The Final Countdown

      The final countdown has arrived.  One week from tomorrow baby Ian will arrive.  Our doctor visit last week provided further warning that he will arrive in a very BIG way.  You'll recall that Ian's estimated weight the last visit, about a month ago, was 4 lbs 5 oz.  The doctor's measurements this past week provided an estimated weight of 7 lbs 10 oz., which is already bigger than Elliott's birth weight, who was born a week late.  As a precaution, Ian is being delivered two weeks early, the only thing I believe that can keep him south of a double digit birth weight. 

    We spent the weekend working on final preparations in Ian's room.  Elliott was being Elliott, hiding under our feet throughout the entire project dying to find something to satisfy his endless curiosity.  It is probably more an endless thirst for trouble, but curiosity sounds better.  Katie mentioned it would be nice if we had a babysitter for a couple of hours to make the process smoother.  So I found one.  You'll see in the pictures Miss Box was a very structured supervisor, keeping a multi-angled view of Elliott at all times.  She established firm boundaries and refused to compromise on them.  Best of all, she was flexible.  Wherever we were working, she was willing to go there with us.

    Before anyone gets too worried, she was only on payroll for about five minutes.  I would have liked her to work longer, but I thought a social services investigation on my fatherhood resume was the last thing I needed at this time, since I am certain that will be the first thing Ian wants to see when he arrives.  Blemishes of that magnitude, not to mention the risk of an unfavorable reference from Elliott resulting from that experience, might send Ian running off to the nearest orphanage, or at the very least set him up to be a mama's boy for life, raising the total registrations in that elite club to two.

    Thankfully we were able to take turns occupying Elliott and we are about as ready for Ian as we can get.  Thinking back on Elliott's birth reminds me that there is no such thing as prepared - it is impossible to prepare for the unpredictable.  I believe the nearly two years we have been blessed with Elliott and all the wonderful ( and occasionally not so wonderful) experiences he has provided will prove to be the best preparation of all.  He has taught us beyond anything else that if we love him, everything else falls into place, although sometimes with a little louder thud than others.  And with that as our final measure of readiness, we are absolutely prepared for the arrival of baby Ian - in 8 days.