1. Share one good thing you're looking forward to.
I am beyond excited to meet this little man.
But. My doctor (who I see weekly, at this stage) keeps asking me how ready I am to have this baby, like she's expecting me to be tearing my hair out by now.
My strategy this time around is to just go with the flow. I made the mistake of trying to steer the river when I was pregnant with Lilah, or at the very least, of fretting and fussing about where the river was taking me.
Granted, I was more than a week overdue in the middle of a rare Vancouver heatwave and puffed up like a blowfish, but all of my futile flailing meant that I did not enjoy my last couple of weeks of solitude the way I now wish I had.
Now I see this time before baby comes as a precious gift. He will get here, and our joy will be the same whether he comes tomorrow or three weeks from now. But these are our last days as a family of three; Lilah's last days as an only child; my last paid vacation days. And I want to savour them.
I want to spend time with my girl. I want to sit in the rocker in the baby's room and daydream about what it will be like to hold him. I want to carefully pack and repack my hospital bag until it contains just the right combination of things to surround myself with during labour and things for after his arrival.
Just as Lilah did, this baby will come when he is good and ready. So for now, I will sit back, let nature take its course, and let the river take me where it will.
Don’t try to steer the river.
~~Deepak Chopra
I wish I was as zen as you when I was in my final weeks of pregnancy with Scrumplet. I realized it was the end of my alone time with the Monkey, but I was SO OVER being pregnant! I look back now, wishing I was more patient and savored my time more. So, good for you Amanda!
ReplyDeleteI made the mistake of not savouring the last few weeks the first time around, and I am determined not to make the same mistake this time. Besides, I have a prenatal massage booked for next Wednesday, which was the soonest I could get, so that in itself is a brilliant reason to hold on! ;)
DeleteGood for you, Amanda. Those last weeks can be rough...especially in the summer. I love that you're letting go.
ReplyDeletexo
It's true. Now that I'm done work but Lilah is still in daycare most days, I can do lots of things at a more leisurely pace. True, we have a lot to organize around the new place still, but I find I am driving more slowly, and just generally stopping to enjoy the moments as much as possible. Soon it will be all sleep deprivation and hungry baby cries and that "who am I and where am I feeling?" again.
DeleteYou are gorgeous, woman! Also, I almost wrote my post using this quote from the pregnancy, labor, birth angle. So fitting. Better to go with it. Don't punch me in the face for saying this, but enjoy the home stretch! You'll be a mama of two in the blink of an eye :)
ReplyDeletebeautiful.
ReplyDeletei cannot believe it's almost time!
Me neither. Maybe I'm not actually all that Zen, maybe I'm just in denial? ;)
DeleteGood way to think. Fretting, worrying and stressing out is useless. Enjoy every minute of your last pregnancy. At 42 and happy to be done having kids, the cool things about pregnancy like the movements, still lingers inside of me in longing feel that all again. I can't wait to meet the little man though.
ReplyDeleteYeah, for now I'm going to let myself be content with the wiggles, kicks and squirms on the inside. Lots of time for tiny fingers and toes and squishy cheeks to be kissed, cuddled and snuggled soon!
DeleteI honestly haven't even really wrapped my mind around the fact that I'll be a mom of three come December, even with the 18 month bump! I agree, though, the way to handle the new kid is to go with the flow. Enjoy the ride!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful perspective! Slowing down and savoring these last moments as a mom of one will certainly help when the chaos comes. And then you'll get into the groove again with two...it really is like a river carrying you on this amazing journey. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteexpecting a new little one is the best. My newest grandbaby arrived just this week. congratulation! kaye—the road goes ever ever on
ReplyDeleteNow I'm crying ((shakes fist))... Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteUmmm... sorry? :)
DeleteYou are so right. Enjoy the moment! It only comes around once.
ReplyDeleteYou're so right! I was SO uptight and tired during my whole first pregnancy...my next one I want to make a POINT of doing exactly what you're doing :)
ReplyDeleteThis was a really sweet post...so many people get in a rush for everything to happen that they miss out on this simple, special moments. Congrats on your new little one!
ReplyDeleteThinking of you as the day draws nearer. Enjoy your girl and some pampering!
ReplyDeletePerfect. No baby has ever stayed in mommy's belly forever, right?
ReplyDeleteI wish someone would have told me to just chill and that everything would happen in due course.
ReplyDeleteYou look amazing! Hope you are feeling good too.