Hot.

I've been wearing tank tops, skirts and sandals to work this week. I figured I'd wear this stuff now before the air conditioning really kicks in at work and I'm freezing. Then, I'll bust out the short-sleeved tops and pants again. Turns out... the air IS on full blast. People have been coming to my cube in sweaters, pants and, yes, even jackets claiming it's, "freezing in here!"
What the hell am I going to do now? This is insane.
I spent the past weekend killing myself. As you can see, I didn't quite complete that task either.
Saturday I went to the Three Acres School yard sale (happens twice a year). Some bargains and 2.5 hours later, L and I relaxed and caught up on family news. We then decided to take the conversation to a place that served food while we talked. Dots Back Inn. Home by 2:30PM and ready for a nap. But, oh no! I can't take a nap! So, I put on my shorts and raked the yard... why not? I'm only a lollipop that's supposed to be taking it easy. So I later did, I sat on my ass... in the car. I went to D&C's to borrow some tools, Sears for a lawn mower (ours died) and Ukrop's for dinner items.
Sunday was worse. Well, successful (we accomplished lots!) but not at all "relaxing" like a Sunday should be. We woke up and walked K&E's dog, went to Lowe's for more supplies (Rob's working on the brick patio! Yippee!), I potted purple flowers in my new pots, and I later scrubbed the entire back porch with a sponge and a bucket of Murphey's soapy water (Why the hell not? Mold & dirt came back after 3 years of neglect and I'm PREGNANT so why not get on a ladder and hand scrub the entire interior wood trim work? I'm an absolute idiot. And now, an idiot with a back ache from hell.)
I think I'm reaching the point of realizing my days are numbered. More importantly, the weekends are numbered. If I rattle off the various activities that await me these last few months, from baby showers to a bridal shower to visiting my folks one last time in Greensboro, the already numbered weekends get even fewer. *Gulp*. And maybe I'm still not quite yet realizing the time crunch.Maybe, instead, I'm trying to still plan ahead for when it does hit me. The inevitable, "Oh my God! We're having a baby in month!" Cause, the reality is, I'm NOT going to want to be physical, in any way shape or form, that last month. I'm not going to want to be moving book shelves, rearranging furniture, setting up a crib and hand mopping the nursery floor... so I gotta start doing that now. And hell, I don't want to do any of that now so I better avoid it by going out on the back porch and scrubbing mold cause that's way more important on my shit-list of things to have done before baby.
Its a rat race in my head these days.
I've noticed that in my pregnancy books it recommends not crossing your legs to keep your feet from swelling. But what the hell do you do when you are wearing a skirt or dress? Show the world this is how I got into the mess to bgein with? By not sitting ladylike? In any case, I'm noticing more and more how difficult it is to even try and cross my legs when sitting. It's like cinching up a bag of water... the cinch just wants to untwist and let it all hang out. My belly and baby hate being tightened up a bit more. I'm looking less and less sophisticated these days.
I've also been watching Evie move. I can sit here and watch my stomach blurb outward to the side as she flops over to get into a more comfortable spot. Its wierd. At first I thought it was wild and cool. Now it kinda creeps me out. There's a freaking human in there!!! Oh my God people, what they hell was I thinking getting pregnant? This fun little biology experiment is REAL. There really is a human... a person... in...my...body. JC, this is blowing my mind. Its kind of scaring me a bit, too. Its only getting bigger and there's only one exit.
I walk into things with my belly now, too. I bump counters, sinktops and doors. Everytime I leave the company restroom, there's a big water spot on my shirt where my belly flopped onto the sink counter. Its fantastic. I can see where I'm quickly exiting the "Oh-you're-so-cute-with-your-belly" stage and entering that not-at-all glorious "Holy Shit You're Pregnant! Get out of the WAY!" pregnancy stage. *Sigh* Next stop, ...cankles and hemmeroids. Great.

Creepy

Oh, the magical world of Flash and finding freebie Flash programming online.
See the new "Countdown to baby" animation on the right?
What will happen to me once all my freetime is gone after baby is here? Oh what will I do with myself?

