waiting on a baby

(looking out the back window)

I spent Sunday waiting. Actually, it started Saturday night.  I had gone bed early expecting to be called to the birth center after only a few hours of sleep.  I was surprised to wake up after a whole night's sleep in my own bed. What a gift that was.

As hard as it is for us to understand, babies come in their own time- especially in the midwifery model of care when they are allowed to come in their own time.

Patience, castor oil, patience, castor oil....waiting for labor to kick in. We waited in our own separate spaces- Mama, Midwife and me.

Sometimes the waiting can be hard. It can feel unproductive.  I can't go too far, get too involved, start anything, finish anything, constantly checking my phone...but I did manage to make the best of my time and accomplish a few things:

*I sorted, washed, folded, and put away 3 loads of laundry- that's all there was! I'm totally caught up.  You should see my laundry room. It's gleaming! Whose house is this? 

*Roasted a butternut squash for soup later in the week. The best butternut soup I ever had was about 3 years ago. I learned from the person who made it that the secret to good butternut soup is to roast the squash in truffle oil and to use half and half when blending it. I've been craving it lately.

*Finished a crochet project. I took a picture before I wrapped it for mailing. I'll post it a little later.

*Watched episode 3 of Downton Abbey. Everything is so good right now...I'm afraid to go on to episode 4. Will Matthew and Mary just get together already? Is it weird that they are cousins? I'm glad Bates is back, will he get rid of his awful wife? And why am I starting to like Edith? Maybe I should stop watching. 

*Played around on pinterest. Found this picture.  It made me smile and think of young love. It's like "I-have-to-touch-you-but-maybe-I-shouldn't-or-maybe-now-is-not-the-time-maybe-I-can-I-pass-this-off-as-accidental?" Sweet.

*Laminated and cut out three-part cards for school. I'm addicted to laminating.

*Cleaned the kitchen and refrigerator. I have a weird thing about needing to do this before I bring home groceries. I hate bringing in and unpacking food into a messy kitchen. 

*Spent $300 on groceries at Costco. Where does all the food go? The kids seem to be hungry all the time! Maybe they're growing? All of them? At once?

I bailed on a hike that I had planned, missed dinner with friends...and just kept waiting.

Wanna know the funny thing? In the end, the baby didn't wait for me. I flew out the door and sped down the the birth center only to find him wrapped snugly in his mama's arms. All of them (midwife, mom, dad and baby) looking at me as I burst through the door.  When he was ready he just came-- sweet thing. All that waiting and there he was. 

*Smile*