22 August 2008

d day plus one.

what do you do on your due date? i decided, you have to get out there and remain a productive citizen of the world. even if it feels like a watermelon is about to drop out of your gut. i couldn't just sit around and wait for the babe to arrive. so this is the diary of what i did on the birthday that wasn't. i promise it's nothing groundbreaking or even interesting for that matter; just little ol' me.

seven a.m. i threw on the only thing i'm wearing these days yoga pants, dropped dan off at work with a kiss and a smile and he wished me a happy non-birthday. i then proceeded to my new favorite laundromat and watched The View while my whites spun round and round. miss lady obama was co-hosting so it was much more captivating than usual and whoopi didn't annoy me so much. i came home and tidied the house, blogged a bit, checked my email and put the clean sheets on the bed and then laid in them as i always do once crisp clean sheets are tucked around the mattress. is there a better feeling than that? i think not.

later i made my dad's recipe of gourmet tuna with chopped up celery, cucumbers and craisins and fresh ground pepper and had a sandwich on wheat with cheese, tomato and red leaf lettuce. it was like going to one of those cute restaurants that i love. i even used a polka dot napkin and read a book while i ate. because who knows when i'll be able to make myself gourmet lunches with polka dot napkins once the babe comes. i then got on a cooking kick and decided to prep bbq crockpot chicken, baked beans and deviled eggs. deviled eggs, people. you really do need one of those plastic plates with the oval divots for them to look nice and neat and pretty. but who am i kidding. i would never use one of those. this is the first time i have ever made deviled eggs, like ever. therefore an empty ice cube holder will suffice.

i kept thinking to myself, i am mashing up egg yolks instead of giving birth today. it's such a funny feeling. because you feel like once your official due date arrives you are supposed to feel ready. but i'm not so sure i know what ready feels like. i'm just completely over the moon excited. the babe still seems so happy kickin it and hanging out in there like a li'l shiny pearl in his oyster. in the afternoon, i worked a bit, waited to get my windshield replaced and then went to the local library and checked out a mound of books. i laughed a bit when the librarian told me the due date of my books. you don't need to tell me about due dates, mister. at midnight we celebrated the due date with cold cookie dough served in li'l ramekins and the 4th harry potter movie. i don't know a better way to ring in the ol' due date then a productive day of windshields and deviled eggs.

so now onto the waiting game. the anticipation is not necessarily killing me as some say.. it's actually one of the best things i've ever felt. this li'l babe without a name is going to make his debut when he is good and ready, at a surprise party in his honor. i will keep you posted, of course.

and will announce this week's giveaway winner tonight. unless i'm otherwise occupied; these days there is always that caveat, which i love.

happy weekend everyone.

23 comments:

southern daze said...

I absolutely love your way with words. While you may think your day wasn't exactly exciting or noteworthy, I devoured every single written word like a stray animal that hasn't seen water in a week! Yes, my dear Marta, that's how good you are!

I loved reading the account of the birthday that wasn't and can't wait to hear about the surprise birthday party in his honor. You are a special, special person and this babe is SO lucky to have you to call his mom! Congratulations again and good luck in the coming weeks...

KJ said...

Sounds like a great day to me! I'd be happy to make you a gourmet lunch once the babe arrives. I promise I can do 2 or 3 things really well. Those first contractions, that signal the impending delivery, are so exciting. The rest are annoying but still exciting. Good luck.

The White House said...

I seriously love you! I love your day yesterday. Love it.

Chelle said...

that was better reading than a chapter you really like in a good book.

so much fun to share in your anticipation and to see you are making the very most of every single day.

that babe is one lucky little boy, to have you for is Mommy. lucky, I tell you.

Unknown said...

happy d day!
the suprise party will be here before you know it and your life will never be the same. how exciting!

Petit Elefant said...

Make some meals and freeze them. Watch daytime TV. Address and stamp baby announcements. Paint your toenails {no one should deliver without a fresh pedicure}. Lie in bed and take a nap. Go to the theater and watch the newest release you have been waiting to see, {it might be a while before you get to the theater again}. Fold all the newborn clothes and put them away. Fold them again.
Now you are ready. Good luck! Can't wait to hear what's next.

Hannah said...

I had my first two weeks early, so I always thought that I would have my second that early too. Not so. I considered that two weeks early day as my due date and when it came and I didn't have a baby, I started to panic and get very anxious. I had Carson a week later than expected and it about killed me. Good luck waiting!!! It is hard, but oh-so exciting.

