Preparation and Imitation

This week, I have entered into the wonderful realm of "full term" pregnancy. Technically, my due date isn't for another three weeks, but if the baby came today, the doctors would be cool with that. All the little and big things we've been doing to get ready for baby have taken on a new importance now that we're in the "any day now" bit. I started packing my hospital bag, which is a slow and bothersome job for me since I need most of the stuff I'm supposed to be packing (any clothes that still fits is essential when you start growing out of maternity shirts), and I even bought infant diapers and washed some baby stuff in the detergent (most of it was washed before we packed it up).

Over the weekend, we visited the labor and delivery area in the hospital where I'm supposed to go when the time comes. It's in the same place as my usual appointments, but I had never seen the part where we'll actually go when the baby comes. This was important to me because last time I was in Japan, and I wanted to get the scoop on what to expect from an American hospital. I came out of the experience feeling very reassured. The labor and delivery rooms look quite comfortable, and the doctors and nurses are very accomodating of whatever the Moms want to do as far as pain management, from the sounds of it. The only down is I can't eat during labor this time, but that's really not that big of a deal. After the baby is born, I'll have to spend two days in a semi-private room (it looks like 2 to a room), but visitors are welcome (they have a lounge for larger groups), Zack can stay with me if he likes, and we can order whatever I want to eat from the time baby comes on, so it should be relatively comfortable. So that all looks good. The visit also reminded me to pack a bag for Ela, in case she needs to hang out at a friend's house for the first bit of my labor until family arrive. That bag is a bit easier to put together.

Speaking of Ela, she's really into the imagination play lately, and I've been enjoying the occasional surprise of hearing myself in her play. Her favorite game is putting her toys to bed, which kind of makes sense, given our efforts on that front with her. She covers them with blankets, says "night night" then tosses the blankets off and pulls the toy out, after which she says "go back to bed." very firmly or "Sleepy time!". Cracks me up. (She is actually sleeping much better, by the way. I usually don't have to get up with her any more.) She's cooking more in her kitchen, too. She likes to make me tea and cupcakes. Yum yum!

The other day while I was getting dressed, Ela sat in the rocking chair and "read" her books to herself. This, in itself, is not unusual, but I rarely get to hear what she says when she reads. I was really amazed at some of what she remembers from when I read to her. One of the books she chose she had only heard twice (once at the library and once at home), and she was imitating the librarian who had read it, counting things on the pages, and using the right words. I hadn't realized she'd even been paying attention when we were that library, so it was pretty amazing to me. The other book I heard was about pregnancy and baby in the belly. We read it a lot because Ela likes to lift the little flaps that show the baby in Mommy's belly. I didn't think she was getting the point of the book, just looking at the pictures, but she remembered all the rhyming words and was saying the right things on each page. It was quite impressive.

As a result of all this imitation play, I'm constantly trying to watch what I say and do in front of her. It's bad enough when I hear her yelling at Dory in my exact tone of voice, but I don't want her to pick up any worse behaviors from me if at all possible. So my kiddos are keeping me on my toes!