A Little Bit of Weather

Last night at midnight, I started having some contractions. This is a pre-labor or false labor at this point. I rather think a pre-labor. Had some all through the night, about 20 mins apart, then during the day they've been occasional and of varying intensity. Sometimes enough to make me get quiet and wrinkle my brow.

My Dad and stepmother were visiting as well as my Mom, and we were all talking about global warming. My Mom made the comment that weather is just changes in pressure. I said, I think I'm having some weather here! So now I'm calling my little contractions a little bit of weather.

Anyway, I'm thinking the weather report is for a baby sometime this weekend. I had some other signs during the day that also point to impending "real" labor. We'll see! I got this fortune cookie fortune yesterday, so it seems imminent ...

Official Due Date

Today is my official due date, which really doesn't mean much. Only 5% of women actually deliver on their due date. It's just a nice line to cross -- now I really could go into labor any day now!

For all of you who keep asking if there's a baby yet, thanks for all of your thoughts and wishes. Believe me, we won't keep it a secret and we'll let you know! Most likely I'll have time to let people know here that I'm going into labor. Later, when we have collected ourselves mentally and physically, we'll send out an e-mail announcing The Bean's arrival and his name.

Meanwhile, I'm just waiting .... waiting ...

Baby Dreams

Still no baby, but I've been having some weird dreams. Lord only knows what they say about my psyche.

Dream 1 from last week: I dreamed that Michael and Mom were both gone somewhere, and I had an emergency super fast labor on the bathroom floor. I gave birth to a chimera that changed shape from a pegasus to a unicorn (ouch) to a bunny. I ended up with a full grown JoJo bunny baby on my chest.

Dream 2 from last night: I dreamed that Michael and Mom were both gone somewhere, and I went into labor, but this time I somehow got my self to the hospital. The labor and delivery weren't in my dream, I just remember being at home, and Mom and Michael came home. We were chatting and I said "Oh! I forgot to tell you! I had the baby! Shit, I forgot him at the hospital!"

Obviously, if Mom and Michael are not around when I go into labor I can't be trusted!

Science Project, Week 38

I'm in da Zone! At 38 weeks, I'm two weeks before my due date. Two weeks before and two weeks after is the zone in which I could go into a normal labor. I just came back from an appointment, and since last week I've gained one pound and 3 cm of belly. I was slightly behind, and now I've caught up.

We're in a heat wave right now, and while it is not a great time to be pregnant, it's better not to have a baby. It would be a hot labor, the baby would have a hard time staying cool, and nursing is toasty. So it's good The Bean stays in for a while.

I may or may not get to do another belly post in 3 weeks! I have no idea whether or not I'll have the time or energy to post labor news, but I'll try!

Juicy Fruit

JoJo usually gets a banana snack at night, but the bananas weren't ripe, so she got a nectarine. It was delicious.

Ugh

Shit. It's hot. Seattle is in the midst of a loooong heat wave. We don't usually get those, and I'm not usually pregnant, so it's a little extra sticky this year. We're supposed to get up to 101 today and cool off to 95 by Sunday.

I think the worst hit in our family is JoJo, though. Bijou, Michael, and I can all sweat, but Bun can't. Michael and I can slosh around in cool water, but Bun doesn't like that, although Michael does wet her head throughout the day. Bijou is smart enough to move to the lower part of the house where it's cool, or go sit in the shade, but Bun is not so clever. We pile ice packs around her, but she won't actually snuggle up to them. Poor Bun.

I'm not sure if it's the heat, but my Night Blooming Cereus has bloomed early this year. I got one bloom a couple of weeks ago, two more last week, and then another this week. I see another bud getting ready. I thought they were supposed to all bloom at once! Oh well, the heat is making everyone cranky.

Fiddle Tunes 2009

At the beginning of July I went on vacation for my last hurrah before parenthood. I went to the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend for my third year. This year wasn't as rip-roaring fun for me -- I just didn't have the energy to participate as fully, the baby ate my brain so I didn't do so well in the banjo workshops, I couldn't drink, and I made myself get in bed by midnight. But still I was glad I was there. It is really blissful to hang out in a luxury camp with friends I see once a year, in a beautiful place in beautiful weather.

