, which was enough to convince me to (a) finish getting my stuff packed and things around the house in order, and (b) rest up, just in case there is a long night ahead at some point (let's face it... I'm sure there are countless long nights ahead!) I think I am ready to get the show on the road now. We'll be sticking close to home this weekend, just in case, so I'll have to take the opportunity now to wish my dad a Happy Birthday!!!! - the prospect of being several hours away from my doctor and hospital this weekend just seems too risky.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

It bugs me that Tori Spelling named her son Liam.

That is all.

Is it too late to change my mind?

Yesterday I made my weekly trip to see Dr. Bailey. I was hoping to find out that I am one of those people who is walking around half-way dilated already so that when it's time, it's all short and sweet. Nope. I just don't think I am ever destined to be one of those people (though if there is a secret to it, I swear I would pay you money for it). But... I did find out that I am in the exact same situation I was when I went into labour with Liam, as far as the baby's position etc. goes. (I have even lost a couple of pounds since my last appointment, which is the same thing that happened with him). Dr. Bailey's guess (though I know that these things are notoriously wrong) is that Little Miss will clock in at 7.5 pounds, and she'll be here before this time next week.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack. Is it wrong that this scares me so much?

Lately I have been thinking that we have it pretty good. Liam is just the best little guy we could ask for. I know every parent says that, but he just seems so uniquely right for us. I have really enjoyed spending my time with him again this week like we used to (this is him at March Break craft time at the library); only now, he can walk, he can talk, he asks a million questions and tries to engage me in everything he does... all is well. Life is good.

There's also the not-so-minor issue of knowing that he has ten fingers and ten toes, he can walk, he can talk... there are no guarantees for tomorrow, but for now he's a healthy dude. Those things are still very unknown with respect to Little Miss. It's a daunting prospect.

It feels a little like we're pushing our luck to expect it to turn out all over again. There's the possibility that #2 will be a tough addition, either in and of herself, or in how she interacts with Liam... a lot of changes coming this way. It didn't feel so iffy when it was Liam we are talking about. This time, I have a lot more what ifs running through my head.

On top of that, I had a couple of contractions last night... and a few more this morning... nothing like that feeling to drive home the reality of what's about to happen.

I know things would feel incomplete without a #2 someday; I just have this odd if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it mentality right now that I can't seem to shake. Ah well. I think we are past the point of no return.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

My little supermodel

I'm toying with the idea of putting together some sort of year-in-the-life album come this time next year. I don't really know what all this would entail, but in order to at least keep the idea feasible, I need to start taking a photo a day now.

Here's Liam on Monday morning, as we were making waffles. I am the ingredient dumper-iner, and he is the stirrer. He LOVES this job, and doing it with waffles in particular. I pulled out the camera and asked him to give me a big smile. I know it looks like his toenails are being pulled out one by one, but trust me: this IS his big smile. This, ladies and gentlemen, is as good as it gets. Eyes scrinched shut and all.

When Liam was born, I had the camera I still use now, but I had no clue how to use it. I left it set on auto 24/7 and just hoped that most of my shots would turn out. Now that I know how to use it, I have ideas spilling over of things I'd like to try with Little Miss, things I didn't learn about until it was already too late to try them with Liam. Frankly, the photo opportunities with Liam have been going downhill for months. Either he's too busy and won't hold still long enough for me to take a good shot, or else he poses so deliberately - let's be honest, so poorly - that it's really not the type of photo I'd want to add to the Liam Shrine anyway.

