Mild Panic

Its 3am and I find myself wide awake, a plethora of thoughts running amok inside my head. I am 34 weeks this week, which means that in just 4 weeks I will be considered term and then the waiting game begins. With all 3 previous pregnancies I started to get excited, almost impatient for time to scurry along, hoping my baby would make an early appearance. This time is very different. This time I would be quite happy if number 4 would stay snug and cosy just a little past his due date on 10 June.

Up until now all the things we had decided to put in place in preparation for our growing family had fallen into place as planned.  But now one huge, very tangible arrangement remains...the baby's 'place'. Usually by this time in my pregnancies I would have the baby's cot set up and ready for his arrival, the 'layette' would be all packed in its place ready for use and my hospital bag would be packed and ready for action. Not this time...this time there is no visible evidence of a new baby's imminent arrival. And mild panic has started to set in just tonight.

I remember one of the first questions Bilaal asked me when I told him I was pregnant was ''where's the baby gonna sleep?!'' It was funny at the time, but now the reality of that need is drawing closer and its freaking me out that I am not yet prepared. See we decided to get bunk beds and move Bilaal into the bigger room with Sumayah, with Yusuf then moving into the smaller room with spare bed for those cold winter nights when one parent inevitably will need to settle him in the night. The problem is we are having the beds as well as chest of drawers custom made and were hoping to have them all last week already. Well week one of May has come and gone and still no furniture.

Yesterday I started sorting all the toys and storage space in the shed, but the much needed sorting of the clothes and sleeping space is held up by the arrival of our furniture. So here I am starting to have a mild panic about the preparations that still needs to be carried out and a sense of time running out looming over me!

So baby, as much as I am excited to meet you, please stay comfy for as long as you can so that mummy and daddy can get everything perfect for your arrival.