Week 36 of pregnancy seems to be a milestone of sorts. Nine months. It’s official.

Just like it’s also official that ZOMG I’M HUGE.

Some stuff about this pregnancy that’s different than my first pregnancy:

1. Braxton Hicks. I had them with Maggie, but at the time I had no idea that’s what I was feeling. I just thought it was the baby stretching. Then once labor started I was all, ooooooohhhh! DUH! But even still, they were NEVER consistent nor were they all that frequent. This time? After last week’s marathon of time-able contractions for TWO DAYS, things have definitely slowed down. But they are more intense and more frequent than the first time around- pretty much 2 to 4 per hour all the time. We’ll see on Friday if anything is actually HAPPENING as a result of all of these.

2. Weight gain. So far I’ve gained 35 pounds. I gained about 40 with Maggie. But I feel SO much different, not nearly as flabby and gross. Part of that is because even though my weight gain is close to the same, I’m about 10 pounds less overall (thanks to being lighter to start with, WOO!) Plus I’ve spent most of the summer chasing a three-year-old around, so that helps keep things in check. But also, I just think I’ve gained weight so much differently- hardly anything in my legs/thighs (I have stretch marks there from my first pregnancy!) and not as much in my arms this time. Overall, I feel pretty good about my weight gain- I’ve been enjoying myself with the food, but I haven’t been completely disgusting about it (because I pay with heartburn if I do!) Another interesting weight-related tidbit? I weighed myself this morning, and I’ve lost 2 pounds since last week. SOMEONE GIMME SOME ICE CREAM, STAT!

3. ITCHY. BELLY. I find it weird that I’m having such issues with this lately, given the fact that it’s summer and humid and when I was pregnant with Maggie, it was winter and very dry and I never had much trouble with itchy belly skin. But this time? IT WAKES ME UP. I have a tube of lotion next to my bed and I’ve been found lubing up my belly at 3am. True story.

4. Ready to be done. I never got to this point with Maggie. I’m guessing mostly it had to do with the fact that I was nervous about being a parent so I felt better about her staying inside my belly- at least I knew she was safe in there and I couldn’t screw up too badly! As far as I was concerned, she could stay in there forever. But this time around, I am ready. SO READY. If it weren’t for some work-related loose ends to tie up, I’d be doing jumping jacks and eating spicy food and working in the yard and doing all those things I’m not supposed to be doing to get labor started. I know it will be hard once she’s born and we’re so tired from waking up every couple of hours and the recovery after labor might be rough… but I know now that it gets better. It gets easier. Things get back to ‘normal’. And really, there IS a cure for tired- taking a nap while baby does! There is only ONE CURE FOR BEING NINE MONTHS PREGNANT.

Let’s get this show on the road, man.
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(excuse the crappy quality of my BlackBerry video.)

(Also, I can’t figure out what exactly it is that she’s doing at the end- that weird, pulsating movement. I don’t know if she’s tapping her foot or sucking her thumb or dancing to some imaginary music? I don’t think it’s hiccups. But it lasts for a while and happens a lot. Any ideas??)
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But really, this is good news. I’m not quite 36 weeks pregnant. Too early for this baby to arrive! And as much as I would love to not be pregnant anymore because I am so very over the large belly that doesn’t fit any of shirts anymore and my sore hips and heartburn and oh how I would love to sleep on my side again (no amount of pillows makes it comfortable for me), Baby Girl’s health is more important. And as excited as I’m getting to see her face and introduce her to her big sister, she needs to cook just a little bit longer.

Things today are mostly quiet in my uterus- just a handful of Braxton Hicks this afternoon. Oh- and of course the bladder punches and baby-shaped lump on the right side of my belly (she is laying completely lop-sided, it’s almost comical). Her heartbeat was strong this morning at the doctor and she seems content to hang out in there for a little longer. And I’ll just have to keep waddling my way through life the next few weeks. While Dan laughs at me. (He’s mean.)

But! That doesn’t mean I won’t be packing a hospital bag this weekend. JUST IN CASE.
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TIME TO WHIP OUT THE WEBCAM.

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After he gets to snuggle his newborn daughter, of course. I’m not totally heartless.

But I made it! WHEW. And not only that, but I got Friday night and most of Saturday to myself because Maggie had a sleepover at my parents’ house. I celebrated my Friday Of Freedom by falling asleep during a movie at 9:45pm. Then on Saturday morning, I slept until after 8am, folded laundry and finished the movie from the night before, then headed to Target to get some of the last baby-related things on our list. I really know how to party.

It was all very much needed, though, because I spent most of the week pretty sick with a cold and not sleeping very well. I’m thinking of petitioning the government or somebody to make it impossible for any pregnant woman to get sick while she’s pregnant. Who’s with me? This was Cold #2 for me- my first was on Mother’s Day. SO NOT FAIR. SHOULD NOT HAPPEN.

