Week 33: Adult-sized onesie: Check.

I’ve always loved babies and children, so the idea of becoming a mom has always been a natural thought for me. It’s totally within my comfort zone to play with baby toys and make silly noises during lunchtime. I also tried to inherit my dad’s “Who gives a ______” attitude when it comes to accessing your inner child. Two weeks ago at Home Depot my mom and I were bored to tears as we followed the men around the store. I said I was starting to get tired so my mom came to the rescue. She grabbed a cart and said, “Hop in!” I think she was kidding but I thought the idea was too tempting to decline. Somehow I got in without injuring myself. Even though it probably wasn’t the smartest idea to climb into something with wheels, it sure made Home Depot more exciting. I never want to stop embracing “the silly” and I hope my kids bring it out in me even more. I think life is way more enjoyable when you are ready to play.

I think one of the many reasons I was drawn to Seth is because I see the same playfulness in him. The first time we went to the beach I plopped down on my towel and was ready to settle into some serious lounging. Seth sat next to me for about three minutes and then started inventing things to do because he was bored. He wanted to play. After he built a pretty impressive sandcastle complete with sticks and seaweed we ended up having a rock-throwing contest that I obviously lost. One thing I know about Seth is he will always be ready to play. When he sees a toddler or preschooler he doesn’t see a booger eating, energy-sucking terror like many people would. He sees a playmate.

In many ways I’m sure Seth and I will be blown away by how unprepared we are for parenthood. We’ll have to grow and adapt as each situation presents itself. But I do feel confident that we are ready for the silliness. I even made a list to document how we already embrace the silly in our lives.  

Top ten reasons why we are ready for kids:

10. We went on a date to the movies…and chose to see Madagascar 3

9. Our tv/family room is decorated with a superhero theme (my idea, not Seth’s!)

8. Our house is ALWAYS stocked with ice cream

7. We already own 98% of all the Disney Pixar and DreamWorks movies

6. Last Christmas we made our own Christmas cookies without cookie cutters. Then we searched the cupboards for what we could decorate them with. Sixlets on a Christmas cookie…why not?

5. We’ve been to Dairy Queen 5 times in the last month

4. Seth has always been good at taking naps and since becoming pregnant I have become a master at it as well.

3. For a costume party we dressed up as Sully and Boo from Monster’s Inc. I was Sully. Seth was Boo. For those of who aren’t familiar with the movie, Boo is a two-year old little girl who wears purple tights.

2. Because of our dogs we have already experienced the shock and horror of accidentally getting poop on our hands. 

1.  We both own an adult sized onesie. Seth has actually had his for years. Mine was a Christmas present.

And the cherry on top of my delicious list of reasons why we will be ready to have fun with our children…Seth agreed to let me take a picture of us in our onesies. I saw the baby onesie a few months ago and just had to buy it so daddy and little one can match someday. However, Brendon’s is one step up because it glows in the dark.

Now that I’m on the home stretch I’ve heard those nasty Braxton Hicks contractions can start hitting at anytime. At my last doctor appointment something very encouraging happened. First of all, I never thought I would be able to have a male obgyn. But my doctor came with many recommendations so I figured since there really is no way to guarantee I will only have female doctors for this whole experience I might as well just go for it. After I met him for the first time I immediately felt better. He is probably in his late forties, doesn’t give off a creeper vibe, and always wears an epic bowtie. It’s not a hokey clown type; it’s classic. At my last appointment he was measuring my tummy and he said, “Oh..are you feeling that?” I said, “No, what?” He replied, “You’re having a contraction right now.” I turned to Seth with a look of absolute glee on my face and said, “Babe! Maybe it WILL be that easy!” Dr. Bowtie said that right now they probably won’t hurt yet. He made sure there was an emphasis on the word “yet.” I’m still ignorantly hopeful.

Things I can’t wait to do again when my baby stops hijacking my body:

Sleep on my tummy

Eat lunchmeat without worrying about bacterial disease

Mommies: What was it for you that you couldn’t wait to do again?

Blessings,

Shantastic :)  

Week 32: My plan will never work

We have been getting “showered” with so many baby gifts lately. God is really letting us be the recipients of the graciousness of others. A few days ago we came home to find a huge box sitting on our doorstep. A thought popped into my mind of what it could be but I quickly dismissed it because I thought, “Noooo way, no one would actually buy us that!” We ripped open the box to find the most beautifully crafted baby swing! Seth put it together one day while I was at work. I walked into the house to see it placed perfectly in the corner of our living room and I just stood there for a minute with the biggest smile on my face. Up until now all the baby items have been sectioned off in the baby room or in the play area downstairs. This is the first thing that has made its way into the area where we do life.

We have all the essentials. There’s a crib in the baby room fitted with sheets, a stroller/ car seat combo with dangling toys, and now a beautiful baby swing to soothe little one’s cries. I’m 32 weeks pregnant. I’ve heard stories of women giving birth at 32 weeks and having healthy babies. My due date is less than two months away. That’s a lot to take in!

As I’ve stated in a previous post (Week 28: Waddling without a Stroller at the Zoo), I take a long time to adjust to the idea of change and I hate unpredictable circumstances. I was once quoted in high school saying, “Someday I want to be really spontaneous and just go jump in a lake or something, I’d just have to plan it out first.” I didn’t even realize I had said something ridiculous until I noticed all my friends were laughing and shaking their heads at me. I’m not sure why I hate change and spontaneity. Maybe I’m fearful that the change won’t be as good as the present or I’ll find out I’m not as prepared as I thought I was. I truly believe with all my heart that becoming a mom will be one of the greatest, most-fulfilling things I ever do in my life. But can I be completely honest for a moment and say that the unpredictability of it all is incredibly intimidating?

I went to college to be a teacher, which means I basically got a four-year degree in how to plan out every moment of the day. I like plans. Plans give me security. During school I had a plan for when the plan got disrupted. As a teacher you have to be prepared for the kids to grasp a concept much faster than you were anticipating, get the kids outside when there is an unexpected fire drill, or be ready for the principal to pop in for an informal observation. I always had plans for these unexpected detours.

When it comes to giving birth I can go into the hospital with the best plan and backup plan I’ve ever made. But there’s no way to control the situation to make it align with my plan. I can also fill my head with all the book knowledge in the world on how to take care of a newborn, but my baby might be the exception to all the rules. I can meticulously plan out a schedule for baby to follow and it will probably get off track within the first twenty minutes. I find all that a tiny bit daunting. I know I’ve already spent an entire post talking about giving birth. Women have been doing this for hundreds and hundreds of years. It just gets a whole lot more real when you know it is going to happen to you. Pushing a tiny human being out of you is a lot to process for a planner like me!

When it comes to the labor experience I think the only way to end up with a win here is to have a goal instead of a plan. My goal: end the day with a healthy baby in my arms. I suppose with a reward like that, it really doesn’t matter how you get there.

I’ve become a walking stereotype in many ways lately. I’m sure many of you past and present pregnant ladies out there will be able to relate. I now have to squat down on the ground to get the dishes out of the dishwasher. Getting off the couch requires a “push off” with both my fists, or the steady arm of someone helpful. Taking multiple naps in one day is no longer considered being lazy; it’s normal. At around 4:00a.m. every morning you can find me at the kitchen table eating a bowl of cereal because I’m seriously too hungry to sleep.

Feeling the baby twist, turn, and kick still blows me away. I’m sort of starting to be able to distinguish between where the head and rear are. The kicks and punches are also more centralized to one area so it’s more obvious when it’s a limb or a whole body jolt!

Moms: How were you a walking stereotype?

Blessings,

Shantastic :)