Friday, Aug. 30, 2002 - 5:48 p.m. - Two More Days

I can’t even begin to record all the thoughts going through my mind these days. Disbelief mingles with excited anticipation which mixes with a bit of panic which in turn leads to appreciating our last few days as a couple without children and then turns into amazement that we are going to be parents, which brings us back to disbelief again. Throw in a bit of worry and eagerness and a number of other emotions and you just might have an understanding for what is going through our minds these days.

Today as I got busy with chores that need to be done, phone calls that had to be made and such, the diaper delivery man came to the door with our first round of cloth diapers. For a brief time I had been so focused on other things (though always the thought of the baby is in the back of my mind – it never leaves) that I had somewhat forgotten about my pregnant state and the fact that our child is due in 3 days. Man, getting those diapers was like another smack of reality! As I carried them upstairs and put them away in the nursery (the baby’s room or the Peep’s room it remains until we have a name for our little one), it just hit me all over again that this wasn’t a game, but it was for real. Oh my God, I’m going to be a mom!!! That stack of diapers made the point clear more than anything else for me this morning!!

Later…

Well, we just returned from going to a matinee, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and running a few errands. The movie was really cute and having grown up next door to a crazy Greek and having had a Greek for my best friend all through high school, I could really relate and laugh at this movie. We had a good time. Now we are back home. I’ve got a few more little things to do around the house, but I’m just going to do them slowly and not worry if not all of them get done. Not sure what we’re going to do tonight yet though. Maybe I’ll just make myself comfortable and just read a little, that’s surely a luxury I won’t have time for for a while.

It’s funny, I feel like I should be documenting these last few days before the Peep arrives, but really there isn’t too much to report. We are just so anxious to meet her. My mom and dad are so excited as well and they keep getting phone calls from family friends inquiring about us and asking if the Peep has arrived yet (as if they wouldn’t hear from my mom).

I guess I could update our list here….

Things that still need to get done before this little one arrives and changes our lives forever ….

Things to do before the Peep arrives (not an any specific order) :

• Car seat installation and inspection
• Iron and hang curtains
• Order blinds for the nursery
• Borrow and prepare camcorder from my parents
• Put film in cameras (make sure memory sticks are in digital camera case and ready to go)
• Pack bags for hospital
• Sign up for and attend Infant CPR class
• Call Baby Diaper Service and set up account
• Buy one more sheet for the cradle and 1 more set of lap pads
• Type out and post phone numbers for the hospital and OB in case I go into labor
• Purchase phone card
• Set up laptop so that we can upload photos and access my journal site
• Test laptop access phone numbers (we found this won’t work. We have DSL access and would have to pay extra for dial-up access even for just a short time. So it looks like we might use one of those “trial memberships” from AOL or MSN and then just cancel it when we get home)
• Install Zio! on laptop (I LOVE that little thing) (Didn’t need to do that, we used the SmartCard reader that came with our printer instead.)
• Get batteries for and set up baby monitor
• Put together bouncy seat (and get batteries for that too)
• Get breast pump from my friend
• Get letter prepped to add the baby to our Insurance plan
• Decide what to pack for “entertainment” at the hospital
• Get pre-registration paper work, complete and return
• Decide on a pediatrician
• Get side table from Fred Meyer
• Write out birth plan
• Pick out birth announcements
• Order birth announcement envelops
• Get clock radio/cd player for nursery
• Go through boxes of books and find my board and pre-school books to put in the Peeps bookcase Unfortunately, I couldn’t find all my books and Michael was not being very helpful at helping me move boxes to get to more boxes with books in them, so that will just have to wait. I’m heartbroken not to have found my copy of Guess How Much I Love You
• Finish writing thank you notes
• Update address book contacts and export and import to laptop and MSN
• If time allows start addressing envelops for baby announcements

Wow, only 2 more full days!!

Currently....
Pregnancy: 38 weeks 5 day(s) (Only 2 days left!!!)
Due Date: C-section on September 2, 2002 It’s a GIRL!!
Medications currently taking: Glucophage XR 500 mg, Levoxyl 125 mcg, Prenatal Vitamins, Heparin 12,000 units, Baby Aspirin
Non-prescription: Calcium 1200 mg, Vitamin E, Vitamin C
Number of Injections given so far : 699 (540 since Jan. 1)
Feeling: Excited, Worried, Happy
Current Cravings: Strawberries again
Reading : The Baby Book by William Sears & Martha Sears and The Complete Book of Breastfeeding by Marvin S. Eiger and Sally Wendcos Olds (a gift from my dear friend Diffy) The Mr. & Mrs. Club by Alan Emmet
Reading via Books on Tape : Shopgirl: A Novella by Steve Martin
Watching: Nothing