Before Photo
I didn't know where to take him around here, because there aren't too many salons, and the one I've gone to on occasion closed down. I found out there was another tucked behind a gas station just down the street from us, so I went for it and brought him there. I was pleasantly surprised, and while I'm turned off by most hair stylists (very worldly in their speech, etc.), I actually liked the lady who cut Caleb's hair. I'm not saying she's pious and godly, but she was upbeat and cheerful, and was so friendly to Caleb, that I liked her instantly. I liked her so much, I decided to make an appointment with her for myself next week. (My hair has not seen scissors since October.)
My little man doesn't look happy, does he? He just got done crying. As soon as I put him in the chair, the wailing commenced. I tried spinning the chair around and making it fun for him, and when the stylist got to work, I think he became so interested in what was going on, that he calmed down.
I asked Kate, the hair dresser, if she minded being in a photo, and she said she didn't.
She let me gather a few strands, which I have as a keepsake in an envelope!
Immediately after, but not the best shot to see his haircut.
And these last two are from today.
I had a prenatal appointment this morning, and of course, Caleb came with me. My midwife puts him on a chair to stand beside me, and she helps him hold the doptone over my belly so we can hear the heartbeat. I began to schedule the majority of the remainder of my prenatal appointments (except for one or two at the end, depending), and I can scarcely believe how little time I have left. It is getting tricky, because my midwife leaves town July 28th through August 2nd, and my due date is August 2nd. I have two upcoming appointments scheduled with the other midwife in the practice, at the location near the hospital. I remember her from last time and like her a lot- I just hope she'll be willing to take me on should labor happen when my midwife is away. My midwife keeps joking with me that I'll go into labor right on July 26th, when my mom heads here.
July is an extremely busy month. I also have three other doctor appointments, having nothing to do with Baby- it is just the time of the year for them. Combine this with trying to do one major fun thing a week with Caleb- like the zoo- and I have no idea how we'll get everything we need to get done before the baby comes. Both our cars need fixing. The front steps need repainting. I need to purchase a new camera and more cloth diapers. I would love to purchase shelves for Caleb's room, which he is soon to share. I need to set up all the baby stuff, and reorganize Caleb's drawers once I purchase extra storage. Not to mention all the cleaning I still need to do before Baby comes, and I'll basically be too tired to do anything.
I am truly overwhelmed. If you know me, I am a doer. I am great on staying on top of the daily chores, but when I have a lot to do in a short time, I get overwhelmed very easily. This is one reason why I cannot wait for my mom to come. I want to clean the entire kitchen before she comes, but if I am lagging behind, she'll gladly step in and help me with whatever I missed. She will be a comfort to me in the final days, if Baby hasn't made his/her presence yet. (Truth be told, if my mom wasn't working, I would have her come up earlier.)
I felt much more prepared the first time around. I'm not sure why that is, except that my time was my own and I didn't have a child to share it with. It's a lot tougher now. Before, I could spend the whole day cleaning if I wanted. Now, I have a toddler who needs love, attention, and play.
Yes, I know this too shall pass. If the house isn't scrubbed from top to bottom, oh, well. The baby is still coming home to a loving place, and that's what matters the most.
Still, if you could keep us in your prayers, I'd be more than grateful.
I know you can barely see them in this photo (I zoomed as far as it would go), but there is a mama kitty and her five kittens hanging out by our fire pit and wood pile. They crawl into the wood pile to hide, but they are out in the open plenty. Brian brought them a bit of Pocono's food this morning, and we are trying to decide if we need to call a shelter or not. I guess we'll see what happens!