I will be facing a few battles, of course. First, a major lack of time to do these shots, compared to the time I was able to devote with Liam. And for anything involving Brother & Sister, there will be the issue of getting two of them to look good at once. (Does anyone offer a course along the lines of "Photoshop Head Swapping"?) Still, Little Miss will be (relatively) immobile for a little while, and she won't be a peanut for long. Having been through this once before, I think that's all the incentive I will need to make the effort. Besides, I know the window of opportunity will be short lived; with a clown like Liam influencing her, I suspect she will start with the goofy faces before too long, too.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

I don't hear the fat lady yet

In the wee hours of the morning, I wound up making a trip to the emergency room. I felt OK for most of the day yesterday, but got progressively more congested after dinner; then woke up around 3 a.m. with a throbbing ear and couldn't get back to sleep. Finally I figured I would be no worse off, sleep-wise, if I just went in; and that it would probably be a much shorter trip to the ER at 3 a.m. than it would be to my doctor's office with Liam in tow during the day (not to mention that if I couldn't get an appointment until later in the day, I didn't know if I'd be able to stand the pain. Yes, I'm a wimp.)

I was able to get in to see a doctor pretty quickly, only to be told that they no longer recommend an immediate round of antibiotics for ear infections - they prefer to let you wait it out. Just goes to show how much has changed since the last time I had one of these things (10+ years ago). To be honest, I agree with this line of thinking (potential for superbugs and all), but it does little to make you feel better when you're the one suffering. Also, it made for a waste of a trip. They gave me a couple of Tylenol and sent me home instead.

Now I am freaked out about having taken the Tylenol. Yes, they knew I'm pregnant and I know Tylenol doesn't carry the exact same warnings as aspirin and ibuprofen, but I know they perform similar functions, so how can I help but worry? You're not supposed to take aspirin or ibuprofen during your last trimester because they prolong both gestation and labour. I remember how long my first labour was all too well. If I am still sitting here with no baby at 42 weeks, only to have to suffer through another full day like that, well... I suppose I'll have nobody but myself to blame. Myself, and the ER doc (whose name I didn't even catch).

I went out and picked up a bottle of Tylenol to have in the house just in case my ear gets unbearable again, which the doctor suggested I do (and hell, the damage has already been done, right?) Liam is down for a nap now, so I am off to bed as well. Even if it's not a horrendously long labour this time around, I'd still like to do it with a clear head and healthy body, and I don't have either of those things right now.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Happy New Year!

OK, so it may not be a new year for everyone, but it is for me... barring disaster, I will not be back in my seat at work until 52 weeks from today. And if that's not cause for celebration and horn blowing, I don't know what is.

Unfortunately, my party is off to a slowish start. After proclaiming that we are all on the mend yesterday, what happened? Not three hours later I came down with a wicked ear infection that very nearly sent me to the emergency room last night. Instead, feeling like it was too much work to get dressed and drive down to the hospital (and realizing that there might not even be much they can do for me right now, medication-wise), I hunkered down in bed, and today it feels much better. Still, I'm not out of the woods yet; I'm still coughing and congested. Terrible timing. Giving birth is hard enough when you're healthy... let alone when you're not well rested and unable to even breathe normally. So first up on the agenda this week is Mission: Get Better.

That's not to say that all festivities have been put on hold. With only 364 days of freedom left, I can't afford to let any time slip away. So far today we have:

* Slept in - great timing Liam! I needed it today.
* Made a big batch of waffles for breakfast.
* Fed and played with the cat next door while his owner is away.
* Said hello to the mailman when he came by as we were coming home from feeding the cat. Liam is all about the questions these days: "Who's that, mommy?" Too cute.
* Went out to run some errands. Picked up some garbage bags and kleenex (we are running on empty after the week we've had here); searched unsuccessfully for some Croc-type shoes in Liam's size (but know where to go looking for them, and when they're expecting a new order in) and some mulch for the garden (it's supposed to be shorts and t-shirt weather tomorrow, so I'd hoped to make progress there).
* Came home and made pizzas for lunch. Liam is an excellent cheese-sprinkler.
* Currently he's napping, and I'm procrastinating - I intend to log into work email, but am dreading what I might find.
* Once he's up - we're heading out for a walk. Liam's birthday is one month from tomorrow. **sniff** We have a party theme in mind, and I'm off to see whether I can rent an appropriate cake pan.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

