Thursday, April 19, 2012

"ARE YOU READY????"



Our baby ticker says 28 days.

Oh My Stars...I remember when it said 228 days!

And everyone asks "are you ready???"
I have no clue what "ready" means.

If it means that the nursery should be done. Then, yes! it's been done for weeks.
It's packed to the gills with multi-colored onesies for all ages, books, diapers, wipes, night lights, musical mobiles, a crib, a dresser, wooden children's clothes hangers (no wire hangers!!!), formula, bottles, some wonderfully over-the-top items like two of the cutest Neiman Marcus dresses ever, a pair of fabulous pink Stuart Weitzman baby shoes, the list of stuff goes on.

Car seat. Check.

Stroller. Check.

Read the baby book.  OK, I'm halfway done. 

Newborn care classes. Check.

Four baby showers (!!!). Check.

A freezer full of breast milk. Check.

A last-minute, fun-filled, crazy, stay-up-til-all-hours-of-the-night-vacation-with-friends. Check.

Are we ready??  I guess we are.  I mean, we have the stuff! You know, that stuff that everyone says you need?

We got it. Tons of it. 
In fact, we may have to change her outfits hourly for the first few days so she gets some time in each of them.

We also have gift cards just in the rare case that we don't have enough stuff.

Someone gave us a $300 spa certificate.  Think we'll need it in about three months?  Yup, I'm banking on it.

Someone also gave us a dozen baby-sitting coupons.  Think we'll need them? Ummmm, I'd bet my LIFE on it!

Another gift was from my sister-in-law...hundreds of dollars of restaurant gift cards for take-out with a note that said, "When the tough get going, the tough get take-out!"  I laughed.  And then I cried.  Well, I didn't really cry, but I thought, oh SH*T, this is it!  The moment we've been waiting for. It's 28 days away!  Oh no, are we ready??????????

And then it hit me.  We are so not ready.
We are so not ready to hit the jackpot. To win the baby lottery. We are so not ready to experience that never-to-be-forgotten-day, when we meet our little girl, the cute and cuddly one, that poops, and spits up, and keeps us up all hours of the night, but will warm our hearts forever...the one that we've been waiting to hold in our arms for what seems like a lifetime.   WE ARE SO NOT READY FOR THIS.  What was I thinking???

But then I kept thinking (thank God), and it dawned on me -- maybe, just maybe, actually BEING unprepared is the most exciting part that comes at the end of this whole journey toward becoming fathers?

-The surprise of our reactions when that proverbial light is finally reached at the end of the tunnel.

-What will our eyes actually DO when they are upon this beautiful prize?

-Will our hearts burst with so much love for her the moment we meet?

Oh, the anticipation and all of the reactions are too much to ponder as we close in on this big leap in to parenthood.  And while I have been feeling a little uneasy about all the things that have to be done before she arrives, I have to say I am now looking forward to being unprepared for that big day.
In fact, it is likely to be the proudest under-prepared moment of my life.  
I think we're ready.

35 comments:

  1. Your excitement shows that you are ready! So happy for you two!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm glad I played hookie from work today. This woulda had me tearing up at my dang desk!
    4 Weeks! wow
    K

    ReplyDelete
  3. you sound ready!! And who knows, it could be LESS THAN 28 days!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm smiling...I'm crying...I'm laughing.

    Best post to date, for me! You'll NEVER be ready!! You couldn't POSSIBLY ever be "ready" for the life changing day that is headed your way. Oh man, I am so stinkin' excited for you guys...I'd pay a million bucks to be a fly on the wall of that delivery room.

    XO

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love your blog!!
    Wishing you lots of luck and sit and enjoy the moments because they all become great memories!!
    Looking forward to the photos of your little one in all the outfits!!
    Best wishes
    lisa

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh Lord! Your words gave me goosebumps and made me feel as though I may just burst into tears or giddiness or both.

    ReplyDelete
  7. So, so have to agree with Jeni - you will NEVER be ready. You get yourself all sorted, and then baby decides to grow up on you (by maybe only a month or two) and you have no idea what you're doing again. Milestones (teething, crawling, walking etc) should more appropriately be named I-have-no-friggin-idea-what-I'm-doing-again-stones. And I am quite sure this is why people have more than one kiddo as by the time you realise you know what you're doing, it's out the window again. So, hey presto, number two/three/four comes along and you get to use some of that knowledge again. Even if it's for a week. LMAO!!!!

    Enjoy this last stage as life, as you know it, is about to change dramatically. But in a super amazing way.

    ReplyDelete
  8. ps - your baby ticker says 27 days now!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. You guys are SOOO READY! And at the same time you have NO idea what is coming, and that is exactly the way it should be. You both are going to do great! I can't wait!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I smiled AND teared up! You ARE ready!!! But Jeni is right, you'll never be ready, but you will enjoy every minute of it! Soo excited for you guys!!! Can't wait to see her sweetness in pics!

