6.01.2007

Hanging In, Hanging Out, Hanging On

One night of irregular but pretty good contractions, a couple nights of questionable sleep, but no baby yet.

So...here are some things we've been up to in the meantime:

Climbing on heavy equipment. A town near ours has a public works day each year and they let the kids come climb into the big tractors, buses, dump trucks, etc. Greatest thing ever. There really should be a park somewhere that just has heavy equipment for climbing...Of course, guess what Calvin said when he saw this picture? "It's me!!! In my soccer shirt!!!" Because he is the consummate soccer player, you know.

Being stalked by squirrels. This one was literally clinging to my drivers side window (how do they do that?!) immediately after I closed my door the other day. I turned to grab my seatbelt, and there he was, through the pane about two inches from my face. Creeeeeepy. And what is more is that he could have landed on my lap, had I not closed the door just when I did. Made me jump out of my skin. And then he would not leave the mirror. And then jumped to the windshield. And then was peaking down from the roof of the car, and I was afraid to back out, envisioning a Stuart Little-type adventure for the rodent when I hit twenty or thirty miles an hour. Or worse, the sickening kathunk-thunk should he fall and land in my driving path. They are rodents, but they are living, after all. He finally left me alone and I was able to go to my doctor in relative peace.

Filling water guns. The pocket change I spent on these little guns was totally worth it if you count the hours of entertainment they have provided in the last week. At first I was questioning the purchase because I seemed to be required to refill them - and since they are so small that they only hold four squirts of water, that was a lot of refilling - but of course it was no time at all before Henry had it all figured out. And those fat little hands filling that tiny little water gun? Priceless.

Learning how to big brother a baby. We took Cal and Henry to a little class at the hospital today so they could learn all about what a baby does. "Cries, eats, poops and sleeps" is Henry's summary. They were shown how to change the baby's diaper, how to swaddle it, and got to pretend to feed it a bottle. Among other things, the nurse who taught explained two very important rules: 1. Never pick the baby up without Mom or Dad's help, and 2. Never feed the baby anything without Mom or Dad. I am especially grateful for those instructions, coming from an official person and all. They also gave the boys official doctor hats and took all of us up to the maternity ward where we could look in the nursery window and they held up the most perfect little newborn. Even Calvin was impressed with the tiny-ness. The boys also got certificates of graduation and "big brother" buttons with their pictures on them to wear to the hospital when they come to visit after the baby is born.

Which may be soon, and may be not...Of course, labor and delivery is all that is on my brain, I feel like I'm eight weeks overdue and my due date hasn't even come yet.

I don't necessarily want to subject you, Dear Internets, to that kind of obsessiveness, so I might not blog unless I have something non-gestational to talk about.

Or a new baby son to show off.

Until then, no news is...no news.

9 comments:

Ice Cream said...

I wish our hospital had a class like that for siblings! I agree about the park, growing up we had a park that had old cannons in it. We would spend hours climbing and playing make believe in those things. I think you should post about your baby obsessiveness. I know EXACTLY how you feel and it makes me smile to know that I am not the only one who gets that way after the 8 month mark. Good luck, hope the baby comes soon.

An Ordinary Mom said...

My son would go bonkers if he could climb on some heavy equipment. He can never get enough of the tractors ad other big machines. In fact, I purposely drive home a certain way so we can slowly pass all the construction sites.

I love how your boys are prepping for the new baby by visiting the hospital. Hopefully the real deal happens soon ... for your sake. Until then, blog about whatever you feel like :)!!

Anonymous said...

I think it's a miracle the squirrel didn't send you into labor.

Blog Antagonist said...

UGH. That last month is so loooooooong isn't it? I feel for you. Your boys are so cute! I'm sure they will be wonderful as big brothers. e

Gabriela said...

What a cute class for you sons! I wish I had someone "official" to remind my older ones about picking up the baby and not feeding him!

Those squirrels are something.

Best of luck to you in these last few days of pregancy- they really are the worst-but what's coming is by far the best! enjoy it!

(ps: my 6 year old will not take off his "soccer" clothes)

Super Happy Girl said...

What a great way to prepare the boys for the baby, I love it :)
That squirrel is a freak of nature, I have never heard of anything like that 0_0

Pam said...

Not much longer:) And that squirrel reminds me of Caddyshack the movie! lol

someone else said...

ooooooh, they are just so consistently cute!

Wow, only three days to go! I'm cheering you on.

The Amazing Trips said...

I have to second Mommy Dearest's comment ... if I'd seen that squirrel land on my mirror, the baby would have surely popped right out.

Hang in there - he'll be here before you know it!! Until then, I hope you're enjoying sitting on the couch & drinking ice water by the gallons. :)