This sums up the past few days

What better way to celebrate the end of work than to spend it holed up in the house for several days straight, sick and miserable? I have managed to keep it down to just a slight sore throat and a sniffle. Liam, on the other hand, was completely lifeless for several days. I think this photo is from Friday. He spent about five hours sleeping on Friday, most of it draped on top of me like he is here - he would cry if I tried to move him. (I did have one glorious break for an hour or two, during which I managed to vacuum the house and make my bathrooms sparkle - the most consecutive cleaning that's been done in this house since our cleaning help up and quit last fall.) We went out for dinner with friends on Friday night, and before we left I gave Liam a dose of decongestant that knocked him out pretty quickly. Unfortunately, when we came home he got up, and he had a miserable night: sweaty and soaked in his pajamas, running a really high fever, refusing to have anything to drink or take any more medication (which he normally can't get enough of) - even refusing the Freezies I made 4 a.m. trips to the freezer to get for him. I resorted to sponging him down and trying to sleep beside him in his bed while he thrashed around. I was all set to take him to the doctor first thing Saturday morning, but by 7 a.m. the fever had broken and he is on the mend, apricot sneaking and all.

Completely out of the blue yesterday, Liam said "Nice day for walk" - where does he get this stuff from? - and he made a similar comment today. We did get out for an hour yesterday and hope to do the same this afternoon, just as soon as he wakes up from his nap. We have lost time to make up for.

Thursday, March 08, 2007

Peering between the Kleenex and the empty juice box

...there he is, the dude who has never taken an interest in TV in his life, watching his third back-to-back episode of Elmo on the Treehouse channel. Liam was miserably sick today, waking up late, not wanting to get out of bed, have his diaper changed, get dressed, have anything to eat or drink for breakfast... he just wanted to curl up on the couch with his head in my lap, and cried if I got up to get something. I felt terrible leaving the house for a couple of hours to run into work and fire off some last emails/clean out my desk, but when Grampa Bruce showed up on babysitting duty, he regained some of his normal cheerful self. We spent most of the afternoon sprawled on the couch watching Treehouse. He alternated between wanting to play and just wanting to lounge, and I have felt progressively worse all day, so lounging sounded good to me. As of bedtime he was pretty much back to normal. I now have the daunting task ahead of me of weaning him off a diet that consists entirely of juice boxes, yogurt cups and berries (yes, we have been bribing him with his favourite foods in an effort to get something, ANYTHING into him) while I sink further into the sickness mire myself.

I'm hoping that we are both feeling decent tomorrow, and that it's a nice day. We could both use some fresh air, and I don't know about him, but I could use some exercise. I have some errands to run, and I'm hoping that I can celebrate my first full day out of the office by doing it leisurely and on foot.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

8 reasons why today was a good day, and one why it wasn't

* Today was my last official day of work. I am going back into the office for a bit tomorrow, and working from home here and there after that... but officially, I am done.
* This means I can pack away my I-can't-stand-them-any-more maternity work clothes. Woot!
* My department took me out for lunch and spoiled us with sweet baby girl gifts.
* This came in the mail today, and in a couple of weeks I will even be able to wear it.
* I had a doctor's appointment and was pleasantly surprised to discover that I have now gained less weight than I did at the same point with Liam.
* We met with our doula and those arrangements have been finalized... feeling much better about things now, and ready to get the show on the road.
* Lost.
* I just checked my email and found requests for 2 more scrapbook pages for publication.

But...

* Liam is sick. Really, really sick. Didn't go to Cindy's today sick. Listless, won't eat, won't drink, miserable, going to bed 3 hours early sick. I feel so bad for him. To make matters worse, Chad is a coughing, hacking mess, and I think I am next.

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Bassinette defender

One of the big mysteries that still remains is how aware Liam is of what will be happening in the next few weeks. He knows what babies are and likes to see them, and refers to old pictures of himself as Baby Liam. The nursery is now The Baby’s Room, our infant toys are Baby Toys, and he gets a kick out of trying out other Baby things, like the newly-resurrected bouncy seat, and laughing at how silly he is to be using something that is meant for babies.

