We have a crib, a car seat, tons of baby clothes, diapers, and no baby.
My wife and I are becoming impatient to say the least, and I really don't know why. The "official" countdown app on my phone says there are still nine days left, but for some reason it feels like she should already be here. We started off with nothing, and now that we have everything it feels so useless because we are still missing the most important part. Like a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings, but no turkey.
Several appointments ago the doctor said to us that she could come early, and that has stuck in our minds like a bad song. We know that the doctor is just making an educated guess, but to us her words become truth. It's our inexperience combined with our desire to meet our little girl. We heard what we wanted to hear, and now we cannot un-hear it.
The hospital bags are packed and ready to go at a moments notice. Even the smallest contraction makes us wonder, "Is this the one?" So far, it hasn't been the one, and that just adds to our impatience. In our minds, the timer starts only to stop moments later.
I know that we don't really have a reason to be impatient. Her due date is still days away, and she could even be born after her due date. If anything, we should be treasuring these last days of peace and tranquility.
Then again, we do have a reason to be impatient. We are impatient to see what she looks like, to hear what she sounds like, to smell what she smells like, and to feel what she feels like. We are impatient to hold her and to touch her. We are impatient to show her to our friends and family. We are impatient to post pictures online and have the everyone say how beautiful she is.
Thankfully, life has a way of keeping is grounded. Our family, jobs, and other responsibilities are still keeping us busy. Those are the things that occupy our minds and our time. Without them we probably would have gone crazy by now, which is still a possibility. It is easier to type this than is is to accept it, but we know that she will come when she is ready. Hopefully she will be ready sooner rather than later.
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