Best if Delivered By....

You know how you have a pantry full of items, ketchup, mustard, soup, jello that all have stamps that read "best if used by" and then there's a date printed next....well I feel like I'm walking around with a big stamp on my belly that reads "Best if delivered by x/x/xxxx."

And maybe it would be better if we did have a date that was a deliver by date instead of a "due date." You know my belly button is popping out like those meat thermometers that pop out of your Thanksgiving turkey when its done...does that mean I'm done?

Considering, none of my clothes fit comfortably and/or cover all of me, including my maternity collection, walking, sleeping, sitting and standing are monumental events; getting dressed requires assistance, these all seem like indications that its time to deliver this baby and give me my body back.

Of course this is my second child and I now know that you don't actually get your body back, not the original, no you get the "rental car version" you know the kind that might look like the original in some ways but has a lot more miles on it and probably experienced some extremes during the rental.

Currently, I feel like my body has been taken over by a body snatcher. We go to the doctor today and due to the size of the baby he's planning on inducing in a few days, because "its best if I'm delivered by...."

So what am I feeling? Relief, exhaustion, fear, panic, excitement, denial and everything in between. I would have though that with this being our second child the emotions wouldn't be as intense, the fear of delivery would be less and we'd feel more prepared, but there are times when I feel less prepared. And these emotions hit you like a hurricane, they slam into you and then they swirl around and continue to rain like the aftermath of the storm.

We are blessed. We are so lucky to have a healthy toddler and in the next three days we'll have a baby. Plus, we're lucky enough to be blessed with a boy and a girl, the best of both worlds.

The Race is ON!

Ready! Set! GO?

The race is ON! Alright so maybe the race really began back in December when we learned I was pregnant but now we're racing to the finish line at full speed. And the reminders are everywhere.

Seriously I can't leave the house and run into someone without hearing the following comments: "You're ready to pop!", "Any day now you're going to have that baby", "Better get ready, he's coming." Hello? Do you think between my duck waddle, the persistent and feistier kicking and the doctor's appointments once a week that I've forgotten and need these reminders?

I'm going to make it a point to never say to anyone, friend, acquaintance, total stranger, "you're about to pop!." It doesn't matter if you don't mean anything by it, when you're big and have been dealing with all of the symptoms that come with being pregnant you just don't want someone to remind you.

But with the clock ticking, the calendar days passing by and the constant reminders we're rushing around making sure we're ready. Wait, maybe that's incorrect, the only one running around like a crazy person making lists, packing bags, taking inventory is me. I seriously think my husband is in denial. Just like when we had our daughter, 21 months ago, and I was settling into the hospital room, the nurse asked him so are you ready to be a dad? (and thought are you giving him an option, because its kind of too late for that) and I hear him say, "it really hasn't sunk in yet."

So....we're at the hospital, my water had broken a few hours before, contractions were 3 minutes apart and, what hasn't sunk in? I guess its just different for men. But this time around I would think the reality would be hovering around him like those pesky summer flies.

I mean it seems like I'm the only one with any sense of urgency. This is normal right? It does make life easier if all of the clothes are washed and organized, the bottles are sterilized and stored for easy access, diapers are on the changing table with wipes and accessories, hospital bags are packed, the swing is down from the attic and in place. Or have I become obsessed?

Speaking of obsessed...have any of you, if any of you are reading this, found that this "nesting phenomenon" also creates a need to shop? I find myself scoping out the latest baby products, buying extra swaddle blankets, wash cloths, bottles, pacifiers, nipples etc. And I'm amazed and the new producst that have been introduced in just the last 21 months since we had our little girl.

Don't misunderstand, I'm not buying just for the sake of shopping. I'm going through her things and seeing what we needed that we didn't have for her, re-stocking items like diapers, wipes, etc. And as I'm buying, ordering, organizing, I'm also dreaming of putting away the maternity clothes and getting rid of them.

So are we ready? Do we really have three weekends left? I remember being pregnant with MC and everyone focused on the due date. But here I am at 36 weeks and this time people keep reminding me the "baby will be here anyday."

Any day? Well then I will spend today continuing to get the nursery, the house and my family ready for his arrival. But are you ever really ready?