If I Can't Sell It, I'll Keep Sittin' On It

The playlist is done.  Turns out the problems I had getting the player to work were with the player, not me.  I exchanged it and got it all set up before canceling my trial membership to Rhapsody.  All is good.  The general mood is relaxed and happy and loving.  Some 70's beach music (from my childhood), reggae (teenage years), rock and country (the rest of my life).  I did end up getting several great suggestions from friends and family.  One of my mom's longest-time friends sent me a list of about 60 songs and artists.  Okay, that was a little obsessive, but she and I have very similar music tastes (which is how she became my mom's longest-time friend, but not oldest friend).  There's no way I took all of her suggestions, but I did include a large percentage.  And sometimes one song led to another.


I included a few songs that Tom suggested (they weren't all bad after all), and a few that made me think of him, like Rainbow Connection (okay, so it's not this exact version, it's by Kenny Loggins).  Tom helped get Kermit the Frog elected at his high school.


His parents made some awesome suggestions.  I took most of them.  Here's one I probably wouldn't have included from anyone else, but it's just exactly the sort of thing his dad would recommend.  Perhaps it'll come at a time when I could use a good laugh.


Madelyn's friend, Lukie Luke, made quite a list.  From him I got a lovely version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, which is also one of Mad's favorites.  Corey is represented with Enya's Wild Child.  I have a little Ray Charles for my Wicked Stepmom. 


Almost every one I love is in this list of music somewhere, but it's not always because of their suggestions.  For example, my sister is a huge fan of Elvis.  She recommended "In the Ghetto," a beautiful song about a baby being born, growing up under bad conditions, turning into a thug and dying in a bloody heap on the street.  Yeah, no.  But thanks!


All in all, I have almost seven hours of music.  No telling how I'll feel when the playlist has to start over again.

One Month

Hard to believe that I'm nearing the end of this pregnancy.  It has not gone so fast.  November seems a long time ago.  Heck, June seems a long time ago.  This doesn't mean it's dragging on, either.  I guess I have managed to just be pregnant.  I started off feeling like this pregnancy was a means to an end (giving Mad a relative from her own generation and completing our family).  I was excited about the potential little person inside of me, but also eager to get my body back and my life before babies somewhat back.


The past several months have created a shift in my thinking.  Oh, I will still be happy when my feet don't get strap marks from shoes that are a whole size larger than I normally wear.  Wearing my wedding rings and Mama ring on fingers will be cool, too!  And I'm still looking forward to next year when I can teach a sign class or two up here.  But I am fully aware now that Fynnie is the last person who will share my body in this way.  Never again will I feel that first flutter or revel in prenatal hiccups.  After this child is born, I will never wonder again if I'll be able to get through labor and delivery at my age.


In lieu of the future, my focus has been on now.  This minute.  What can I get done today?  A lot, as it turns out (with help, of course).


The crib is assembled.  Furniture is moved into place.  The bedding arrived (still needs to be washed).  All of Mad's smallest baby clothes are washed and in the dresser (plus two of the drawers in our dresser!).  The remaining sizes that Mad wore during her first year are sorted.  The rug and a blanket that match the bedding were ordered today. 


Diapers for the first six weeks or so will be purchased tomorrow.  I still need to wash all of Fynn's new stuff (a few towels, washcloths, some clothes plus the bedding), and we need to find a coming home outfit for her.  The infant tub needs to be cleaned.  There are still a few boxes in the garage and one of our closets that have random stuff, including things we could use for Fynn, so those will need to be gone through.  But really, truly, all we need is the baby.


I am in the midst of making the playlist for labor.  I sent out a request to friends and family to send me ideas.  Last time we used CDs, and I just brought things that were overall mellow in nature.  This time we've upgraded to an MP3 player.  Suddenly all the songs on any CD are no longer quite right.  With the several hundred CDs we own, I was only able to come up with 24 songs.  I asked Tom for help.  "Galileo" by Indigo Girls is cool.  Yes, yes it is.  However, it starts off with his head on the chopping block.  Next!  "Tangled Up In Blue" is awesome.  You mean the one that's about stealing cars, drugs and taking some dude's girl?  *deep cleansing breath*  (Whaddayou mean I was overanalyzing it?!?... ahem... that's why I sent out the request for help.) 


If you have any suggestions you'd like to make, please feel free.  In case you're like most of the people who have responded so far, you are freaking out about what type of music I like.  I like everything (current list ranges from Ray Charles and Van Morrison to Erykah Badu and Trisha Yearwood.  I am totally including the suggestion of Peter, Paul and Mary's "Puff the Magic Dragon."  I may include the suggestion from Mad's best friend, Lukie Luke, which is the theme from Superman.  We'll see.


I made my birth plan tonight.  Yes, I did include that we would like our baby not to have to deal with a pneumothorax, and that we want her to please come home with us.


What else is left?  We're ready when she's ready.