That’s basically all that’s been going on around our house. I mean, besides me frantically trying to convince clients that yes, I AM having a baby within a few weeks and no, I WON’T be working again until probably after Christmas, so yes, if you WANT your website to launch before then, GET ME YOUR STUFF, MAN.

As soon as I can get these work-related things off my plate, Baby Girl is getting her eviction notice. Just so she’s aware. Do you hear that, kid?

So that was a total stream of consciousness blog post. Like WHOA.

Carry on.
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“The boy?” I asked.

“The boy. David? Who lives downstairs?”

She was referring to Dan’s uncle Dave, in his 40s, who has Down Syndrome. He lives in his own apartment, but nearly every time we’re at Dan’s grandma’s house for a party with the family, Dave comes over and pretty much holes up in the basement watching sports (football and basketball are his favorites!) He emerges for beer and food, tells a couple of jokes, reports the score of whatever he’s watching, then goes back down to his lair.

We all thought it was funny that Maggie thinks he lives downstairs. Observant.

—

After having a bathroom accident, or doing something she shouldn’t: “It’s just a mistake. That’s how we learn!”

—

Last week for Dan’s birthday, I told Maggie we should ask Daddy what kind of cake he wanted us to make him (we ended up not making anything, he’s not a big cake or dessert guy) When I suggested we make him a cake, Maggie said, “But Aunt Michelle can make it!”

My sister has made Maggie some awesome cakes for her birthday, so apparently she’s got a reputation. She’s the Cake Lady, whether she likes it or not!

—

After getting into her pajamas before bed, we were ready to read books.

“HOLD ON!” she said and walked over toward her dresser. She pretended to open a drawer, get something out, wrap it around her body and snap it behind her back. Then she turned around and grinned like a goofball.

SHE WAS FAKE-PUTTING-ON-A-BRA, YOU GUYS.

—

We put her to bed one night and kept hearing noise upstairs. Dan went to investigate after a while, and she was in the baby’s room, sitting on the glider, rocking her baby doll. In the dark.

—

Last Friday after I picked her up from school and we ate dinner, she announced she was going to go play in her sprinkler. Two problems: there was only about an hour of daylight left and it wasn’t very hot out anymore. (Additional problem: SHE’S NOT IN CHARGE.) (RIGHT???!) After a dramatic scene where we said no, she cried, we said maybe tomorrow, blah blah blah, it was forgotten and we ended up spending the night hanging out with our neighbors, watching a movie in their driveway with popcorn and projector on their garage. Very nice night.

The next morning (AT 8:30AM, HOLLA!), she crept into our room. I heard her coming and opened my eyes just a bit.

She was wearing her bathing suit.

When she saw that I was awake, she announced, “I’M GOING IN MY SPRINKLER!”

And she did, after breakfast. For like 5 minutes until she was done with it and moved onto something else.

—

Tonight we ate dinner at the Olive Garden. Maggie always gets the ‘cheesey noodles’ (fettucini alfredo) and her favorite part of the whole meal is the chocolate candy you get with the check. For whatever reason, she decided she didn’t want any of her noodles tonight (she had a little bit of a breadstick, a few bites of salad, and about a gallon of milk to drink) I told her that was fine, but she wasn’t getting any chocolate when it came- I’d put it in my purse and she could have it another day. She barely acknowledged that I said anything, just kept coloring on her placemat.

We packed up her noodles in a to-go box. The check came, along with three pieces of chocolate. Suddenly she says, panicked, “I WANT MY NOODLES!”

She ate a pile of them and got her chocolate.
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“If you ask kindergartners who is a good singer, or good at anything, every hand in the class goes up. Why do we devalue ourselves so much when we grow up? C’mon–what are you good at?”

HOW TRUE IS THAT. It reminded me of another article that Torrie linked to a while back about something called ‘Imposter Syndrome‘ It’s not an official disorder or anything, but basically it’s the phenomenon (particularly among overachievers, which, oh HELLO THERE!) where we are in complete denial of our gifts and skills- too wrapped up in hoping nobody finds us out as IMPOSTERS, so filled with self-doubt that it often clouds our ability to do our jobs well, even if we are truly talented and good at them.

And just a couple of weeks ago, Casey posted about her winning photos at the Indiana State Fair. She is an amazingly talented photographer, and that’s not just my opinion- I mean, she won AWARDS! But still, as she wrote on her blog, there is doubt in her mind as to if she really deserves the credit. And it can take some of the joy out of doing what we love, you know?

