Last night, Mommy B and I took a tour of the new hospital where we plan on delivering Baby M #2. It's not the same hospital in which Alli was born, so we wanted to take a guided tour through the Labor and Delivery wing and the Postpartum wing so we knew where everything was when the time comes. Many of the policies and procedures were the same as Alli's hospital, such as visiting hours and ID bands for parents and child, but it was good to get a feel for the layout of the place so we wouldn't be "those people" wandering the halls like lost puppies with a newborn in our arms.
For those Followers that don't know me, I'm a pretty laid-back guy. I try to make light of every situation, no matter how serious or dire. I learned a long time ago that worrying is like a rocking chair - it gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere. We were only one of three couples on the tour and we were the only ones who already had a child at home. Now, I don't recall being as silent and reserved as the other couples when we took our first tour for Alli, but I can't imagine that I didn't try to crack at least a couple jokes. You know, to try and lighten the mood a bit. So naturally, this time around was just a formality for Mommy B and I. But the other couples were all business and very tight-lipped. I again tried to make some jokes to give the other soon-to-be-parents an idea of what to expect, but either I'm not as funny as I think I am or they were too focused to have a good laugh. Oh well, at least I tried... they're on their own now.
Anyway, seeing those rooms and the nursery brought all the memories of Alli's birth rushing back to me. Even though it felt like a blur, I remember almost everything from that 10 1/2 hour ordeal - especially how magical 4:30pm was for Mommy B and I. We talked about it in the car on the way home last night - how different yet exciting this go-around is for us. With Alli, it was the unknown that caused the feeling of excitement. Everything was so new and it was such a whirlwind of emotions that we didn't really know what to feel other than sheer joy.
This time through, the unknown has been removed - and it has been replaced with the known. The expected. Been there, done that. This time, Mommy B and I know how things are going to go (hopefully as smoothly as Alli's birth) and cannot wait for it to happen again. Even though we've been through this before, there is still a slight tinge of nervousness and unknown. We have no idea if/when Mommy B might go into labor on her own (since she didn't with Alli). We have no idea if the labor will go as smooth and uneventful as it was the first time. Having a nurse for a wife and having seen enough TV shows, I know first-hand that there are countless issues that could arise during labor.
But we're so close to the finish line that we can't help but get excited. I'm really looking forward to introducing Alli to her little ssssss....... sibling and seeing what a great big sister she'll become. We still technically have over a month to go, but walking through the hospital last night reminded me how close we really are.
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