Getting the hang of things

The first couple nights with Katie home were pretty rough, but we got through them. I couldn't fall asleep the first night, I was so anxious. Yesterday Richard drove us to her pediatrician for the first checkup, and I fell asleep while we waited. When we got home, I left her asleep in her carseat and napped on the sofa. Bobby's parents arrived in the afternoon, and they entertained her this morning while I got a bit more sleep. I'm feeling pretty okay now, but looking forward to sleeping again.

We put together the pack and play, and she's sleeping in the napper in that instead of in her crib upstairs. That's making it a lot easier for me, since I can sleep with Bobby in my bed and still hear her easily and get up with her. I did spend a bit of time on the couch, though.

My mind is mushy. I'm so glad to have help. I'm afraid of how it'll be when they leave.

Interrupted

Katie was born yesterday. More to follow.

Other blogs

I've been spending a lot of time reading other parents' blogs, and I'm a little afraid I've started an addiction I won't be able to feed once Katie's born. Tragic.

Anyway, one of them today observed, "But at some point, we owe it to our children to point out the difference between participation and striving." He was talking about how we reward kids for trying in competitionless sports. There's no "winning," it's about playing the game. I'd never had an opinion on this topic before, but it was very interesting to think about. Now I've got a fledgling leaning on the subject, but I suppose I should reserve judgment until I've actually got a stake in the outcome.

Pardon, it was a comment on a blog that got me started. Located here: http://www.dadcentric.com/2009/06/how-you-play-the-game.html#more

Oh, and today is my due date. I'm a little achy, but no contractions. =(

But they were yummy!

I am home from the doctor, and there is no indication that my pregnant self is going into labor any time soon. (Besides the fact that there's a being inside me who must eventually exit.) Oh, well. All else fails, I'll be induced on Tuesday. I'm ready. So ready. Just let me go already!

And, in case I ever get pregnant again, I should keep in mind that eating gingersnaps when I have heartburn is a baaaad idea.

39 Weeks

I'm ready! Let's go! Come on! (If only it worked that way.) I realize my pregnancy has been extremely "easy," but still. I'm so over it. I've got tums stashed near all my hangouts in the house, I sleep in late, then take marathon naps, and I haven't felt properly hydrated since January. Mostly, it's the lack of energy that gets to me. How do women work through this? I always intended to work 'til I went into labor, but I just don't see how it's done. Especially for women that haven't had such a smooth ride as I have. Maybe if I'd been working the whole time, I'd feel differently. Maybe I should feel lucky I got laid off when I did. Impossible to say, but what else do I have to do but think about these things? (Hah, plenty, but fat chance.)

Bobby makes me laugh. Twenty minutes after complaining about how many books we have and labelling me a "book hoarder," Bobby called to ask me to find a purchase a book he heard about on the radio. 'Sup, irony. Meet my husband. In all truth, though, I do have an awful lot of books. I really hope I can get my kid addicted to reading too.

Parenting

The Mommy Files : Maurice Sendak tells parents to go to hell

I know it's a little off for me to be expressing my opinions on parenting before I've actually done any, but I'm going to express 'em anyway, dammit!

I laughed aloud reading this article. "...go home. Or wet your pants." Ahahaha. Fantastic. And that's exactly right! No one's going to be surprised that there are monsters in the movie. (At least, I hope not.) And of course, some kids are going to find it scary. Some won't. The point is, it's not up to film makers to decide if it's appropriate for your kid. Parents need to do their own screening. In the bastardized words of Neil Gaiman: Is it good for your child? Maybe. Every one of them is unique and on their own level. What's appropriate for one 6 year old might be totally crap for the next.

Or something like that. Sadly enough, I was probably the kid who would have nightmares after a slightly disturbing movie. (Coraline, for example. I haven't seen Where the Wild Things Are.)

Two more weeks!

My due date is in exactly two weeks. My doctor thinks I'll make it, so I've kind of chilled on the "OMG, I could go into labor at any moment!" front. Still in the back of my mind, of course, but two weeks is close enough. With Bobby's hellacious job situation, I decided to induce the Monday following my due date if I haven't gone already. Maybe the experience won't be as natural as I might prefer, but I'll take that over having to do it without my best friend to hold my hand. He'll have that whole week off, which will make bills squishy, but (again) not really any better options.

My appointment yesterday went well. I'm dilated 1 cm (same as last week) and the baby is about 6ish lbs. I talked to my doctor about whether or not induction would make a c-section more likely and when the optimal time for my epidural is and I'm actually feeling pretty good about my options. I'm still concerned about the episiotomy/tearing possibilities, but there's not really anything I can do about it. I suppose I should start thinking about packing a bag for the hospital before I get even more ungainly and sluggish, but I'm not a master procrastinator for nothing.

There are still a few things I need to acquire, and I haven't really finished in the baby's room, but it's really about all I can do to be awake and get some food in my tummy. I slept until 10:30 this morning, but I have been yawning ever since. Just thinking about getting some stuff around the house done makes me feel exhausted. I am feeling less sick, at least.

Insurance. Thinking about insurance makes me want to cry. If I don't hear from the guy I've been in contact with over the last couple of years, I'm going to find someone else. I have to have insurance go into effect on December 1. It has to. I am going to call United and find out what I have to do to add a kid for a month and then cancel. I've been forgetting to do it for 2 weeks, so here I go. Right. Now.

Shoot me now

I have bronchitis. I am going to bed.

P.S. Sick, pregnant women should not try to read The Stand by Stephen King for the first time. Can you say paranoid?

Tick.. Tick... Tick....

I went to the doctor again today, and she assured me I would not be having a 13 lb baby to rival my Aunt Freyja's. Yay. I am, however, starting to get very nervous about delivering even a significantly smaller child. I know I've been aware of what's going to happen for quite a while now, but I'm looking at my enormous belly wondering exactly HOW that's going to work. Also, there's no set order for how this happens. There's no one thing I'm waiting for that is going to be like, ping! You're in labor! It's making me very anxious to be waiting for something to happen and not know what. And for some reason, a lot of people seem to think I'll go early, so I'm afraid this unknown something might happen at anytime. On the other hand, I am officially full-term, so my baby could be born and not require additional life support at this point. Which is a little comforting.