Into the Third Trimester!!!

Hard to believe that today is the first of June. What happened to the second half of May? I guess I was too busy to notice, and when I wasn't, I was exhausted and sleeping. Haha! Still, it's June, one of my favorite months of the year -- which makes today both refreshing in a way, and a bit intimidating. The date does put us officially one calendar month closer to being parents, after all!

...It's not quite as big a day as Friday a week ago, when I officially entered the third trimester. I think I was trying not to think about it so much that I avoided blogging -- I mean, we've only 12 weeks to go now, and that's practically heart-stopping if I dwell on it more than a couple seconds at a time. Whoa. Heart-stopping. Gah!!!! lol!

I'm basically sitting around waiting now, with little to do to prepare for the kid's arrival until mid-to-late July (in terms of prepping the house, anyway.) It's weird to walk around at home with a growing baby constantly reminding you of its presense one kick at a time -- and there are no visible signs that a child will soon live here. *Takes deep breath* I hate this type of waiting. People who know me well know that I'm the freak who's got the apartment completely unpacked 2 days after moving in, and tends to go to town on home projects until every little detail is finished (within reason). The E.P. jokes that if a month has gone by and I haven't rearranged the furniture somewhere, something must be wrong. LOL! So I find it very hard to just sit by and feel the baby grow without doing anything about it!

After several events this past week, however, it's not as stressful as it was. Relief has come to me in the form of generous parents and friends:

• Although I'm not allowed to open the box until the shower in July (hee hee!) the stroller is here!!! Thanks Mom!!!
• An extremely kind old friend handed down to us several items her son has recently outgrown, including a travel crib, Baby Bjorn, Rainforest baby swing and BebeLait nursing cover -- all in PERFECT condition. Absolutely beautiful. I'm grateful and humbled!!!
• The E.P.'s Mom called last night to let us know the crib is in the mail, and we'll get it this week.

On that last one, all I have to type is, "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" That is a big deal for me. I know that my perception is incorrect, but I feel like I can't really have a go at getting the kid's room ready until there's a crib or bassinet in there, ready for use. The mattress will come later -- but by putting it together, placing it in the room, utilizing the pull-out drawer and fixing a few accessories to it, I'll feel like we've made a real start on room prep and have a meaningful focal point to work around.

Technically we could throw the bassinet in there right now, take the adorable new sheets for it out of their packages, "make the bed" and it's ready for use, but Mom has it downstairs to do something special with (ala my wedding dress). Therefore it's technically out of commission until that's completed. I will love to have Mom's beautiful handiwork take boring white wicker and make something truly special out of it. So I don't even think of it as usable in a practical sense yet, silly as that is!

Not to mention the cradle -- a handmade antique we picked up locally. I need to do a little bit of sanding and find the perfect blanket to fold in there as the mattress (it's much older than any mattress standards.) The baby will very quickly outgrow the cradle, but we love it and it's the perfect size for use next to the bed - I can just reach over and rock a fussy infant back to sleep (assuming that would work even once! Lol) I guess it's about time to find a new place for all my little sentimental stuffed animals filling it up. Laurel's toys will take it over soon enough!!!!