Due Date

Today I woke up and went to my prenatal appointment. Today I am full term. Today is the date the doctor projected for our baby's arrival when she confirmed our pregnancy so many months ago. At the time, it felt like a date so far away. Through the weeks since then I have learned so much about fetal development, prenatal health & nutrition, comfort measures, and labor & delivery.

All the research I've done has been fascinating. But what's most memorable is the visceral feeling of bonding with an unborn being. I've never met my son, but I already know a little about him. I know that he gets cranky and squirms when he's hungry. I know that he opens and closes his fists in contentment when he's well-fed. I know that he is comforted by his father's voice & touch. I know that he knows that we love him.

For the last few weeks, I've been aware that he could come at any time. But now that the due date has come and is about to go, this reality becomes that much more punctuated. Each day that passes raises the probability of the following day's delivery.

So, here I sit, making an entry in a quiet home, writing at my leisure and for my own enjoyment with the vivid understanding that this life I live now is fleeting and will soon shift to a similar but alternate reality. Though I am looking forward to holding my baby in my arms and seeing his face for the first time, I am enjoying these final moments of personal freedom and minimal distraction.