28 weeks & on a sugar high

I'll post an overall shot of me later tonight***... I didn't have Rob take one this morning cause I forgot and because I forget EVERYTHING these days.
Today was the glucose test at the doctors. Suck down on orange drink and feel that baby SQUIRM! That drink tasted like an 8-year-old made a batch of kool-aid with 4 Cups of sugar instead of the suggested 2 Cups. Who-wee! And it still wasn't enough to make me peppy after a long night of insomnia last night. I hope it was due to the crazy wind & weather outside and not just another fun sign of pregnancy!
Speaking of fun signs of pregnancy, this weekly read can just go to hell. Who thought they were so damned cutsey as to write this?: Welcome to the third trimester ~ the period of leg cramps, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, itchy skin, aches and pains, swelling, heartburn, indigestion and . . . your baby's arrival!
It might be true but you don't have to tell me all this while grinning (can't you read her grin underlaying all of this?).
BTW - my fundal height is 30 (what the heck does this mean? I have no idea... its a belly measurement but I dunno if this means baby is big or small). And my weight gain *gulp* is 21lbs so far! Agh! I put on 5.5lbs in just over 4 weeks. OK, so maybe this is a normal steady pace but c'mon people! Its still alot on the human body! I know I'm pregnant but seeing the numbers climb like this still makes my head spin... its unreal. At this rate, with gaining an average of 1lb a week, I should be about 33-36lbs when baby gets here. That's in the completely normal range. Which, is very good. Its still just crazy to think there's a BABY IN HERE!
***I'm adding a photo. I was reluctant to post this one showing my face cause I look like a forced happy. I used to be so good at photos, now they are all so bad, ugh. I was legitimately smiling... or so I thought. I am happy, I swear!

Another prego lost to motherhood

T had her baby yesterday. A bouncing baby boy just over 8lbs. And man, is he ever cute to stare at and hold! I can see now how parents forget to eat, shower and communicate with the outside world. I just wanted to stare at him like a hummingbird with a mirrored gazing ball. If he's sleeping, you stare at his soft neck going up and down with his whistling breathes. If he jolts, you want to wrap him up tight and pat him. If he yawns, you yawn back while whispering goofy things like, "awww!"
Damned, I want one... and at the same time... I am NOT AT ALL READY!
What the heck was I thinking?!.
I loved holding him. It was so magical and awe-inspiring. Its like going for a ride in your friend's new expensive car and you think, "What a f%*king amazing ride this is. And that new car smell - I love it! I would love to have this. But man, they are screwed with making payments now. Dumb-asses! Let them have their fancy car, we'll just make them drive all the time so we can enjoy it without the payments & stress of getting a ding. Suckers!"
I'm..... a baby sucker! I feel for it! Ack! Once you roll that baby out of the hospital, you lose a couple thousand dollars and commited yourself to months & months of payments! *gulp*
Its not even the money part that bothers me... its the work! Phew! I don't know the first thing about a newborn. I know they eat all the time and sleep all the time and yet somehow YOU never sleep or eat during any of that time.
I'm going to drop ours. Or forget to feed it. Or cry along with it. Or forget to change it and it will get some horribly painful diaper rash. Or I'll leave it somewhere... like in the grocery cart while I'm down 4 aisles picking out something. Or I'll put it to sleep all wrong. Oh my Gawd! We are HAVING A HUMAN! How the hell can this type of behavior (creating human life) NOT be monitored by someone? How can just anyone do such a hugely responsible task as making and raising a baby?!.

Week 27 - Third Trimester

Well, its official... I'm in my third trimester.
What does this mean? Well, baby now weighs about 2 lbs (what mom now weighs is a whole other story). She will also now be measured in full length (not just crown to rump), so she's around 14.4" inches long. She can now open her eyes (yes, underwater!) and does everything most babies do - suck their thumb, swallow, sleep, play and yes, even cry.
Its crazy. She's just about "done" aside from putting on weight (yikes!).
Now is when both her and I, begin to truly pack on the pounds. I should start putting on, roughly, 1 pound a week. Yikes! All my women co-workers are in Weight Watchers and they are all averaging 1 pound a week, too... its sounds like an agressive amount either direction you go on the scale.
In other news, T is due this Friday and I'm anxious as hell. Waiting for her date has been... long - I can only imagine how she feels. :)

