+ Another weird thing +
I forgot to tell you... When we went to Babies R Us to update your registry, it needed quite a bit of cleaning-up. Interestingly, your stroller/travel system was on there after all. In fact, it was on there with another one I'd spotted aaaaages ago when we first did the registry. Plus some of the things I put on while online weren't really available in the store. So we replaced some of those things (like your Snugli and some sheets), and cleaned it up. I just thought it was interesting that the travel system was actually already there. And it's still not showing up online. Go figure.

+ Medicine +
Well, we found you a pediatrician! I hope. My OB Dr. told me to go to Camelback Pediatrics, which I've heard other good things about. But the insurance stuff all says they're not taking new patients. This is true, according to the receptionist, except new babies! Go figure. They must leave some cushion in there for newborns. So I have an appointment with a female doctor for the week after I'm off of work to see if she'll be good for you. I'm sure she will; all the doctors at this practice are supposed to be great. I just hope you're not here yet!

+ Lack of energy +
I know my entries are getting, well, a little static. I am just getting tired. It must be that point in pregnancy, I guess. The joy of being pregnant is wearing off. I'm far from miserable, don't get me wrong. I have more apathetic moments than I have unpleasant ones (except when the heartburn hits at 2:00 a.m. and I want to shoot someone). And, well, I suppose I've hit the nail on the head, so to speak. I'm getting apathetic. Not about you coming! I'm still very happy about that, it just still seems so damned far in the future. Meanwhile, I'm still having daily panic attacks by the fact that you'll be here before we know it. I know that is contradictory and makes no sense, but if anyone else is reading this who's been pregnant, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Childbirth class was boring. Daddy almost fell asleep. He had to rub my back for what seemed like ages (for both of us) while I practiced the breathing that nearly makes me hyperventilate. Then we watched more videos, including a moderately interesting c-section one. The finale was a video orientation of the hospital, which had some good info in it that we didn't know. They do have LDR rooms - that's all they have for laboring! And they're all private, of course. After 1-2 hours in the LDR room, you move to a post-partum room, most of which are private, but there are some semi-private too. :-( She said they fill up the private ones first, regardless of who you are or what your insurance is or anything. Then they fill up the semi-privates. I hope I go into labor when nobody else does so I can get a private room. I just can't imagine.

Anyway, that's all. You're still kicking me endlessly. I still have heartburn. I huff and puff like an elephant when I walk more than 10 feet. My feet and hands swell up if I don't move around enough. Yep, it's a joy to be me. Hopefully a restful weekend of Super-Bowl-watching will do something to improve my attitude.

+ Update +
Oh, yeah. We're 33 weeks today. Childbirth class #3 tonight. We learn about medical intervention (i.e. drugs!). Yippee.

+ Yucky +
My heartburn just keeps getting worse and worse. I may have to resort to calling the Dr. before Monday. Plus, I'm starting to get toothaches. I have 2 or 3 right now, which means I need to find a dentist. My insurance doesn't cover my old dentist. I hate dentists. I hope after childbirth a trip to the dentist will seem like nothing. I really hope.

+ Daddies +
You know, I said your daddy is getting a little more used to the delivery idea lately. It seems nearly each night, as we're getting ready for bed, he has a new question for me. Last night's question was what would happen if I went into labor and he was at work? You see, he can't just up and leave on a second's notice. Well, he could, but it would be very very bad. I explained to him that I would probably be okay for a little while until he could get home, and worst-case scenario, I'd call my mom or my brother to take me to the hospital. Or 9-1-1 if I had to! But I really hope he's not working then. He works one really hard week per month - guess which week is that week in March?! The week you're due! Ugh. But I told him we'd cross that bridge when/if we came to it, and we'd probably have warning. Hopefully that's the case. Of course, he asked me how much warning and how long I'd be in labor... Um, those are the magic questions, now, aren't they? I don't have the answers to those! Silly Daddy.

