Getting Close, Close, Close....

I've just completed what I have called the "Peanut Exit Plan" as well as the more traditional "Birth Plan". The Birth Plan is what I am supposed to give to Dr Marci and the nursing staff at the hospital. It basically spells out Roshan's and my wishes in terms of the whole birthing process and experience - yes to family coming in and out of the room during labour, no to perineal massage (trust me, most of you would probably say no to this too if you knew what was involved!), yes to trying a dry epidural followed by a light epidural first (with the option of cranking it up if the going gets tough), no to cutting the cord etc etc. The Peanut Exit Plan on the other hand is for us to use at home before we get to the hospital, sort of a checklist of what to do and when to do it. It's mainly meant to be a reminder of things we might forget while transferring from home to hospital during the first stages of labour, but also includes how to handle a minor emergency like the water breaking or a more major one like Peanut fast-tracking his exit while we are en route to the hospital. Can you imagine Roshan having to deliver Peanut on the side of a huge Dallas highway? Frightening! Thankfully, highly unlikely too. At least we are prepared for all eventualities! Yes, I am a bit of a control-freak. :-)

Can't believe it's just 3 more weeks to go, and that is assuming Peanut is a polite little boy and arrives right on time. Who knows when he'll decide it's time to move on down. I've felt cramps and/or Braxton Hicks contractions twice so far, though I don't really know to tell the two apart. We're teaching Kolla to "leave it" with a baby doll and this weekend, we're going to put up the travel crib that's going to be Peanut's bed for the next few months as we globetrot our way closer to home. I'm a little under the weather for the first time since I've been pregnant, but hopefully this barbed wire sore throat and nasal congestion won't last long. Roshan's doing great; though he says he could use another 3 months to get ready for the impending responsibilities of fatherhood, in the nights, he talks to my bundi and tells Peanut to "hurry up man". Our new thing is singing to Peanut while Roshan rubs the body butter on my bundi. It's our version of an old favourite:

Jesus loves you, this we know

For the Bible tells us so

Little ones to him belong

They are weak, but he is strong

Yes, Jesus loves you

Yes, Jesus loves you

Yes, Jesus loves you

The Bible tells us so

And so singing, talking, sleeping, eating, walking, laughing and going about our day to day chores and responsibilities, we wait for that moment when things will change forever.