Friends, Home Improvements, and Nice Weather (finally!)

This past Sunday my two wonderful and beautiful sisters threw me a "Pre-Baby Pampering Party". All of my best and closets girlfriends were in attendance, and I felt incredibly loved and supported. Sue and Vadsana set up pampering stations fully equipped with a foot soak, different nail gadgets, and facial masks. And as strange as it sounds, not a single person volunteered to give me a pedicure...

Speaking of hygiene...

Do you think that Lucy is trying to tell me something?

For the last few months Charles and I have spent the majority of our weekends getting the house ready for the baby. We've moved furniture around, cleaned and decluttered the basement, painted (again), set up Lucy's playroom (again) etc. All of the things we parents do for our children. I'm sure that when we bring the baby home her first thoughts will be of the new light fixture that Mom and Dad (mostly Dad) so lovingly installed in the living room. Even if she doesn't care for it, and I'm sure she will, I love it.

Our friend Lacy got the baby this awesome backpack. Lucy decided that because the baby is too small to wear such a bag, she should get to use it now. How could I argue with her? She looks so grown up that I'm about to make her start paying rent.

I'm feeling quite spoiled this week. The weather has not sucked. In fact, it has been down right nice. Lucy and I were able to get out for a brief period earlier this week for a walk (if you can call my very slow movement walking anymore). Sitting in a stroller is not as much fun for her as running around and making me chase her, so to burn off a little steam we headed to City Park.

I've decided that Lucy's upper lip...

must taste like...

ICE CREAM! Seriously, what's up with the tongue?

She's still loving the swing.

We only lasted a few minutes before her attention was turned to the big kid toy.

I really feel bad for her. I can't keep up, so she has to stay within arm's reach. Not so fun for an 18 month old that wants to explore everything.

Although, for a few minutes, she was content to sit on the stoop in between the slides and tunnel.

Jen, to answer the question/comment from a few posts ago, THIS is why pregnant women crop their heads out of photos. Do I need to elaborate? One word: unflattering. Two words: incredibly unflattering. By the way, this was not staged.

After looking at the three very bad pictures of me that Charles took (sadly, the one directly above was the best), I asked him to take another picture where I don't look so "pissed". He said, "You were pissed." I said, "I know. Take another one anyway. And this time say something to make me laugh." I love my husband. All he had to do was start laughing, and it put me in a better mood immediately. You gotta love the ever present mood swings of a pregnant lady.

Okay, down to business. We're in week 38 with 12 days to go before the due date. The good news: The liver panels came back clean, I've had two NSTs so far and according to the nurse the baby is a "super star", my rash is really clearing up quite nicely, I'm still two centimeters dilated, and the doctor doesn't give me another full week of carrying this baby. The bad news: I've been nauseated and pukey since Monday evening, I've had Braxton-Hicks that have been quite painful, I'm still two centimeters dilated, and the doctor doesn't give me another full week of carrying this baby.

I am excited to finally meet her face to face, not to mention the fact I can't wait for her to stop using my intestines as a trampoline. At the same time, I've been psyching myself up to have this baby either on or after her due date, so I get a little nervous thinking that she could be here any minute. Although the doctor said he thinks she'll be here by next week, one can never predict these things. So, my next prenatal is on Monday, rather than Thursday. That being said, unless we have a new family member sometime this weekend, expect another update sometime Monday.