The Final Countdown

Now more than just one of the best hair-metal anthems of all-time...

The calendar says there are just 10 days to go, though it's really feeling all like a blur at this point. Having finished my Christmas shopping today I should be taking a deep breath content in the knowledge that my pre-Christmas work is essentially done. Truth be told, it's just starting!

I do believe that nearly the finishing touches for the nursery have been made. Mobile = suspended. Artwork = hung (and a great job done on them by K!). Wall name = mounted (pictures of that will have to wait until after he's born). And all the baby paraphernalia - stroller, swing, playard, etc, etc - have been assembled and are ready to roll.

On a side note, who knew that the folks that inspect car seats would have an objection to a pair of scissors being left (blade forward no less) next to the back headrest pointed at the car seat? Such nitpickers.

Anyway, it feels like we've got everything in place now, except the little man himself. So when we look around I think we end up saying to ourselves "well our part is done, so you better hurry up and show up soon!". But I've been told that they tend to have a schedule unto themselves!

And speaking of schedules, the first casualty in the birth pool has been Nanny. Kathy gambled on an early date and took Dec. 15th as her grandson's birthday. Come and gone. Up next is Mommy with the 19th, then Daddy with the 20th and Pappy with the 21st. Seems like her side all guessed early. Nanny Stringer tonight informed me that she's taking New Year's Eve, but we all hope she's wrong! And since K always says I'm late for everything and she's normally early, I guess this will be the first indication as to who our son takes after.. early or late!

All that said, I really just want to meet him. It's all been well and good for 8 months, and I think K would say I've been overly laissez-faire about everything. Which, from her perspective, I can understand; I'm not the most reactive fellow. But now things are really gearing up and I can honestly say that the excitement has truly hit home. It was always there, but of course we men don't experience everything the same first-hand way that our wives do. Now, however, it's full on. The bags are packed, the work road-trips are over, and I'm ready for the call. Let's do this!