Hungry, Hungy Hippo

Nine days until my "due" date - single digits. Wow. I had a midwife appointment today and while I tend to not opt for internal exams generally - my curiosity got the better of me. I was surprised to hear how much progress has been made! I am 2 cm dilated, 50% effaced, cervix is soft and midline, and baby is at station -1; which I calculated to a Bishop's score of 7. Not too shabby. Of course, that could mean nothing and it could still be weeks - but it's nice to know my body is working on it!

On Monday I had a preemptive mother's day (getting ahead of myself on the date and the mother-ness) - and it was just such a great day. I slept in - then Muffy, my mom and I went for massages. We went to Rose Tea Cafe for dinner and Rita's for dessert. Then I met some friends from high school for a movie (because I may not get a chance to see another one for a while!). We saw Date Night - and I really enjoyed it. Funny, light, sweet, not too complex. Just right. After the movie we went for coffee and jb picked me up to take me home. I just wish jb could have joined me for the whole day.

Today I prepped all our diapers - which basically means I washed them a zillion times to get natural oils out of the natrual fibers and any chemicals out of the synthetic fabrics. Now there are little diapers hung to dry all over our bedroom - and they will be ready for a tiny bum as soon as they dry!

My mom came by earlier this week to help me clean (well, to clean while I sat with my feet up because the swelling is still out of control). She's also cooked up a storm and frozen a ton of meals for us to keep in the freezer for after the baby comes :) She did this for me years ago when I was homesick while working for a campaign down in Texas. She flew in, walked to the grocery store while I was a work, lugged all the gorceries home on foot, and then spent the whole day cooking and putting meals in tupperware to freeze. She was only able to stay a couple of days - but having a home-cooked meal each night for the next few weeks really took the edge off my homesickness. I think I'll find it comforting when I'm feeling overwhelmed in those first few weeks of parenthood, too.

A friend of ours also dropped off a bunch of babystuff - a bassinett, a swing, and some other helpful stuff that we don't have. There is officially baby stuff in every room these days.

I'm feeling huge and slow and like time is running out - but still pretty good. I've had quite the apppetite. In several of our pregnancy books there are passages reading, "At this stage of pregnancy you may have to eat smaller meals since there's isn't much room for your stomach..." This is hilarious, because I have been putting it away like a champ. I can't easily get up from a seated position, walk to the bathroom, or bend down (there are things all over the house that I've dropped, contemplated, and decided that jb can pick up for me later). I feel like a total hippo - but for the first time in my life when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror I think, "oh, huh, I thought I was bigger."


Now I'm relaxing and putting my feet up. I mentioned to jb that I've been self conscious about my swollen feet and I thought that maybe painting my toenails would help - but I can't comfortably reach my feet. So jb volunteered to paint them for me. Best husband ever.

Taking the job very seriously.


My favorite part about this picture is the shadow of jb's cowlick.


Some might critique the attention to detail of the final product - but I think it's the best pedicure I've ever gotten.