We Have A Date! And Other Random Musings...

39 weeks.  In one more week, the baby will be full term.  That is so crazy to think back when Lisa was SO sick...that seems like ages ago, yet just like it was yesterday.  Seriously, where does the time go?  This is almost scary!  Below is a 39 weeks "bump" picture (please ignore the hair and outfit...it is all about comfort these days!):

Side view @ 39 weeks...no, that is not Lisa's belly button, just the drawstring on the over-sized shorts!

Front view @ 39 weeks - dang, those shorts are baggy!

Lisa had another appointment today and everything went really well.  She is still just 1 cm dilated, so not much progress from last week.  Lisa thinks that since she spent so much time telling the Chickpea not to come early so she could finish her masters program that the Chickpea has taken this job very seriously and is not ready to make an appearance at all.  What a good, obedient baby we already have! 

The doctor wanted us to set a date for induction at this appointment.  We had already discussed this and it was decided that anytime after Monday the 7th would be just fine.  So, earlier this afternoon the doctor emailed and we will be induced on Tuesday, May 8th...if the Chickpea doesn't decide to make an appearance before then.  When Lisa told Tuna what the date was, he jokingly said, "So should I take the day off?"  What a funny Tuna!

There will still be an appointment on May 7th and Lisa will be checked to see how dilated she is, there will be an ultrasound to see if the fluid levels are good (this is really starting to sound like a NASCAR pitstop...), and other preparations will be done to get ready for delivery the next day.  We will then check into the hospital by 10 pm on Monday night.  After that, we are not really sure what will happen, but hopefully it will all go smoothly and the Chickpea will be here - healthy and happy - on May 8th!

And how about this for a coincidence...Lisa's cousin Kim and Tuna share the exact same birthday (same year, too).  Kim's son, Connor (he is 10...soon to be 11) and Chickpea could possibly have the same birthday - May 8th!  Two generations of parents who share a birthday and their kids with the same birthday!  What a wonderful story!

Easter weekend we received a very special item.  Lisa's family, on her mom's side, has a "going home" outfit that has been in use since the 1930's when her Uncle Ronnie was the first baby to come home in the outfit.  Since then, most of Lisa's family members have come home in this same outfit.  Here is just her immediately family who have come home in the outfit:

• Frankie - 1948
• Lisa - 1974
• Jace - 1977
• Tre - 2001
• Caden - 2005
• "Chickpea" - 2012

What a neat family tradition to keep going.  We are trying to get a master list of everyone in the family who has come home in the outfit so we can have it for the records.  Below is a picture of the outfit:

Going home outfit...it is just about as fragile as the tissue paper it rests on!

It would probably be funny to be a fly on the wall in our house right now.  We keep having conversations that go something like this..."I wonder if the next time we put fresh sheets on the bed we will be parents?" or "This time next week we might be sitting here on the couch with a baby in the Nap Nanny."  That has been the gist of our conversations over the past week or so.

And we did get a laugh last night when we realized we have the same "biggest" fear.  Our biggest fear is that we will come in from being out somewhere, relaxing on the couch, and then it will hit us that we left the baby in the baby carrier in the car!  Seriously, since it has been "just us" for almost 13 years we are paranoid about leaving the baby somewhere!  Lord help us!

Here is a list of the things that Lisa can't wait to do once the Chickpea is here:

• Go back to sleeping on her stomach (yes, yes, with what little sleep we will be getting).
• Getting rid of constant heartburn...who knew water could give you heartburn?
• Have a glass of a nice, effervescent, bubbling champagne.  Sigh...
• Be able to belch a real, loud belch (yes, this is not lady-like, but gosh it is nice to do every now and then!).
• Shave her legs in a non-contorted manner.
• Stretch each morning without having to deal with horrible leg, toe, foot, etc. cramps (by the way...drinking a Gatorade a day has really helped with this).
• There are probably many more, but these are the big ones!

Lastly, we want to note that our backyard has been bombarded with Cardinals over the last couple of weeks.  While we typically see them around this time of year...we haven't seen and heard so many in our backyard - ever!  This is significant because we both believe that Cardinals are a sign that things are OK or will be OK.  This comes from Lisa's grandfather, "Bang" and his always being visited by Mr. and Mrs. Red in his backyard up at the lake house in Crockett.  They would visit everyday - never alone, but always together.  Cardinals were always significant to him.  When Lisa's grandmother was in hospice for the last few days of her life her room was on the second floor and overlooked a beautiful courtyard filled with trees.  And on the last day of her life Mr. Red flew around the trees and window and finally perched himself perfectly in our sight.  We believe that it was Bang telling Nana that it was OK to let go and "come home".  Cardinals have always been significant, but this event 100% confirmed to us that they are a sign of protection and peace.  They represent all that is good.  And seeing and hearing so many around our backyard has given us so much solace in the past few weeks.  We know we have the protection and reassurance that everything will be OK and that we are being looked over by our loved ones who are not here with us.

OK, now we need a hanky!

Thank you again for reading and sharing our journey...and we would be remiss if we didn't say this..."The next time we write this blog we might be parents!"  :)

xoxo,
Tuna and Lisa