So Far, So Good

Another appointment with the midwife today. It's 37 weeks and 6 days. It seems that I've gone full circle, or rather we have. I think perhaps we are the only people not stressing over the arrival of this baby. Today we had a different midwife, which is a shame because we get on rather well with the usual one. She seemed determined to make us feel uneasy about our lack of organisation, either that or she was determined to score one up on her absent colleague who is obviously useless as a midwife in her eyes. Either we are living too far away from the hospital, or we should have discussed lots of things we haven't with our regular midwife, or had more face to face meetings with the obstetrician, and we need to have plans in place for when (rather than if) the baby comes late. If the baby comes late love, it's cos he/she is waiting on a familiar, not to mention friendly bloody midwife.
However, the long and the short of it is that everything is moving along just nicely. There is no need for panic. Baby appears healthy and mother is doing pretty well too considering what's in there. So, we won't panic. We'll do what we did last time round and adopt the mentality that this baby will come when it's good and ready.

I've Got The Power!

Like all great smug bar stewards, I shall milk my glory, despite knowing it will be short lived. Finally, Mrs BFS had admitted that she's been overdoing things for the past 4 months. No shit Sherlock! It's not that I get some sort of perverse pleasure from seeing her suffer you understand, and believe me, when she asked for me to come home early, she must have really been suffering. It's just that I get to say I was right. I told you so. Me, the thick one, without my University Education and all that. I. TOLD. YOU. SO. Now I get to puff my cheek out and receive the "I told you so" kiss (it's just something we do). The balance of power has shifted.

Coming home early to support to MPLST has shifted my mood somewhat. As I thought, now that I am back where it matters, I am considerably less stressed (despite still being horribly disorganised). At least I know I'm here for the birth. I can get up in the middle of the night if required and be at the hospital inside the hour if need be. Despite BB playing the I want my mum card whenever he's not getting his own way, I have the ability of rough and tumble play which distracts him every single time - though at the rate he is growing that won't last forever either. Whilst she goes through a never ending cycle of sleep, loo, sleep, loo......I can now do what all good dad's do.......cook, clean, iron and amuse the toddler. Yes, in 2008 that constitutes a favourable shift of domestic power in the mans favour! By 2030, we'll be bloody breastfeeding. Talking of which, in 6 months time when Bambino is finished with them, the balance of power will no doubt be restored.....

Calm down, calm down

Christ! I'm sure it's not suppose to be like this for dad! How old is too old to start smoking? Right now it seems like a realistic option, and if you know how much I hate the bloody habit, you'll get an idea of where I'm coming from.
The last few days have been slightly stressing, but only because I am still at work. The lovely weather in which you lot have been basking on the beach lead to, as it usually does, "pea soup" out here. Normally, I am not they type to flap over such unavoidable natural phenomenons, but when one knows one may need off in a hurry, then the weather really has to be such that choppers can actually see the bloody rig.
Such thoughts have provoked worries over getting home, or rather not getting home and potentially leaving MPLST up the river without a paddle. It's not very North Sea Tigery, but that has buggered up my sleep a bit! Just the preparation for 4/5 months of sleep deprivation.......
Coupled with that, MPLST has been suffering a few aches and pains as her body prepares itself to let go of the bambino. I can imagine that BB is making life quite hard, but being the martyr that she is, she has so far refused my offers to come home. Tonight though, she sounded exhausted, so I went to my boss (actually his boss - skip the middle man if you want something done) and told him I may be seeking a flight on Monday instead of Wednesday so I can support my Mrs. Oops, that makes her sound like a football team! Fortunately, he was receptive to this, despite the massive workload on at the minute. If it comes to that, I must remember to buy him a beer sometime for being such a good egg.

Bully's Special Prize!

I have learned that with fatherhood comes responsibilities. My web surfing no longer revolves around sport. Nor does it revolve round motorcycling or travelling, like it was back in the days BC (Before Children). At work, I used to while away the hours looking at interesting destinations before booking trips and buggering off somewhere. Occasionally, I would even succumb to treating the wife to something nice, perhaps some cheesy gift, perhaps something altogether more purposeful (make of that what you will) or worst of all, I'd play Sudoku. Gone are those days I'm afraid.

I've just looked at my bookmarks on my PC at work. Those are the things I did. I can't remember the last time I used most of them. I can't even remember the last good book I read that wasn't about parenting in some way, shape or fashion! I'm turning into the bloke I used to hate! Let's face it, who in their 20's thought they needed to read about parenting? Not me your honour!

But now....now I seek out kids stuff....or dad's stuff....or parent's stuff everywhere I look. Sure I can think about holidays, but not the type we did BC, so there's less enthusiasm for this at the moment. I read timesonline, and I'm almost ashamed to admit I read the Life and Style section before the news or sport. What the hell is going on here? Fiona's blog (over there on the right) often has a useful pearl of wisdom lurking somewhere that helps me in the part time dad (or rather ex husband) role. The last few books I've read, whilst mostly funny, are all about babies. Making them. Growing them. Having them. Looking after them. Relating to them. Then, getting shot of them.......

Even over the course of the last few nights, I've read about talking to teenagers about sex, despite it being an eternity away for me one would hope. Besides which, I thought talking to teenagers about S-E-X was about the same a teaching a fish to have a bath anyway!

I was pleased to find an interesting, if short lived distraction here:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/holiday_type/gap_travel/article4383578.ece

A welcome little escape from the world of being dad, whether full time or part time.I could have been doing this. We could have. But no, my wife keeps getting bloody pregnant (obviously it's something she's doing, my part cannot be proved until much later!). Surfing the net now like watching the end of Bullseye though....where Jim Bowen says "Never mind! Here's what you could have won!" with far too much glee as he shows the contestants the speedboat.

