They Say Patience Is A Virtue

I started writing this blog awhile back figuring it would be nice for Elijah to know how he was anticipated in the days prior to his birth, but now it is a bit drawn out and ridiculous as time continues to pass.

 

Understanding that the doctor’s prediction that Elijah would be here before the weekend was over was just an educated guess, we tried not to count on it, but prepared accordingly.  Despite those efforts we find ourselves still waiting and wondering WHEN??? can we stop preparing like each day is the day?

Friday night:

Contain our excitement and try to be practical - check

Pack hospital bags and go to bed early - check

Saturday:

Call the relief vet in to cover for me because she needs to know by 6 a.m. and I wake up not feeling so good at 5:45 a.m.  Better be on the safe side (it passed in 2 hours) – check

Wash bassinet sheets and make other “must do” preparations for baby’s arrival – check

Go shopping with mom hoping that a little walking around will make things happen (doesn’t work) – check

Sunday:

Try to go about business as usual, but wind up at the hospital for a little monitoring, then off to church – check

Take an afternoon nap thinking surely tonight’s the night (it wasn’t) and I should rest – check

Lose most of the night’s sleep just because I’m waiting and can’t settle in – check

Monday:

Prepare for work as though I won’t be home for 3 days - check

Go to work (against a few people’s wishes) thinking a little normalcy would be nice and surely I won’t make it through the day anyway (I did) – check

Take my normal ~1 mile walk at lunch thinking it may help and besides the weather is perfect – check

(Side note: this really freaked a few people out, but why not?  Jacob was worried I’d make it down the road and not be able to make it back, but I just told him I’d ask one of the guys at the Harley shop down the road to take me back.  He teased that then I’d want to name the baby “Harley” instead of Elijah and we could call him “Boss Hawg”.)

Get home from work and realize I hadn’t made any dinner preparations because I never dreamed we'd need it.  Scramble to cook something – check

Get a good night’s sleep in preparation for who knows what – check (thankfully God allowed that night)

Tuesday:

Once again prepare for work as though I won’t come home for 3 days – check (this is getting old, but I live too far away not to)

Once again go to work wondering if I will make it through the day – check

Miss my labor-inciting daily walk to go to a lunch meeting with my bosses, other associate, and a drug rep just hoping and praying that this is not the time so I don’t embarrass myself – check

Pick up pizza for dinner (feeling just great about this dinner choice) – check

Wednesday:

Sleep in on my day off – um no, Josiah NEVER sleeps in on my day off

Get an early start – check

Grocery shop to spend the day preparing 8 meals to freeze – check

Prepare said meals - check

Do 5 loads of laundry – check

Call the pediatrician because Josiah is yet again having GI issues.  Start a new trial treatment and doctor the resulting bleeding diaper rash – check

Intend to take a nap while Josiah does but never slow down long enough for that to happen (at least his was long) – check

(This day didn’t quite turn out as hoped.  I wanted to be productive yet enjoy my day with my little guy in what may be his last day as an only child.  Instead we were both miserable as we dealt with his discomfort all day.  At least God allowed me this day to be there for him.)

 

I’m thinking this post is getting ridiculous and I need to post it because we all get the point by now!

I blame Jacob and my Mom for all this.  When we found out on Friday, they both hoped Elijah would wait until Tuesday for work purposes.  Now, I know the reasoning was practical and I am known to be overly practical myself, but COME ON!  I thought Saturday sounded practical since everyone could be back on normal routine by Tuesday, but no one including Elijah, listened to me.

The benefit to this waiting period is that last week I was not mentally prepared for this.  I’ve spent the last 2 years kind of dreading ever giving birth again.  Over the last few months I’ve slowly worked myself up to it, but haven’t gotten to the excited stage I was with Josiah.  Now with all the buildup of the last few days, I’m ready to go!  Bring it on!  It seems God has taken care of my every need, once again, even for mental preparedness.  (Now lets see how I feel after the fact!) 

It’s not that I’m itching to get Elijah out of me.  I kinda like being pregnant and I’ll miss the little guy moving around in there, besides, I’m not even 40 weeks yet.  But this anticipation and trying to stay prepared is exhausting!  I gave a little chuckle when Jacob came out of our bedroom this morning carrying our pillows  once again and he gave me a fake dirty look and said “why don’t you just pop a squat and have him already?”  It was good for a laugh, anyway.