Category: News from the front

We had an appointment at the hospital today. More monitoring (blood & urine tests, listen in on junior and blood pressure). We expected to be in for about 1hr, then back home.

The plan was scuppered. Deirdie’s blood pressure was high, along with othert ‘stuff’ and so we were told she’d be induced today, and wouldn’t be going home.

We went to a labour room, and so the induction began. I’ll not go into the details of what goes up where, but once underway, Deirdie started to have ‘ickle contractions. These got stronger through the day, until the realisation that jnr was definitely coming. It’s all a bit surreal. 13 hours from going in for a ‘quick set of tests’ and not really even started. Junior is coming, s l o w l y!

I’ve left Deirdie lying in a hospital bed for the night, whilst I race home, get some food, pick up a change and hopefully grab 40 winks.

I’ve instead stuffed my face, tidied the flat and finally put up the black-out blind in the bed-room. It’s late now, and I’m going to bed for a while. Hopefully Deirdie is kinda comfortable, and getting some rest. 

It’s all go again tomorrow. Starting at 8am with more monitoring, tests, and steps along the induction trail. I’ve got to be back before that of course, so goodnight for now. Junior is nearly here, and we finally tidied. I still need to figure out how the car seat works though…

We went to the hospital today- referred from the GP.

Then came home.

False alarm. Back home. More painting, cleaning, decorating.

I predict a Sunday baby.

For a while there, I thought we were going to have a Valentine’s baby. Junior’s due date was 14th February, which has now passed with no sign of his/her arrival.

Oddly, whenever I’ve mentioned the due date to friends, there’s been a universal “awww- how romantic- a baby on Valentine’s day!”

But I think this is very wrong. Consider for a moment how every other 14th Feb would be for us. On a notably romantic day of the year, Deirdie and I would be waist deep in jelly & icecream, and kiddy parties. Every parent for miles around would be able, and expected to dump their child on us for Junior’s birthday party, whilst they go out for a nice meal, bottle of wine, and a little peace and quiet.

OK, that sounds quite selfish- but what about when kiddo is a little older, and starts having birhtday parties that involve drinks, pubs, clubs and late nights? Well, I guess s/he will always get cards on valentine’s day, even if they’re birthday cards- but will friends be available for partying- or will they be off with their boyfriends/girlfriends?

Every pub/club will have their vlentine’s special on, and you won’t be able to get a meal out without booking a table months in advance. As a side, any menu on valentine’s tends to have at least one heart-shaped dish (usually desert), too much decor in red/pink and probably some inflated prices.

You see- Junior not ariving yesterday means everyone’s a winner!

Bets are now on for when Junior does arrive. With the due date past, we could be heading for hospital at any time. The bags are packed, but we are still decorating!

 

 

Here we are.  One week exactly until Junior’s due date. Still so much to do… We have the clothes and kit we need including the pram- but we don’t yet have a nursery.

Junior will be in our room at first but will go in to his/her own room in due course.

We’ve been tidying the spare room/office- to make this into the nursery. We’re going to leave a desk in there so it will end up being an “officery”.

Here’s what we currently have to contend with. This is all of the shite we have pulled from drawers and need to bin or find homes for. It’s a big pile and is deeper and wider than this photo shows. So, do you think we’re ready yet?

1 week and counting remember- Junior could come any day!

Saturday, we picked up the pram. It’s a bugaboo:

http://www.bugaboo.com/

It’s  a techno-pram. Wallace invented it for his dog Grommit, when he was a puppy. We’ve been practicing putting the thing together- and it’s not that easy. Because of some of the safety features, you kinda need 3 hands to get the thing to collapse down successfully. I think that, with practice, I may be able to use the toes on my left foot to provide that final flick to pop it up and down.

We also bought most of the things we need for Junior’s arrival- not everything, but the hospital and immediately after is covered. My folks have agreed to buy the changing station (thanks Mom, Dad).

What next? Wait for Junior to arrive I guess.  Four weeks to go. Wow, that’s close. Any final words of wisdom? Anyone?

1. Learn to be a great dad. (]Think I can be, but let’s face it, I need practice.)
2. Make sure Deird eats & sleeps after junior arrives.
3. Work less hours but for more money. (This is actually quite a biggy- it means stopping working as I am, and doing something quite different.)
4. Write more. (on this page, and elsewhere)
5. Run more. (Have been a fair weather runner, and in Scotland, that means running for a few weeks in the summer).
6. Recycle more, or at least, keep less (Deirdie and I are nesting, and we’re throwing away/recycling/passing on junk that has sat in cupboards for years. I want space!)
7. Learn to play the harmonica. (OK, maybe not in 2007, but one year, and before I retire!)
8. Manage to climb 6c climbs consistently. Sunday morning climbing at ‘Alien Rock’- http://www.alienrock.co.uk/ can I get my saggy ass up a 6c? No. But I will, and some time soon. Although I haven’t been climbing frequently for ages, and need to again. 6a- no problem. 6b, at a push. 6c- no.)
9. Practice my NLP (I took a course with Michael Christon of Enhance (Michael- free plug here- http://www.enhance.biz/). NLP business practicioner course- all good.
10. Tidy my iPod music collection (currently, 32 days of continious play!) I’ve just packed away the CDs for this as part of the spring clean. Way too many CDs, they fit into two packing boxes, plus we still have some on display.