I worked out the details of my maternity leave with my boss the other day and I'm only in the office for another three weeks and some change before I begin working from home. My delivery hospital is just a short drive from our house, but it's nearly an hour from my office, and it just seems better to wait out the boy's arrival in the comfort of some yoga pants a short distance from where the drugs are. That brings up two points: (1) I will absolutely be opting for an epidural-assisted birth and not because I don't have great admiration and respect for any woman who opted differently because of course I do but simply because I already admire myself plenty and (2) I am returning to work after our son is born. I don't imagine it's going to be easy and although we have worked out a very ideal day-care situation, I also don't imagine everything will go as planned. But, regardless, I know that returning to work is both right for our family and for our financial responsibilities at this time.
So, working out those maternity leave details was one thing I needed to do before our baby arrives and now that it's done, I am looking to the other things I need to do on the list. I need to pack the hospital bag and put away all his clothes in the dresser that won't be delivered for another week. I also need to finish all my thank-you notes (if I owe you one, it's coming) and sleep as much as I possibly can, too, of course. I need to make a peditrician appointment and send off some gifts that will do nothing but collect dust if I wait until after the boy is born to send them. (Angella, to you, mainly!) I need to pick up a few odds and ends to have stocked around the house and do a few (dozen) loads of laundry.
But ... what else? What did you do -- or wish you had done -- the last month of your pregnancy? I know he could come at any point and if he were to come tonight, we'd be just fine. We have everything we absolutely need, I'm fairly sure, but if we are granted this last full month, I'd love some helpful suggestions on how to productively fill the time. (Note: Remember, sleeping is already on the list. In pen Sharpie.)
Finally, I'd like to pick up a baby sign language book or DVD, and I was hoping you may have a suggestion for the best the market has to offer.
One month from today. That's not really that far off at all, oh my hell, but all I really want to say about it is, have the champagne iced, please.