Big

31 weeks and counting!  I did have my oldest take another picture, but I haven't had a chance to download it yet.  Anyone surprised about that?  Maybe after I get caught up on all this GS stuff that is hitting me all at once???

I went to the doctor on Tuesday and I think I've gained about 2 pounds.  BP and belly were all fine.  Then I got to see the nurse for my third trimester talk.  One more milestone!  Yay!  It's nice to see a few things that have changed in the seven years I last gave birth.  For example, I now only have TWO forms to complete for my hospital pre-registration, AND I can MAIL IT IN instead of trying to find time in the day to drop it off in person (although, this was more of a hassle back in the day when I was actively employed).  The nurse kindly said to disregard the "call if you have contractions five minutes apart for 1/2 hour" and just to "call when YOU think you're in labor."  Will do--especially since I seem to go pretty quickly!

I think that most of the hand-me-down maternity clothes I got must have SHRUNK for their previous owners because most of the shirts I have (and we're even talking the LARGE-sized ones) are NOT fitting over my belly and giving me a nice, cool little breeze on my belly that I really don't want during the month of January!  I do have a torpedo belly, to be sure, but really, I'm not THAT big!

Although, an acquaintance asking me with all alarm the other day, "Why are you volunteering here at school?  Shouldn't you be at home?" did not help.  She thinks I look HUGE and did seem honestly concerned until I reminded her that I'm not due until March.  "Oh!  I thought you were due in January?"  Really!  I'm NOT that big!!!!!

(Although let's not discuss how I am certain I'm going to tip the scales at more than I did with the other pregnancies.  I keep reminding myself that I started a few pounds heavier, so SURELY it's normal.  And well, I think the doctors would NOT keep saying "you're weight is doing well!" if they didn't mean it, RIGHT?)

Anyway, it's a good thing I'm unemployed again since many of my clothes don't seem to fit right.  I am mostly wearing my non-maternity comfy pants pulled up under the belly and the large t-shirts I normally sleep in (although some of those probably won't fit me soon, either) and a large sweatshirt over that (it's awful chilly in my house). 

My husband's employer is going through some rotten times right now, and even though DH thinks he'll be OK at least until the summer, and it's against my superstitious nature, I've started buying some simple things for the baby NOW.  Every time I go to the store now, I try to remember to pick up a pack of diapers or wipes.  I actually bought a bottle brush the other day.  I am eye-balling the other sales around town and will start picking up more of those day-to-day things we'll probably need if they get to a good price.  The corner of my bedroom where I've been storing all this stuff is getting full.  I need to find a place to PUT everything!

Speaking of, I did spend some time cleaning out the proposed nursery the other day.  After two hours, one can actually walk IN to the room now, but it's still not even remotely done.  There is too much STUFF there that belongs to my husband for me to attempt to go through it.  Once I get all my GS gear out of there, we will have more space.  And DH also needs to get the book shelves--and maybe even his dinosaur of a computer that no longer works?--out of there.  THEN I can set up the bed for me and baby.  And put baby stuff on the built-in shelves that are part of the room. 

The only BIG thing we still need for now is the car seat.  I'm starting to price those right now, too.  Let me just say, that Babies Is Us is quite daunting--and even more amusing to walk around after having three kids and realizing that parents don't need a good 80% of the stuff they have in there!  I got the biggest chuckle out of the girl clothes.  I just don't want to dress up my daughter in a fair amount of the little outfits they had available there.  My poor, plain daughters!

Oh!  More getting-ready stuff....  I actually found all our childbirth class materials the other day and have read through them to brush myself up on the inevitable "what goes in must come OUT" situation that is now 8-9 weeks away.  Even after three "moderately easy" labors, it all is still a bit freaky to me.  I reviewing my breastfeeding info, too, despite being an almost pro after nursing and pumping while working full time for all three past their first birthday.  It's good to refresh one's memory.  I would like to join LLL again, but the times available for the nearby groups won't fit into my life too well right now.  I loved my old group, but it's too far away and in the crazy evenings.  The day groups aren't convenient, either.  Guess I'll just stay at home and go goofy this spring!

I'm still wanting Johanna or Molly for a name.  DH and I have put the discussions on the back-burner for a while while we deal with what all the already-existing kids need.  Busy, busy, busy!