18 October 2010

End-of-October Miscellany

:::We registered for baby stuff on Friday.
When we registered for wedding stuff 5 1/2 years ago, we had ONE DAY and we were in the store for 10 hours.  It's really hard work!  Friday, we spent about 2 hours deciding on a stroller 'system,' a pack-n-play, and some gender-neutral baby stuff.  Then I got tired of deciding and we moseyed over to the book department and registered for about 15 books.  Whee!

:::We find out the baby's gender really soon.
One of my brothers-in-law and his wife decided to wait till the baby came out to find out boyness or girlness.  There's no WAY we can wait that long!  I can barely wait till Christmas to open my presents, and this is much more of a big deal than a present...it's a baby!  So we can't wait to find out.

:::Dude, it's November soon.
Yikes.  I need to get back on the Christmas-crafing bandwagon.  I've totally fallen off since...well...since I found out I was having this baby.  (I had shockingly little energy for a long time!)

:::Knowing if it's a boy or a girl in there brings us closer to deciding the baby's name.
It'll divide our short lists in half.

:::I find myself surprisingly easily annoyed by little things.
Elevator music.  Cheap PA systems in stores and the muffled voices that are relayed over them.  Slow drive-through lines.  Slooooow people moseying when I want to hurry.  That kind of stuff.  On the other hand, I also find myself more easily amused; dumb jokes make me happier.  And on yet another hand, spotting a baby captivates me more.  (My days at work are like roller-coaster rides.  Repetetive music?  Check.  People who walk slowly?  Check.  Babies?  Check, check, and check.  [Look at that cute baby!])

:::And lastly, I don't understand that backhand-slap advice.
It may be that I'm more easily annoyed, but people, there has got to be a difference between well-meaning (if unsolicited) advice and unkind, fear-inspiring prophecies of doom

I get that many women want to reminisce about their pregnancies.  I get that when they ask, "Are you nauseous?" they really want to know and so I tell them the unvarnished truth.  (And it's not pretty...but it's like pulling off a scab: you just feel compelled.)  I am thankful that my friends and family love me, and I'm thankful for their kind, gracious, encouraging advice. 

But every now and then someone asks "How are you," hears my answer, and follows it up with something along the lines of "Just wait until ___."  Sheesh.  If I'm clearly uncomfortable now, why do you think your gloomy, Eeyore-ish pronouncement is helpful?  Please be kind.  At least tell me something I need to hear, even if it's trite.  Here are some suggestions: 
*It's all worth it. 
*When you hold that baby in your arms, all of this struggle will be eclipsed. 
*God's grace is sufficient even for this. 
*Christ in you strengthens you for any challenge.
*Oooh, I understand.
*That sounds hard.  I know you can make it!

::If you worry if the previous rant was directed at you, it probably wasn't.