When you find yourself waiting for something really, really good, it’s hard to be patient. And that pretty much sums up my mood today, 40 weeks into this pregnancy.
Yesterday I kept thinking 2/12/2012 would make a cool birthday. But our baby girl is apparently content to stay where she is a little longer. I’m thankful I have good friends around to remind me that my due date is just an estimate. They say women who deliver naturally go into labor on average at 41 weeks and 1 day (for first-time moms) and 40 weeks and 3 days (for experienced moms), so I’m trying not to obsess over timing or dwell on the way my first two births began—with drugs at the hospital. My friend Brandi says that if I really want a home birth I should remove the word “induction” from my vocabulary and trust that this baby will come when she’s ready.
So there you have it. My last use of the “i” word for a while.
It is hard to wait, especially when I’m so big and uncomfortable. But it’s really not that bad. (I reserve the right to change my mind if I’m still pregnant two weeks from now.) We had a fun weekend as a family of four, stocking up on beef at the Farmer’s Market, grilling hamburgers later, and cleaning/organizing the house. We even moved Sky and Micah into the same room to make space for the baby, and they actually slept. It took them a while. But eventually they did fall asleep.
The kids are very excited about the baby. Micah came up to me yesterday and said, “Baby come out now?” And when I said, “Yes, I hope she comes soon,” he said, “Miss baby.” 
Sky gives my belly lots of kisses and cuddles and talks about all she’s going to do with her sister. Yesterday she even sat “on top” of her. (Hey, if anything triggers labor at this point, I’m more than okay with it.) I tried to hold Micah for a photo too, but apparently his late night party with Sissy had caught up with him because he was too busy having a meltdown on the floor to participate. Oh well.
The Bible talks a lot about waiting, mainly because following Christ is all about waiting— for justice and peace, for the new heaven and the new earth, and for God to save us from our own awful sinfulness. Those are the big things. But a baby is important too, and I know God understands it’s not easy to be patient. I sense His encouragement every day. And I know He doesn’t want us to put off joy until the future, when we have what we want. It’s for the waiting time too.
“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” – Psalm 27:14
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