Page 48 of That Baby (That Boy 3)
And I can see why it's preparing.
Even as much as I've enjoyed being pregnant with you, I'm starting to get a bit uncomfortable.
And we still have six weeks left to go.
I'd tell you to stop growing, but that wouldn't be very motherly of me.
But I would like to request that you stop kicking my bladder.
Yesterday when you kicked me, I thought I was going to pee my pants.
This is me using my stern voice. "Baby Mac, the bladder is off limits."
August 23rd
You go, girl.
"No. Just stop!" Phillip says, waking me up.
I wonder who he's talking to but quickly realize he's dreaming. I push on his shoulder. "What are you dreaming about?"
"We got stuck in a snowstorm and I had to deliver the baby myself. Which, impressively, I did."
"Well that's good, except you were yelling to stop."
"Yeah, that's because once I delivered the first baby, they just kept coming."
"Kept coming?"
"Yeah, one baby after another. Like when you're in a batting cage and the machine keeps pitching. The babies kept coming and coming."
"You've seen the ultrasounds, Phillip. There's only one baby," I tease.
"I know. It was crazy. Have you packed a bag for the hospital yet?"
"Not yet, but I'm pretty sure we won't have a snow storm on the first of October."
"Still, I just would feel better if we were prepared. We finished our birthing class a couple weeks ago and we don't have that done or a birthing plan."
"My birthing plan is simple. Just six words long. I'll have the epidural now, please. Do you need me to write that down so you'll remember it?"
"Probably not," he laughs. "I'm supposed to go lift with Danny this morning. He's back home from training camp for a couple days since the second preseason game is tomorrow night. I decided I'm taking the gnome with me."
"Where are you going to hide it this time?"
"I'm not sure, but I'll think of something."
When he gets back from working out, he's talking to me from the bathroom while he's shaving. "So Danny wants us to come over for dinner tonight. He said he's grilling steaks."
"That sounds good. Does Lori know he invited us?"
"I didn't ask."
"Probably for the best. Where did you put the gnome?"
"In his beer fridge on the deck. If we're lucky, we'll get to see him find it."
The dog days of summer are officially here. Even Angel doesn't want to be outside for very long.
I've been feeling pretty good but, lately, the heat has been getting to me more than it used to.
Thankfully, as we trod up the stairs to Lori and Danny's deck, the breeze has picked up, giving us a reprieve.
"Hey," Lori says to us.
"I brought some brownies," I tell her, setting them on the patio table, hoping that will ease the tension. We haven't really talked since the formula incident. And if it weren't for the fact that we've only seen Danny once since training camp started a couple weeks ago, I wouldn't be here.
"I can't eat those," she immediately says. "I'm on a very strict diet."
"How come?"
"So I can get back to my pre-baby weight," she says, like I'm an idiot.
"I figured that. I just read that when you nurse, you aren't supposed to diet."
"I'm still consuming plenty of food, it's just the right kind of food. Lots of fruits and vegetables. Lots of water. Danny got me a personal trainer and nutritionist."
"That was nice of him," Phillip says, squeezing my hand. I know what the squeeze means.
More brownies for us.
Lori smiles. It's pretty much the first smile she's thrown my way since--I can't even remember.
"He comes highly recommended by our team trainer, so hopefully it's not a waste of money," Danny interjects, joining us on the deck with Devaney in his arms. "Lori, would you mind grabbing me and Phillip a beer?"
Phillip and I look at each other in a panic, suddenly remembering the gnome. We both go, "Wai--"
"Ahhhhh!! What the hell!?" Lori screams. She grabs the gnome and throws it at Phillip. Thankfully, he's quick-handed and catches it. "Why am I the only adult here?"
Danny and I bust out laughing.
"Stop laughing! I'm serious! It's a stupid, ugly gnome that you keep hiding to try to scare each other. It's childish. Are you ever going to grow up?"
Danny can't stop laughing. "Lori, you should've seen the look on your face. Priceless."
"It's not fucking funny!" she yells.
Devaney smiles at Danny then laughs.
"Ohmigosh! Did you see that? Devaney is laughing too!" I burst out.
"Even you think the gnome is funny, don't you, little monkey?" Danny says, tickling her chin.
"We're not hiding the gnome, Lori. It's been moving of it's own accord," Phillip manages to say with a straight face.
