It's officially on. We're a day before our due date and are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our baby girl. Our bags are packed, the baby seat is secured in the car, and the nursery is finished!
Nearing the end of the pregnancy trek of this journey, we've turned our minds from preparation, to what the heck we're going to do when we bring our bundle of joy back to live with us for the next twenty plus years. We have access to a myriad of parenting books and an endless stream of well intentioned perspectives on child-rearing; I think it's fair to say we agree on the fundamental approaches we're going to take, and for this fact we are truly blessed. For each of us, it really boils down to treating our new little one as a human being - not a crying baby, or a little adult - but a thinking, learning, loving human being, with her own thoughts and tendencies.
It would be an understatement to say that we're in store for some challenges. We are aware (even if we don't truly KNOW) that parenting is no cake-walk, but I have faith that we'll find our way better than many new parents, and that our child will grow up to be a good adult. We are both so ready to be parents - not so young that our lives are in turmoil, and not so old that we're totally set in our ways. Ok, so we're ready....hurry the heck up kiddo, we can't wait to meet you!
I had planned on providing a bit of a nursery update (it's really, really close to completion). Although I've got some swank pictures, I've been told not to post them until a) we put all of the finishing touches on the room; and b) I am home to grab the camera from our car (it's packed safely in our hospital bag).
As luck would have it, I've got something else worth writing about. There was an article today regarding Robert Munsch's struggle with mental illness and drug addiction. I come from a Munsch family - we read his books A LOT growing up. In fact, my sister and her friends had a brush with fame when they were selected as winners of a Robert Munsch story contest. Needless to say, I think his stories are great. I know we'll read them to our little one, and I hope she'll read them on her own too.
So, after my "Right on. Good for you for being honest about your very human issues" internal monologue finished chiming in, I decided to read Mr. Munsch's note to parents on his website; one link here, and another there, I caught myself reading his full bio (which reads like one of his stories).
Then a weird thing happened; I started reminiscing. Well, it wasn't quite just reminiscing. I began to think back to when I was doing a lot of Robert Munsch book reading. Then I started to think about reading those same stories to my daughter. Then I started to think: HOLY CRAP I'M GOING TO HAVE A DAUGHTER. Then I got emotional all of a sudden.
We've mostly been focused on preparing for the arrival of our little one, but all of a sudden, as the finishing touches are being put on her room, and all of the gear has been purchased, we're moving from preparing for parenthood, to parenthood itself. Contemplating what this means is a profound thing.
For me it's been a process, which means more now that I've started to feel like a parent, than it did when I simply understood parenthood as bunch of responsibilities I need to fulfill. I'm realizing it's hard for me to really feeling sappy about this stuff UNTIL these responsibilities are fulfilled, which is something I know I'm going to have to work on. I don't want to be so busy providing things for my kid, when all she really needs is for me to listen to her, love her and provide boundaries (i.e. be a good dad who cares).
So, here's to Mr. Munsch for having the courage to tell his devoted readers that he's a human too. I can't wait to read his books to my daughter.
We're getting down to the wire. My partner turned to me the other day and said "Can you believe we've gone from counting down the months, to counting down the weeks? We're talking days now!" Pregnancy is one of those things that feels like a life-time has passed in about five minutes. In some respects, we've completely normalized life with baby on the way - it seems like we've been living as parents-to-be forever. At the same time, this has all happened so quickly. One moment you're staring at a grey blob on a ultra-sound screen, the next you're seeing body parts crawling across your partners belly. It's all so friggin' surreal, exhilarating, scary, wonderful and awesome (like Tsunami-awesome, not cowabunga-dude-awesome, well ok, maybe a bit cowabunga dude awesome too...)
So, no big whoop, we're about to bring a new human being into this world. We're totally freaking out and not ready calm and have everything under control.
What's a nearly new dad to do? This whole lack of blog writing motivation is snowballing, so I need to step up pronto and give a wee update. Where to start?
We're about three weeks from our due date, which basically means my darling partner can go into labor at just about any time now! We've had a bit of crib related nursery drama, which will thankfully be resolved tonight. I am so excited to put the finishing touches on a room that has, up to now, been a place where we put all of the crap we've accumulated. We've been told that our baby won't use her crib for about three months, but I really could care less about that; I don't know if it's nesting or what, but I just want the damned room to be ready. Anyway, we're getting the crib tonight, and expect the very last piece of furniture - an heirloom-esque change table - to be in place this weekend. When we get it loaded up with diapers and assorted other stuff, I'll be sure to post some pictures of our very chic room.
Here's a little teaser: an amazing paper quilt my partner made from an old atlas. Man, this is going to be the coolest little room in our entire house.
We have also, thankfully, attended a prenatal class prior to the arrival of our little one. Although there weren't any Earth shattering revelations, we did find the full day class really long useful. If you're in the Toronto area, and looking for a class, I would recommend this one. We had previously tried out the free ones offered by the City, but they were a bit slow moving for our tastes. Also, although the full-day class was a bit on the long side, we're not the sort of folks who can make a once a week commitment for an extended period, so setting aside one day to get through the important stuff was good for us.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the fabulous shower our family threw for us. As far as showers go, the word is this was one of the best. We truly do appreciate the hard work that went in to it, and of course are very thankful for all of the wonderful gifts. We really are lucky to have such great family and friends supporting us through this exciting time.
