Thomas has pointed out that when things don't go as planned, I call it an adventure, rather than an inconvenience or a problem. So the past three weeks have been full of adventures.
Eamon had an ear infection from a cold. I got that cold too. Then Thomas got a cold, which we thought was the same one with different manifestations. But when Eamon and I got that one too, we realized it was a different cold, much nastier and long-lived. So Eamon got another ear-infection, and we spread the nastiness to some friends.
Of course, Eamon's fever didn't spike until Friday night so we either had to wait until Monday or go to urgent care. We chose the latter. He cried the entire time - about a 1.5 to 2 hour wait time, was diagnosed with a double ear infection, and fell asleep (finally) on the way home. Because of he previous ear infection, they couldn't give him the same antibiotic, so they gave him a different one. Unfortunately, it didn't work. After three days (one dose a day) and his fever still around 102, we went to the doctor. She gave him an antibiotic shot because there wasn't another antibiotic they could. His fever came down that night and was gone in the morning.
However, all during our colds, because of the drainage and cough, Eamon and I had been sleeping propped up on the couch. It has taken about a week after the symptoms have stopped for him not to want to be held for every time he sleeps. If I laid him down, he would wake up within 15-30 minutes and not go back to sleep. Just when I thought I couldn't handle any more, came the three days of double naps (1.5 hours each). Now (at least for the last few "at home" days) he is back to one nap ranging between 2-3 hours. Mornings are still difficult. If he wakes up after 4am, he won't fall back to sleep unless he is horizontal on me or in our bed. However, as someone reminded me recently, "They do learn to sleep eventually."
Baby 2 is growing nicely. I am getting larger and keep forgetting that I can't squeeze through places as well. Eamon is beginning to notice that there isn't as much room on Mommy's lap, and I am fairly certain that while we were sleeping on the couch, the boys were having kicking matches. Baby would kick Eamon and Eamon would kick me. I don't know how much Eamon felt, but I felt both very well. Baby's kicks have gone from the flutters to the lumping about to the scraping the inside of my belly and underside of my ribs with his toes. He is also getting rather good at pushing on points of pressure, like my pant's "waist-band" or Eamon when he is sitting on my lap. I have begun to wonder what this child will be like. Will he be as ornery as he makes me feel? Will he sleep? Will he be active and wiggly or more calm and laid back?
We are praying that he will wait until full term or almost that before he comes. But since Eamon was early, we are planning for that possibility too. Right now, that is just mental preparedness, but in the next few weeks/months, it might mean some major adjustments to our housing situation. So I feel as though I am planning for many contingencies. On top of that, my midwife moved, so I am wondering if I should follow her to another hospital (without a NICU) or if I should start visiting a different midwife at the hospital I have been going to, or get to know the other doctors at the hospital (since whoever is on duty will deliver the baby). It is an odd decision because last time nothing went as planned, but it ended up being really good experience. It didn't matter to me that I didn't know any of the doctors or nurses who were there. I had Thomas and my mom there and they were both so helpful and supportive.
But so many people talk about how important and meaningful it is to know the doctor who delivers the baby. Is it odd that I don't really care as long as the baby is delivered safe and sound? I trust the practice/hospital that I am going to and have received really good care there from almost everyone that I have seen. In the few exceptions, I learned how to deal with those people, I don't expect similar results if I need to seem them again. I feel very inexperienced at this whole giving birth/finding a doctor/using a midwife thing. At the same time, I don't want to be a diva mom, who has to have everything just perfect to feel like I have had a successful birth. (I am not saying that mothers with birth plans are diva mothers; I am speaking in extremes.)
I want my baby to be safe, healthy, and born. I want a supportive system that listens to my wants and desires and will not pressure me into making decisions contrary to what I am comfortable with. I want my baby to be able to stay in the room with me and only receive supplemental formula if absolutely necessary (as it was for Eamon). I want Thomas to be with me and Eamon to be able to visit me and the baby when he is born. If mom can be there too, that would be lovely, but if she can't, considering her crazy summer, I will not be crushed. Other than those things, I can't think of anything that is terribly important to me. Perhaps after a bad experience, I would have more qualifications, but like I said, I trust the practice/hospital that I am going to. And I trust God to take care of the details.
If things don't got as planned, it will just be another adventure. Right?
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