Belly Claustrophobia

I'll be 27 weeks this Tuesday - that's the beginning of the third trimester. That's 6 months prego to those of you who need this translated further into Laymen's Terms.
"As you continue your pregnancy week by week from about 26 weeks pregnant on you might start to become less comfortable."
I'm beginning to feel claustrophobic in my own skin.
I'm feeling large (bending and reaching are becoming more limited in range)... and I know its only going to get far more restrictive.
This, terrifies me.
I tried to explain this to Rob as best I could. Its like being in an already too small room and the walls are slowing closing in on you. You know that you won't get crushed, just very tight with limited space. You also know if you are uncomfortable now... its going to get a lot worse so relax and ride the ride the best you can. Does this make any sense?
I guess what's really got me scared is that I can't do a damned thing about it. Typically, if you are in an uncomfortable position, you can move or make changes to get out of it. In this case, I'm stuck just getting more large and limited in the things I can do comfortably. I get a little anxious at the thought of how much "worse" things are going to get. I feel like my time to do things (to still have a wide range of motion) is limited. I get scared just thinking about how much MORE scary its going to get. What if I wake up one day, a month from now, and just cry over the fact that I can't breathe? It makes me hyperventilate a little at the thought. Which, means I'm probably raising my blood pressure just over all this anxiety, which, is not at all good.
I need to relax, but how?

Wise cracks and hormone buzzes

Walking to the car after work yesterday, I discussed the ins and outs of pregnancy with a male coworker/friend. His wife is about almost exactly one trimester behind me. Its nice to know that I'm not the last one to deliver (unlike my yoga group which will all be gone & done with their pregnancies in June. It sucks being last).
We started joking about getting fat, cankles, and acne. Of course, I started bopping and scatting (as Rob refers to it) and felt like I was on stage with a microphone. I began to take the conversation to levels of the extreme - What will he do if my water breaks at work? What if I look like I sucked on an air-hose in the end? Will I be fat and sweaty.
Two more coworkers came out to join us - another male (with 2 kids under the age of 4) and one female (with a kid who will be 2 this summer). I went on...
Me, "What if my water breaks at work? Do I run [I begin running with my legs open wide] to the bathroom leaving a trail behind me?"
Female co-worker, "No! It happens slow, so sit still."
"So, you're going to wheel me to the elevator and press '1'... just send me down for someone else to deal with? Or will you have the decency to call me an abulance?"
Male co-worker, "We'll hand you the elevator phone - you can call them."
Me, "Oh, I can just see the looks on people's faces on the floors below when the doors open. 'Uh, I'll get the next one...'"
Me, "I hope those chairs are super absorbant. Who cleans these things up? Is there a janitor crew that throws down sawdust or what?"
Male co-worker [immitating the late night clean-up crew throwing down sawdust and sweeping], "That's the 3rd one this week!"
I thought I would pee my pants. The humor in all this is abundant these days. I kind of like the fact that I'm taking so much of this in stride... this great big human experiment I am currently involved in. Its all so out-of-control and you're at the mercy of nature doing whatever it wants. You have to laugh, you have to be open to all kinds of thoughts & comments. I feel almost like a little kid when I think about what is going on inside - I'm fascinated, curious and come up with the most absurd thoughts. I do not think this is unique to just me, especially given the fact that T is looking into getting an incontinence pad for her bed just in case her water breaks in the middle of the night. You don't want to ruin the mattress! We giggled at the thought of this. I then told her I was not interested in borrowing that hand-me-down. More giggles followed.
I'm rather enjoying this pregnancy induced "beer buzz." The intoxication of prego hormones is a pretty nice energy high that I've enjoyed these last 6 months. I always thought women got emotional (crying), exhausted (depressed), grumpy, bull-headed and overall difficult to live with. However, for me (forever the opposite of mainstream society when it comes to my emotional state), this has all been... blissful.
I'm actually sad at the thought of returning to the way I used to be.

You know you are pregnant when....

... you feverishly open a Tootsie Roll, anxious for the fake chocolate rush, only to have it plop onto your dirty office floor and roll a few times. You know they never vacuum and that you've spent the last week with your bare feet on the floor. You hesitate only for a second (not because you second guess what you are about to do but rather checking to see if anyone will see you) as you grunt to bend over and reach the deliciousness that awaits you. Emphasis on *grunt* because bending is becoming a luxury and less of an easily achieved range of mobility.
*sigh*
It was tasty.

Hands Free

Rob and I met at Chipotle for lunch today. I decided to go ahead and order while I wait for him to arrive. I got in line. The line was long and a ltitle slow so there was ample time to shuffle and look around. I crossed my arms. I then realized, the days of crossing my arms spacing out... are numbered. I started thinking about how my mom used to carry all my stuff... and then my pockets did... and then I got a purse (or a backpack)... and now I have a messenger bag + purse + lunch sack. Soon, I'll have a baby in a car seat + diaper bag + purse + whatever else I might need. I better live it up and enjoy my shoulder nakedness while it lasts.

