Preparations

We had a nice Christmas, and thankfully I did not go into labor. I think I just got a little dehydrated-laying down and cosuming massive quantities of fluid did me wonders.

I went back to my house yesterday for the first time since painting/sealing/floor installation/finishing began. It is looking really fabulous, although there is still much to be done. We are going to be back in by New Year's, which I am excited about. I am so ready to be back home.

I've had to totally hole my tongue and keep in mind that I've been unable to help T. With all of this house stuff, particularly packing and physically moving things. He was a bit haphazard about some of it, in his haste to get it done (ie, he ripped out a wall with our bed still in the room, made up, resulting in a large pile of filthy bed linens). My first instinct upon discovering a pile of dusty pots set inside my brand new bassinet (which is fully made up) was to want to open up a can of pregnant lady whoop-ass on him. I had to contain myself, though-he's working his butt off, and super stressed about getting everything done before the baby gets here. A few (hundred) extra loads of laundry are the least I can do, I guess! And have I mentioned how fabulous the house will be when he's done? He's really very talented.

People keep asking me why we are renovating so close to our due date. The answer is that we've basically done a gut rehab of our house, and we've been working on it for two years. We've been doing the work ourselves on a shoestring budget, although you'd never know it from how gorgeous it is. The baby sped up the timeline-otherwise, there is no way we'd have as much done as we do. I like to say I got pregnant so T. would finish the house (but anyone who's been following along here knows that isn't close to the truth!).

We are meeting with the doula today to finalize our plans for the birth. It should be an interesting conversation. While she says she respects our choices, I think she really wishes we switched hospitals to deliver at, and I think she has some strong thoughts about my OB practice. Although I wished I was delivering at a different hospital and have some criticisms of my OB practice, as well, there are reasons why we did not switch hospitals and providers, and I need to be true to myself regarding that. I also need the doula to be on the same page with us for our labor and delivery, because I am not a black and white person in terms of how things will unfold. Who can predict the choices we'll make, when so much about labor is inherently unpredictable? Hopefully, today will get us thinking from the same perspective, so she can be there for us in the way that I have been counting on.