Nesting

Today I am nesting. I've had the urge for about a week now to start the nesting process. I wish I was one of these 30-something couples with the house and the two jobs and the retirement plan and partial day care subsidies. At my second lamaze class last night the instructor asked if everybody had their nurseries all sat up. Most of the women nodded yes enthusiastically. Most of these women aren't even due until October. I'm due in 4 weeks and I'm just trying to figure out where I can move all the boxes in my room to make space for a bassinet. On the other hand, I can never show enough appreciation for the fact that my family is totally letting me live here free and they're all excited about babysitting and buying me every little baby thing. Today I listened to the 'lack of light' mix tape my friend James made me, twice through, just while sorting out the boxes of baby clothes and bedding everyone has bought for , given, or donated to me second hand. Tons of cute little onesies with bears and puupy dogs and turtles on them. Silky soft blankies and tons of the cheaper cloth receiving blankets. All of which warn you to "wash before first use." So now, I'm on to washing everything while I ty to figure out how to assemble the strap on baby carrier and disassemble the car seat so I can wash the padding. You wouldn't think these things would be that difficult, but they are. Putting together the bassinet took three of us several hours and a trip to babies-r-us to look at a fully assembled one. I've done engine work on my car that was easier.

My second lamaze class was as bad as the first. We had to watch a vidoe of a woman's labor, start to finish. The instructor called it a "clean" video becaue the woman keeps pretty quiet and doesn't scream and swear, etc. Still, I don't think any of us needed to see the crotch shot of the head crowning. You just ruined the illusion of the beauty of child birth for every couple in the room. The instructor has this swell baby doll and a plaster skeletal pelvic girdle. She's always shoving the baby through the pelvic girdle and illustrating how the baby has to turn to come out, and why it creates so much "butt pressure." Gross. But the baby barely fits, you know, it's head scrapes the pelvic bones on it's way out, and all I'm thinking is, "damn, my pelvis is a lot smaller than that one." The relaxation session was once again not so relaxing, because I'm the only one in the room whose mother has to give the hand massages and lower back rubs and hip support. I refused to do the slow dancing exercise with her, that was just a little too weird and humiliating. And the instructor now tries to always remember to say "now Dad's you're going to - and Grandma - you're gonna be...." just to be sure we're following along and doing it like we're supposed to. I am looking forward to the tour of the birthing wing next week, though. That ought to be interesting.

Before lamaze we went to the grand opening of a sushi restaurant in a little strip mall in the West end. We were the first people there. Our waitress was very efficient and obliging. My water glass was never less than half full, and when I told her how much I liked the carrot-ginger dressing she brought me an extra bowl of it. I was a little offended though that when she saw us she came over with the picture book of the menu and did her best to explain to us what sushi was and how it's served. I really wanted to tell her that even though this is Richmond, and even though we are white, we've actually known about sushi for some time. I forgave her though, because the food was really good.

I am also cleaning and vacuuming out my car today. Later I might experiment with how the car seat is going to go in there. It may take me the rest of the night.