Bed Rest, Episode 5: Spiderman Saves The Day

Bed Rest, Day 12

Baby’s Gestational Age: 29 weeks

Reading: Steve Jobs biography; assorted magazines; progress limited by constant “knock, knock” from hospital personnel

Watching: Arrested Development, Season 1; The Big C, Season 1; see above.

Bed Rest.

Mom guilt.

Internet shopping.

It’s a lethal combination.

A coupe of days ago, a product of this dangerous mix arrived in the familiar brown amazon.com box (if you’re a stay-at-home mom, this visual is not hard for you to conjure) and was immediately presented that night at the hospital to an eager, 4-year-old Spiderman obsessive.

Which probably describes every 4-year-old boy.

Asher immediately disrobed where he was standing (as he’s prone to do) with a typical lack of modesty, put the costume on and proceeded to yell “RAWR” at both me and at himself in the mirror for the next hour or so.

I didn’t say he actually understood what Spiderman is.

Moments later, Gabe and I stopped in mid-conversation to cover our faces and laugh, while Asher rubbed the built-in fake chest muscles in his costume with both hands, saying, “I got BIG boobies!”

He refused to take the costume off when it was time to leave, so he wore it home.

And then he wore it back to the hospital the next night.

With froggy rain boots.

He’s a creative kid, with his own sense of style. And we’re totally down with it.

To illustrate the craziness of our lives right now, Spidey fell asleep in the car on the way here. And this is a kid who, when we go to gatherings, is easily and always the last kid standing, with all the others passed out wherever they fall. Even at midnight.

He’s a night person, like his father.

I like to imagine the reactions of all the people he passed in the maze of hallways on the way to my hospital room, dressed in full Spiderman regalia, mask and all.

It makes me happy.

And a little sad. Because I’m usually the person who runs him all around town dressed in something quirky.

But I’ll do that again eventually. Only this time I’ll be carrying a baby in a sling too.

I wonder if they make newborn superhero costumes?

Now it’s Friday afternoon, and sunset is approaching, and I’m waiting for Spiderman to come and save the day.

Both of my guys are showing off their superhero leanings, each in their own way.

Maybe I should go online right now and order a custom cape for myself.

A girl doesn’t want to be left out.

Super-incubator?

Lacks pizzazz.

But it’ll do until I think up something better.