Sure Are!
January 9: Bree woke up feeling slightly period crampy today. Which she said was really annoying. She called me multiple times throughout her morning errands of dropping Afton at school, going on a walk with a pal, and hitting up the grocery store- to tell me this baby is definitely coming within 24 hours and I needed get my list done and finish working. Easier said than done.
By the time she got home at 12 she had just barely started to lose her mucus plug. We let the midwives know things felt different today and about Bree’s intuition. They agreed that Bree probably knew her body best and they’d be planning to hear from us tonight. I rapidly started trying to figure out all the things I needed to do/know. Bree tried to rest but ultimately started working on her list and cleaned the playroom (soon to be birth tub room), string lights in my office (soon to be downstairs sleeping quarters for postpartum), and making dinner because well- we’re also parents of a toddler who would need to be picked up from school in two hours. We called in reinforcements to help with final household tasks and just helping make sure Afton’s evening routine went off feeling as regular as possible.
While this update isn’t a birth story and I don’t know if or when Bree will share one- I’ll leave you with a few bullet points.
4pm pickup Afton
4:30 Lowen’s birthday cupcake baking with Ryan, Afton, and Bree
5:30 Family dinner “with all my friends my house” including Dara and Ryan
6pm after dinner games/cleanup
6:10 big reach for a box during clean up- water broke
6:15 Afton bath
6:30 upstairs bedtime routine starts
6:55 Bree’s (alone because Afton demanded everyone come read books in their room) contractions start
7:20 everyone comes downstairs to see labor is starting and runs around like crazy people- blowing up birth tub, attempting to knock out the handwritten list that Bree managed to leave on the table for us while in labor- also listening to her moan and then in between be total lucid and order us all around
7:58 Doula arrives
8:07 Photographer arrives
8:12 Midwives arrive
8:25 Lowen arrives
January 8: It was a pretty typical day for a human. Bree had a massage and the dentist — double whammy — one fun and one not so fun. Bree brought home Super Deluxe for lunch! Ash had zero complaints about that. Afton ate leftover pizza, rice and beans for dinner. It was all in all, a pretty boring-ish day.
January 7: After a nice morning of serenades, breakfast at Woodlawn, and a cold stop at the park, we embarked on Day 1 of postpartum food prep. Afton and Bree did a lot of cutting of vegetables—Aff learned the hard way not to touch your eyes after an onion…. Broth is done, now to soup. Bree is feeling generally good (as good as week 39 could feel). No one thinks we’ll be meeting Lowen tomorrow.
January 6: Afton is still sick but fortunately not as much of a grump as yesterday. Today’s agenda is simply to tackle all of the “to-dos” for birth and into the beginning days after. Bree is feeling tired today but had an unexpected burst of energy to knock a couple things off the list. We are still of a consensus that Lowen isn’t ready yet (Ash isn’t entirely ready either). And Affie doesn’t care today—they just want to watch a movie.
January 5: Today had a bit of a rough start—day 2 of Afton being sick is never fun. We had week 39 midwife appointment. It seems like it’s just any day now! Bree is still on the tired train and resting as much as possible, but is not of the mindset that we’ll be meeting Lowen quite yet. Afton is feeling a bit unsure on when they’ll be able to meet their sibling. But, very excited about the “pool” (birth tub) and continue to be practicing by carrying their baby in their shirt.
January 4: Afton continues to serenade us with their new guitar, creating stages wherever possible. We asked Affie this morning when Odie would come. They said, “In the ocean.” When clarifying they followed up with, “No not in the ocean, in the pool!” Maybe that means “maybe ‘morrow” too…. Bree’s feeling great after some body work and a long nap. Bree is feeling like Lowen has maybe moved positions and is excited for midwife appointment tomorrow. Unfortunately, Bree did the laundry and shrunk all of her postpartum loungewear and has subsequently vowed to NEVER DO LAUNDRY AGAIN! Consensus in the house that Lowen is staying cozy for a bit longer.
January 3: Rain has returned. (Maybe you’re happy about that or feeling Bree style cranky…) Bree took a walk on Tabor today and felt GREAT! After the walk, Bree decided Odie is going to stay cozy for a bit longer. Afton is betting still on “maybe ‘morrow”.
January 2: Hi clouds, welcome back. Bree called Ash today from the grocery store and said, “you better get your to-do list done, this baby is maybe coming soon” as she waddled through the store. What should have maybe taken about 30 minutes to shop, Bree spent over an hour. Bree is convinced Odie’s hand is pushing right on her butt. She told me, “it feels like their hand could come right through my butthole”. I laughed for quite sometime. Affie on the other hand is still on the “maybe ‘morrow” belief.
January 1: A magical sunny day, but Bree is CRRRANKY!!! Afton and Ash went to the park hoping Odie wasn't on their way to the Earth quite yet. Bree is not convinced Odie is coming tomorrow but thought once Affie was back in school it would create some mental space to welcome them. When asking Affie when Odie is coming, “Maybe ‘morrow”.