Life is a bowl of cherries

Rainer cherries are freaking delicious. I just ate an entire bag and baby bob kicked back in appreciation. A true fruit aficionado....

23 days....

but who's counting!? :) 36 weeks and 5 days today. The baby is two days away from being "full term" and according to the doctor, it could be any day now. Yeah right. No first time mom (FTM) is that lucky. Good news...the baby has stopped measuring so far ahead - we're right on schedule and she's hoping for an 8 lb-er vs the 10 lb-er I was convinced we'd have. I'm 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced which pretty much means nothing. It could be tomorrow, it could be three weeks. I did pack most of my hospital bag tonight just in case and basically let Tyler know that tonight was his last "rowdy" night as after this, he's on call. He took the boat to Silverdale to watch the fireworks with Roxie and our friend Jason - hopefully he's having fun.

Earlier this week the waiting was almost unbearable - partially because I was starting to get sick and feeling rotten, but also because I think I was expected to feel that way. I realized how completely stupid I was acting and on Wednesday, had a pep talk with my self. A few good things came out of it:

• three weeks is incredibly short if applied to any other part of my life - work, home project, vacation...it's a flash in the pan
• three weeks is all I have left to be completely selfish - after that...it's gone.
• three weeks for Tyler and I to be just a couple and not a family - life is going to change and how
• three weeks means baby bob gets bigger, healthier and a better chance at sleeping through the night (that's good!)
• If I had to listen to myself whine for three weeks -I'd kill myself (or leave me). ;)

So...I wait, I walk, I live and I'm going to enjoy the next few weeks as best I can until Baby Bob is ready to join us.

Baby Shower debrief

We had a fabulous shower last weekend thrown by LB - it ended up being more of a party than a baby shower, but that suited us (especially Tyler) just fine. It was nice to see everyone and LB, as always, totally out did herself. She decorated our patio and it literally looked like a magazine. The food was incredible and the games were fun. I think everyone had a great time...in fact my in-laws were the last ones to leave and at midnight I could hear them signing Karaoke in our living room.

Calendar of Cravings

Baby Bob has profoundly changed my diet...and I don't mean just removing wine and Basil Hayden Manhattan's. From early on in the pregnancy to today, what tastes good and what satisfies me is completely different from where I was 10 months ago. I thought I'd share with Baby Bob the food that he/she has enjoyed over the last 9 months - it will be interesting to see if this holds true for them when they start eating solid foods:

First Trimester:
Likes:

• Pineapple, Pineapple and more pineapple.
• Oranges and grapefruit.
• Apples with peanut butter.

Dislikes:

• Anything fried
• Meat
• Fatty foods.

Second Trimester:
Likes:

• Watermelon, watermelon and more watermelon
• Any fruit - pears, apples
• Fruit juice - pear, peach, etc
• Arnold Palmer's - Lemonade
• Any salad, ideally with seafood on it
• Brea's French Vinaigrette
• Pancakes

Dislikes

• Fatty breakfast foods

Third Trimester

Likes:

• Ice cream - and lots of it. Ideally Starbucks Javachip...YUM
• Anything frozen - lemonade, Popsicles (otter pops OMG)
• Arnold Palmer's - lemonade/ice tea
• Fruit - berries, peaches, apples, watermelon, kiwi, cherries, anything fresh really
• Hamburgers

Dislikes:

• n/a

There seems to be a fruit theme...this is the first time in my life I've enjoyed fruit even generally let alone to the volume/scale I have recently. I hope these are good lifetime habits and that Baby Bob enjoys them when he/she gets here too! Thanks BB for making your Mom healthier.

Steamy at 35 weeks

35 weeks today...and only 35 days to go. It's definitely becoming real that our lives are about to change pretty drastically. We had our childbirth class yesterday - it was interesting, but not terribly informative. I felt like a complete nerd - the only one asking questions, but she confirmed much of what I'd already read. Tyler was extra grossed out during some of the videos including the placenta delivery - I have to admit, so was I...somehow no one ever talks about that part. Every woman in the videos had an unmediated birth which was pretty uncomfortable to watch and frankly, not that inspiring. "I am woman, hear my moan for 22 hours." Well - ready or not, here it comes. :)

It's just plain hot today. I've turned into a lily-livered northwesterner when it comes to weather and 80 degrees, 60% humidity is hot and muggy. It COULD be b/c I'm pregnant, but dammit - I 'm just plain hot.

Today has been a catch up day for AARF work. My days are running out - I'm only in the office 4 more weeks (yikes!) working 1/2 days from home on Friday's and then that last week, I'm working for home. I'm planning to start my maternity leave on my due date and feel more confident every day I'll make it till then. It's all very strange - I've never been more prepared with my schedule and surroundings yet less prepared emotionally for any event. Oh well....baby will be here whether we're ready or not!

Technology rocks and 33 weeks

We went for our 3-D ultrasound on Saturday and were completely blown away. Baby Bob was fairly shy keeping his/her face buried, but we did get a couple cute shots including this one where he/she is smiling. There are others where he/she is sucking fingers, sticking tongue out, blinking and practicing breathing. You'll also notice that the baby is FAT - chubby cheeks already and the tech also saw a full head of hair.

Here is my prediction: Tyler's eyes, my nose, anyone's guess on mouth and chin. Net net - FREAKING CUTE.

Technology is astonishing and for both of us and truly makes this little one real! Of course it makes us more impatient too - 7 weeks now seems like a long time to finally meet this little bugger! I had a dr's appt. on Friday and am measuring 36 weeks - this unfortunately does not mean I will go 3 weeks early, but rather I'll have a giant child. Dr Bridges is on board with inducing if it the baby looks too big...thank god. The rest of the pics are on my flickr stream...