Today, at 3 o’clock, is the first doctor’s appointment of our third trimester. (insert Cheers in the background -think surround sound!)
Last night we were sitting in the nursery, as we sometimes do, like we are just waiting for him to walk through the door.
“Hey mom, hey dad! I’m here, change me, burp me, feed me, love me...”
But, of course there is a
lot more to a baby than just that, right? (Rhetorical question) All those things are a big part, but I guess we left off one of the big issue… the birth. He has to be born! Speaking of… my beautiful wife has signed us up to have a “birth class” next month. It is a two-day, extensively long, very long class that we are making ourselves go to! I mean, we are paying to do this… are we crazy? It is like going to work, on the weekend! But, maybe we will learn something.
My fears and concerns are becoming more apparent as the days pass. I don’t want to end up on a lifetime special… “our child, switched at birth.” Is there a way we can maybe ask the nurse or doctor to put a huge RED “X” on his lil’ hand or something to signify “this is Mauldin James Skates,” he is our child and don’t you dare try to steal him. I don’t wanna sound like an overly anal freaky parent, but do people actually do this type of thing? Can we request it? Or am I overacting a little bit?
Looking ahead, Laura mentioned to me last night we need to think about a hospital route. Well, yes, that is a good idea, but what if you go into labor and I am not even around? I am at work for eight hours of the day, and the next few months I am taking classes to finish my bachelor degree so what if I am at school? So, do I need to pack a bag and have it in my car at all times? Just thinking about this sent me into panic mode, so I went ahead and got out a small, black L.L.Bean duffle bag and stuffed a wide array of things I may need at the hospital baby wing.
It feels like a month ago we had so much time to prepare for the arrival of the man-child, but now, I am starting to sweat the small stuff… But, luckily Laura has three showers in the near future (one this weekend) so hopef
ully anything I am worrying we do not have… we will have! I keep hearing, diapers, diapers, you need diapers! Well, the other day we showed off the stack of boxes in our upstairs bonus room, of diapers, and you would probably think people would say,
“wow- that’s enough to cover the kid until the year 2030!” (lets hope he is potty trained by then) But, instead this is what we hear…
“yah that’s a good start, but not nearly enough!”
Insert, OMG and a jaw drop….
Well, prepared or not, we have 81 days to go!
10 comments:
ahhhh....You will be just fine. My advice (for what it is worth) Don't over plan. Things will go different than what you plan no matter what! (That is one thing that will be certain in the birth of Mauldin!) Stephen and I also liked our birth classes. You will have some of your fears eased at least! LOL! :)
No need for the red X.
The baby will be given a hosptial arm band - with a number (or something like that) that will be on both you and your wife's arm band.
The baby can not go anywhere with anyone that does not have a matching arm-band. (At least that is how it worked for our hospitals).
Overall... It worked out pretty good...
But then... There are days I wonder.... (snicker)
That's great you're planning a hospital route and have some diapers to start you off! When Mauldin first enters his room, he's going to be so excited!
Tami's right - you can plan all you want, but nothing's going to go the way you plan it anyway, so hey...just relax and enjoy the ride.
A two-day long birth class seems like a bit...much. Ours was like two hours. Basically, they said, hey, you can either have drugs or no drugs or a C-section. Either way, it's gonna hurt eventually, somewhere.
Yeah, you'll get the hospital bands. Ours had some kind of little alarm trigger in case someone tried to steal the most beautiful baby ever. ;-) And please, I had a hospital bag ready at all times. You can't be too prepared! And enjoy Baby Class. I like it. All the massages and funny dads to be freaking out over "the video". Don't worry, we watched it in junior high thanks to Ga public schools. Oh, but pay attn. to the C-section part. I didn't and look what happened to me! Love you guys!
It's good that you are planning ahead of course. And you're right, have everything youyou are going to bring ready to go, no reason to pack at the last minute.
Although....as you may know, the first pregnancy often takes many hours between the time contractions begin, and the time you need to go to the hospital. You will be sitting around the house for hours while she is going through mild contractions, just waiting for the time to go in. So most likely the excitement will come, and come strong, then it will fade and you will be frustrated that you have to wait so long to go the the hospital. Along those lines, the last few days/week is the worst part. Oh the waiting!
The classes were useless for us, (it is basically for peeps not wanting to use drugs) but it was fun to talk with other pregnant peeps and was really fun making the instructor irritated by joking around through the whoile thing while she was trying to be stonefaced serious. But its fun to go just for the experince. part of the whole pregnancy package, at least once.
Because our little one came a month early i was totally unprepared. I kept thinking that i would have plenty of time to pack a bag with all of the things they had recommended at the birthing classes. We went to the hospital at 11 pm with nothing but my wallet because i thought it might be a false alarm! I felt sure they were going to send me back home! At 4 am i sent hubby home to pack a bag because at that point there was no stopping the delivery! I REALLY needed my camera and my phone! he of course took the time to brew a thermos full of coffee...
Our birthing classes were stretched out over a few weeks. They were kind of boring general knowledge things, but i did find that the breathing techniques that we laughed about in class very helpful! it actually is possible to have a baby with no drugs! :0
Best of Luck to you both!
OK, I'll tell you this much. - It really pissed off the nurses.
But a temporary tattoo, deftly applied, when no one is watching will make sure that little critter is yours.
The boy wore a guitar. The girl wore a Dora.
@Tami- I know, but a guy always have worries... liking the birth class, not so sure.. I will go tho, I will go.
@FoF- I guess Im just ana rentetive... but then again, what's the sayin? Better safe, than sorry? ;)
@Terri- No need for a route.. I guarantee I won't be there when she goes into labor, but if I think that then maybe I will be!!
@Amy- Relax? when have I ever relaxed? LOL
@Megs- I don't think our hospital is that high tech...
@Jay- Yes, I will go and watch the pregnancy video like a 10th grader who has just been given the "sex speech".. "if you have sex you will get klymdeia and die!" (I know how to spell that... it is from a movie) HAHA
@Laura- I have heard for lil girls it is okay for them to be early and boys not so much, but a month early is still not a good thing for any of the genders... I'm glad Evelyn is happy and healthy.
@Mike- Great plan, I'm thinkin spider-man or superman temp tats... :)
Well, I don't have anything to ad as I don't have a child, but I DO think it's good to be prepared (well, at least with the packed bag) but as we all know, almost nothing ever goes according to plan when we are talking babies!
So, good luck with the birth and much fun @ the pregnancy class. ENJOY this last stage before baby Mauldin is REALLY there!
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