Baby Shower

My SIL, Nicole, just threw a shower for me in the great state of Ohio this past weekend. I have now officially been to Ohio too many times for my liking during the last 4 months. Seriously, though... I have.
I have been to Stow during ALL the cloudy months which is to say nearly all 12 months (specifically Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Mar and April). This trip - was the exception! I dreaded going (it was supposed to be in the 80s back in Richmond) but it turned out beautiful! Friday was the drive up (cloudy and misty rain) followed by the baby shower on Saturday (cloudy and warm) followed by meeting up with extended friends on Sunday (sunny and near 70s!) and driving home on Monday (cloudy and cooler). It was great - we wore TSHIRTS with NO COATS. Wow, indeed.
The shower was great. My SIL, a jr high teacher, shines during organized events. She coordinates every detail and leaves you with nothing to do but enjoy yourself. Yes, I'm lucky.
We got many things for junior. From the car seat (and an extra hand-me-down base), the stroller, the play pen, bathtub with some bath supplies, books, and a bazillion clothes... all pink. Well, there was a blue outfit in there somewhere. J hand-sewn a super cute baby jumper outfit with three little black birds and grandma crochet a white blankie. Another cousin made burp clothes. N, my BIL's girlfriend, got us each our own diaper bags (girly pink paisley for me and faux brown suede for future daddy). Amazing. I still have yet to go through it all again... to let it truly set in what items we now own.
We had a bit of a "challenge" to fit everything in our car. I'm trying to avoid Rob driving back to Ohio just for the crib (which, let's be honest, still won't fit in the KIA even if it is empty with only Rob as the driver). After seeing Rob's friend, A, stuff the stroller/car-seat combo into the backseat the night before we leave town, I suggest we try and bring everything home instead of shipping the combo later. This sends Rob into a bit of a silent my-wife-is-pregnant-and-crazy sort of huffing when I sweet talk him into packing the car... tight... on Monday morning. He unloads everything all over the driveway. After a few choice words, a brief exchange of frustration, it all... magically... fits. We did have to rely on the mirrors to drive home and the tower of plastic baby stuff shifted & squeeked much of the way home, but it was all worth it.
We later unloaded the car and stuck it all in the guest, ...er baby's room. There are now bags piled around the bed which is covered in more bags. Its all a bit overwelming these days. Reality STILL hasn't sunk in. There's just so much to do (this closet has to move to that closet and that closet has to go to the attic and this dresser has to move to where that bookshelf once was). Decorating the baby's room and making room for baby isn't really very fun at all. Rob and I are beginning to feel the pinch, not on the wallet (not with all these gifts!), but in our daily lives.

24 Weeks - Photo

Whoa! I'm half the size I'm gonna get, yikes!
Well, I'm in my 25th week after having completed my 24th week. And to think, I never gave a shit about counting time this precisely. I used to think pregnant women were crazy when they told me how many weeks they were and that mothers were anal-retentive when they said how many months their toddler was. Its all beginning to make sense. It scares me.
So, technically, for you non-pregos out there, I am 5 1/2 months. Like my co-worker (who has a kid) said to me yesterday, "Phew, you're just starting." Yes, yes I am.
Baby kicks all the time. All... the time. She's kicking right now it fact. Its an odd sensation like something is insisting on attention and... you can't give it. She does stop when I rub her only to resume kicking when I stop. There's only so much of that I want to do encourage, though. First off, I look like a wierdo massaging my big belly while at work. That, and I'm afraid she'll become a brat demanding attention when she is here. I was a brat. I don't care to repeat the cycle into this generation.
So off we go to Ohio soon - leave this Friday. I'm feeling better than I thought I would (at this point - I think I could stand the 8.5 hour drive up. I'm not sure about the drive back, however. I was afraid my back would be killing me at this point but I think I'll be OK). Ullman family baby shower is this weekend. I'm excited and nervous as hell about getting all this baby stuff back home. So nervous... that I'm getting ticked off. I'd say I was almost PMS'ing over the whole thought of this weekend & getting things taken care of for this weekend... but its not PMS.
On a separate note: I had to shave my legs while sitting on the side of the tub today. Yes, ladies, for those of you who plan to get pregnant someday... mark your calendars. Week 24 is when you can no longer perform the flamingo while in the shower. There's just no abs for it. I now wonder when I can no longer reach my ankles.

