TLC feels 1000 months' pregnant. At this point. She is NOT--I repeat--NOT a Happy Camper. The actual due date for Princess Baby Elle is next Friday--March 25th. However, TLC would be content with it happening now. NOW.
I went to visit My Girls Tuesday morn. I was going to stay one night. I do everything in my power to see Little Leighton (aka LL aka Biscuit) at least once a week. TLC and I took her to The Mall. Which she adores. This time, Biscuit had her own money for the Disney Store and we visited it first. (By the way: The past three-ish trips to said Disney Store have been sadly traumatic. She's argued about not being able to buy everything she wants. We've had to drag her out--screaming. Quite humiliating. This time? PERFECTION. A lovely experience. We think it's because she spent her own money on a pair of Minnie flip flops and that was enough for her. They were also 25% off. Can't beat that.) We hope and pray the next experience is as marvelous as this one was...it could, unfortunately, definitely go either way.
We then ate our picnic (gluten-free) lunch in the Food Court. Biscuit LOVES to do this. She has no idea what yummy junk food she's missing. Because someone with her--mostly Grammy--always eats what she is having. This time? All three of us ate her healthy, delicious food.
After lunch, LL and I rode The Carousel three times. She has a favourite horse she calls "Purple-y." (Sigh. Not the most clever name. We've tried to help her think of something more charming--to no avail.) If another child is on this horse--as she was while we were eating lunch (We always sit, of course, near The Carousel.)--LL panics. And that's because a couple of times in the past she's had to find another horse to be happy with. We sweetly explain that's life. Gotta roll with the punches, Biscuit. This time she was able to ride Purple-y. But we then hopped on two different benches--for two more rides. Benches. Not sure why...it was what she requested. The Mystery of Toddlerhood.
It was our best/mostawesome "Mall" experience in quite some time. The rest of the day was stress/problem free, too.
Wednesday morn, LL went to school and I accompanied TLC to her next-to-the-last doctor's visit. Only, it ended up being the last. Because her doctor told her if Baby Elle has not arrived by next Wednesday,TLC should check into the hospital that morning at 7:00.
We got some POWER grocery shopping done after the doctor's visit. Had a fun lunch at TLC's preferred "salad" café. Unloaded sack after sack at her casa. Semi-raced to pick LL up at school at 2:00. For the second time this school year, LL took a nap! We were ALL in shock. Her two teachers. Her friends. Her Mom. Her Grammy. SHOCKED. This is a child who is quite afraid she will miss something if she shuts her eyes. (Hmmm...believe I knew another little girl that was exactly like that...TLC.)
TLC had been having some contractions all that day. Instead of heading home at 2:00--as I normally would (due to heavy 5:00 o'clock traffic that starts getting hideous at 3:00)--I stayed until 6:45. I had gotten less than a mile from their home when TLC called and said: "Better come back. I think I'm beginning labor!" Wwhhhaaaattttt? WOO HOO and YIPPEE!
At 9:30 that night, she and Her Hubby went to the hospital. Contractions were 4-7 minutes apart. And hard. (In her opinion.) Unfortunately, she was sent home at 11:50. (LL never knew they were gone!) We all hoped she'd be back there having Baby Elle yesterday. Or by today. No such luck. By last night? Contractions were almost non-existent. The Unhappy Camper decided to simply Let It Go. Thy Will Be Done. It is what it is. (Those phrases were all part of my horribly clichéd pep talk. She wanted to hear NONE OF IT. She gritted her teeth and smiled and stated she knew it was all true.)
I feel quite sad for TLC. I honestly do. (Even though I remind her this was a choice! She hates for me to throw that her way.) She's so tired. She hasn't been able to sleep much for at least two months. Maybe three. She's walked. And walked. And walked. To no avail. I left after lunch today for my casa. I told her that might be the surefire way to get her into some heavy, serious labor. Me being two hours away and Biscuit's Grammy Nanny during TLC's hospital stay.
I'll now be mostly house-bound. If My Sweet Hubby (MSH) and I were to go anywhere farther than 20-ish minutes--and then had to come back home if TLC's water breaks--I could lose precious time getting to My Biscuit! I have LOTS o'things I can do to stay busy here. Trust me. Drawers and closets await The Big Purge.
If you don't hear from us in a while, it will mean Baby Elle has decided to be kind to her Mama and has graced us all with her presence a skosh early!
Hope Y'all have a WONDERFUL Weekend--wherever you are on this Planet Earth. Would you mind saying a teensy little prayer on TLC's behalf? She's over this and ready for her Next Chapter! Thank you. Thank you VERY much!
smooches and hugs, Friends...
