Five More Weeks

Five tiny little weeks. That's it. Then life as we know it will change forever. Five more weeks until we are holding our baby girl. Five more weeks until we are a family of four. Five more weeks to paint the playroom, stock up on little newborn diapers, get Jake's big boy room ready, finish up any big work projects before maternity leave, meet with last minute clients, wash all the clothes and towels we have been buying for her. I'm actually surprised I'm not freaking out a little bit more.

The doctor told me yesterday that if I were to go into labor right now, they wouldn't stop me. Oh dear. Maybe I should start freaking out.


(ABOVE: Can you see her face?)

What we do have ready to go is a name (still keeping it a secret til she is born), a place for her to sleep, some basic baby girl clothes to wear, and all of Jake's hand-me-down accessories that just need to be taken out of storage, cleaned up and put into place.

Our due date has been changed a few times, but I am telling everyone who asks that it's Valentine's Day. Which is one of the dates I've been given (as early as Feb 5th and as late as Feb 18th). According to my calculations, the 17th will be 40 weeks. I won't be a bit surprised if she is born on my birthday, which is the 23rd. She will come out when she is good and ready. Which, if her parents are any indication, will be "fashionably late."

Jake is pretty excited about having a baby sister. He talks to my belly, gives it kisses, and yells into my belly button to communicate with her: "It's me, Jake. Your big brother! Remember me?". He has mostly gotten over the disappointment of her not being a boy, but it comes up every so often. He is anxious for February to be here.


Recently, Jake has been very interested in human anatomy, and can identify all kinds of body parts. He is fully aware that the baby is growing in mommy's uterus, that she is fed through her "umbilican" cord, and that the placenta supplies her with nutrients. I am so proud of my almost-four-year-old's thirst for knowledge. We have to read the "skeleton book" nightly before bedtime. And this is no kid's book, it is a full-on medical tome. He loves it! I've been meaning to make a video of him identifying his favorite organs. But don't hold me to that - I've got a few (million) things on my plate right now....