Just a few months

Nothing particularly exciting or insightful to post today. I did want to make a note of an observation I've made.
We attended a St. Patty's Day party last night (yes, I drank O'Doul's. Its not bad, honest. But - it did have the born-on date of Aug 12th and it was recommended that it be enjoyed within 110 days. I enjoyed it over 210 days later. A little skunky...). the party was an outdoor bonfire slash garage party. No one there had kids let alone ever experienced pregnancy before (well, what the hell do I know - maybe someone there had a kid at some point in their life, but they certainly did not have a kid at home today). My size aside, when people hear that I'm due in July (4 months from now) they say, "Wow, not much longer!" And, its funny cause everyone I work with has kids and they all say, "Its just getting started!"
Its funny how perspectives change once you've experieniced this.
Before I ever got pregnant - 9 months seemed like a lifetime. Its essentially a year of drinking, traveling, late nights, partying, and skinniness all thrown out the window for one full year. But, if I ever met someone at 5/6 months pregnant, I always made comments like, "Wow! Home stretch! Soon, huh?"
Now that I am halfway through it, I must admit time has flown by this first half.
In regards to the time ahead, I think there is something to be said about the last half of pregnancy slowing down time as we know it. EVERYONE I know drags the last 6-4 weeks. Days pass like hours. You might as well sit on the toilet without every leaving cause you're just going to have to pee again as soon as you pull up your pants. You might as well throw out any plans about "resting up before baby" cause you can't get comfortable. You can't breathe. You ache. And to top it all off, you are swollen from water retention. *sigh* I fear the road ahead.
So, I think its funny that non-baby people think the last bit of pregnancy means its all wrapping up (which, makes sense that you think that cause time does go faster one week before Christmas or before your wedding or before anything huge you've spent time preparing for). And that, people with kids, know that time tends to s-l-o-w down the further along you get. Probably because nature wants to prepare you for a lifetime of patience ahead.

Weigh'd in

Had my dr.'s check-up today. I'm at 23 weeks + 3 days today. Nothing special - no real milestones at this point and no crazy tests done either (that happens at the next appt when I do the glucose test, yuck!).
But I did get weigh'd in. I'm now 154.5 lbs (yipe!) which is 14.5 lbs more than where I started. what does this mean - I'm right on par. If I keep up this pace, I'll be 170lbs. when delivery time comes around (holy crap!) which will be a total pregnancy gain of 30lbs (phew!). We'll see if I stay on this course... with Girl Scout cookies being delivered last week and Easter just around the corner, not to mention by insane cravings for candy and ice cream, I may get off target... fast!
Found this little calculator online. I love what it had to say to me!

Craigslist

Craigslist is an excellent source for kids stuff. Kids either outgrow it quickly, hated it, never wore it or you got doubles and you can't return it.
But this gem I found today - I can't put it into words. A woman in Hanover (neighboring county) is selling this item, here's what she says about it:
"Really cute pony in great condition from a smoke free home. It can either be strapped to your leg for the child to ride or set on the floor. The best thing is that it makes realistic galloping & neighing sounds. Below is a link to the web site for more info. If interested, please contact me even if Hanover isn't convenient for you. $15 cash. Thanks!"
Now, you just KNOW her kid was completely freaked out by this item... money not wells-pent by grandma who watches too many TV infomercials late at night. She attaches a photo and the link to the company's website... which left me horrified:
Give it justice - turn up the volume:
Po-knee Link

4 more months....

Ah, yes. Fun with Rob's Mac & the built-in photo booth. Not too sure why I didn't think of this sooner.
22 and 1/2 weeks. Yikes! I'm huge!

