Friends Without Benefits

Nursery and Nesting

Time was funny I reflected. Sometimes it went fast and sometimes it went slow and when you wished it to slow down it went faster.

Before I knew it I was 7 months, Christmas had long since come and gone and it was a new year. My little girl would be here soon.

It was only then I started panicking. I had to ready a house for a baby in little under three months. The furniture from my parents and grandparents was still in my parents garage because I couldn't keep it in my apartment. It was sometime after the baby shower I realized I needed a bigger place so I was now looking for a bigger apartment, I only hoped I could find one within my means.

I was looking at a place on the other side of town, but at least it was about the same driving distance between work and school. I only hoped I could sign a lease for things became too awkward and I had time to get the baby's room ready.

By February I was close to my move-in date and a week later I had the keys that was moving in.

Problem solved, right? Wrong!

I was still settling in when I called Rochelle in a panic.

"I got to get the baby's room ready!"

"You're just now thinking of this?" Rochelle replied.

"Well I didn't just move, I'm working two jobs and going to school!"

"Did your parents bring over the furniture?" Rochelle asked

"Yeah. I can't put the crib up by myself."

Two seconds later Rochelle was back to her normal breezy self.

"Never fear, Lana I'll be right there... With reinforcements."

Half an hour later Rochelle showed up with a few of our friends and they descended on my apartment and Rochelle went into what I called "chef mode" and barked out orders. Within an hour, the crib was put together and Rochelle started on the mattress, baby bumpers and all. Then the guys started on the dresser which would also serve as the changing table. If there was anything you had to be in an apartment it was compact.

"You got the clothes and the rest of the linens?" Rochelle asked as I watched the process in a daze.

I gestured to a hamper in the corner of the room.

"Fold those and put them away." Rochelle instructed. "This kid needs clothes. I hope you washed them."

I rolled my eyes as I said to work in a nearby rocking chair.

"What do you think was the first thing my mom made me do?" I asked rhetorically.

Within another 20 minutes the dresser was up and clothes, blankets and burp rags were being put away.

"This is nothing, packing your hospital bag shouldn't be this hard." Rochelle reminded me.

"Well I'm not taking my entire apartment to the hospital." I reminded her.

"Exactly," Rochelle commented briskly, "no sweat!"

I continued to rock in the chair as the room came together around me. I was grateful for my friends to take charge. This was all too much for my pregnancy fogged brain.

Meanwhile, over the next few months I continued to prepare for the baby. Every time I walked into the nursery I adjusted something or hung something on the wall that had come from my mom, grandma, or friends. I had also rearranged the clothes at least ten times.

"Oh, you're nesting, it's so cute!" Rochelle squealed when I told her.

I rolled my eyes.

"That makes me sound like a bird." I muttered.

Rochelle shrugged.

"Well, where do you think the term came from?"

My mother, on the other hand, had other concerns.

"Have you thought about what you're taking to the hospital?"

"Mom," I reasoned, "I have like almost 3 months... Some time yet."

"She could come early." Mom reminded me, "Lana, have you even decided on her name yet?"

"I'm working on it." I replied, "At least I've narrowed it down."

"Good!" My mother replied cheerfully. "It would be nice to have something to call her when we leave the hospital."

Seemed I had officially begun the countdown and while I wasn't in the "window for delivery" yet I was getting close and it came down to the last few doctor's appointment, which involved constantly checking my body to see what it was doing to get ready for the baby.

"Not opened yet," Dr. Braxton told me, she checked me at my latest appointment, "sometime time yet, though your body is softening and the baby's head down, which is good."

I took in this information into my already buzzing brain if it wasn't my doctor and friends with the 10 million questions it was my mother she was already asking me if I had packed my hospital bag yet.

"Are you ready the baby comes early?" My mother asked for the hundredth time.

I gave her a look.

"Well, no..."

"You should be." She admonished me.

"I'm not even 37 weeks!" I exclaimed, "maybe when I hit 37 weeks then I'll worry about it. You're just anxious to hold your granddaughter."

My mother gave a sheepish grin.

"Guilty." She admitted. "Guess I'm just excited."

"Well don't rush my body," I huffed, realizing being pregnant had made me much more snarky, "I don't want her coming too early, I'm not ready for that."

In reality the weeks and months were flying by. Between school and two jobs I had little time to think of anything else the only other thing on my mind what bring to the hospital, which, I conceded I would have to ask my mother about. She was the expert here.

Between everything else I was haphazardly throwing things into a duffel bag thinking about what I would need, the baby's things, however, I didn't have in there yet, reminding myself to ask my mother or her advice on what I should bring when I had the chance.

There was only one other thing I was missing leading up to the birth of my daughter, and that was Reese. It would've been much easier, emotionally and physically, if he was here and once again my heart ached my best friend. At this point I didn't even want a relationship I just wanted my friend back, and the confidence we had built in each other.

"I could really use your dad." I muttered to my bump, to which my daughter kicked my ribs in response. "Well at least we agree on that." I added with a  weak chuckle.