Nesting and such

The term “nesting” always struck me as a little irritating, and I used to wince when people used it. However, now that I am less than ten weeks away from giving birth, I understand the instinct behind it. I have been very busy with work and family obligations the past month, and it is nice to finally have some quiet time to prepare for the little one’s arrival. Nick and I have cleared out the baby’s room (after a major purge, which always feels liberating) and are slowly putting things together. I’m trying very hard to resist the Babies ‘R Us siren song, warning parents-to-be of all of the items they “need” in order to be “ready.” Call me old fashioned, but a baby needs little more than parents who love them and take care of their basic needs. Of course, the hospital won’t let you leave without a car seat (duh) and once home, the baby needs a safe place to sleep (“sleep” being the operative word. Hear that, little baby?).

We are fortunate to have supportive friends and family who have provided us with advice and items to get us started (one of the benefits to having a sister  and brother and cousins and friends who have gone through all of this before!) and their love and support makes this journey enjoyable. I spend many moments a day reflecting on how lucky I am to be able to have this opportunity, and am grateful for everything. I mean, yeah, the thought of  spending time in a hospital gives me the heebie-jeebies, but at least I can go to a hospital (and at least it will be for a happy reason).

While the magnitude of it all can be overwhelming, I take comfort in the fact that people have been birthing and raising kids since the dawn of mankind, and even though the newspaper headlines may lead one to believe otherwise, the world is still a pretty cool place, full of goodness and possibility. Being able to contribute to that cycle of life is awesome, in the purest sense of the word.