Honoring my pregnancy

So our yoga instructor asked us a long time ago, "How are you honoring your pregnancy?" You know you aren't when you don't even understand the question. I thought she meant, "What are you doing to capture this moment in time?" Which, I guess one could take it to mean just that. For example, I'm blogging about it, taking photos every 4 weeks, etc.
But, what she meant was,"What are you doing to honor your pregnant self?"
Answer - nada.
I haven't done anything to truly "treat myself." Many of us weren't treating ourselves, which, to me, is the very essence of motherhood.... too damned preoccupied with everyone else and their needs that you sacrifice yourself. Now, you're MY mother when you then turn it all around to martyrdom, but that's another story for another day.
I had decided a long time ago that I'd get monthly pedicures when I'm pregnant. You can't see your feet (or reach them) and why the hell not - its fantastic. So, this past Sunday - I did just that.
K and I went to a new spa in Carytown (Fusion - its great) and had a fun time. I reached the 5-month marker the follwing day so I should be able to do this 4 more times before baby gets here. And hell, why not treat myself for doing such a good job during labor one month after that? Why should the honoring end with the pregnancy?
;-)

Hand-me-downs

The world of maternity hand-me-downs is an amazing one. No woman truly "gets it" until she is pregnant and people throw clothing at her. Its amazing. It reminds me of some college friends who would buy so many clothes that they could afford to purge and pass on while it still was in style.
You have to understand - I still wore jeans from college until about a year ago (I have now finally gotten to fat for them. And no, it wasn't due to pregnancy). I never buy clothing. I LOVE to, there's just been so many other things in life that we needed or wanted. Clothing went on the wayside. I truly think you've reached the pinnacle of adulthood when you realize how fantastically out-of-touch you've become with the latest fashion trends.... and you don't really even care.
So, back to prego clothing. I have already said that C gave me a bag of her hand-me-downs. The "bag of denial" I lovingly called it. I've actually begun to take a dip in that bag in the last 2 weeks. I think I am, as of this week, exclusively into maternity clothing now. There's no going back-n-forth for this belly, not anymore.
I've also posted that I have purchased 5 pants, a skirt and various tops from Old Navy, The Gap and, ah yes, Gabriel Brothers.
But yesterday was the MOTHERLOAD. Thank you, thank you, thank you to A for her amazing box of never-ending cotton fiber blends. A moving box filled with trash bags... all... maternity.
After rummaging through every article, I settled on 2 trashbags for myself. Did you read that sentence? I settled on TWO TRASHBAGS filled with clothes! Ha! I actually left behind a third bag (all too large or out of season).
While discussing how I will need to purchase plastic bins to store all my old clothing, in order to make room for all of this new stuff, Rob made a great comment. He nailed it, "I think its so cool - this maternity network - where all of you share and keep the stuff moving around. It makes it so you can all save your money for what's important and fun in the end - the kid."
What more can I say?

20weeks

February 19th was 20 weeks. Its the halfway point! Its funny cause... the first half is way easier than the second half. Its almost not worth celebrating. I have no problems getting up or down and midnight bathroom runs haven't been a problem this last months. I'm enjoying this before it all comes crashing down on me and just taking a shower wears me out.
*wink*
20weeks
Have I mentioned how much I hate our camera? All these moments passing us by...

We're f*&ked

In the first formal study of fetal temperament in 1996, DiPietro and her colleagues recorded the heart rate and movements of 31 fetuses six times before birth and compared them to readings taken twice after birth. (They've since extended their study to include 100 more fetuses.) Their findings: fetuses that are very active in the womb tend to be more irritable infants. Those with irregular sleep/wake patterns in the womb sleep more poorly as young infants. And fetuses with high heart rates become unpredictable, inactive babies.
Uh-oh, our baby's a mover...

"Behavior doesn't begin at birth," declares DiPietro. "It begins before and develops in predictable ways." One of the most important influences on development is the fetal environment. As Harvard's Als observes, "The fetus gets an enormous amount of 'hormonal bathing' through the mother, so its chronobiological rhythms are influenced by the mother's sleep/wake cycles, her eating patterns, her movements."
If you know me - I got's some crazy cycles & patterns...

The hormones a mother puts out in response to stress also appear critical. DiPietro finds that highly pressured mothers-to-be tend to have more active fetuses--and more irritable infants. "The most stressed are working pregnant women," says DiPietro. "These days, women tend to work up to the day they deliver, even though the implications for pregnancy aren't entirely clear yet. That's our cultural norm, but I think it's insane."
What? Me? Stress? P-shaw! Now as for working up to the very day the kid drops... that's a given!

Picture pages! Picture pages! 19w4d

Photos going down the page:
1. She's stretched out with her feet together (ankle to ankle).
2. Here's a profile (you can see her nose and lips). I think she looks like a Klippstein.
3. Here's looking at you! Straight on face!
4. Profile and hand. See her thumb?