Originally we were convinced that it would come as a shock and a surprise to him that someone new will be moving in with us, but he often catches us off-guard by knowing things that we assume are still over his head, and this may be no exception. Last night at dinner Chad said “What’s up, buddy?” to Liam as he sat down, and Liam, who had already started in on his dinner, said very matter-of-factly, “Eating red peppers.” Because he had a plate of stir-fry in front of him and was indeed eating a red pepper. Who knew that he knew? It surprised me both that he knows what sort of answer that question begs, as well as that he knows what a red pepper is. (Partly because we don’t eat them that often, and partly because he is terrible at differentiating between red and green right now, which has added colour-blindness to my list of mothering worries.)

Lately I’ve been thinking that it might not come as much of a surprise to him when Baby comes home, after all. We have been busy lately washing baby clothes and getting baby gear assembled. Chad dug out the bassinette last week, and Captain has tried to take up residence in it again; but when he does, Liam goes after him and orders him out, on account of it being for the Baby. If I had to guess right now, I’d say that Liam will be curious and interested in the newcomer at first; go through a somewhat jealous/resentful phase when he realizes we are no longer at his exclusive beck and call; and then simply get on with it. He might just surprise us again, and make the adjustment surprisingly well.

Monday, March 05, 2007

37 weeks

37 weeks today, which puts me at officially full term. This scares the bejeesus out of me. Partly because there is so much left to do; I still don’t have my stuff packed for the hospital, still don’t have anything waterproof on my bed in case my water breaks in the middle of the night. (Maybe this is just because I don’t want to jinx myself – I made the preparations last time, and my water didn’t break until I had already been in labour for 13 hours. So I keep thinking there is no way it will happen without some prior notice this time around!) We need to install the car seat. I need to remember what I’m supposed to bring to the hospital versus what they provide.

With Liam I felt so much more organized; maybe I just paid more attention. I read books and we went to classes. This time around, it’s been easy to wave off as been there done that – but then I can’t remember how we did things with Liam after all. With him it also didn’t seem so strange. I know making the leap from no kids to one is supposed to be the life altering event, but with him it seemed pretty natural, whereas the thought of going from 3 of us to 4 still seems foreign, even if it’s imminent.

The good news is that Gramma and Grampa Cook came home from Arizona on the weekend. Besides the fact that Liam was delighted to see them, I’m glad that we now have volunteers in place to take Liam while we’re at the hospital. If anything had happened last week, I would have had to make a decision about who to call at 3 a.m. to bail us out. Now, that’s a given. (I just hope we don’t have any false alarms!)

The other good news is that this is hopefully my last Monday for a very, very long time. I was thinking about what had to get done today in the shower this morning, and I finally got around to starting it around 3 p.m. – before that it was just one issue after another. It’s going to be hard making a break from work, and I might wind up back in the office for a few hours here and there, or working from my laptop at home for a bit. Luckily there is an end in sight that will eventually make the break for me. Sooner or later Mother Nature will intervene, and then it will be 24/7 work of an entirely different kind.

Friday, March 02, 2007

Sweet little face returning to a magazine near you!

Liam and I had a blast being off together yesterday. We ran some errands, visited some friends, made more headway setting up for #2 (dusting off Liam's old baby gear and working on the nursery), and had a great finale to our day when I got a call from Scrapbooks Etc. requesting a page for their August/September issue. Hey, this is my last week on payroll... I have to find some way to contribute to the bills this year, right? "Freelance Contributor" it shall be. :)

Thursday, March 01, 2007

It's March!!

And that means... holy cow!!

I am BACK at home with Liam today. He's healthy, I'm healthy - unfortunately, it's Cindy who is now unhealthy. I think I am going to give my boss a heart attack. This absenteeism is coming at the worst possible time. I may need to work something out where I get into the office for a couple of extra days next week to make it up.

Anyway, no update today; I am trying to use Liam's naptime to my advantage, and get some work done from home.