So here we are, mid-June, with summer well under way, and I am still pregnant. 38 weeks and counting, and I am so ready to pop. I have had a few false alarms so far, my doctor is throwing around many encouraging phrases like “dilated”, “effaced”, and “the baby is engaged”, so it really could be any time, but I feel as though I have been saying that for weeks. I know he or she will come when they are good and ready, but this waiting game is seriously enough to drive you nuts!

I feel as though we are as ready as we are ever going to be. Whether the baby arrives tonight or two weeks from now won’t really change how well Jeremy or I, or especially Jasper, will be prepared. The room is set to go, (Jas is happily enjoying his new digs), the infant car-seat has been installed (wow does that backseat ever shrink with TWO car-seats back there!), and the hospital bag is set by the door, so now we just wait… and wait… and wait! This entire pregnancy has flown by in the blink of an eye and now all of a sudden it feels as though time has stood still and I will be pregnant until the end of time. I long for a nice glass of chilled white wine, some delicious sushi and especially a good-night’s sleep without a bowling ball attached to my stomach… Soon enough, I know. All my friends with two kids laugh when I say these things, especially about the good night’s sleep, but if you ask me, interrupted sleep is still better than uncomfortable sleep.

So in the meantime, while we sit in wait for this baby’s arrival, life has been carrying on pretty much the same. Jasper is enjoying summer with great gusto, spending his days playing with his friends in the park and the splash pools. My friends and I realized the other day that all of our kids were decked out in Hatley wear so we did an impromptu photo session in the park, which was very cute. Sadly, it is next to impossible to get little toddlers and babies to all look at the camera at the same time, but still cute nonetheless. With this weekend’s Spring Warehouse Sale at Hatley about to happen, I am sure there will be many more cute photo ops for our kids! Montreals, don’t miss this great chance to stock up on onesies, footed sleepers, 2-piece PJ’s, rain gear and lots more… the deals are going to be unbelievable!

So, sadly, I think that this will be my last post for awhile… at least until we can catch our breath a little after the newest Oldland makes his or her appearance. The blog will continue with some guest writers in the meantime, and I will hopefully be back at it in the next few months. Thanks for tuning in and for all the great feedback, it has been a blast!

I am now 35 weeks pregnant, and getting very close to the stage where, as my doctor put it, “things could happen at any time, so be prepared”. Yikes. I am not sure exactly what “being prepared” means, but if it entails having a bag packed and a full tank of gas on hand to whip up to hospital at a moment’s notice, then OK, we’ve got that covered. But if it actually means, have your life in order before the ticking time bomb goes off, then no, we are miles away from that.

This pregnancy has gone so fast, I really can not believe I am almost at the end. All along, I have felt like I have eons of time to get organized for the new arrival, to get Jasper adjusted to his new room, and to cross everything off of my to-do list. But here we are, one month to go, and my list is longer than ever. Jasper is STILL not out of the room that the new baby is supposed to go in to, due to various excuses on my part of the new room just “not being cute enough for him yet”. I am so late on this, I can’t believe it. My pediatrician told me that any big moves or adjustments in the older child’s life should happen a good 3 months before the arrival of the new baby… Hmmm… procrastinating, anyone??

Aside from the physical changes he is about to endure, I worry also about how Jasper will cope with all the emotional changes that are about to happen. Will he still feel loved once the new baby comes home? Will he feel displaced? Will he start acting out as he heads in to the infamous “terrible two’s”? These are the questions that whirl through my head in the wee hours of the night… Yes, it is no old wives tale, fellow pregnant ladies out there…. Your sleep is shot long before the arrival of the new babe. Between the FREQUENT bathroom visits,  a complete inability to get comfortable with the huge watermelon attached to my stomach, and excessive anxiety (some rational, some very irrational), un-interupted sleep for me is a thing of the past. Good practice for things to come, everyone says, which is very little consolation, if you ask me.

Instead of spending this past long weekend moving furniture, shopping for a double-stroller, or getting organized like a responsible person, I decided that a little pampering was in order. So with Jeremy’s blessing, I kissed both he and Jasper adieu for one night, and drove down to the lovely town of Stowe, Vermont, to meet up with one of my best friend’s in the world, who also just happens to be pregnant (and feeling similar woes to myself), for a lovely night at a spa. Stowe is the quintessential New England town, full of warm people and charm, and an easy getaway from Montreal. Jill and I had a very relaxing day and night, with great pre-natal massages, pool lounging and a yummy dinner, and even a good, if leisurely, hike the next morning. I returned to my boys feeling rejuvenated and refreshed, and amazingly, my sleeping has been better ever since. I guess sometimes you just need to take a break and get out of your head a little bit.

My little overnight getaway was also a great chance to stop in Burlington for a visit with the staff at the Hatley Factory Outlet Store. Smack in the middle of bustling Church Street, the store looks fantastic, and business has been booming in the past few months so that was great to see. Burlington is another amazing Vermont city – definitely worth a stop if you are ever in the area!

So as the final countdown officially kicks off this week, T-minus one month, I feel ready to take on my last bits of planning. Jasper will be enjoying his new room tonight (!), the stroller has been purchased, and the to-do is slowly but surely starting to whittle down.  Hopefully this baby decides to stay put a little longer but if not, we’ll be ready. I will keep you posted