    ReplyDelete
  11. How exciting! Beautiful post, you had me all teary eyed and I love it. So excited for you to meet your daughter, I'm with Jeni, i'd love to be a fly on the wall to see that change in your eyes when you view her for the first time. Something amazing happens, it's beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  12. You're getting me so excited! And not in the way I would have been in my 20s. But in the parental way. I now, kinda boring but just work with me, okay!
    I'm so happy for you two and you are very lucky that blogging is around to receive your precious one. It's a great way to document everything. I had to do it "old-school". You know, photos albums and such. How boring is that? Not one damn comment on those photo albums either.
    Take care.
    m.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Aww No worries...it'll be a fun roller coaster ride in the beginning, but filled with the best memories for a life time.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Amazing words, my dear blog friend! I have to say like many, I teared up a bit as I read along for both of you and for us too. Today Momma B and I were talking along the same lines ... the amazement that after so much planning, dreaming, wanting it's all about to become a reality that truly hasn't hit us as REAL just yet. But you're right ... there is a beauty and joy in the UN-preparedness we feel that makes it all so much more exciting. Crazy how much love you can feel for someone you haven't even met yet, don'tcha think?! Well, ready or not, here they come!

    P.s. I know this is far into the future, but we just booked our accommodations in Maui for next May. Maybe, just maybe, we can meet IRL. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  15. You're ready Doug ;)

    I'm so excited for you!!!

    I can't wait to read about what you felt when you saw her and held her for the very first time :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Prepared? YES, you are! Ready? Nope, we never are. It will always be completely overwhelming, emotionally, to see your baby for the first time... and it stays at the overwhelming level for quite a while!

    ReplyDelete
  17. You're totally ready!!!! You got this! Easy peasy (except for the lack of sleep thing...that sucks lol) but its easy...when you love someone so much! And you will love her soooooooooooo much more then you thought even possible once you see her. Im super happy for you guys!!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh, I love this post! Your 28 days will fly by!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Brilliant blog post guys! I love your philosophy on being ready. What reasonates so loudly with me is the thoughtfulness and generosity of your familoy and friends in the types of gifts they have bought for you and baby. I think that speaks volumes about how wonderful you two really will be as parents. Cant wait to hear your birth news. All the very best

    ReplyDelete
  20. I KNOW you are ready! You guys are going to be such wonderful parents and I can't wait to read about you in action!

    ReplyDelete
  21. You're as ready as you'll ever be...but never ready enough.

    I'm not saying that to scare you, I promise. Parenthood is a fly by the seat of your pants thing. It will be amazing.

    As long as you have the love, that's all you need to be ready. And you, my friends, have that.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Every time I read your blog I think about what amazing parents you are going to be. We are so excited for you!

    ReplyDelete
  23. TICK - TICK - TICK - that's the sound of the baby alarm clock getting ready to blare the most extraordinary moments of your life...for now, take a nap and dream some more...and then take another nap to store up some zzzzzs! Best wishes fellas!!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. I love this post!! The entire way through I was like check...check...check...you're ready. Then you started saying why you're not ready and I could feel the excitement and panic. I have to agree with Jesse you're as ready as you'll ever be. Newest follower here.

    ReplyDelete
  25. 26 days!! How exciting!! After she is here, it will be hard to remember a time when she wasn't. :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. This IS it. Love every moment, but particularly the first few. They were the most special for me. As for baby clothes, I'm still finding stuff that I had forgotten about..it all seems superfluous after the event..

    ReplyDelete
  27. Not worried about you guys one little bit. On your marks....get set...

    ReplyDelete
  28. In terms of being people who can give a child more than enough love and guidance to have a happy and fulfilled life, you two have been ready for a very long time.

    ReplyDelete
  29. THIS is making me all very nervous....really...excited nervous!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Verrrrrry exciting!!!!
    Beyond happy for u both!!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hello! I just came across your blog while visiting a Gayby Story and wanted to say congratulations! My wife and I have a 6 week old and one thing I can promise you is that it just keeps getting better! You both sound more than ready - what a lucky little gal. :)

    ~ Kristin
    www.theroybals.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hey Guys I don't think anyone is ever really ready. I worked in the baby's room for a few years before I had my son and it was still overwhelming. It pisses you off when everyone gives you conflicting advice on child rearing so go with one or two people you trust. Have confidence in yourselves, remember EVERYONE has times of feeling overwhelmed and its the babies first time too, they are much tougher than they look and they have no idea you are new to this role!!!! It is the best thing in the world being a parent but it has challenging times too and that's so normal! I LOVE being a Mumma that's why I wanna do it all over again!!! You guys will be awesome Daddies !!

    ReplyDelete
  33. WOW!! You're so close now!! Can't wait to meet your little one.

    x

    ReplyDelete