+ Purchases +
I bought you a CD and three books today. The three books are good ones, old and new classics. One is Where the Wild Things Are, which was probably my favorite book when I was little. One is Goodnight Moon, which won awards for being an awesome book. And another is Guess How Much I Love You, which I've heard fabulous things about. As soon as I get them, I'll start reading them for you. You'll probably know them by heart by the time you're a toddler.

Nothing new to report. I'm starting to have some minor swelling in my hands when I wake up in the morning, and my heartburn is getting worse. Neither of those are particularly surprising, but I'll bring them both up to the Dr. next Monday. I hope you're doing okay in there. I'm absolutely exhausted today, so I'm wondering if you're going through a growth spurt, since I really slept pretty normally last night. Who knows? But I'm having more and more people tell me lately how well I'm carrying you, which surprises me. I feel like a cow! But everyone's comments are always, "Wow! You look great. You haven't gained a pound; it's all baby!" Those are nice compliments, but I know you don't weigh 11+ pounds, so I know that isn't true. Either way, I'm still hoping the Dr's right and I'll weigh less after you're born than my pre-pregnancy weight. I'd like to be very active and enjoy doing fun outdoorsy things with you.

I bought a package of long menstrual pads yesterday at the grocery store, in preparation for the lovely after-the-birth issues nobody wants to think or talk about. Someone told me what to get, so I went and got those. They'll also come in handy if my water breaks. Thank God for the self-checkouts at the grocery store. I think the checkout folks would have looked at me funny: an 8-month pregnant woman buying maxi-pads. Hrmmmm...

+ Back to reality +
One thing that struck me this weekend is this shifting sense of reality I have had lately. It reminds me of planning the wedding. I could imagine myself married, but it was the getting-there part that threw me off. This whole pregnancy, I have been enjoying every moment of it, without really focusing on the reality of labor. Yes, I can talk about it and say what I think I want, what I think I'll be flexible or firm about. But when it comes to actually imagining myself going into labor, going to the hospital, waiting painfully through the hours of labor... Well, it's just hard to visualize. Much like planning the wedding: I could plan the flowers and the music and the decorations and the vows. But actually being there, in the middle of all of my plans and dreams and having it all be reality? I truly couldn't visualize it until it was happening to me. I suppose I just remind myself that as scary as that can be, it's also wonderful. It ended up being so far beyond my imagination and basically, was a series of euphoric moments that I will treasure forever. That's the best part. All the planning is necessary to be as prepared as you can be for the absolute unknown that is to come. And here we are, waiting and planning.

+ Today +
Good morning, little one. You are having a field day in there this morning. Actually, you just stopped (fell asleep, I presume) after hours of stretching and rolling. If my shirt were tighter, everyone around me would be able to watch your antics. Hope you're having fun! I am never really sure if you're irritated by your lack of room or content and wriggly. Who knows?

This weekend we did a LOT of walking. I think your daddy is nesting, as he's working on all kinds of things around the house. His storage shed is almost done, and we bought all new living room furniture. My to-do list in my head is getting longer, not shorter, and someday I'll have to find the time to really get working on it. I have lots of new aches and pains, and weird feelings in new places. You appear to be happily back to your head-down, feet-in-my-right-ribs position and have been there for several days. Every once in a while, something happens in there that I can only assume is you changing positions, that literally takes my breath away. Daddy always looks at me funny when I gasp from one of these weird feelings, but I simply can't help it! It's not always very comfortable, but it usually passes quickly.

We updated and finished your registry this weekend. There are lots of nice things on there I look forward to getting and/or buying for you. I do need to find an outfit to bring you home in, but Daddy usually won't look at clothes with me (he figures we'll get a nice outfit for a gift). I still want to be the one to pick it out though.

One month exactly from today is my last scheduled day of work. Wow! Things really are starting to wind down, and I have to call sometime this week to get some help with planning daycare. I'm still not sure when we'll need it or how flexible we'll need it to be, which is why I've procrastinated, but I can't wait any longer. If I do, we won't have any choices of where you'll go. That would be bad.