Kid #1 was born a day or two after his due date. Kid #2 was unexpectedly early, by more than a week. So with the expected arrival of kid #3 we were ready, early, not wanting to again be caught unawares. Right now, two days past this due date, we're still waiting to meet our little girl. Or even for labor to begin.
We're certainly prepared. My wife, as far as I can tell, has finished nesting. We have plenty of little girls clothes, diapers, everything else. The baby's room has been ready for while, as I set up the crib and put up some artwork and moved the necessary furniture around. Our bags for the hospital has been packed for a couple weeks. I didn't even have a bag packed in advance for either time before but now every day it's there waiting for me behind our bedroom door.
My parents are here, to help with the kids when we go to the hospital. Last time my mom missed the birth entirely, resulting in a crazy day for us. This time she's already been here a week and time seems to be flying by. My dad's arrived too. It's obviously super nice having help entertaining the boys but this also kinda adds to the awkwardness as we wait around.
That's what we're doing, waiting. I'm more neurotic than usual. I feel like I can't be gone from the house all that long. I'm not letting my phone battery run too far down. I'm being nuts about keeping all the usual chores in check, never wanting to leave a pile of dishes or laundry for my parents to deal with. I'm not staying up as late and have had very little whiskey, trying to be ready at almost any moment. Since he'll be here a week or so my dad's asking for projects to do around the house, like painting. It's incredibly thoughtful but that's not the type of thing I planned to be thinking about, and I'm sure my reaction was strangely hesitant. Every once in a while when I'm working on something myself (see: obsessing), mostly to occupy my brain, I almost forget we're about to have another baby. It's weird, a twilight zone type of situation.
As for my wife, I'm not sure how she's handling it so well. She's obviously quite uncomfortable and tired and just wants the baby to come. Besides being done with the birth I have to guess she's excited for the baby snuggles. But nothing is happening yet.
Will labor and our time at the hospital be difficult and stressful? Most likely. Still, we want it to be time. We need it to be time. Right now the waiting is the hardest part.
That song's been on my mind.
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Update:
Our baby girl was born less than 48 hours after this post.
Guess it worked. :)
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