Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya! Tomorrow!

 

Tomorrow is the big day.

We are kicking this fella OUT!

My induction is set for 8 am (assuming they don’t get too busy and bump me later!)

I didn’t want it to come to this, but here we are, and I’m okay.  As long as I don’t think about it for too long!

Wait, what were we talking about? Noooothing!  La, la, la…

..

Brian’s laptop broke a few days ago, so I will be without internet in the hospital.  But I will see if he can post a picture from his phone?  Or something? 

I will be much to busy staring at his cuteness** to mind!

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Wish me luck!

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** Cuteness in newborns= old man wrinkles and chicken legs.  Not actual CUTEness cuteness.

We Four

 

Have moved to NYC and NJ together.

Have been to London, Scotland, and Wales together.

And Washington DC, and Philadelphia, and Connecticut, and Maine.

We have been on dozens (twenties?  Is that a word?  thirties?) of plane rides together.

Have weathered the Caitlin-in-solitary-confinement stage.

And the Dada-is-gone-at-work-ALL-DAY-stage.

Joseph’s Batman-mask stage,

and Isaac’s amazing transformation from the easiest baby in the world to NAUGHTY ALL THE TIME!

It has been a wonderful two and half years with our two little buddies.

And I am trying to look at every morning that I wake up still pregnant,

(still. freaking. pregnant)

as one more day that I can enjoy being just the four of us!

Oops, one more picture!

 

Because I totally went swimming (with the boys) on my due date.

And this needs to be recorded for posterity.

Boojah!  Still workin’ the polkadots!

Late.

 

Well, I’m still pregnant, folks.

My due date was on Monday, yet here I sit.

Here WE sit.

I have an induction date set for Sunday-

but I really (really, really, really) hope he decides to come out sooner, and on his own!

I kind of expected this time to be a bit different,

I imagined myself pausing in the garden (we have no garden), resting a hand on my stomach, and gazing at the changing leaves while contracting and contemplating the changes in my body and in the season.

Instead I am pretty much the biggest grump that you have ever met (especially after 4pm- my own special witching hour! Hooray for Brian!), and I spend my free time looking for fall wreaths? and garlands? on etsy? Am I communicating that I am puzzled by this time sink just like you?

The good news is no one asks about twins anymore.  Apparently, I look appropriately humongous miserable for “2 days late.”

While pushing two children (that I lifted in) and a cart full of Costco groceries.  Because I am still kind of a stud.

At least until 4 pm.

 

 

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Still no baby.

Feeling the need to go bleach the bathroom.

And decorate for fall?

 

This video of Isaac makes my heart hurt- taken this morning.

 

A labor-less Labor Day weekend

I seem to be 38 weeks pregnant.

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I was induced with Joseph at 39 weeks pregnant, and Isaac at 39.5 weeks, but my new Oregon doctor doesn’t induce until 41 weeks!

Joseph was 8 lbs. 11 oz and Isaac was 8 lbs 6 oz and with a potential for 2 more weeks of growth for this little fella… it’s enough to make you cover your lady parts.  Or is that just me?  Do you at least cringe in sympathy?

But, here is what I try to communicate to the new mom who is 20 weeks pregnant with her first and moaning about the impending labor-experience: 

When you get to the end of your pregnancy, labor doesn’t seem so bad!  Well,okay, it seems BAD, but you are willing to DO IT just to get that sucker on out of your body! 

Are you willing to push the baby out of your EAR if that is what it takes?  Then you are ready for childbirth.

And, even if you aren’t really ready, you have to do it anyway! 

So, let’s just get this show on the road, baby of mine!  The whole experience is…hanging over my head a bit.  Like an upcoming test or dentist appointment?  But…if I remember right…much worse.

Also, can you all lean in for a minute?  And look me right in the eye? (If you can tear your eyes away from my stomach!)  Can you all promise to never ever ever ever ask a giant-ly pregnant woman if they are “sure it’s not twins?!”

It’s not funny.  It’s not clever.  She’s sure it’s not twins.  AND, she is sure that she is going to go home and finish off that carton of ice cream to drown her sorrows.

I am SOOOOOO sick of hearing this!  ACK!

Let’s join hands and repeat after me, “You look great!”  “Wow!” “Amazing!”  “Miraculous!”  “Magnificent!” or even a sympathetic “Hang in there!” or “I’m sorry!  You are almost there!”

See?!  Now I want to eat that ice cream because it is DELICIOUS, not because I have to make myself feel better!  YAY!

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In conclusion, I do realize that I am looking a bit…stupendous.  But, that is just kind of how I roll when I am pregnant.

And after leaving Costco last week, Joseph asked, “Why does everyone keep saying that they are sorry that you’re pregnant?” because of all of the sympathy I was getting.

But, I told him, and I will tell you, “It’s because my tummy is so big and heavy!  But I’m not sorry!  I get to have a cute little BABY soon!”

Soon.

Soon?

PS Also, my husband still thinks I’m a dish!!

The Preschool Debate

 

Tonight is the eve of the first day of school.

But, not for Joseph.

Until next year, that is! 

(One more year until he enters the school system-waaaaah!)

Which brings up the topic of preschool.

Have you ever noticed how PASSIONATE people are about preschool??  Oh my heavens!

The socialization debate! (Is your kid getting enough socialization?  Will he be socially ready for elementary school?)

The educational debate! (Does he know what he needs to know to succeed in Kindergarten next year?)

The free time debate! (Time to myself!  Time for the other kids!  VS one more year with Joseph around daily)

Oh, I’m exhausted just thinking about it.

I have had people look at me like I was borderline-abusive for not having Joseph in a preschool!

I HAVE thought about it, and debated, and decided, and changed my mind, SO much in the past year.

And…we have decided to pass on preschool.

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Here’s the deal folks:  homeboy Joseph can read.  Like READ, read.  Today, in fact, when we were coloring with Mr. Sketch scented markers he said to me, “Mama!  This says Mr. Sketch, but if you added another “e” to it, it would say Mr. Skeetch.”

He can also do some simple addition, write his name, he is working on telling time, and he has known his numbers/letters/colors/shapes since about 2.5.

We do school work-books almost daily, and I am working on a more regular routine for this fall.

Socially, now that we are in Oregon, he is playing with a cousin or two (or 16) at least once a week.  Also, he has his brother…soon to be brothers.

He is a bit…different, socially, and in the way he views the world.  But, he is different in a way that is similar to Brian and my inlaws, so another year with them will bring nothing but insight and growth.

Of COURSE I would love to have some time away from him!  Sorry future Joseph reading this (yeah, right!), but it’s true.  You  make me a bit crazy. 

BUT, I’m fine.  It’s only for one more year!  ONE MORE YEAR that I get/have to (depending on the day) have him around me all the time!  The only year that I will have all 3 of my little boys home.  I can do it!  And, if I can’t?  He can always start at a nice little preschool in January.

So, there you have it.  Our decision.

But it’s cool with me if you made a different one!

Preschool is fun!

Most of my friends do it!

My mom was a preschool teacher!

I don’t judge you for sending you kiddo off to preschool tomorrow! (Unless you are sending them every day ALL day, while still being a stay at home mom.  Then I will secretly talk about you behind your back.)

Because here is the thing, readers.

I have this nagging suspicion that this whole preschool-debate thing I have been wading through the past few years DOESN’T REALLY MATTER THAT MUCH AT ALL.

Like, in a few years, I will never ever think about preschool again.

It all just seems a bit like hype.

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So, here is to the last night of summer for some of you, or the last night until parking at the zoo gets much better for the rest of you!  Hooray!!