The Robe

Well, Thanksgiving break was a miracle in itself.  Sleeping in late, staying up until all hours watching documentaries and Disney films, eating leftovers whenever I wanted...  And the shopping.  Oh yes, I did some serious shopping, including 4 a.m. on Black Friday.

But throughout all of this merriness, one frustrating item kept eluding me - "the robe."  Surely you've done this before.  You've gotten one perfect thing in mind, and until you found it, you couldn't be satisfied.  Well, I have envisioned myself countless times walking around the hospital during and after labor in the most perfect robe.  Long, fluffy, and hooded.  Well, kids, that robe does not exist in Lufkin.  I know, because I've been all over searching for it.  I found a long fluffy robe.  I found a short hooded robe.  I found a men's long, hooded robe made of yucky sweatshirt material.  But I did not find MY robe. 

Inevitably, by yesterday afternoon, I had a breakdown and ended up in my bed bawling, positive that there was no way I could go to the hospital and have this baby.  But not before I had completely driven Ann and Nate close to insane with my hunt.  And then I realized that perhaps this wasn't about the robe at all.  Perhaps I just needed something to concentrate on to make me feel a little more in control of things, and somehow, packing my bag with all the perfect things for the hospital was my way of self-soothing.  The things I realize when I'm sniffling into a me-sized body pillow!

And so, after my long fit was over and Nate soothed me with his perfectly laid-out plan to make everything better, I realized that I'm going to be just fine, robe or not.  But just for the record, I went for the short, fluffy, hooded plum robe and some pj pants instead.  It's all going to be okay.