It seems we all do this, myself included. But why? Why do we insist on being humble (either genuinely or as an act- which, I’m willing to bet most people aren’t just acting, we really DO have trouble accepting praise for our talents and skills)? And how do we lose that from childhood? How do we go from being unashamed to dance around the room like a complete goofball in front of strangers saying “LOOK MAMA! LOOK AT ME! I’M A GOOD DANCER!” even though we maybe look like we’re having a seizure to hiding in the corner at a party, afraid of making one awkward move (in a room full of, let’s face it, about 30 OTHER people making many awkward moves on the dance floor!)

I say we embrace our skills. Whether it’s dancing or singing or cooking or cleaning or being really, really good at plucking eyebrows. So the question: What are you good at? SEVEN THINGS. (Why seven? Because that’s how many I came up with quickly and it’s my blog so I make the rules!) Toot your own horn! Post it on your blog if you want! Then come back here and leave a comment with a link to your post.

It’s time we all start celebrating our talents, however minor and silly they may seem.

THINGS I ROCK AT (besides ending a phrase or sentence with a preposition. HOLLA!)

1. I’m a good cook (also a good eater… does that count? ha) I mean, I’m not making gourmet dishes over here, but I do pretty well. Dan’s not starving, is what I’m saying. And I get more brave and independent in the kitchen every day. This week? I might even make up my OWN RECIPE.

2. I am very very good at managing (and saving) our money. I do all the banking and bill paying. Though I do clue Dan in now and then for what we have in savings, checking, major bills that popped up, etc.

3. I am good at being a mom. Even though my three-year-old sometimes acts like I’m trying to make her life SO. MISERABLE., I know that I’m doing a good job.

4. I can sing! Not like, super-star level or anything, but I can sing on key very well and my voice is decent. I sang the National Anthem a few times in high school and college for sporting events. (Ask me about the time I got SHOCKED- like 4 or 5 times!- by the microphone on my MOUTH while standing on the ice, singing at a hockey game. AND I JUST KEPT GOING.)

5. I’m great at keeping up with emails. I see horror stories on Twitter from people with literally HUNDREDS of unopened messages and I start to sweat just thinking about it. It comes mostly from my tendency to get a bit twitchy if I have something hanging over my head. And really, I get a lot of email (at least I think so- during a normal weekday, I get anywhere from probably 30 to 100 emails between work, friends, and my blog. Is that a lot? It seems like it is.) I keep my inbox as a ‘To Do’ list and that helps. If something needs a response and I can do it in less than 5 minutes, I try to do it immediately. If it will take some time on my part, I star it and come back later when I have time to focus on it (but not TOO much later!) If it doesn’t require a response or action on my part, it gets labeled and archived- boom! Done. If I have more than 10 ‘needs attention!’ emails in my inbox at any given time… I’ve been slacking, yo.

6. I have a very good sense of direction. I’m typically The Navigator when we go somewhere new, and I’ve only misdirected us a few times (and honestly, IT WAS THE STUPID SIGN THAT WAS WRONG, MAN. NOT ME.) Also: I love maps. Not a skill really, but a related tidbit.

7. I am an excellent speller. (I may have typos all over the place, but trust me- it wasn’t because I didn’t KNOW how to spell it, I SWEAR! Stupid keyboard.)

Okay, your turn!
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The furniture is all re-used from Maggie’s room- the crib and both dressers. We weren’t able to fit a glider in her room at our old house, so that’s a new purchase- SO EXCITED to have one this time! We didn’t really need one in our old house- basically 1-floor living, so I would just take her to the couch for nighttime feedings. But now the bedrooms are upstairs and heck if I’m dragging a baby down a flight of steps at 3am! So after she’s out of the bassinet in our room, this will be lovely.

I just love the bedding. It wasn’t my first choice (original plan was sold out EVERYWHERE!) but I’m so happy with it. It’s girly without screaming PINK! LOOK! PINK! and it’s not cartoon-y either. Perfect. We just have to rig that turtle music toy up on the top rail like we did for Maggie, and we’re good to go.

(And yes, I use bumper pads. SOMEONE CALL CYS! QUICK!)

Lots of stinky diapers will be changed here.

Big props to Dan for putting the closet system in all by himself! While I was off getting a massage! What a guy!

A ridiculous problem: our kids’ bedrooms are HUUUUGE. Now that Maggie is older, it’s a good thing- lots of room for toys and books. But for a baby? What the heck do I PUT in the room? That wooden shelf thing across from the dresser is completely empty! It’s weird because we had the opposite problem when Maggie was a baby. SUPER TINY ROOM. It feels so wonderfully open now.

Just a few last things to do in the room: a rug, a lamp, and some wall decor. Oh- and some letters for her name above her crib after she’s born.

So! Now what? I’m thinking NAP.
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