I tried hard to do so many preparations for the baby's arrival long before I got into the last of my pregnancy. But as it turned out I was still doing serious prep work just the weekend before he came--actually even the day before he came! I had to take a photo to remember week 39 of pregnancy. I was down to only a few things that would fit.
I shopped for and wrapped up two baby gifts for friend's who are also having babies. These were fun to wrap! I love how they turned out. The Aden and Anais blankets are such great swaddle blankets.
I ran to Trader Joes to stock my freezer with meals that I could pull out during the month of December and feed my family with little effort. While I was shopping in the store during the early morning hours, I was pushing around a very full shopping cart full of frozen items and other refridgerator needed things. A kind employee approached me and offered to take my one cart to the back freezer while I continued shopping. He then went and got me an empty cart and said, "Have at it!" so I did. When I had filled the second shopping cart and was ready to check out that same employee directed me to my very own check out lane and he retrieved my first shopping cart. It took us together about 8 mintues to check everything and bag it all. Then we helped me to my car. I was amazed at how kind he was. People like him make the world such a better place. That is why I love shopping at Trader Joes. It was really a kind act of service he rendered for a woman who was four days away from delivery a baby. Thank you Mr. Trader Joe employee! My back and feet and family thank you! Now my freezer is full of things to cook up quick-like for dinner!
On Saturday Rod took Jack and Morgan and did his list of errands. I on the other hand went with my parents to scout the Las Vegas Valley for the most comfortble and decent looking rocker/recliner for my family room. Secretly I believe my mom wanted one for my home before the baby came so that when he did come home she would have a wonderful chair to sit in and rock him in. I drove my parents and we ran around town going to 4 stores before we landed in the Lazy Boy store. In the Lazy Boy store we were hounded by a very annoying salesperson. (I get she was doing her job but I just was ready to be done and left alone after 4 previous stores!) I didn't see anything that I really liked and was a little frustrated. I was about to say, "Let's just go home and come back another day." Then I realized that there would most likely not be another easy day to look becuase I would be recovering from a c-section and toting a baby. So I told everyone I would just like to look around one more time by myself. I did just that and came to one chair that I felt might work. It is about the color of our couches, the price was right and it was comfortable. My dad and mom agreed that it was a great chair and my dad suggested that we purchase it and take it home to see if it would work. So we did that and came home, put it in the family room and it has been there ever since. My dad went and had a swivel rocker base put on it for me and I think someone has been in the chair every minute since its arrival. Rod tested the chair out and approved! The tags came off and it is officially ours. What a nice treat that was to find after such a long day of looking! I just have the best parents in the world! They take such good care of me. They are generous beyong belief and they give and give and give. The chair is officially known as Nan's chair now!
On Sunday we had dinner with my parents and Rod gave me a blessing. I was nervous about the c-section. I think this time I was nervous because I didn't really know my doctor overly well (he is just quiet) and I was not in as great discomfort as I was with the pregnancy of the twins. I also knew what type of recovery I might have. The overall idea of surgery is just not a comforting feeling to me. It made me a little tense this time so the blessing Rod gave me assured me that things would go well. I am so grateful that Rod lives his life so that he can administer to our family when called upon to do so. It is a blessing and a comfort.
On Monday morning I kept Jack and Morgan home from school. I moved the guest bedroom bed around the room until it felt like it was in its right place. We cleaned the guest room up of Legos and I finished some other things I had on my to do list. Preparations were still being done no matter how much I had thought I'd have them done before hand. I was grateful to be able to move and do. I was not in that much pain and the discomfort was manageable. I was ready to be done with it but wasn't looking forward to the recovery process. Being physically limited is such a struggle for my mind to handle!
On Tuesday morning, November 8th, Rod stayed home from work and got the boys ready for school. I got myself up and ready. It was great to enjoy those last mintues as a family of four. Jack and Morgan were happy to have Rod take them to school. That never happens because Rod leaves the house for work when Jack and Morgan wake up. After the boys were dropped off Rod and I skirted around the house packing for the hospital and getting things ready for me to be gone for most of the week in the hospital. We also decided to take a photo or two of me just before we left for the hosptial. I'm so glad we did these photos! I can't believe this was me just hours before my c-section. What a difference from eight years ago when I was completely sleep-deprived and enormously large with the twins! Rod and I were so amazed that our long journey to have a third child was almost complete. It would all have been worth it in a matter of hours! We drove to the hospital and I remember thinking to take note of how beautiful the sky was and the weather. I wanted to remember every sensory detail about the day!
photos:
my 39th week
baby gifts
the stocked freezer
the new chair being tested by rod
the morning of delivery @ 40 weeks
rod and i anticipating our third streets boy
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