Perfect Timing

If it were up to me, Katherine would have arrived sometime late this week so my mother could watch Evelyn and Claire, the engineering career fair would be finished, any resulting job interviews would be complete and the house would be just a little more finished.

What?!  I’m early?

The midwife frowned during last week’s appointment at the fact that my body shown barely any signs of labor.  She discussed induction the following week and what it might entail if my body didn’t kick it into gear.  I went home and sort of moped the rest of the day.  There wasn’t much I was capable of doing anyway since most things required me to bend over or squat, which had become nearly impossible with a giant pregnant belly in the way.  Besides, the house was about 98%-ish completed and was (mostly) spotless–I’d cleaned the cobwebs from the highest bedroom down to the cellar the previous week.  I’d prepared a dozen freezer and crock pot meals.  I’d gotten my hair cut.  The girls’ and I painted our toenails an obscene hot pink.  Jack and I had gone on a date.  The girls’ big sister presents were packed in my bag and they were excited to go stay with friends.  The animals are all fed and watered.  The laundry had been washed and dried and was waiting patiently to be folded and put away.  I had managed to squeeze in a nap every day for the last two months.  The cars had been cleaned out, fluids checked and tires filled.  The car seats had been scrubbed and washed–all three of them.  I took a bath and primped, preened and groomed myself as much as a grand champion Pomeranian.  After all that work over the last few weeks, it was difficult finding the motivation to do much of anything.

Meeting the big sisters.

The one task on my list I actually felt like doing was to finish mowing the lawn so I had Jack jump start it.  The geriatric old rider mower had laid idle for three months due to the grass-stunting drought and needed a little push to get started.  I listened to some music and carefully bumped around the yard until it was done several hours later.

After the girls were in bed, I relaxed on the couch, trying to remain comfortable through some mild contractions while I mindlessly watched reruns.  I was about ready to doze off when Katherine decided she was ready to join our budding family.  With a strong blow to my side, my water broke.  I called for Jack and he tumbled frantically into the kitchen.  With great clarity, he got the sleepy girls into the car, loaded our belongings and drove us all safely to our destinations.  Less than five hours later, baby Kate made her debut, sans any sort of pain medication.  It hurt like the dickens but I had accomplished a very significant life goal.  I was on top of the world.

Parenting between interviews.

Jack and I doted on our new daughter in the early morning hours before we both zonked out for quick nap.  Two hours later, Jack was suited up and ready for his interviews he’d secured from the engineering career fair the day before.  Despite his sleep deprivation, he managed to impress his interviewers into offering him a full-time job of his choosing.  In twenty-four hours, he had a career fair, helped with some home improvements, watched me give birth, interviewed and received a job offer.  We were all ecstatic and feeling incredibly blessed.

No, I didn’t run over Jack.  He was trying to figure out where the fuel line was.

Watching the older sisters play.

Hindsight is a funny thing.  Initially, I cried when my water broke because it seemed to be at the most inopportune time–right before some very important interviews and in the middle of the school week.  Looking back, however, baby Kate arrived with perfect timing.