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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: War and Peace (not about the book) (07/07/11)
Who doesn’t like a midnight snack?


Oh, you don’t really have to answer that. Because I know the answer.


We love them.


This is why I’m in my microscopic kitchen at two thirty-six in the morning.


“Nothing on that shelf. Nothing in that draw.” I mumble. “Oh, yeah! Jackpot!”


I pull the little store brought bowl of pineapple and blueberries out, along with some whip cream. Apparently somebody went grocery shopping this afternoon.


This will be good.


I pull a chair away from the table and attempt to sit down. This is not an easy task. Mostly because my huge belly rolls out before me like the White Mountains.


Oh, yeah, I’m pregnant. This is another reason for my midnight snack.


I cram a delicious piece of pineapple into my mouth like my life depends on it. Hmm, pineapple upside down cake sounds amazing right now.


This is my pregnancy vice-cooking food in the middle of the night because of a craving. I’ve even gone to the twenty-four hour convenience store to buy ingredients. My husband, Adam, doesn’t like it when I do that. He woke up one night to find me missing from the bed, and walked downstairs to look for me right as I opened the door to come inside. May have startled him a little bit that night. Just a little.


As I pull out a mixing bowl, my mind begins to wander to unwelcome places.


It’s a scary thing to be pregnant. After you get over the initial shock of having a baby growing inside of you, you move on to worrying if you’re going to be a good mom, and then you start to wonder how you’re going to provide for your kid, and finally, the labor.


The thought is more than a little terrifying.


I am so excited to be having this baby. Our first baby. It’s a girl. My little Bailey Marie. But I am utterly panicked to be having this baby, too.


“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” floats through my head.


I’m thirty-seven weeks along, and my doctor says I’m probably about four weeks out still. That will be enough time to calm down and take my position at the head of the mommy train. I hope. This is supposed to be the peaceful time before the baby, but instead it feels like my own little war of doubts and fears. War and peace.


I frown. I read that book in high school, but I don’t really remember what it was about. I bet it probably wasn’t about all the conflicting emotions that come with pregnancy.


I’m just about ready to put the cake in the oven. I put the batter into a stainless steel baking pan, and set the oven to preheat. I bring the dirty dishes over to the sink and start to rinse them off before putting them in the dishwasher. I hate dried on food. It takes a heavy weight champion to scrap potato casserole off a pan after it’s been left to sit. I am not a heavy weight champion, in case you were wondering. You can probably see my frustration, especially because my husband is not a heavy weight champion either. Sorry, Adam.


The oven beeps in that annoying way to signal it’s ready. I finish up rinsing the dishes and start the dishwasher. I grab the cake pan and go to put it in the oven when an intense pain hits my stomach. It is so strong that I drop the pan and grab for the counter.


I can’t move. My thoughts are flying around me. What just happened? What was that? Oh, man, my cake! Then it hits me.


Bailey.


I can’t be in labor. I just can not. I’m not ready. And she’s early! What if something’s wrong?


“Oh, my God! Oh, my God. Oh, dear God, please don’t let me be in labor.” I say freaking out.


“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” comes to my panicked brain again.


Deep breath.


I can do this.


I waddle upstairs and gasp as another contraction hits me. My husband is still sound asleep.


Not for long.


“Adam,” I say shaking him, “Wake up.”


He rolls over, but his eyes are still closed. “What’s wrong, Kady?” He asks sleepily.


“Nothing. Now get up. We’re having a baby.”
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Nancy Sullivan 
07/15/11
Bailey Marie will love this story. You were definitely preparing for "battle." I enjoyed this very much :)
Laury Hubrich
07/17/11
Oh! I feel your pain:) Cute story.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
07/22/11
This light-hearted story had me smiling from beginning to end. I was going to give the advice given to me when I was 2 weeks overdue-the baby is so much easier to take care of while it's inside you than it is once she's born! But if this is based even slightly from a true story, you already know that so instead I'll say --

Congratulations for placing 6th in level 2!
diana kay
07/23/11
very clever story and some wonderful word pictures. you have an engaging and delightful way of writing and i can imagine you telling this one to your girl friends over a cup of coffee and having them all enthralled.
well done on your 6th placing just missed the leaders board but i reckon there was little in it. look forward to reading more
oh and the title was perfect as well!