Here we are ladies and gents, the final week(s) until Baby O'Shea makes her world debut! I have so much running through my head as I wait for this little one to join us, and I am feeling a cross between impatient, unprepared and pure bliss at what is to come. The hardest thing about all of this, for me, has been that my "due date" is really just a shot in the dark as to when I may have her - a point in the middle of four weeks that I could go into labor. As an obsessive planner, list-writer and type A extraordinaire this really has been the hardest part for me. I mean, if I just knew that she would begin her descent on 11/26 after I wake up from a restful 8 hours of sleep with my Mom here from Reno and my maternity leave started I could be so much more prepared, right? Nope, not really. But it doesn't stop me from wishing I knew.
Since I don't know, I have taken to thinking that I am going into labor most all of the time, but this morning was the first time that I actually prepared to leave home and return with a swaddled little baby instead of just my Marc Jacobs bag and a sore back. Matty and I were getting ready for my weekly doctor's appointment and I started feeling cramps and pressure like I had yet to feel and really thought that it might be time. Since we were going to the doctor's anyways I felt fine waiting to get to her instead of calling or having Matty drive like a lunatic in the breakdown lane to get me there. We got to the doctor and were told that while my body is definitely getting ready (including my softening cervix that is not at all dilated), that there was no sign of labor going on and, as my doctor loves to say, I remain on auto-pilot. So off to work I went, still kind of crampy and definitely not dressed in my best business casual (leggings and Uggs are the new power suit, no?) to the love and support of my co-workers, who are getting to the point that they are just as surprised to see me as I am to see them each day.
Speaking of work, next week is my last week at work, and since Wednesday is the day that we serve our clients a Thanksgiving meal and then sit down to one together before going home at 1:00, it's safe to say that I only have about 4 working days left until I am out for three months. Not since I started work at the age of 14 have I ever been out of work for so long, but I am fully aware that this is not about to be a vacation or anything that will leave me bored or rested - I have a whole new person to take care of in addition to my family of three (me, Matty and Louis) and a new role of being a mommy to get the hang of. I feel very lucky that I get to take this time to do so, even if I am completely enraged about US maternity leave laws, pay, etc. I am lucky to get to have so much time and the financial means to do so when so many other women do not, so I am going to enjoy it and hope (and advocate) for better in the future, for everyone. On another work note, my co-workers threw me an amazing surprise baby shower - I literally had no idea, which is rare considering how nosy I am. It was the sweetest thing and made me feel the most warm fuzzies for everyone at work - I am going to miss them all so much while I am out! I cannot even express the love and gratitude for everyone in my life and the genuine excitement and support I feel from you all. This baby is going to have the most amazing people surrounding her, teaching her and loving her.
So aside from work and attempting to determine whether I am going into labor or merely feeling the burrito I had for lunch, Matty and I have been spending time with friends, getting the house and our minds prepared for baby and enjoying the excitement as it continues to build. The nursery is complete minus a rocker or glider (hopefully we can pick one up this weekend) and I have lots of supplies for when I get home from the hospital (witch hazel pads, yoga pants, etc). I have all the ingredients to make some meals for freezing and eating later that I want to get made this week, the house is clean, and my legs are always shaved! Auto-pilot never looked so together!
I also had a maternity shoot done by the extremely talented Allana Taranto at ARS Magna Studio, which the picture above is from. We had so much fun taking pictures and talking about the baby; I cannot wait to see the rest of the images and get to share these with her someday. We decided to do them at the Liberty Hotel, where Matty and I spent our first night as husband and wife, and is just too perfect with the historical Boston ties (that Matty loves) and the fact that it used to be a jail (right up my alley, much?). It was such a wonderful experience and I am so glad that we did it, it also really helped make this super prego lady feel like supermodel for an hour!
Well, back to auto-pilot, I guess. I feel like I am leaving some things out, but I guess I can just chock that all up to pregnancy brain..perhaps this is the last post that will be an issue, then we get to deal with baby brain!!!
Xoxo,
39 weeks and counting
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