The Waiting Game

I am not a patient person and my Type A, control-freak, mild OCD personality cannot stand living life without specific plans. So, needless to say, the last few weeks of every pregnancy have been the most grueling and frustrating for me--not knowing exactly when the baby will come, extremely uncomfortable, cranky, and tired. And, here I am again, waiting . . . Normally, I would love a couple of weeks with nothing really planned to do projects I have been putting off, etc. But, I have no energy to do those kinds of things right now. (In addition to trying to take care of three other kids and having little patience to deal with them.)


Each of my pregnancies, labors, and deliveries have been very different. J.D. was due two days after Christmas. My mom and dad and a few of my siblings and my niece came to visit a couple of days before Christmas and were excited to be there when he was born. Well, Christmas passed, a few more days passed, everyone left to go home except my mom and sister, New Years passed, our house was the cleanest it had probably ever been (windows washed outside and in, fridge cleaned out, etc.), lots of movies, shopping, pedicures, my dad and brother came back to town. Finally, the day before my mom was going to have to leave to go home to teach a new semester of college, we went to the hospital to be induced. After a twenty-hour labor, J.D. was born--just four hours before my parents had decided was the very latest they could leave to drive home and still be back in time for school and work the next day.


Jake was also a bit frustrating since he was four days overdue (at least he waited until the day after Valentine's Day to be born so he would have a better birthday). Luckily, labor and delivery with him were very fast--about 5 hours and we were only at the hospital for 2 1/2 hours before he was born.


Joey, on the other hand, was our only baby who was born early--a week before his due date. However, I remember spending much of the week before he was born doubled over with really painful back contractions. Then, labor with him was slow and erratic and pushing him out was painful since he was posterier (he came out facing up instead of down). I was glad not to have to wait longer, though. Plus, my mom and sister were coming to town for a week for their spring break and they would have missed him if he had been born on his due date or later.


So, here we are again--back to the waiting game. You can't blame me for reflecting on the other births and wondering what will happen this time and if it will a completely different experience, yet again. I have plenty of time to do that! For now, eleven days to go until the due date and just waiting . . .