"You're all nuts," she says, stomping into the house.
"That didn't go over so well," Phillip says to Danny.
"Mommy needs to learn to take a joke, doesn't she?" Devaney moves her hands around, touching Danny's face. He grabs her finger in his mouth and shakes it, causing her to squeal with delight. "She loves it when I do that. You think your daddy is hilarious, don't you?" he says, never taking his eyes off his baby girl.
We watch him play with her for a few minutes.
I can't wait until Phillip makes our baby laugh like that.
Chelsea sent me a link to a social media account the other day along with a text that said her ovaries just exploded. The account contains pictures of hot guys holding babies. I'll admit, there is something pretty sexy about seeing a man holding a baby. I can only imagine how sexy it will be when he's holding our baby.
Apparently, Lori wasn't too traumatized by the gnome, because she brings steaks and corn on the cob out on a platter. Danny hands Devaney to her and puts them on the grill.
"Are you excited for your second preseason game?" I ask him.
"It's good to be playing again but, like last week, I'll only be in for a little while. My backup needs experience and they don't want me to get hurt. I saw workers at your house. What are you doing over there?"
"I'm building JJ an office slash playroom," Phillip says proudly. I love that he's gotten so excited about it. He even helped me pick out cabinets.
"We thought it would be easier once we have kids for me to work from home. Did I tell you I'm working on another building? This is a smaller project and I'm only doing the interior space planning, but it will be fun."
"You didn't tell us," Danny says, flipping the steaks.
"Phillip's company is expanding again, so they are adding an office in Dallas. I also have another job working with our contractor. He has a client who is consolidating with a new campus here. It will be a huge project."
"That's awesome," Danny says. "You go, girl."
I smile. "Thanks."
"How in the world are you going to work with kids running around?" Lori snarls.
"Because she's brilliant." Phillip grins. "We split up the big room in the basement that I was going to use as a home theater. The part that's her office has a set of French doors leading into the playroom and instead of walls, there are half-walls with windows that slide open."
"It makes my office look like a sunroom. There's lots of light and we had it painted this gorgeous shade of pale pink. The construction is done, now they are just installing the cabinets. I did a long run across one wall. It will be cool because when we want to have parties in the backyard, it can double as a buffet. And my drafting table is like a murphy bed. I can fold it inside a cabinet when it's not in use. Since it has it's own entrance, I'll even be able to have clients over, if need be."
Lori laughs. "That'll look professional. Toys scattered all over."
"The French doors and windows that face the playroom have curtains, so I can hide the clutter. Anything is possible with a little cre
ativity." I give her a tight-lipped smile.
"On that note," Danny says, "time to eat."
CHAPTER TWENTY
Dear Baby Mac,
Only five more weeks until we get to meet you!!
You have no idea how excited I am about that.
And I'm not just saying that because my stomach feels like it weighs about eight hundred pounds and might explode if it gets any bigger.
In reality, you are only weighing in at about 5 lbs. and feeling cramped too. You probably can't do all the fun flips and summersaults like you used to.
But come this Saturday, we'll have something to cheer about!
IT'S FOOTBALL SEASON!
This Saturday is the home opener for our alma mater and favorite college team, Nebraska. Our friend, Danny, who will be your godfather, is a quarterback in the NFL and used to play there. He got a skybox that we get to watch the games from, which will be really nice.
Even though I'm feeling a little uncomfortable at times, I'm still trying to enjoy every moment of my pregnancy.
I read something around the time that my parents died that said, When you're stuck in a moment, it can be hard to see past it.
That all you can see is that moment.
But I'm trying to look ahead.
I know you won't be inside of me for much longer. I know that you'll grow up fast and someday I'll look back and wonder if I appreciated every single moment I had with you.
More than anything, I want that answer to be yes.
September 1st
Like a movie star.
Phillip and I are in Lincoln enjoying the Husker's home opener in Danny's new skybox.
"Isn't this awesome?" Danny says, looking down at the field.
"It is." I rub my belly. "Especially since it's so hot. I'm not sure I could have taken the heat today. It will be so great to have both air conditioning and our own bathroom. I swear, this baby's goal in life is to get me to pee my pants. It's got to be a boy."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because a girl wouldn't do that to another woman. A boy would think it's hilarious."