I wouldn't have it any other way though. Dad's get loads to blether about.

36 Week Scan

Today's scan went well I'm told. Apparently the placenta is well clear of the scar tissue from the last op, so this bun will have the chance to find it's very own way out of the oven.

The scan revealed that Bambino is a little bigger than average, but not freakishly so, slightly big at the waist, and he/she has longer than average legs, so we're both chuffed that the natural birth option is still open at this stage. I dare say Mrs BFS has mixed feelings....on one hand, having had a CS previously, a natural childbirth is her preference, but on the other, the B and F of BFS stand for Big Fat. If my genepool is strongly replicated in the child, her eyes will be watering already at the prospect me thinks!

Likeabike

Recently, I stumbled across this site: http://www.likeabike.co.uk/

The theory is simple, and makes perfect sense to me. I saw how much SS struggled in the early stages of learning because she was dependant on the stabilisers. She kept shifting her hips from one side to the other to steer, this is a hard habit to change.

Seems this method is hugely popular in Europe, and as usual we are lagging behind. The only downside, is that these bikes are quite pricey. Cheaper versions are available, but on the limited reviews I have sourced, it seems you get what you pay for.

Of course, you could always remove the pedals on a cheaper bike too.

I was amazed so few people have seen this. No more stabilisers for us!

I'm going slightly mad

Confusion reigns supreme in my head over one or all of these issues in varying degrees:

1 How Mrs BFS will get to hospital before I get home (if she needs to?)
2 What will we do with BB for the during the birth?
3 Sibling rivalry! Could BB be at a worse age? Me thinks not!
4 Garden chores, getting them done. Lawn, hedge, veggie patch.....
5 Will we chat properly (face to face) about names? The potential list has grown by the way, so much so, it's numbing my brain just thinking about it. No, I won't share but sorry to disappoint, Cliff is not on it.
6 Motorbike, will I ride it or even clean it again this year?
7 Where is the camera charger?
8 Not going to be much of a weekend for SS with me if I spend most of it at hospital, should it come to that.
9 Will I get to see the contraction dance again? This has to be seen to be believed.....picture a cross between Stevie Wonder and MC Hammer.
10 If we get an attractive student midwife, should I request a less attractive one? Apparently, last time I spent far too much time chatting to the midwife. How does one re phrase "Sorry, we'll take the fat ginger burd please" without causing offense?
11 And most nagging on the brain matter - Mrs BFS has a scan on Tuesday to determine if another C section is necessary. Watch this space.

On the plus side, being at work has given me a much needed rest. I have woken up each of the last four days of my own accord, which when you haven't done it recently feels fantastic. I dare say MPLST will be very envious.

Oh, and BB reverted to type today, so my glory lasted only a day. It must be the Muslim in him - he's a wee shi'ite I hear.

One word from me.......

......and MPLST does whatever the hell she likes! Or at least that's what it's been like for the last few months. I urge her to rest, take it easy, put her feet up......you get the picture. But no, no pregnant woman would listen to such common sense, and nor should one push one's luck too far in trying to make her listen either!
Unless of course, you can rely on the child. On Tuesday night when I was putting BB to bed, I gave him the first of many fatherly lectures to come. We'd done the milk, story and brushing of the gnashers, and as I took him to bed, I explained in a very daddy sort of way, that I would be gone in the morning as I had to go to work and make some pennies (for mummy's new size 10 jeans - no pressure then m'darlin!) Being as daddy wasn't going to be home for a few weeks, and mummy has the baby in her tummy, I asked that he make an extra special effort to be a good boy for mummy, and that he understands that mummy can't lift him all of the time like he wants, because she is using some of her strength to help grow the baby, just like she did when he was in there.
Today, BB surpassed even the most ambitious dads wishes though. He changed the game playing rules. Instead of dragging mum off round the house, down the drive, up the stairs or simply standing in front of her with his arms up as he does, this is what happened today. As mum came off the sofa to play with him, he sternly shouted "MUMMY!" and pointed to the sofa and only seemed pleased once she'd returned to her designated spot. He repeated this until she played along. So one happy toddler and one rested wife. Excellent!
Obviously, I am taking deserved credit for this miracle change in behaviour and I reserve the right not to inform the world wide web if he should revert to type tomorrow.

It's ok for her!

Tonight, I'm at work in the North Sea. I'll be here for 10 more nights, yet my wife is in her 36th week. She sent me an email tonight saying that at the end of this week she'll be full term! Great! There is a realisation that I might struggle to make it home for the birth now. More a fear than a realisation I suppose. I tried to explain that is was ok for her, she's guaranteed to be there for it! Fortunately, for my sake, she has a sense of humour.
This pregnancy has passed in a blur. Last time around, we seemed to take each week at a time and appreicate the changes that were happening. We started looking at names from 20 weeks. We went to 2 sets of antenatal classes. We had time. My wife worked up until week 38 and we exchanged emails regularly at work about the things we need to do or discuss.
This time we have a toddler to look after. It's harder than it sounds I have found. Suddenly we are on week 36, the baby is 4/5ths engaged and we don't even have proper shortlist of potential names. We made 2 out of 4 antenatal classes, despite acknowledging that we have forgotten so much from last time around. Of course, we are trying to do this whilst maintaining an unmaintainable house and garden alongside caring for the toddler too. For apparently clever people, we're not being too sharp, are we?