Operation TURKEY

aka Operation: Keep the Turkey in the Oven Til After Thanksgiving.
aka Help Adrea not give birth before Steve gets home.

Mark your calenders (though never fear, I'll bring it up again) Steve will be gone November 16-26. This so goes against everything I believe about alerting friendly neighborhood opportunistic murderers *sigh*. This is your opportunity to help with Operation Turkey. My parents will have her the 16/17 and then my mom will hopefully be here Nov 22-25 so there really isn't too much, is there? Abby is in school 9am-12pm M-F so that is great... though not sure if we have that whole week off for Thanksgiving?

I won't need help with housework - believe me, I am fully capable of ignoring housework for a week. What I anticipate needing help with is keeping Abby happy, [emotionally] healthy, and occupied (forget wise, she's already wise). I certainly could insist she and I keep a low profile together, but honestly I think that will stress her out. I could probably do all the things I normally do with no effect on the timing of the birth at all, but that might stress me out.

So, this is the time, if you can swing it, to schedule that time with Abby you might have time for... I was going to say 'trip to the ice cream parlor' but I don't want her losing teeth and destroying her system just to keep her occupied... 'trip to sorbet' maybe. She is quite the trooper - in for a long or short haul... she's not too picky as long as you're a person that is not mommy you basically fit the bill. I don't need as much help at night because she goes to bed at 7 but, of course, something between the hours of 5-7 now and then would not be rejected.

But, seriously, here is the deal:

• I probably do not need this - I am just wanting to make this as fun as possible for Abby
• I really do not have an issue or resentment with Steve going on this job - I'm completely happy about it.
• I am my mother's daughter and I build things up and worry and fret... but I do it beforehand so that I can be calm and strong and happy when it actually comes to pass - i.e. I've already thought of all the things that could possibly be problems from Abby's just general social needs to the worst case scenario which in itself isn't even that bad. So, seriously, when its time to actually wave Steve out the door, I really will be fine.
• I really will ask for people to help me with Abby for her sake and for my emotional sake, but if it came down to it and no one was around we would do great as our little self-sufficient unit - I just know we don't HAVE to, so I thought this would be a cute way to get those of you that can help thinking about it.
  
• I do not expect there to be any problem keeping the baby in the belly until after Thanksgiving (that would be over three weeks early according to our original due date) and still pretty darn early for even the revised due date.
  
• If I am that early I will be more concerned with baby having cooked long enough than with whether or not Steve is right there.
  
• I do happen to like my mom quite a bit and if it had to happen without Steve, I'm very satisfied with her as stand-in (even though she will undoubtedly tell me that whatever pain I am prepared for, it is exponentially worse the second time around and it will hurt twice as bad tomorrow...)
  
• I really don't believe baby would care much the first day whether dad is there; He really just wants to eat and Daddy can't help there (no offense dads, really I would RATHER he be there, but I think the subsequent 20 years or so after birth are a good balancer!).
  
• Besides we can always photoshop Steve in later until baby is psychologically able to accept that his dad was on a plane rather than in the room.
• None of this matters cuz baby will surely happily stay in belly until we hit December. Right baby? Good baby.
  

Thank you everyone.

Signing off,
Cmmder Turkey Baster