- I am currently in the midst of nineteen glorious days off work, which have been spent unpacking, decorating, and cleaning our apartment, working out in the apartment’s little gym, reading books about childbirth, and seeing family and friends. Our standard evening this summer involves a bowl or two of cereal, Arrested Development DVDs, and passing Mike’s iPod back and forth as we play Words with Friends. My life is slow, simple, and exactly what I need right now. I’ll start back full-time on the 27th – and will work for a month or so until the baby is born. That sentence only mildly freaks me out.
- Our baby stuff pile has been growing – enough that I did an entire ‘extra large’ load of baby clothes and blankets this week, and giggled to myself as I folded the tiny little clothes. So little! So cute! Our baby gear so far includes: a swing, a walker, a bunch of baby clothes, some receiving blankets, a wearable blanket, a swaddle thing, a bathtub, six cloth diapers, and (most exciting of all!) a sound machine. I have always wanted a sound machine. We also have a bunch of free (mostly second-hand) things that we’ll be getting soon: a crib, a highchair, an infant car seat/stroller combo, and a Pack n Play. At this rate, we’ll have to buy next to nothing for this baby! Sometimes, I feel pressure to get lots and lots – it seems like most pregnant women I know are pretty much transferring Babies R Us’ inventory to their house – but I know we can always buy whatever we really need AFTER the baby is born. For the first month or two? We’ll have a co-sleeper, diapers, onsies, and boobs. Finding this article was a breath of fresh air. Getting pregnant is like getting engaged – all of a sudden you’re bombarded with magazines filled with advertisements telling you how many products you need to make sure you’re a good mother and make life easier.
- Every five years, my entire extended family goes on a beach vacation to North Carolina. We’re talking, like, fifty people all hanging out at the beach together. Doing dorky family stuff like relays and family game nights and talent shows. They’re all there this week and we’re missing it (not because I’m due in six weeks, because of Mike’s grad school schedule.) I’m sad to miss out on the beach and the sun – but most of all, I’m sad to miss out on the last family vacation before I have to take care of a baby all the time. Mike and I always talk about how we know life will change when we become parents, even though we’re not sure what that will be like. Well, I do know that going to the beach will be slightly less carefree once we’re responsible for a little tiny human. I know life will be enriched by having a baby, but I know I’ll also have less freedom – which is really hard to accept. I sure do like the freedom to do whatever we please whenever we please.
- We are missing out on the beach, however! We are visiting Mike parents, who are taking care of Mike’s neice and nephews from Nashville. They are tons of fun. Evidence:
The six-year-old saw a wearable blanket we got for the baby and said, “What is that? A Snuggie for babies?”
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