Milestones

Sometimes I have a really tough time waiting for things. Like when you’re in school and summer vacation is just around the corner, the last few weeks seem to drag on forever. Or when you are getting ready to move and you want to pack everything right away so that you’re ready when the time comes, but you can only pack so much because you still need certain things to be accessible on a daily basis, so preparing for moving day seems like an endless amount of work.

None of those things compare to waiting for Baby to be born. Partly because it’s such a long time to wait (nine months, and it feels like it’s already been two years), and partly because you don’t know exactly when the end will come. I have my “due date” and all, but of course it’s only an estimate so I can’t exactly count down the days (I do anyways – theoretically 43 days to go!!).

In order to make the countdown not seem so eternal, I have developed my own system of milestones. I find something in the immediate future to look forward to, and then I try to focus all of my anticipation on that event. For a long time, I had Key West to look forward to. Once that vacation came and went, it was all about the opening of “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” in theaters. Then it was James and Erin’s wedding. Then the arrival of the Harry Potter book. And so on.

I just passed one of my fun milestones – Chason’s dad and stepmom came to visit this past weekend, something I had been looking forward to for the last few weeks. It was great to see them and spend time catching up, and they were so helpful, especially with shopping for baby items – now I know what some of that stuff is actually used for (like baby pads). It was a great weekend overall. (On a side note, my volleyball team took first place in their tournament on Saturday – way to go, Red Knights!)

So with approximately 6 weeks and 1 day left to go until Baby, I will simply await my next milestone: this Thursday, the season premiere of “The Office” on NBC. Then Saturday’s childbirthing class. Then next Saturday’s baby shower. Then the end of the volleyball season on Oct. 16. Then…