I love your blog!

loren weltsch said...

right before the delivery of my second baby, my doctor recommended a walk around stanford shopping center to 'get things going'. it felt so surreal to walk around and window shop knowing that i would meet my baby in a few hours! enjoy the solitude - your world will change very soon. put your feet up and relax! best wishes for an easy labor and delivery.

the mama monster said...

live it up! whatever you do do not take castor oil to speed things up! you will soon meet your little boy and wonder what you did with your time. i only have a week from today and i am trying to decide if i am ready yet and this is the third. enjoy your labor, i hope it goes smoothly.
love jackie

Anonymous said...

good luck Marta!!!!

I am LoW said...

I once, on my due date, went to church and played volleyball with the ladies. :)

(agree on the castor oil, I was dumb enough to try it not only once, but twice. Bad, bad bad.)

Julia said...

wow, just reading this makes me feel excited for you! {maybe this is weird to hear from someone you don't even know, but then again maybe you are used to it} hope all goes well for you and your baby!

Daisy said...

m. i like photography and when I read this post, I just had to send you these links. This woman is a photographer who went a week over her due date and had a great time with her sense of humor over that week:

This woman is a photographer and was overdue more than a week. I thought you'd get a kick out of her sense of humor in these pictures.

http://amyschuff.blogspot.com/2008/02/since-im-going-to-be-pregnant-forever.html
http://amyschuff.blogspot.com/2008/02/every-overdue-woman.html
http://amyschuff.blogspot.com/2008/02/just-what-i-need-after-long-day-of-fake.html
http://amyschuff.blogspot.com/2008/02/shes-wayyyy-to-comfy-in-there.html

LobotoME said...

best wishes!

jenny :)

Ashley said...

I agree with the first commenter, you have a way with words. I am new to your blog and love it. Best of luck.

Emily said...

Hi, Marta! I've been lurking here for the last week and have really enjoyed your blog. I need a good kick every now and again in the writing direction. Thanks for that.

My Z was a week overdue, and I had really similar feelings to yours on her due date. Wasn't dying of being pregnant, just wondering how it would all happen (and when, of course). For me, the memories of how she felt inside me faded really quickly. It's a bittersweet thing, because it's so much cooler to hold your baby than to be kicked in the ribs by it, but when Baby's inside, there's nothing like it. Anyway, keep enjoying the end. As someone wise told me, no one is ever pregnant forever! :)

Good luck waiting, and good luck with labor and delivery!

Julia said...

I've been overdue 3 (every) times. So I have a routine now and there are certain things I DON'T do.

Do:
- Get a pedicure.
- Go out to lunch and movie.
- Go to an amusement park (Disney being the best so far).

Don't:
- Walk yourself to death ... it only gets you very tired with a headache.
- Answer the kind phone calls.
- Cry ... once again headache.

Best of luck! If you get discouraged, try to focus on a date that you KNOW you will be holding that lil' babe and breathe, time never fails to roll by.

Fairlightday said...

This is such a sweet post. And very wise of you. I remember my approaching due date and I was so tired of waiting for it to happen any moment that I signed up for a sewing class at my local quilt store. They didn't want to accept me at first because they new it was only 4 days be for D day, but I was insistent. It was the best thing for me. I totally enjoyed the class, knowing I wouldn't get to do another one for quite a while.
Keeping yourself busy and healthy is the best thing you can do for you and your sweet little man. :)

Deirdre said...

I so enjoy your blog, and this post especially reminds me of those final days of my first pregnancy.
At the time, a friend compared the stage between expecting your child and holding your child to that moment when a trapeze artist must let go of one bar before grabbing hold of the new one. A moment in space, of limbo and letting go, and the brilliance of transition that brings real change.
Many blessings to you during this unique time!

ellen said...

Great post. I love your writing.

Freedom Martinez said...

I feel ya! I am currently in the same place- as large as a house, and as uncomfortable as a (insert clever analogy here- I am too tired and zoned with insomnia to come up with one of my own at the moment!)- oh yeah, back to the "uncomfortable as a..."
It's good to know that there are others out there suffering with me! Although, I have one already- and she was late too! This one's not even late, but MUCH bigger and I am contracting every day, all day- with no progress to show for it.
Anyhoo. We will both be laughing about this a month from now.
All the best!
Check out my blog.
I'm a beginner. Only since June~ but I'm proud of it, and you have inspired me!
Thanks!

summer said...

After I read this post I just sat back with a contented sigh. I am fascinated with the details of Benji's unbirthday & am reminded of why I adore your blog. I'm so happy to have found a source of such feel-good writing.

summer said...

i know i always say this, but this might be my favorite post ever. i remember the first time i read it and fell in love with how you write. oh how sad it makes me that all the original comments are gone! my heart hurts for you and your lost comments, mart.

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