33

33 weeks and counting.

Cubs asks me every day. “Has your wabor started squeezing your uterus yet, Mom?”

Hearing something like that from a 3 year old boy might horrify some people, I know. And yet, I look back at some of the three year olds in my preschool class and remember the horribly violent films they would watch and the trashy radio songs they knew all the lyrics to and I think to myself, is it really so terrible that my son knows about LIFE? 

I think not.

He has asked to be allowed to cut his brother’s “unbiblical cord” and we have agreed. He won’t be present for the actual birth, but when we call them into the room later his job is to cut the cord.

The Bear has graciously declined this honor. I believe his exact words were “Ew gross! No fanks!” accompanied by the emphatic waving of his hands.

I have been instructed to lay low and take it easy. Not bed rest orders just take it easy orders.

I bet you can all ready guess how well THAT is going.

All my little DIY projects and science experiments are temporarily on hold, no more solo trips to the creek with the kids. In general, avoid places were I am the only adult for miles around. No hiking, no long walks, no exploring, unless another grown up is with me…and even then apply those words—take it easy.


Take it easy is not easy.

You would think being this enormously pregnant, I would want to take it easy but I don’t! Its one thing to unwind at the end of a long day with the food channel and a glass of glorious crunchy ice cubes but its quite another to feel like your loafing around all day while toys and laundry pile up.

The Bear and Cubs are pretty fascinated by Ben Folds right now. “Jackson Cannery” is one of their favorite songs and they seem to take great joy in belting out this particular line:

“The seconds pass slowly, but years go flying by”

I say it to myself several times day now…and I act on it.

Whenever I feel that guilt over inactivity creeping up on me, I take a deep breath, sit on the floor and invite the babe over to read his favorite book for the 90th time that day. I’ll pull the slime out of their safety jars and help Cubs cut it all up into small pieces with his scissors and then watch him count each piece as he drops it back into the jar. I’ll curl up on the Bear’s bed and listen to him recount every single animal fact  he knows about deadwood vultures, viperfish and badgers.

I’ll sit and be still and know.

I let the seconds pass by ever so slowly and we breathe them in together.

33 weeks and counting.