Isn't it amazing how unexpected events can be such catalysts to get our butts moving when we procastinate. Events that put us out of comfort zone can be exactly what we need to get our act together.
It definitely happened for Tim and myself this weekend.
Funny how much weekends have changed since having a child. Tim and I used to have weekends almost to ourselves before Noah was born. Breakfast at our local coffee shop, then maybe going for a walk in the afternoon, with Tim and I always looking for something to do. These days, our weekends are almost always filled before we even get to the week before the weekend. Swimming lessons in the morning, then usually a birthday party or 2 in the afternoon. Last weekend was no different. A 2nd birthday party on the Saturday and a combined 2nd birthday party/baptism/40th birthday on the Sunday.
Anyhow, so we were at our friends place on Sunday afternoon, feasting and enjoying watching Noah take advantage of the mini playland that they have in their backyard! Little did we know how much excitement the rest of our afternoon was going to bring forth.....
When I went for a loo break, I spotted something unusual and I started to panic. It was something that I had not experienced with Noah at this late of my pregnancy with him so I was totally baffled. My first instinct was to find Tim (who was still in the backyard chilling). I told him what I had found. I told him that I was going to ring the hospital and ask for their advice. Luckily I had brought my ante natal card with me which has my hospital records and the phone number of the delivery suite. It was only that weekend that I started to become vigilant about carrying the card with me. If someone had asked me where the card was several weeks ago, I honestly could not tell you (bad bad bad patient!).
So I spoke to a lovely midwife on the phone. She asked a ton of questions and deduced that the best thing was for me to come in and be checked. She said that there may be a chance of me being kept overnight for observation....at least the thought of delivering that night was not even broached.
Unfortunately, we had to leave the festivities earlier than we had planned. Such a party pooper!
We drove straight to the hospital. Funny how neither Tim nor I brought up the possibility of having a baby that night but later on discussed how much we thought of it during the drive. I think that the thought of having a child born 4 weeks earlier than expected was just too much for us to discuss!
The lovely midwife that I spoke with ushered us into a room. She took my blood pressure, temperature and hooked me onto a machine to monitor the baby's heartbeat and movements. She said that I would have to wait for the doctor for further examination to see what is going on.
After 2 hours of waiting, with Noah in the room entertaining himself with a hospital curtain, my phone (thank you Bananas in Pyjamas and photos!), the chairs, dinner, the hospital bed and a latex glove, the doctors finally came to see me.
Once they had done what they needed to do, they concluded that the issues were mild enough to allow me to go home for the evening. I was under strict instructions though to keep an eye out and return straight to hospital if anything else happened. I was elated. The possibility of going home with a new baby was not even discussed! Besides when they asked me if we were expecting a boy or a girl and said girl, one of the doctors said that it was a boy day for them. Yahooo! We will come back another day then!
We are so not ready to welcome our new baby right now!
We drove home, relieved, frantically discussing what we needed to do to prepare ourselves. I think that if this is not a reality check that the wee one will soon be joining our family, I don't know what is.
You can only imagine we are doing right now and what is on the agenda for our Easter long weekend.
- Book capsule
- Sort out her clothes
- Wash her clothes
- Build cot and sort out her beddings
- Make space in our wardrobes for her things
If we are lucky, we might have until the 2nd of May to get ourselves sorted....but at least we have started!
