Having got Arthur safely on the ground and on the udder, we had a crazy week turning our little house into a welcoming home for Benjamin. (Having been so certain about a name for so long, I have to admit to being completely open-minded now about what he/she might be called. I guess he/she will tell me when they get here . . . )
Ged spent the weekend sanding first the Baby’s room floor and then our room. Which obviously necessitated complete removal of everything from both (as well as the dismantling of most of the rest of the house to protect everything from dust) so we were camped out sleeping on the mattress on the sitting room floor for almost a week while the subsequent layers of Tung Oil were applied and dried. Not comfortable! Especially when you are a Weeble and can’t get up from a lying position at the best of times!
On Tuesday Ged drove me into Port Macquarie for a fairly full on day of getting jobs done, supplies in, last treatments for both of us prior to the birth and a trip to the midwife (who now has my 4WD – just in case of floods!) Then I had several days when work was completely abandoned as I wielded my trusty paintbrushes and rollers. I call this ‘extreme nesting’!! At 5pm on Friday night the upholsterer delivered the newly loose covered sofa and at 7 we had the lovely Chris and Ruth Latimore over for supper . . . and after some fairly hilarious and very stressed joint effort, we have a house that is truly and properly a home . . . at last.
Saturday was the most surreal and peaceful day – hot and airless and lazy. Ged gave me a massage which was blissful and then I went for a walk before coming home to eat and sleep. It felt as if I could FINALLY rest now that we had the home I had so long envisioned. And the day had a most meditative quality, the calm before the storm . . . so when the Baby spent all day Sunday wriggling down into a full-on birthing position and the Braxton Hicks doubled me over, I was sure we were starting labour, and after eight months of talking confidently about it, the fear set in . . . . But by late that night it had all calmed down (false alarm!) and it looks like we are back on track and I have had my little terror tantrum!
I will have to get Ged to take a picture as I am absolutely ENORMOUS now, and looking forward to being able to do up my shoes again. Although as I said to Ged the other night, I have been pregnant for so long that I can’t remember what NOT being pregnant feels like. Arthur is growing like a weed and it is fascinating to witness the herd mentality to Mothering – he is always baby-sat by someone, male or female, horse or cow, and all the cows are chasing Phee away from his new friend (much to Phee’s simultaneous amusement and disgust!). Even Tinkerbell has become broody which is hilarious to see, and Baby is adamant that she is going to the stallion in a month or so when the Baby Bonus money comes in (after all, it has got her name on it!)
So here we sit, being patient now, clearing the desk and waiting to meet this little person I’ve been growing . . . as ready as we can be in body, mind, space and soul. Another new chapter is about to begin . . .