Highlights for me this year were singing in the World Chorus and our annual Funny Hat cocktail party where I ended up as a fertility goddess.

I've posted photos to my Flickr account, and Laurie has loaded some there, too. Many videos of our cocktail party and performances are on my YouTube account. Here are some highlights for me -- enjoy!

The Funny Hat Cocktail Party:


The World Chorus I sang in singing a Puerto Rican tune, Capullito de Alhelí. I'm in the back on the left:


The World Chorus again singing a Corsican tune, Se Tu Sapessi Lu Male. It's a bit rough, but keep in mind we learned this in about 2 hours and it's not in English. The second verse is pretty good:

Science Project, Week 35

Here we are at week 35! Only 5 weeks to go until my official due date on August 12th. Most first time moms are late, but so far I know of several people who were early, so you never know! I'd like to be about one week early. That would be most convenient. Don't I get to choose? I now know of 5 people (3 in the last month) who have given birth at Group Health Capitol Hill where we'll be going, and all of them have raved about how wonderful it is. That's really reassuring to hear.

Two days ago I had a check up, and everything is right on track. After my next check up in 2 weeks I'll be going weekly. Many people still comment about how I don't look big enough to be 5 weeks away from delivery, but I guess I'm just lucky! I'm 30 pounds heavier than I was when the Science Project started. That's why I get so out of breath just climbing stairs!

I've been feeling pretty stretched lately. The Bean has run out of room and is now really testing the limits of his environment, aka Me. The gentle aquatic blorping movements have turned into somewhat violent pokes and jabs. He's settled with his head down, and tends to like to have his back and butt along my left side. An arm or leg feels permanently lodged in my right side. Sometimes he pokes his hard little butt straight out towards the world right above my belly button. Sometimes he kicks me in the side and makes me jump. Some people like to do daily fetal movement counts to make sure their baby is OK, but I tell ya, I don't need to count. He's definitely frisky. One of my favorite T-shirts has become a pretty good portrait of him.

My friends Sandy and Laurie organized a baby shower for us in early June, and in addition to getting some good swag, we had a really nice visit with some friends I haven't seen for a while. One of my favorite gifts was a bunny that is the softest stuffed animal I've ever felt. Maybe I will keep him and not give him to The Bean.

Happy 3rd Bunniversary!

Today marks three years since we found our bun in Woodland Park! Happy Bunniversary JoJo! I made you a special snack of clover flowers and one whole strawberry!Wow, is that for me?

I love clover!

Mmmmm, a whole entire strawberry! This is worth it, even if I fudge my bed later.

Do I have any strawberry on my lips?

Thanks!

This year JoJo gained some weight, went on a reduced-treat diet and regained some of her figure, got her proper digestion under better control, learned to dance for her bananas, discovered the joys of snoozing in front of a heater, and switched from sleeping in a ditch made out of a blanket to sleeping next to a rolled up "buddy" blanket that she licks and licks. She loves her buddy. She decided that she loves TV, and when we start watching a show in the evening she throws herself into a flop next to her buddy and stretches her bun sticks out (back legs). In nice weather she continues to dig in her gravel pit hole, which mysteriously gets filled in occasionally. That helps her keep her girlish figure.

May we have many more bunniversaries to come!

Baby Hummer

Michael's eagle eyes spotted another hummer tonight. Michael had spotted the guy having a bath in the rain a few days ago. Tonight we were inside watching So You Think You Can Dance, and from our couch he spotted one sitting outside in the bamboo. It looked like the right shape, but when I got up to look it seemed wrong somehow. Too dark. A white spot. Kid of fluffy. We carefully stepped outside to get a closer look and realized it must be a baby! We took some photos, and he flew off briefly followed by one or two adults who buzzed us and took off. The baby hovered in confusion and then resettled on my buddleia. Cute little fella. It's good to know they can happily reproduce around our neighborhood!